Daily Bible Devotionals
written by
Pastor Steve Wiggins
Daily Bible Devotionals
Acts 15
“Then the apostles and the elders assembled to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: ‘Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth of the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving the Holy Spirit as He did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciple’s necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.’” Acts 15:6-11 (HCSB)
In the Mishna (Jewish oral law), the term “yoke” is twofold. The first yoke, or requirement, is believing in God and His Kingdom. The second yoke is the requirement to fulfill the Torah. The second must follow the first. One does not believe in God because they pursue the Torah; they pursue the Torah because they believe in God.
From the Mishna: “For what reason does the Sh’ma precede the Va’hayah im shemoa? So that one should first accept upon oneself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, and only after that accept upon oneself the yoke of the commandments." B’rakhot 2:2
When Peter spoke about the “yoke” of our forefathers and how they were all unable to bear it, he was directing his comments to the second yoke. Because the “Oral Torah” is “man’s opinion,” it cannot be esteemed at the level of God’s Torah, well-intended as many of the rabbis’ rules may have been. Simultaneously, Peter stressed the absolute necessity for both Jews and Gentiles to take up the first “yoke.” Salvation depends on believing in God and His Kingdom through faith in Messiah.
Almost hidden in today’s passage is an (often uncomfortable) reality among the body of believers. From the very beginning of the Church, both Jews and Gentiles were equal in the eyes of God, as it pertains to salvation, while at the same time retaining separateness concerning worshipping cultures. Notice there is absolutely no debate about whether the Jewish believers (apostles included) should drop their Jewish identity and become like the new Gentile believers. The Jews continued worshipping as Jews, and the Gentiles remained unburdened by most of the culturally religious requirements of Judaism…both were equal in the eyes of God with respect to salvation.
As unspeakable as the Jewish demands on Gentiles to become “fully converted” Jews before salvation is the modern church’s assumption that Jews who receive salvation (through Jesus) must abandon their (now-redeemed) Torah pursuance.
The undeniable (and fully witnessed) event of Cornelius’ household conversion is unarticulated in Peter’s argument. They were saved and filled with the Spirit without being circumcised in the flesh, outwardly baptized, or having converted to Judaism. (Acts 10:44-48) Salvation is by grace, through faith, alone! (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Acts 14
“Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After they had evangelized that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the hearts of the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith, and by telling them, ‘It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way to the kingdom of God.’ When they had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Acts 14:19-23 (HCSB)
Theologians are unsure whether Paul was actually stoned to death and resurrected by the Lord or if he was only thought to be dead. In either case, it was a miracle that Paul got back up, not to mention that he walked back to town!
It was a testimony of great faith that Paul returned to the town where he had been stoned just moments before! Why would he do this instead of shaking the dust off his feet and moving on? Here’s why: Paul knew his calling.
I have made it clear on several occasions that I believe the Bible teaches “calling” and not just for “super-apostles.” God calls each of us. I believe God calls us specifically, to specific places, to minister in specific ways, delivering specific messages for specific seasons of time. If there is no calling, we have no incentive to endure hardship. In light of his calling, Paul was impelled (drawn from within) by God’s Spirit to go back to Lystra.
What was Paul communicating with his re-arrival? He was testifying that God was greater than the evil schemes of men. Also, Paul would not be intimidated. The next day, Paul left town, but on his own terms. This was undoubtedly a warning to those who sought to persecute the young Church, and it would have been a noticeable morale boost for the fledgling congregation there.
Paul was a master leader. In returning, he 1) strengthened the new disciples spiritually; 2) urged them to use their strength to hold fast to the faith; 3) gave fair warning as to what to expect: Troubles, as well as victory for the kingdom of God; and 4) he appointed elders (leaders) to run the new young congregations.
If Paul is an excellent example of a disciple, and I believe that he is, then by following his example, we can expect many troubles. But those troubles in no way compare to the joy that comes from following the Lord, watching Him accomplish His purposes through our submission to His leading, as we focus on our great reward of entering His kingdom, having run the race well!
1 Chronicles 11
“All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, ‘Here we are, your own flesh and blood. Even when Saul was king, you led us out to battle and brought us back. The Lord your God also said to you, “You will shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over My people Israel.”’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the Lord’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel, in keeping with the Lord’s word through Samuel.” 1 Chronicles 11:1-3 (HCSB)
In contrast to chapter 10, where Saul perished because He abandoned God’s Word, David’s kingdom is miraculously established. God’s favor is on David, and He is going before him in battle. Not just militarily, God is also turning the hearts of the people toward David. After a season where the best fighting men from throughout Israel were drafted into the army to hunt down David and his men, we have this statement of allegiance, “We are your own flesh and blood. ”Only God can do that! David, the “man after God’s own heart,” lives within the blessing set apart for those who pursue God rightly.
