Daily Bible Devotionals

“He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right side and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as they offered for the burnt offering they would wash in them, but the Sea was for the priests to wash in.” 2 Chronicles 4:6 (NKJV)

As a teenager, I worked as an electrician’s helper.  The man who owned the electrical company was known for having the highest standards.  My job was to gather supplies, get tools out of the truck, and clean up when the electricians had finished their tasks.  On occasion, I would be asked to tack up wire in an attic.  Although I was not an electrician, none of the licensed electricians wanted to climb into a hot attic in July!  So, I tried my best, but my workmanship showed I was an amateur.  After finishing, one of the electricians would cover my work with insulation and say, “It’s good enough for government work!”  He meant I did a poor job, but the boss would never climb into a hot attic to inspect it.  Then, one day, the boss climbed into the attic, and boy, those guys got an earful!  Was my workmanship dangerous?  No.  It was just ugly, and the company owner demanded perfection.  In the end, my boss was gracious to me, but he never let me forget the standard I should be working toward.

The idea of being “ceremonially clean” for a priest is very similar to a perfectionist boss cutting you slack because he knows you are trying your hardest.  No priest (apart from Jesus – Hebrews 7) was ever perfectly clean concerning living a sinless life.  No Levite could stand before the Lord because of his own righteousness, as if they and God were peers.  But the fact that they were imperfect did not mean there was no standard at all!  Priests were required to strive toward living according to God’s Word, and the Lord even called for a basin of water to be present so they could wash before they entered the temple.  So, what does this mean to us?  Quite a lot, seeing as we are also called into a holy priesthood.

“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)

Jesus washed His disciples’ feet before the “last supper” (last Passover seder meal with His disciples - John 13:1-6).  He was preparing them for their upcoming apostolic “priestly” ministries.  While they were not clean themselves, Jesus was signifying that they should not be afraid to approach the Lord because He would make them clean by the blood He was about to shed for them (and us) on the cross.

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:19-22 (NKJV)

“Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  And he began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.” 1 Chronicles 3:1-2 (NKJV)

God is not arbitrary. That is comforting news, because it says we can trust the character of God. He is ever-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful. So, when God decides to do something, we don’t have to ask if He has seen it from all angles, understands the ramifications of His decision, has the power to finish what He is starting, or if He has the right motives.

Solomon is building God’s temple in Jerusalem, on the exact spot where the Lord told David that He wanted the temple to stand, Mount Moriah. But, when we hear that location, doesn’t it echo and harken us back to an earlier time?

“Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.” Genesis 22:1-3 (NKJV)

Because of what we already know of God, that He is not arbitrary, we understand how He planned for the exact spot where the Lord led Abraham to offer up his son Isaac (and where He provided the ram as a substitute) to be the precise spot where Solomon would build His temple. Furthermore, it was on the same mountain where Jesus, the Lamb of God, would be offered as our sin substitute! (Not at the temple, per se, but on the same mountain, outside the walls of the city. About the length of an arrow shot.) Coincidence? Hardly.  

At the end of today’s chapter, we learn of two pillars that Solomon erected. Because the pillars are named, we know they acted as stand-alone statements.

“Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz.” 2 Chronicles 3:17 (NKJV)

Jachin means “Ya is One” or “Ya Establishes  .” Boaz means “Strength  .” The intended statement these pillars represent is simple: As long as the King (and Israel) seek the Lord and Him alone, He will establish them by His strength. Have you committed to following the Lord through a personal relationship with Messiah Jesus, forsaking all else to heed His calling on your life? Then He will establish you in the strength of His Spirit! Let’s keep reading to see how Solomon & Israel heed His Word.

“Then Solomon determined to build a temple for the name of the Lord, and a royal house for himself. Solomon selected seventy thousand men to bear burdens, eighty thousand to quarry stone in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred to oversee them. Then Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying: ‘As you have dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. Behold, I am building a temple for the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to Him, to burn before Him sweet incense, for the continual showbread, for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, on the New Moons, and on the set feasts of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel. And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him?” 2 Chronicles 2:1-6 (NKJV)

One spring, my wife had the idea to spruce up our patio.  It began with a simple conversation about a table and chairs.  Then, it grew to wicker love seats, side chairs, a charcoal grill, side tables, and a fire pit. It was too much to remember, so I had to write it all down. Today’s chapter is basically a hardware store shopping list.  But don’t get bored, because if you skip through it, you will probably miss something significant: Solomon’s conviction about His Lord.

Solomon told Hiram (a pagan king) that 1) the God of Israel is greater than all gods, and 2) I need you to give me lumber and carpenters to build Him a house.  Can you imagine parachuting into Mecca and telling the Moslems worshipping there that you want to build the God of Israel a house, and you want them to give you supplies?  But that is exactly what Solomon does!  And, by God’s grace, he received what He asked for!  How faithful are you at acting upon the bold steps the Lord is leading you to take?  The apostle Paul had a similar boldness at Mars Hill, where he spoke forth the truth that there is only ONE God and that He will judge mankind, whether they believe in Him or not.

