Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 23:1-32

Helpful thoughts:

• There was a major difference between this head count and the one from chapter 21.  In chapter 21, David was motivated by his pride.  Today, he is motivated for service.
  • Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)
• In David’s old age, he installs his son, whom God had chosen, as the next king and ensures the Levites are serving the Lord as He had commanded.  They will be serving and ready to move into the Temple upon its completion.
• One interesting note: David didn’t just play music, or write music, but he also invented new musical instruments! (Amos 6:5)

Questions to consider:

1. What is David doing as he nears the end of his physical life?  What legacy is he seeking to leave?
2. What parts of our lives leave behind a legacy?  How can God use our repentance, obedience, words of instruction, etc. for those who will come behind us for the good of others and for His glory?
3. What part does the gospel play in leaving a legacy?  As important as our actions are, how can we encourage those who come behind us to remember that “Being just like ______” is not the gospel?  How does the gospel shape our actions in such a way that we would leave behind an even greater legacy?

Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 22:1-19

Helpful thoughts:

• The events of chapter 21 had David convinced that this would be the sight of the Temple.
• David gives a charge to the workers, to Solomon, and to the leaders of Israel concerning the building of the Temple.
• David desired discretion (Wisdom) and understanding for Solomon.  The fruits of those things being obedience.
  • True strength and courage, wisdom and understanding lead us to follow hard after God.  They will not lead to disobedience and rebellion.

Questions to consider:

1. How would humility serve Solomon well after hearing these verses?  Would a young, inexperienced soon-to-be king generally like hearing their dad tell others that they are young and inexperienced?  But, what was David’s desire for Solomon in the days ahead?
2. Was the building of this Temple all on David?  All on Solomon?  What was it going to take to do this with excellence?  What will it take to continue building First Baptist Church?  Who all is responsible to help in the cause?
3. Why is obedience the fruit of wisdom and understanding?  What does the world like to call obedient people?  Who gets to decide what is right and wrong, good or bad?  Are those who disobey God truly free (John 8:34-36)?  Who is truly free?

Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 21:1-30

Helpful thoughts:

• Satan can tempt.  But it is never right to say, “The Devil made me do it.”
  • Satan tempted David, and David did what David wanted to do.
    • God had built David’s name, this act of a census was David’s way of taking the credit for himself.
  • 2 Samuel 24:1 even includes the component of God’s sovereign will in the whole matter.
    • Like in the book of Job, even Satan cannot do anything that God does not allow.
  • By God’s grace we are able to submit to the Lord and resist the Devil, and when we do, he will flee (James 4:7).
• In a rare occurrence, God allows David to choose between three options for consequence.
  • We can choose our sin, we don’t usually get to choose our consequences.
  • David didn’t get to choose whether or not there would be a consequence, but when he did choose, he chose the prospect of the Lord’s mercy.
• This property which was purchased became the location of the Temple Solomon would later build.

Questions to consider:

1. Why would it be right to say that Joab was truly loving David by telling him what he wanted to do was wrong?  (Ephesians 4:11-16)  What was Joab trying to save David and Israel from?  What would have been true if David had heeded Joab’s loving rebuke?
2. Ornan the Jebusite was given a Hebrew name, this gives evidence (Along with his actions) that he had become a worshiper of God!  How does his place in this narrative serve to contrast the actions of David?  Is the worship of Jesus Christ in our blood or bought with His own?
3. What leadership principles can we learn from this passage?

Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 20:1-8

Helpful thoughts:

• This passage records the time period where David’s sin with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah took place. (2 Samuel 11-12)
• Remember, this chapter is included with the previous chapters, giving some detail to the Lord’s promises fulfilled.  David had victory over his enemies.
• David was not the only man who killed a giant man from Gath.  The same Lord provided the strength every time.