But we know David’s story, don’t we? We know David will not remain faithful in certain situations. And we see God’s favor lift off of him. Nathan, the prophet, had the difficult job of pronouncing the Lord’s rebuke to his friend (and king), David.
“Nathan replied to David, ‘You are the man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. Why, then have you despised the command of the Lord by doing what I consider evil? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife as your own wife—you murdered him with the Ammonite’s sword. Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house because you despised Me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own wife.” This is what the Lord says, “I am going to bring disaster on you from your own family: I will take your wives and give them to another before your very eyes, and he will sleep with them publicly. You acted in secret, but I will do this before all Israel and in broad daylight.”’” 2 Samuel 12:7-12 (HCSB)
So, at this point, we ask ourselves, “If David, God’s anointed, cannot maintain a righteous relationship with God, how can ANY man stand before Him?” Perhaps it helps to keep reading. Because salvation (throughout the Bible) has always been by God’s Grace, through faith in Him. Instead of asking how we can maintain righteousness before God, we should ask what He requires for us to return to Him whenever we fall. We confess our sin and turn from it. And He forgives us. (1 John 1:9)
“David responded to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Then Nathan replied to David, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die.’” 2 Samuel 12:13 (HCSB)
1 Chronicles 10
“Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the Lord because he did not keep the Lord’s word. He even consulted a medium for guidance, but he did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.” 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 (HCSB)
In my years of ministry, I have served at many funerals. And funerals can bring out the worst of people. I recall one hot summer afternoon at a national cemetery in Riverside, California, when family members got into a fistfight over who owned dad’s Lincoln Continental. On another occasion, I watched a falcon shoot out of a tree and attack one of the doves released at the memorial of an Air Force fighter pilot. Somewhat fitting, I suppose. The dove owner screamed, “NO!” but the old pilot’s kids laughed and said, “That’s so like our dad! He would have hated doves.”
One afternoon, I was summoned to the office of a pastor who wanted to discuss the music for an upcoming funeral of a lady who had passed away in her mid-50s. “That is really young,” I noted. He replied, “Yeah. Lung cancer. Cigarettes killed her.” The same could be said of Saul. Saul’s own sword did him in, and Philistine arrows brought him to the point of suicide. But it was the idolatry that killed him.
How did Saul, the Lord’s anointed king for Israel, fall out of the Lord’s protection and provision? He simply began disregarding God’s Word. Ignoring God’s Word led to Saul’s seeking wicked counsel, literally a witch! Then, he became the ultimate mocker of God’s Word when he began pursuing David, who was so steeped in God’s Word (at that season of his life) to the point that he would not even fight back against Saul. Perhaps that is why David wrote song #1 in Israel’s hymnal because it mentions the same downward pattern for anyone who departs from the Bible.
“How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 (HCSB)
With that in mind, consider Messiah Jesus’ description of how His followers should equate Bible pursuit (and its faithful application to their lives) with loving Him.
“Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23 (HCSB)
Jesus isn’t saying that we are saved by obeying His Word. We are saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). In essence, He is saying, “If you are truly saved, you should pursue My Word with the intent to know it, live according to it, and share it with others.” If rejecting the Word led to Saul’s death, consider Ezra’s life.
“Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Ezra 7:10 (HCSB)
1 Chronicles 9
“These are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lodged in the chambers, and were free from other duties; for they were employed in that work day and night. These heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites were heads throughout their generations. They dwelt in Jerusalem.” 1 Chronicles 9:33-34 (NKJV)
No doubt, today’s passage is a nugget of Scripture that every worship leader would like mentioned at their annual job review. The words “free from other duties” are convenient whenever the pastor calls for staff members to “up their game” and volunteer during their off hours! But before any music staffers claim 1 Chronicles 9:33 as their life verse, perhaps they should take notice that music was required day and night, every day and night.
In 1796, a cabinet-maker named C.F. Martin founded the Martin Guitar Company in New York City. Guitar making was a craft he had learned from his violin-making father, Johann Georg Martin, in Germany. These days, Martin Guitar Company is run by Chris Martin IV, the great-great-great-grandson of the company’s founder. It is safe to say that before a “Martin” child is born, their career in guitar manufacturing has already been determined!
