1 Chronicles 1:27

1Chronicles 1:27 says,  Abram; the same is Abraham.  Here, we pick up with Abraham and his descendants,  Verse twenty-eight adds, The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. From Isaac would come the Israelites and from Ishmael some of those who opposed them.  We might all trace our ancestry back to Adam, but what makes us all brothers and sisters in God's eyes is our relationship to Jesús Christ, which some have but many more do not and oppose those who do and God as well.  Verse twenty-nine continues, These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, Verse thirty continues, Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,  Verse thirty-one concludes, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.  We are first given the names of the descendants of Ishmael, since he really was the first born, even if he wasn't the child of promise to Abraham and Sarah.  The order in which we are born in the world is not what is important to God today, but what is important is when we are reborn through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-two states, Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.  Verse thirty-three adds, And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.  Then we are given the descendants of Abraham with his concubine Keturah.  These still weren't the children of promise from God.  The children nor their mothers in ether case were the problem, but Abraham was.  As followers of Christ, we cannot attempt to put our faith in our own plans and ignore God's plan and be successful spiritually.  Verse thirty-four declares, And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.  Verse thirty-five adds, The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. Of Isaac's sons, Esau was the first-born and Israel the second born, but Esau sold his birthright.  We all have an opportunity to become a child of God, but too many people sell that birthright for the things of this world, which are ultimately worthless.   Verse thirty-six continues, The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.  Verse thirty-seven says, The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.  Verse thirty-eight adds, And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.  Verse thirty-nine continues, And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.  Verse forty states, The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. and the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.  Verse forty-one adds, The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.  Verse forty-two continues, The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran.  These were Esau's descendants, who became the Edomites. Esau became the father of a nation, just not of the nation of God's Chosen People.  We may become great in the world today, but only Jesus Christ can bring us salvation. 

1 Chronicles 1:1

1 Chronicles 1:1 says, Adam, Sheth, Enosh,  Matthew Henry points out that there is a lot of repetition of what has already been written about in other books, and we begin with the genealogy from Adam onward, though it is not stated that this is what is being recorded here.  He also points out that the time between Adam, the common father of our flesh and Abraham, the common father of the faithful, there were about two-thousand years and that Adam lived for nearly half of it.  I will simply state many of the verses, since there isn't much to add.  Verse two adds, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,  Verse three continues, Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,  Verse four states, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  The first four and the last few verses are linked by Shem and include the sacred lineage of Christ and are included in his pedigree Matthew Henry points out. Verse five adds, The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.  Starting with this verse going through verse nineteen, we have an account of the replenishing of the earth after Noah.  Verse six continues, And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.  Verse seven says, And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.  Verse eight adds, The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.  Verse nine continues, And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.  Verse ten states, And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.  Verse eleven adds, And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,  Verse twelve continues, And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim.  We do have the added information that the Philistines were descendants of Casluhim.  All nations can be traced back to Adam and Eve, and to the dispersion after the flood, but because of pride and disobedience to God, they were scattered into many nations.  These nations will continue to be listed in the next few verses.  Verse thirteen says, And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth,  Verse fourteen adds, The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,  Verse fifteen continues, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,  Verse sixteen concludes, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.  Verse seventeen states, The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.  We start with the descendants of Shem here.  Verse eighteen adds, And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.  Verse nineteen continues, And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan.  Verse twenty says, And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,  Verse twenty-one adds, Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,  Verse twenty-two continues, And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,  Verse twenty-three says, And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.  Verse twenty-four adds, Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,  Verse twenty-five continues, Eber, Peleg, Reu,  Verse twenty-six concludes, Serug, Nahor, Terah, 

2 Kings review continued

The book of 2nd Kings records the reigns of many kings of both Israel and Judah until the end of both kingdoms when the people were taken away captive to Babylon.  Some of the kings were almost devoted to God, but still allowed many worship practices that were not ordained by God.  The fact that the kingdom was divided was already an indication that the people were not following God.  We as Christians cannot be divided and we cannot allow things that are not in accordance with God's will into our worship of Him.  There were also many kings who were completely defiant of God's commandments who worshipped idols and false god's and even allowed these idols to be placed in God's house.  Though God had warned them what would happen if they did not live up to their covenant relationship with Him, they refused to listen.  We have been warned what will happen to us if we do not enter into a covenant relationship with God through putting our faith in Jesus Christ, but far too many people ignore that warning and many even refuse to believe that God is indeed the one and only God.   As Christians, we are a part of God's family forever, but we cannot turn away from the guidance of the Holy Spirit and be what God has called us to be.  God had delivered the people of Israel, His Chosen People, out of bondage in Egypt, brought them into the Promised Land, even though they had been reluctant to enter in, and they had turned away from Him.  As followers of Christ, God has brought us out of the bondage of sin, and yet we too often allow sin to have power in our lives again.  As I have stated many times, I don't believe that once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord that we can ever not be a part of the family of God, just as the people of Israel never stopped being God's Chosen People.  They were His people by His calling and choice, and we are God's people today by His calling us and our choosing to accept the gift of salvation by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, and God is the One who seals us as His forever.  Next, we will look at the book of 1st Chronicles. 