Questions to consider:

1. Why would it make sense for the chronicler (The writer of this book) to not mention the accounts of David and Bathsheba, or even of Absalom’s revolt?  What was the main point of these chapters in the context of this book?
2. Look back to 1 Samuel 17:37, 43-46.  What would these victories over these mighty warriors of Gath continually communicate to the people of Israel?  Who was giving them the victory?  What might they have been tempted to think since David’s relatives were the men who “won” the fights?
3. It is important to remember that the “giants” in our lives are not finances, self-esteem, weight-loss, or anything else like that… The greatest “giant” in our life is sin.  What promises of victory has God made to us? (1 Corinthians 15:54-58)

Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 19:1-19

Helpful thoughts:

• God had promised David that He would subdue his enemies.  Chapter 19 continues this promises fulfillment.
• David’s initial approach toward Hanun was one of kindness.  Hanun disrespected David’s men and assembled an army ready for battle without any provocation.
  • Joab spoke rightly at the end of verse 13, “May the Lord do what seems good to Him.”
• Due to their decision to fight against Israel together, the Lord gave Israel victory over two enemies in one account.

Questions to consider:

1. Even if the Arameans and the Ammonites had been too strong for Israel that day (Verse 12), who could they have never overcome?  Whose power was with Israel that day?
2. Why did God give them this victory?  What had He promised?
3. What promises has God given to us in His Word?  Even in the midst of hardships or times that feel like major set-backs, what is God still faithfully doing?

Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 18:1-17

Helpful thoughts:

• Imagine the confidence David went out with after receiving these covenant promises from God in the previous chapter!
• David would not build a Temple for God, but these victories in battle provided materials for the construction during Solomon’s reign.
• Even though these good years would not last forever, the sense of finality in verse 14 serves as a type for the final reign of Christ.  Jesus will rule and reign with perfect justice and in complete righteousness.  And of His kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32-33)

Questions to consider:

1. Why did David and Israel keep winning all these battles (Verse 6, 13)?
2. When David dedicated all the gifts from King Tou of Hamath to the Lord, what testimony did that give?  To whom did David give the credit for these victories?  To whom was King Tou introduced?  When our hearts are fixed on Christ, who will our friends, family and acquaintances hear about before too long?
3. How will you serve King Jesus today?  How will His eternal rule and reign give you proper perspective as you face the day?

Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 17:1-27

Helpful thoughts:

• David desired to build a house for God.  Instead God promises to build a house for David that will last forever.
  • The Davidic Covenant saw an immediate fulfilment through David’s reign and in his son, Solomon’s reign.
  • The ultimate fulfilment of the covenant will come through the eternal reign of King Jesus!
• In David’s prayer of thanksgiving, he acknowledges that these promises will hold because God was the giver of the promises.  This was God’s gracious covenant, not a reward for David’s own righteousness.
• David gives a great summary for the purpose of Israel’s existence in verses 21-22.  The right response to these truths follows in verses 23-24.
  • God does these things for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:1-3), and we all benefit.
  • The greatest blessing and benefit God could give to His people is Himself.  To give us anything less, to give us what we might think we want more, would be unloving.

Questions to consider:

1. What do we learn about God when we see His desire to have people build Him a temple is of lesser significance than what He has in store?  Do the ways people tend to think of honoring God always agree with what God sees as honoring to Him (e.g. Micah 6:8)?
2. Knowing that the “house” God built in David’s family includes Christ, what part do we (Christians) have in this promise?  How does our part in God’s family in Christ help fulfill verses 23-24?
3. How can our confidence in God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises give us strength, endurance, peace and joy in the midst of this life?  How can the assurance of these promises embolden us to share the glory of God with the nations (And our neighbors) even when the world around us doesn’t find Christ to be desirable?

Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 16:1-43

Helpful thoughts:

• With the Ark now placed in the Tabernacle, the Levites were able to get busy with their appointed regular responsibilities as God had commanded.
• The words of David’s Psalm are found again in Psalms 96, 105, and 106.
• For a nation that had already worshipped so many false gods, and even for a time like today when truth and morality are treated as relative, verse 26 is incredibly important.
  • God is the maker of the heavens.  Any other form of worship or the lack thereof is wrong, sinful and destructive.

Questions to consider:

1. With the Tabernacle up, the Levites in service and the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem, how big of a day was this for Israel?  Why would it have been so important?
2. What components of David’s Psalms encourage you most?  What do we learn about God in these words?
3. Knowing that God is Creator and Lord of all, how should we really see the souls of other people around the world and in our neighborhoods who do not know Him?  The world says that we should accept and even approve others in their choices in life, even when God calls their actions sinful.  What would God have us do (Matthew 28:19-20)?