In today’s chapter, notice the term “throughout their generations.” The Lord reminds the Levites that their duties/careers had been pre-assigned before they were even born! Specific tasks were assigned to each specific family among the Levites. And they were to teach their children how to do the family ministry task perpetually. There was no discussion, “But I want to be a dentist!” If your family carried the poles to the tabernacle, that would be your job. In our post-modern culture, the idea of a pre-determined occupation is like a pie-in-the-face of individual liberty. But take a step back and consider that the God of all creation has given you a role to play in His kingdom. And that role is so vital that He personally chose for you to be born into your specific family with its specific task so that you can be trained to both execute and revere your calling to His glory.
Before you laugh off this notion that the Lord pre-assigned work for specific people in ancient days, remember that He has also selected specific work for YOU!
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)
The Levites had no real estate inheritance in the Promised Land. Their inheritance was to serve the Lord; hence, their dwelling places had to be allocated from among the other tribes’ land. But when Israel was eventually driven from the land because of their rampant idolatry, the Levites were the only tribe to retain their inheritance. Likewise, there is no “Christian homeland.” Our inheritance is to serve the Lord!
1 Chronicles 8
“Ner begot Kish, Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal. 1 Chronicles 8:33 (NKJV)
Today’s chapter is devoted entirely to the family tree of “King Saul of Benjamin.” It’s interesting how the author of 1 Chronicles (Ezra, who taught the exiles returning from Babylonian captivity how to fear the Lord rightly and who most likely compiled the Old Testament) wanted to stress how the values of the tribe of Benjamin led to Saul’s wicked reign and continued beyond him to his son, Esh-Baal.
Esh-Baal is known as “Ishbosheth” in 2 Samuel 2:8. After the death of Saul and his sons Jonathan, Malchishua, and Abinadab (1 Samuel 31), Abner, commander of Saul’s army, attempted to establish Esh-Baal (Ishbosheth) as king, in place of David.
“David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, The Lord bless you, because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when buried him. Now, may the Lord show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed. Therefore, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.’ Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth and moved him to Mahanaim. He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin – over all Israel.” 2 Samuel 2:5-9 (HCSB)
There are times in the Bible when the Lord commands the army of Israel to “completely destroy” an enemy. And there are times when He directs a more merciful approach. Skeptics may suggest that God is merciless when He declares total war, but we must never put the character of God on trial. We must simply trust that He knows who will repent and follow Him and who will not. Today, God has allowed us to peer into His wisdom so that we may trust Him, regardless of whether He chooses to extend mercy or levy judgment. Just the mention of Esh-Baal should strike loathing in the reader. Frankly, the mention of the tribe of Benjamin itself (harkening to its historically dubious value system) should make us bristle.
“So all the men of Israel gathered united against the city. Then the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, ‘What is this outrage that has occurred among you? Hand over the perverted men in Gibeah so we can put them to death and eradicate evil from Israel.’ But the Benjaminites would not obey their fellow Israelites. Instead, the Benjaminites gathered together from their cities to Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites.” Judges 20:11-14 (HCSB)
Lest we be prejudiced toward all Benjaminites, today’s chapter also mentions Merib-Baal (aka Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 21:7), reminding us of God’s grace to the meek.
1 Chronicles 7
“The sons of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eladah his son, Tahath his son, Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead. The men of Gath who were born in that land killed them because they came down to take away their cattle. Then Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. And when he went in to his wife, she conceived and bore a son; and he called his name Beriah, because tragedy had come upon his house. Now his daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon and Uzzen Sheerah; and Rephah was his son, as well as Resheph, and Telah his son, Tahan his son, Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, Nun his son, and Joshua his son. 1 Chronicles 7:20-27 (NKJV)
When I was a boy, my father used to drive slowly through neighborhoods, peering intently into backyards and garages. No, my dad wasn’t a criminal; he was looking for cars to buy. He was crazy about sports cars. How crazy? He has owned over 100 Corvettes! He has also owned over 100 MG’s, alongside a myriad of British and American muscle and racing cars…and even today, he shows no signs of stopping. Crazy? Indeed. So, you can imagine how boring it was for a grade school boy riding shotgun while his father knocked on the doors of strangers and chatted with them about their automobiles. It was about as boring as reading genealogies in the Bible! But, quite often, my dad would skip back to the car with a huge smile on his face and say, “Let’s go!” and the next thing I’d know, we would be riding home in an exotic new ride. Score!
