1 Chronicles 24:4
“There were more leaders found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus they were divided. Among the sons of Eleazar were sixteen heads of their fathers’ houses, and eight heads of their fathers’ houses among the sons of Ithamar.”
Webster’s dictionary defines a chronicle as “a historical account of events arranged in order of time without analysis or interpretation.” The main purpose of 1Chronicles is to give an historical record of the nation of Judah. This chapter focusses on the descendants of Aaron, the priest. While it may seem less than devotional to read a list of names, I think it is worth noting, that a system based on heritage would require a huge emphasis upon raising the next generation to follow the Lord. If Israel was going to remain as the people of God, then the priests would have to raise their children to love, trust, and obey the Word of God and the God of the Word.
The death and resurrection of Christ has ushered in a new covenant that is no longer based on heritage. We become a child of God, and a priest in our home, the moment we place faith in Christ. This, however, does not diminish the need to raise our children to love, trust, and obey the Lord. We should make it our chief aim to train up our children in the way they should go so when they are old they will not depart from ways of God (Proverbs 22:6). Some basic tools to help us do that include teaching them the Scriptures, setting a godly example, and being sure our home is filled with an atmosphere of grace.
Pastor Jim
David’s domestic policy included doing everything possible to ensure that the Lord was at the center of the nation of Israel. To this end, he sought to bring the Ark into the city of Jerusalem. In doing so, David committed one of the more common mistakes in ministry; doing the right thing, the wrong way. Instead of opening the Word of God and doing the necessary research on the subject of transporting the Ark, David used “common sense” and a pattern set by the Philistines. The Ark was placed upon a new a cart and driven to Jerusalem. Tragedy struck along the way and a young servant of the king was killed. The reason for the failure was that David had failed to seek the ways of the Lord.
My father-in-law uses the phrase,“So soon,” to chide anyone who is late. I personally have heard the term more times than I care to admit. The basic idea behind it is “I am glad you are finally ready, but what took you so long.” I cannot help but think of that phrase as I read of David finally sitting upon the throne as king of all Israel.
Israel was facing almost certain annihilation; the forces of Syria had mounted against them and poised to attack. The troops and resources of Syria far outweighed that of Israel; and in a word, things looked bleak. It was with this backdrop that we are introduced to an unnamed prophet, who brought an almost unbelievable message. The message was that God would deliver Israel from the threat and he would do it through the young and inexperienced leaders.
David was a man mightily used by God. Although he started his journey walking alone into the valley to fight the giant, he did not remain alone. David’s faith was magnetic, and he was soon surrounded by men of great faith. This chapter tells the story of some of the men who surrounded the king. Among those listed are:
I am not a farmer, and do not have a lot of experience with either horses or mules. With my limited knowledge, I have observed, that bits are used in horses for an entirely different reason, than they are used in mules. Horses want to run free; they must be broken, and the harness and bit are to keep them from running off on their own. Mules are stubborn; they are not known for running off, but for standing still. The bit and harness are used on the mule to get them going. While I do not have a lot of familiarity with horses and mules, I have spent lots of time with Christians. It seems to me, we are by nature, a lot like either the horse or the mule. Some of us have the tendency to run ahead. We are the self-reliant; the ones who are constantly thinking we can handle things, and forgetting our need to cling to the Lord. Others of us, are more mule-like. We are the ones who tend to sit back, always aware of our own weaknesses. Those weaknesses keep us from venturing out into what God would have us do.
After defeating the enemies of Israel, Deborah and Barak led the people in a song celebrating the Lord’s victory. This song gives insight into how things are accomplished within the Kingdom of God. It is clear, it was a work of God. We read, “The Lord went out from Seir, . . .” It is also clear, the works of God are accomplished when people are willing to step out in the service of God. The key to Israel’s victory was leaders who led, and people who willingly offered themselves. We know Barak was a bit reluctant to lead; he would not go unless Deborah joined him. None the less, he went. As these two stepped out in faith, countless others rose to the challenge, devoting themselves to the service of the Lord.
The Scriptures are filled with men and women who had a tremendous impact upon their world for the kingdom of Heaven. Timothy is one of those men. We are first introduced to him here, in Acts 16. He is described as a disciple who was well-spoken of throughout the cities of Lystra and Iconium. The word disciple means, a learner and a follower. It describes a person who has chosen to surrender to Christ, follow Him, and allow the Word of God to write upon the tablet of his heart. The disciple lets God’s Word direct his private life, public life, family life and church life. Timothy was a disciple of Christ, and set an example for the believers around him on what it meant to follow Jesus. As we continue to follow Timothy’s story, we find he became a traveling companion of Paul and Silas; bringing the Gospel throughout Asia minor and into Europe. Later we learn he became the pastor of the church in Ephesus, and was the recipient of two New Testament letters.
I can remember times when my children would slip on a pair of my shoes and attempt to walk around the house. Their little feet were so small, and the shoes so large, that not only did they look ridiculous, but it made the simple task of walking from one side of the room to the next, almost impossible. Suffice it to say, attempting to fill someone else’s shoes is often a very difficult task. That concept would be greatly compounded as it relates to Joshua and Moses, of whom we are told, 
Have you ever heard the proverb, “curiosity killed the cat?” It speaks to that part of our nature that wants to look into things that we shouldn’t. Not all curiosity is bad, in fact it can often lead to some pretty amazing opportunities. However, when our curiosity leads us to disobey the clear commands of God, that will always lead to danger.
Jim Gallagher 