1 Chronicles 24:1

1 Chronicles 24:1 says, Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.  We now are giving the list of Aaron's descendants, beginning with his four sons.  Verse two adds, But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.  Two of Aaron's sons died before he did, without having any children, and from the order they were listed, it would have been the oldest and second oldest, Nadab and Abihu.  That left Eleazar and Ithamar, and I would assume that the rights of the eldest son would have passed to Eleazar.  It is never the natural order for children to die before their parents do, but even though Aaron was priest of God, it happened.  Just because we are Christians doesn't mean that our children are guaranteed long lives.  Verse three continues, And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.  One of each of the sons of Eleazar and Ithamar were called to serve as priests also.  The division was not in overall purpose but in their role of service in unity of doing God's work.  We have different callings, but we should all be united in doing God's work.  Verse four states, And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.  There were twice as many chief men who were descendants of Eleazar than there were of the descendants of Ithamar.  Just because we are born to the same parents as Christians, it doesn't mean that we will be blessed with the same number of children, nor does it assure us that they will become Christians themselves, but we must share the gospel with them and pray that they will.  Verse five adds, Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.  The work was divided by lots, which were used at that time to determine God's will.  Today, the work of the church is determined by the calling of the Holy Spirit in the life of each individual follower of Christ.  Verse six continues, And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.  One of the scribes wrote the names of those called and gave it to the king and princes.  We need to have our name written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and that is the only one that really matters. Verse seven says, Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,  The next several verses simply list the order in which the lots fell but doesn't specify a particular task that the person was called for.  Verse eight adds, The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,  Verse nine continues, The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,  Verse ten states, The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,  Verse eleven adds, The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah,  Verse twelve continues, The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,  Verse thirteen says, The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,  Verse fourteen adds, The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,  Verse fifteen continues, The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses,  Verse sixteen states, The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel,  Verse seventeen adds, The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul,  Verse eighteen continues, The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah.  Verse nineteen concludes, These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the Lord, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.  This was the order of their service determined by God and overseen by Eleazar.  God still has an order of service for His people today, and we need to be content to do whatever He calls us to do.