When we read the story of Ephraim’s genealogy, and the name of a city called Gath is mentioned, we are intended to stop, like my father when he spied some chrome peeking out from under a tarp in a stranger’s garage. We put our Bibles in park and ponder, “Where have I seen that name? It sounds familiar….” That process is called meditating on Scripture.
“And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.” 1 Samuel 17:4 (NKJV)
So, what is a man from Gath, the city of giants, doing in Egypt at a time when Joseph’s (aka Prince of Egypt) son was still alive, yet hundreds of years before Moses led the people out during the Exodus? We must only assume the same famine that drove Jacob and Co. to Egypt (Genesis 41:54) also forced other peoples from the land of Canaan to seek provision. It is interesting how the memory of murderers from Gath (during the days of Ephraim) was passed down throughout the generations. Perhaps, even more intriguing is how Ephraim’s descendant, Joshua (son of Nun), is also mentioned in today’s genealogy. Furthermore, it was Joshua’s (along with Caleb’s) courage despite the report of “giants in the land” in Numbers 13 and 18 that earned him the right to eventually lead Israel into the promised land by God’s grace when he placed his faith in God’s promise instead of clinging to the fears of past defeat. (Numbers 14:6-9; Joshua 24:15)
1 Chronicles 2
“The sons of Judah were Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. Er, the firstborn of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; so He killed him. And Tamar, his daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah are five.” 1 Chronicles 2:3-4 (NKJV)
Do you remember your great-great-grandfather on your father’s side? Perhaps you have researched an ancestry website and discovered his name. You may have even uncovered some military and civic records, but you probably do not know his worldview, how he treated his neighbors, or whether he loved his kids enough to spend time with them after work. But, chances are, your values for those exact aspects of life were shaped by your relatives, two or three generations removed. Values are passed down throughout the generations by those people with whom we live in close proximity. Values aren’t taught; they are caught.
With that in mind, it is important for us to understand that genealogies in the Bible are more than just a list of ancestors. They are telling the history of a person’s values instead of communicating a direct narrative. So, a phrase like “son of…son of…son of…” conveys a familial pattern of either sin or righteousness. Basically, “He is no different from his father, who was no different from his…”. And the Lord, speaking through the Bible writers, assumes that every Israelite was seeking His Word every day. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) Therefore, He does not feel the need to keep telling their stories. He just mentions the characters, and we should already know the story by heart. The fact that most Christians get bored in the genealogies is more a testimony to their Biblical illiteracy than a commentary on how boring the genealogies are!
Now, to today’s passage, notice how the tribe of Judah - the family through whom Messiah would come - was rife with Jews who acted like pagan Gentiles and Gentiles who acted like righteous Jews. By verse 17 in today’s chapter, King David’s own sister has a child by an Ishmaelite! (see also: 2 Samuel 17:25) The New Testament begins with a similar genealogy, albeit a more gracious retelling.
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.” Mathew 1:1-6 (NKJV)
Notice how Matthew 1:1 calls Jesus “Son of David, Son of Abraham.” David, the shepherd of Israel; Abraham, the Gentile from Ur who heeded the call of the Lord. Not only was Jesus’ genealogy (the tribe of Judah) mixed between Jew and Gentile, but He came to save Jew and Gentile: In short, He came to save the World. (John 3:16-17)
1 Chronicles 6
Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Chronicles 6. Click the links below to watch or listen.
1 Chronicles 5
“Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright; yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s…“ 1 Chronicles 5:1-3 (NKJV)
Today’s chapter focuses our attention to the Biblical ideas of “Birthright” and “Blessing.” Biblical birthright is the right bestowed to the firstborn male to lead the family spiritually. (That spiritual leadership is primarily after the father has passed on.) Furthermore, the paternal “father” was not the sole determiner of birthright; it was also determined by the mother. In the Bible, we first see the concept of that father/mother conveyance of birthright in Genesis 21.
“But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.’” Genesis 21:9-10 (ESV)
(For New Testament clarification of this instance, see also Romans 9:6-8)
While the birthright is conveyed through very specific terms, it is also transferable to another child if the firstborn son refuses to follow God and be a spiritual leader.
“Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. He said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.’ That is why he was also named Edom. Jacob replied, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ ‘Look,’ said Esau, ‘I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.” Genesis 25:29-34 (HCSB)
Blessing is different from Birthright. Blessing is the byproduct of leading spiritually. The Blessing naturally follows when a person answers the call to spiritually lead.
