Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 4:1-43.  Let’s go!

Here the Chronicler lists more descendants from the tribe of Judah (v1-23) and also from the tribe of Simeon (v24-43). 

The two names that stick out the most in this chapter are: from Judah, a man called Jabez (v9-10); and from the tribe of Simeon, the men listed in verses 34-37.   Let’s look at them more closely.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NIV) 
9  Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 
10  Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

On verses 9-10:  What made Jabez so outstanding that God would bless him especially?    One of the important lessons we can learn from Jabez’ life is the importance of bringing your pain to God.  Jabez, whose name in Hebrew resembles the word for pain, did the wisest thing when he brought his pain to God and asked God to bless him.  When Jabez asked God to bless him, hal him and expand his territory, God did just that. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 3:1-24.  Let’s go!

1 Chronicles 3:5 (NIV) 
5  and these were the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel.

On verses 1-9:  In these verses the Chronicler lists the names of David’s sons.  Notice that Solomon was the youngest of the sons born to Bathsheba, who originally became romantically involved with David in an extramarital affair.  Yet God still chose Solomon to be the next king of Judah.  Once again it goes to show that God does not discount you because of your background.

Notice also that the third son that Bathsheba bore to David was called Nathan.  This is interesting, given that it was the prophet Nathan who rebuked David for murdering Bathsheba’s first husband Uriah and committing adultery with Bathsheba.  Apparently David so appreciated Nathan’s courage to speak the hard truth into David’s life that he named his third son with Bathsheba after him.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 2:1-55. Let’s go!

1 Chronicles 2:1-4 (NIV) 
1  These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, 
2  Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 
3  The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death. 
4  Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

On verses 1-55:  Here the Chronicler continues to list the ancestors of King David, and eventually, of Jesus Christ, starting with Israel’s sons in verse 1 all the way to David in verse 15. 

When I read these verses, it strikes me how the family that gave rise to David King of Judah and eventually Jesus Christ was, from a human perspective, the type of family that no one would expect to give birth to a king. 

First, you have Abraham and Sarah, the grandparents of Israel, who were not supposed to have children in their old age.  Both Abraham and Sarah wavered in their faith.  Abraham lied.  Sarah doubted.  Both of them even agreed to execute a sinful strategy to “help God accomplish His plan” by having Abraham sleep with their maidservant Hagar.  Yet, even when they were faithless, God was faithful to His promise to give them a son of their own called Isaac.