“‘Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.’ And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” Acts 17:30-34 (NKJV)

Christians who act on Biblical convictions get mocked and intellectually scrutinized, threatened, and beaten, yet some respond by surrendering their lives to follow Jesus. Since the results of our faithful witness are varied, our goal for boldly sharing the gospel must be to obey God, regardless of the results. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

“Now Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and exalted him exceedingly. And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses.  Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness. But David had brought up the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim to the place David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. Now the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the Lord; Solomon and the assembly sought Him there. And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it. On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’”  2 Chronicles 1:1-7 (NKJV)

It is easy for us to read the narrative of 2 Chronicles 1 and for our attention to be drawn to Solomon’s humility and God’s gracious response to it. But, in a rush to apply, many preachers skip over an important factor in the chapter: By the time Solomon became king, the act of worshipping God had become separated from the presence of God. The writer even tells us that the Tabernacle was in Gibeon, while the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent in Jerusalem. What does that mean? It means the people of Israel were more involved with the practice of worshipping God than they were concerned with the power of His presence and personally seeking His counsel.

Generations later, in the days of Jeremiah, Israel was again going through the motions of religion instead of seeking the Lord and His Word. In essence, God made a statement (through Jeremiah, His spokesman) about the ark of the covenant. God said that if the people sought a personal relationship (marriage) with Him, He would withdraw His ark altogether. There is no need to seek a person you are continually walking alongside. Sadly, Israel chose religion over relationship. So, the ark of the covenant’s absence today is a punitive sign, as opposed to a sign of life.

“Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore.” Jeremiah 3:14-16 (NKJV)

The great grace of God in today’s chapter is that He appeared to Solomon in Gibeon. God is not handcuffed to the ark. God can go wherever He pleases, but His discussion with Solomon led Solomon back to Jerusalem and the rejoining of His presence & man’s practice of worship. His grace leads to repentance.

“‘Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver: three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses; the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen.  Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?’ Then the leaders of the fathers’ houses, leaders of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the officers over the king’s work, offered willingly.” 1 Chronicles 29:3-6 (NKJV)

I recently received a message through social media from a person in Nashville, Tennessee.  The message was simple: Thank you.  There is nothing particularly landmark about a “thank you” note, but this one stood out because the “thank you” came 15 years after the fact.  So much time had passed that I had forgotten the episode for which I was being thanked!  Seemingly, a distant music business colleague of mine was at dinner with his wife during a season of financial difficulty, and I paid their bill.  When he mentioned it, a vague recollection came across my mental radar.  I remember seeing them sitting there, looking stressed at the menu, so I asked their waitress to inform them that someone was taking care of their tab and that they should order whatever they wanted, especially dessert.  

I don’t mention that episode as an attempt to paint an image of myself as some kind of philanthropist.  (I am actually very cheap!  The Lord has to pry benevolence from me.)  I share that story because of what happened AFTER.  The gentleman was so encouraged that, instead of quitting the Christian music business, he continued to follow the Lord’s leading and slug it out.  Today, he is one of the few of us still making a living in commercial music (I’m not), and he counts that moment of generous encouragement as pivotal in his faith journey.  That is exactly what today’s chapter is about.  David’s generosity is contagious; it trickles down and begins a chain reaction of faithful selflessness.  We notice the same pattern of contagious faithfulness in the victory song that Deborah (one of Israel’s Judges) sang after the victory of Israel’s army under Barak’s command.

“Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: ‘When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!’” Judges 5:1-2 (NKJV)

It’s not that David’s peers felt the pressure of his generosity; the common people gave freely, too!  Oh, that we could see such leadership in the Church today!

“Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the Lord; and King David also rejoiced greatly.  Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly; and David said: “Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.’” 1 Chronicles 29:9-10 (NKJV)

“Then King David rose to his feet and said, ‘Listen to me, my brothers and my people.  It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the Lord’s covenant and as a footstool for our God.  I had made preparations to build, but God said to me, “You are not to build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.”’” 1 Chronicles 28:2-3 (HCSB)

“Why can’t you build the Temple, David?”  Surely, that question was raised by citizens of his kingdom.  King David had to be forthright.  The Lord had told him directly that he would not build the temple in Jerusalem.  For all of the bewildered onlookers, David was forced to come clean, “I have shed blood in war.”  But was the military conquest of numerous Philistines and various Canaanites really the disqualifier?  The Lord did not have a problem receiving the spoils of Israel’s military victories as supplies for the building of the temple.  (1 Chronicles 26:27; 2 Samuel 8:11; 2 Chronicles 15:11)  Furthermore, every man of military age (20 years old and above) was ordered to pay a “ransom” for himself as atonement for lives he may take during war.

“Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: ‘Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel.  You and Aaron shall number them by their armies.’” Numbers 1:1-3 (NKJV)

“This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs).  The half-shekel shall be an offering to the Lord. Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when you give an offering to the Lord to make atonement for yourselves. And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.”  Exodus 30:13-16 (NKJV)

We are safe to assume the “too much blood” shed during war was related to the blood of only ONE man: Uriah the Hittite.  Uriah’s was the only unjust killing of David’s reign: “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.” (2 Samuel 12:9)  Forever in Scripture, the Lord reminds us that Bathsheba was never legitimately David’s wife.  “Then David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife….” (Matthew 1:6b)  What sin must you deny today before it disqualifies you from ministry tomorrow?

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Chronicles 27. Click the links below to watch or listen now.

“Concerning the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.”  1 Chronicles 26:1 (NKJV)

“Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasuries of the house of God and over the treasuries of the dedicates things.” 1 Chronicles 26:20 (NKJV)

A quick review of the past few chapters reveals a pattern of progression for spiritual growth.  It is a pattern for Israel as a nation, as well as for us.  In chapter 22, David prepares to build the temple.   You may recall that David was prohibited (by the Lord) from building the temple himself because his hands were “stained with bloodshed  .”But that did not exclude him from preparing the next generation, namely his son, Solomon.  What provisions are you making to give the next generation of believers a greater chance of living successful lives of faith?

“So when David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.  And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.  Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand.”  1 Chronicles 23:1-3 (NKJV)

In chapter 23, David gathers the Levites.  As we learned in previous chapters, the Levites had not sought the Lord’s counsel at the Ark of the Covenant for many years while Saul reigned.  Perhaps they had become unsure of their priestly calling.

Once the Levites had been separated from the general population, the process began to sort them into their respective divisions and duty stations.  David made sure that the Levites all knew their duties by publically seeking the Lord (casting lots) so the Levites could be confident that their duty selection was not simply an arbitrary whim of David.

We begin to notice that worship for the Israelites is getting more and more intimate as it moves closer to the presence of God.  Chapter 25 focuses on the Musicians, whose job it is to stand at the gates of Jerusalem and play music that facilitates the various ways the worshipper enters into and exits corporate worship.

Today’s chapter focuses on the gatekeepers themselves.  The gatekeepers are those who allow the “sheep” to enter and protect the flock from “wolves” who may attempt to creep into the congregation, causing division in the community.  There is freedom in our relationship with God through Messiah Jesus, but never forget that accountability is also necessary, even in a congregation of grace.

Lastly, we see the Levites who oversee the treasury.  Where your heart is, there will be your investment.  If you do not give tithes and offerings to the Lord, there is no doubt that you are consumed with worldly things.  The closer we get to Him, the more we offer ourselves (and our belongings) to the ongoing work of the gospel.

“Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals.”  1 Chronicles 25:1a (NKJV)

The two greatest days of a touring musician’s career are 1) the day they buy their first tour bus and 2) the day they sell it!  Everything that goes wrong on a tour bus costs at least $1,000.  Being successful is hard work.  As they say in Nashville, “If it were that easy to grab, there wouldn’t be any left…and there’s a lot left.”  You have to fight to get to the top, and you have to fight to stay there.  Success in the music business isn’t for sissies.  Perhaps that is why David chose his musicians from the army.  This is especially so for worship music.  Worship is spiritual warfare.  

And what are our weapons?  Harps, stringed instruments & cymbals?  Perhaps, but the true weapon is prophecy.  When I say “prophecy,” I am not talking about predicting the future.  The kind of prophecy the Lord describes in today’s chapter is to musically speak forth the Word of God.  It is akin to the type of prophecy the Apostle Paul speaks.

“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NKJV)

Paul is not exhorting the believers in Corinth to predict the future or write new books to the Bible.  He is telling them that the most important thing to seek, in addition to love, is God’s Word and that His Spirit would enable them to understand it.  “Prophesy” conveys more than an intellectual acquisition of information; it conveys that we receive knowledge with the expressed intent that we would share it with others.  That is the kind of prophesy these soldiers-turned-musicians were called to: Seek God’s Word and sing about what the Spirit revealed to them from God’s Word.

As we read the rest of today’s chapter, take notice of this phrase, “Direction of their father…” (verses. 2, 3, 6)  True to Deuteronomy 6:6-7, the father’s duty was not only to teach his children how to excellently play the various instruments in the temple orchestra.  His most important role was to teach his children to value God’s Word!

Psychologists say, “hurt people hurt people.” What they mean is that people who display abusive behavior were probably, themselves, abused.  Conversely, if a person is well-disciplined, they will disciple others well.  Notice how the musicians were also drafted into teaching roles, perpetuating the values (set forth by King David) of the Levitical musicians throughout their generations.

“Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king.  Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord.  Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to exalt his horn. For God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.  All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the authority of the king. So the number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the Lord, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight. And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, the teacher with the student.”  1 Chronicles 25:1-8 (NKJV)