“But he replied, ‘Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.’ So he said, ‘Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me twice now. He took my birthright, and look, now he has taken my blessing.’ Then he asked, ‘Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?’” Genesis 27:35-36 (HCSB)
While Jacob used deceptive measures to secure the Blessing, he suffered because of how he acquired it. Peaceful Blessing did not come until Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord (Messiah) and was blessed by Him. Jacob’s decision to become singularly focused on living up to the character of the Birthright led to his being blessed. That is 1 Chronicles 5 in a nutshell: When Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh led according to God’s Word, they were blessed. But, their rejection of the Lord (in favor of idolatry) diminished blessing, leading to exile.
1 Chronicles 4
“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez and said, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez called out to the God of Israel: ‘If only You would bless me, extend my border, let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm, so that I will not cause any pain.’ And God granted his request.” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (HCSB)
In the winter of 2000, I walked into a management meeting with my band, Big Tent Revival. A few weeks earlier, we had the #1 song on Christian Radio, Choose Life. The band and management expected to discuss an upcoming tour and the next radio single. But that meeting took a different turn when I announced that I felt the Lord was leading me away from the band to focus more time on raising my family. Unexpected news is often unwelcome news. While not everyone agreed that the band should break up, we eventually coped with the reality that the company was actually dissolving. We then set out like gentlemen to honor the Lord. In the months following that decision (to shut down the band), Big Tent Revival performed all of our contracted concert obligations. We paid all of our T-Shirt and merchandise vendors, sold our tour bus, semi and trailer, sound and lights, and set a target date for our last concert: New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2000. Riverside CA.
In the fall of 2000, about a month before Big Tent Revival played our last concert, someone handed me a book that had just been released by Multnomah Books, authored by a gentleman named Bruce Wilkinson. The book was called “The Prayer of Jabez,” and it centered around today’s passage, 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. I was interested in the book because I had never heard of this guy, Jabez. Growing up, I never heard anyone preach about Jabez, and none of my hip-music business friends talked about him. The book quickly became a best-seller, and then things got weird. Soon, churches all over the globe were praying the “prayer of Jabez” as if it were some sort of incantation to stir up the Lord to do whatever they wanted Him to do. As you can imagine (or perhaps you experienced firsthand), a tremendous amount of controversy was stirred up. Skeptics began refuting Bruce Wilkinson’s hermeneutic and “prosperity” theological leanings.
So, there I was. A guy who had followed the Lord and whose recent decisions had caused quite a few people a considerable amount of inconvenience. I had no plan for how I was going to earn a living after the band played its last concert. So, I read the book and was encouraged. I also asked God why He included the passage in His Word. Jabez’s story seemed tailor-fit for my situation yet did not include directions concerning how I should apply its message. In the end, here is what we know about how Mr. Jabez relates to us. If we call upon the Lord, He is available and concerned.
“When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NKJV)
1 Chronicles 3
“These were David’s sons who were born to him in Hebron: Amnon was the firstborn, by Ahinoam of Jezreel; Daniel was born second, by Abigail of Carmel; Absalom son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur, was third; Adonijah son of Haggith was fourth; Shephatiah, by Abital, was fifth; and Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah, was sixth. Six sons were born to David in Hebron, where he ruled seven years and six months, and he ruled in Jerusalem 33 years. These sons were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. These four were born to him by Bath-shua daughter of Ammiel. David’s other sons: Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet—nine sons. These were all David’s sons, with their sister Tamar, in addition to the sons by his concubines.” 1 Chronicles 3:1-9 (HCSB)
Who knew David had so many children? We typically only think of Absalom (the rebel) and Solomon (the wise-king-turned-idolater). And how about those wives? Most people only know of Michal (Saul’s daughter) and Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife). So, what are we to learn from these other women and children? They seem to have been trouble for David. Was there a time when God actually encouraged multiple wives? Simple answer: No.
Sure, God allowed multiple wives (and ancient Middle-Eastern secular culture had no problem with it), but we never see Him command it, nor do we see anything positive come from it. Just because God allows a scenario to occur in Scripture does not necessarily mean He endorses it. Multiple spouses always lead to conflict. And the battle between spouses led to conflict between siblings. Eventually, the question arises, “Who inherits the birthright and blessing?” Consider how the apostle Paul in the New Testament describes the difference between children of the multiple-wife marriages of the patriarchs and how only one spouse carried the “child of the promise.”