2 Kings review

In 2nd Kings, we have a continuation of the record of the kings of Judah and Israel until they were taken away captive out of the Promised Land.  Elijah, one of God's great prophets was still active in the beginning of the book, but the people often didn't listen to him or even wanted to destroy him, but God always protected him.  If we are faithful to God, He will always protect us spiritually.  We have the passing of the mantel of Elijah to Elisha, who became God's prophet after Elijah was taken up into heaven.  Elijah was the second and only other man we know of who didn't die, following Enoch.  We know that God is always going to have someone called to replace His leaders in the church when they die or retire, if the person He has called will be obedient to His call.  Unless Jesus Christ returns first, we will all face physical death one day, but our spirit will be in heaven forever with God if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ.  As followers of Christ, as long as we are here, we have a purpose in God's kingdom.  We have the record of the little children mocking Elisha and their destruction because of their actions.  We cannot mock God's preachers and teachers today and expect to never be held responsible for our actions.  I believe their destruction was not because Elisha was so important personally, but because he was God's representative.  We should never believe that we are more important to God than anyone else, even the worst of sinner, but we also should never allow people to speak evil of God's people without calling them out for doing so, because if they do, they are showing dishonor to God.  We have a record of the continuation of the divided kingdom, even though they should have been united as God's people.  As Christians, we are all a part of the family of God, but too often we are divided in our actions for Him.  We need to learn to be faithful to God not only individually but as the church collectively, and if we are, there should be no divisions and fighting amongst ourselves.  We find in both kingdoms that practices of worship were not in accordance with God's word, at times through the worship of idols and at times by worshipping in places that God had not established as places of worship.  We should certainly never allow the worship of idols, which is anything that we put our faith in other than Jesus Christ, to exist in our lives.  When we do establish a place to come together as Christians to worship God, we need to make sure that it is by His direction and that nothing that is not in accordance with His word is allowed to go on there when we do gather together to worship Him.

2 Kings 25:22

2 Kings 25:22 says, And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah as the ruler over those left in Judah.  These were the poor people who were considered unimportant and of no threat to Babylon.  We may be poor and unimportant in the eyes of the world, but as Christians, we should always be a threat to their evil ways.  I don't believe we should ever just sit back and do nothing because it is safer to do so, but we must always act under the power and authority of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty-three adds, And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.  We are that all the captains of the armies and their men came against Gedaliah, who Matthew Henry said was probably a better ruler than most of their own kings had been.  Verse twenty-four continues, And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.  Gedaliah told them to be patient and dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon and everything would be well with them.  Nothing is said about them being prevented from worshipping God.  If our worship of God is not threatened by the government, I believe the Bible clearly states that we are to be obedient to it. Verse twenty-five states, But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.  Ishmael and ten men came to Gedaliah and killed him.  Then, Ishmael and those with him as well as the Chaldeans that were with him went to Mizpah. This had been an important place to Israel, and they went back there, but it is God Who makes places great, and not just the physical location itself.  Wherever we are as followers of Christ is just as important as any other place, as long as we are obedient to God.  Verse twenty-six continues, And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.  We are told that all the people, both great and small, came to Egypt because they were afraid of the Chaldeans.  God had delivered them from bondage in Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land, and now they were willingly returning to Egypt.  If we are a follower of Christ, we have been delivered from the power of sin, but we can still willingly let it back into our life.  Verse twenty-seven says, And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;  Thirty-seven years after Jehoiachin had been imprisoned, Evilmerodach, Nebuchadnezzar's son and successor as king of Babylon brought him out of  prison.  He had surrendered willing and had been imprisoned for a long time, but he was still alive.  We really aren't told if he ever repented and followed God or not, but at least he had plenty of time to think about it.  If we were to be imprisoned for our faith in God, we must stay faithful to Him, whether Jehoiachin did or not.  One day, we will be set completely free from the power of sin and free to worship God forevermore.   Verse twenty-eight adds, And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;  The king of Babylon then set Jehoiachin on a throne that was above even the other kings around him.  We who were imprisoned by sin, if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, are set free and can come and dine at the King's table, or with God Himself.  Verse twenty-nine continues, And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.  Matthew Henry says that Jehoiachin had his prison garb changed to royal robes, and this is what happens to us when we become a follower of Christ.  Verse thirty concludes, And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.  Jehoiachin had a daily allowance for the rest of his life.  He was not given a great amount to last for a long time, but a daily rate.  God will provide for our needs spiritually ever day of our life as long as we are obedient to Him.  God does not promise us great material wealth, only what we need daily.