“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. And not only that, but also Rebekah received a promise when she became pregnant by one man, our ancestor Isaac. For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election [to His design] might stand— not from works but from the One who calls—she was told: The older will serve the younger. As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.” Romans 9:6-13 (HCSB)
It is good to know that Messiah Jesus has only ONE bride, the Church! (Ephesians 5:25-27; Isaiah 54:5; Revelation 19:7-9; Revelation 21:9; 2 Corinthians 11:2)
1 Chronicles 1
“Two sons were born to Eber. One of them was named Peleg because the earth was divided during his lifetime, and the name of his brother was Joktan. Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All of these were Joktan’s sons. Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Abram (that is, Abraham). Abraham’s sons: Isaac and Ishmael.” 1 Chronicles 1:19-28 (HCSB)
Arms folded, feet up and crossed on the table. That is how he sat, the scoffer pastor who laughed at my idea of leading people through the entire Bible, a chapter a day. “They may follow you through the New Testament, but when you get to Numbers and Leviticus, you will lose half of them! And you will lose the rest when you get mired in those genealogies in 1st Chronicles!” So, will you quit today and prove the scoffer right? Or will you muddle through these next few days to discover why the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, included this holy roll call in His eternal Word?
Today, we focus on the sons of Eber: Peleg and Joktan. The Bible tells us Peleg’s name means “divided.” And with a little research, we discover his brother’s name means “small.” A fairly bleak outlook, huh? Divided and Small. Those words describe Israel in the days when a terrified Gideon was visited by the Messiah (Angel of the Lord), Who sat beside Gideon and pronounced his calling.
“Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:12 (HCSB)
Divided and Small was how Jacob felt as he nervously awaited the reunion between himself and his brother Esau, whom Jacob deceived and Esau swore to kill years earlier.
“I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps.” Genesis 32:10 (HCSB)
Later that night, Messiah (Angel of the Lord) would wrestle with Jacob and elicit Jacob’s immense single-minded profession: “I will not let you go!”
Divided and Small is what Messiah (Jesus) prayed against in the upper room.
“I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me.” John 17:20-21 (HCSB)
Are you feeling Divided and Small? Put your trust in Messiah Jesus! He will make you whole (John 5:6-KJV), and He will never cast you out. (John 6:37) Remember, God shines brightest when the days are at their darkest. (See also: Abraham)
2 Kings 25
“On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Judah’s King Jehoiachin, in the year Evil-merodach became king of Babylon, he pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison. He spoke kindly to him and set his throne over the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and he dined regularly in the presence of the king of Babylon for the rest of his life. As for his allowance, a regular allowance was given to him by the king, a portion for each day, for the rest of his life.” 2 Kings 25:27-30 (HCSB)
Anne Moody was a college student who was active in the American civil rights movement in Mississippi in the 1960s. At one time, part of the civil rights strategy involved sending black students to “white” churches during Sunday morning service. Sometimes police officers were waiting along with ushers. It was common for black students to be turned away. But there was one Episcopal church they entered, where two ushers asked them to sign the guest list and ushered them to their seat. Moody describes her reaction:
“I stood there for a good five minutes before I was able to compose myself. I had never prayed with white people in a white church. The church service was completed without one incident. It was as normal as any church service. However, it was by no means normal to me. When the services were over, the minister invited us to visit again. He said it as if he meant it, and I began to have a little hope.”
It was only the fact that a church did not turn her away, only the freedom to sit in a worship service with whites, only the convicting earnestness of a minister inviting her back, not much at all. But it was enough to give her a glimpse of hope. That is the impact that Jehoiachin’s fortunes should have on us. We should begin to have a little hope. In the midst of His punishment, God did not completely abandon Judah or the dignity of its king.
Matthew 1:12-16 lists the noble Messianic genealogy from Babylonian exile to Jesus’ birth. It picks up where 2 Kings 25 leaves off. Who would think that any sure hope from God could be hidden under this failed, dilapidated, and captive people? At this time, Israel had lost the land (the Abraham promise) and the kingship (Davidic promise). Read Haggai, Nehemiah, and Malachi. Life was hard for the dispersed Jewish people.
But precisely in this time, this darkest, bleakest segment of Israel’s history, that the Messiah was given! It was when the people were trampled, beaten down, and teetering between faith and compromise, that the “Sun of Righteousness” began to blaze. This all sends a powerful message to America today. It is not solely our repentance but also the Lord’s stubbornness that brings redemption. The God of power and fury turns from His fury in Jehoiachin’s “Descendant,” Jesus. God dispensed grace and mercy for the sake of His gracious promise while at the same time weighing judgment according to His Word. And this should give us more than a little hope.
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