2 Kings 25:18

2 Kings 25:18 says, And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:  The Babylonians began to gather the religious leaders, starting with Seraiah the chief priest and the second priest and three keepers of the door.  Matthew Henry says that Seraiah seems to have been Ezra's father, so his death which we see happened soon, did not stop his son from becoming a great man of God.  God's work will always continue until the return of Jesus Christ, no matter how many of His people may be killed.  Verse nineteen adds, And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city:  They continued by gathering the military leaders in Jerusalem as well as the scribe.  We cannot expect our military leaders to deliver us from the power of evil in the world today if we do not follow put faith in God and follow His commandments.  Verse twenty continues, And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah: Nebuzaradan took these men and brought them to the king of Babylon in Riblah.  God had brought the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and had brought them into the Promised Land with the understanding that they would be faithful to Him, and they had failed to do so.  Now, they were being led out of the Promised Land and into captivity in Babylon, if they were allowed to live at all.  The only way we can escape the coming judgment of God is to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord and put our faith in Him no matter what.  Verse thirty-one adds, And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.  We are told that these men were slain at Riblah.  Though they were God's Chosen People, they had continually refused to be obedient to Him, so now He allowed them to be taken captive once more.  As followers of Christ, we are a part of God's Chosen People, but if we allow sin back into our lives, He may remove His protective hand from us.  Even if we do remain faithful, at times He may not prevent us from being punished or even killed by those in power, but if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will always be a part of His Kingdom, no matter what may happen to us in this lifetime.

2 Kings 25:8

 2 Kings 25:8 says, And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:  In the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem.  The city of Jerusalem had not immediately been destroyed when the people finally surrendered, but Nebuzaradan came now about a month later to complete the destruction.  Of course, without God's people there, it was just buildings, except that God had made Jerusalem special to Himself.  If we as Christians are taken away captive, then our church buildings become just buildings, except for the fact that they were dedicated to God.  Verse nine adds, And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire.  Nebuzaradan burned God's Temple, the king's palace, the houses of the great men of Jerusalem, and all the houses of Jerusalem.  Nothing was spared.  Without God's protection and His people there, Jerusalem was defenseless, and so are we as Christians today.  Anytime we as individuals or as a nation turn away from God and His commandments, we become defenseless spiritually if not physically.  Verse ten continues, And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.  After the buildings were burned, the walls of Jerusalem be broken down.  Matthew Henry points out the Temple had stood for 420 or 430 years according to who is counting them, but now God did not spare it.  If we as a nation turn away from God, we should not expect Him to continue to protect us, no matter how long He may have been doing so.  Verse eleven states, Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.  Nebuzaradan then carried the rest of the people of importance away in captivity.  No one who was considered to be of importance was left.  If people considered to be of importance to God were carried away today, would we be carried away with them or would we be considered of no importance?  Verse twelve adds, But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.  The poor people were left to be vinedressers and husbandmen.  At least the poor people weren't carried away captive, even if they were left in positions of serving those who had defeated them.  We would be better off being poor and not carried away in captivity to some other force in the world and having to serve them physically than we would be if we were completely taken away from a place where God is known to be the ultimate power.  Verse thirteen continues, And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.  The Babylonians broke up all the things made of brass in the Temple and took the brass back to Babylon.  They had no fear of destroying the things dedicated to God and to His worship services, and people of the world today still have no fear of destroying things that are dedicated to God and our worship of Him.  Of course, if nearly all the Christians have been taken away captive, as the people of Israel were, then there wouldn't be much need of things that were dedicated to worshipping God.  Verse fourteen says, And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.  Verse fifteen adds, And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.  These two verses continue to list the things that had been made to be used in worshipping God that were taken away from Jerusalem.  In many places in the world today, those in power still attempt to take away anything that is associated with the worship of God, but they can never take away the Holy Spirit, so as long as we remain true to God, they may take away all our material possessions, but they can never take us away from Him.  Verse sixteen continues, The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.  Verse seventeen concludes, The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.  Some of the brass in the Temple was too heavy to even be weighed.  Still, Matthew Henry points out that since the people had profaned the Temple, God no longer protected it and allowed it to be totally destroyed.  No matter how valuable our houses of worship to God may be today, if they are profaned, then they become of no value to God.  It really is the people and not the buildings that make up God's church, and if the people become profane, then we should not be surprised if destruction comes.