2
Chronicles 4:1-6:11
So, if you had been raised in Babylon and someone mentioned
the palace of Nebuchadnezzar and the Hanging Gardens, you could close your eyes
and see it. Then your parents or some leader would come along and mention that you
are a Jew. Then they tell you that this is the most amazing privilege to belong
to God, and you would agree, but in your mind's eye, you don't have land and
you don't have any "thing" to be proud of. Ezra and the Spirit are
painting a picture of the glory of Jerusalem. The temple was something to be
proud of. In the past, it was a glorious and amazing structure. The question
was, would people be willing to leave the comforts and prosperity of Babylon
and Persia and return to Israel? And for the people who did return, would they
take pride in rebuilding the temple? I think that is some of what Ezra and the
Spirit are doing in writing this.
So if you were giving these chapters a name or title to
generally describe their contents, what would you title them? These are the
kinds of Bible study exercises that teach you how to observe and to think
through what the Lord's purpose is in giving you this information. And as you
read through these chapters, make as many observations that interest you, speak
to you or say something to you about being a disciple in the harvest.
2 Chronicles 4 (your title here)
Vs. 1-6 You have to admit that this all would have looked
impressive. The altar was 15 ft. high, and there were steps to get to the top.
The sea could hold 17,500 gallons, but according to 1 Kings 7:26 it was not
filled to capacity. The exiles could have been awed by all of this.
Vs. 7-8 These lampstands and tables were in the Holy Place,
the first room in the temple. Originally there had only been one lampstand and
one table for the bread of the Presence. For Solomon to have changed this means
that it was probably one of those instructions that the Lord gave to David.
Vs. 9-10 This describes what was placed outside in the inner
court where the sacrifices were made, and in the outer court where the people
gathered for feasts. When Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, went in to
burn incense at the hour of prayer, the people were in the outer court praying
and he walked through the inner courtyard into the Holy Place.
Vs. 11-18 This tells us who the main craftsmen were, what
they did, and where their foundry was located. All of this was under Solomon’s
personal direction.
Vs. 19-22 The emphasis for the exiles here is that
everything was made with the purest gold. It was glorious and on par with
anything they had ever seen in Babylon or in Persia.
2 Chronicles 5 (your title here)
V. 1 Not only was the temple finished by Solomon, but the treasury
was filled with such vast amounts of metals that Israel, at that time, was
probably the richest nation on earth. Again, that was a sign of God’s blessing
and Israel’s glory.
Vs. 2-14 We have already read two different occasions when
David moved the ark. This was the fulfillment of David’s dream and passion. It
wasn’t just having a cool-looking, world-class temple; but David knew that God
dwelt between the cherubim, and David wanted God to dwell near him in a place
of honor. The cover of the ark was gold with two cherubim facing each other.
This was the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled for the Day of Atonement
for the nation. This was what David wanted. For God to have a house near him would
have been a dream come true, and it all revolved around the ark of the
covenant.
V. 8 Solomon, on David’s direction, made a cherubim carving
to be above the ark.
V. 12 This is why David had organized these singers. I’ll
bet David even gave Solomon instructions on what they were to sing.
V. 14 And the Lord blessed this. If you were an Israelite in
exile, wondering what was so cool about belonging to Israel, this would be the
reason. Babylon had nothing that could compete with this.
2 Chronicles 6:1-11 (your title here)
What Solomon is going to say here, and God’s response to it,
is another moment when a defining event in the plan of redemption took place.
God would vow to make this His home on earth. Although the temple has been
destroyed twice since then, prophetic Scripture assures us that Jesus will
return to Jerusalem and reign in the temple as His palace during the Millennial
Kingdom.
Vs. 1-3 Solomon addressed the Lord, inspired by what had
just taken place. Just as a slight word of caution, notice that Solomon uses I
in four places. For some reason, that looks kind of self-exalting to me.
Vs. 4-9 This is Solomon recounting God’s declarations
regarding Israel, Jerusalem and now the building of the temple. These would be
the promises that Solomon would invoke to secure God’s eternal promise to Zion
and to the temple.
Vs. 10-11 Now Solomon is saying that it has all been
accomplished, and tomorrow Solomon will plead for God’s commitment to the city
and to that house.
There is no “I” in team. Anyway, to this point, you can see
the Spirit and Ezra showing Israel they should be awed by the grandeur God
Himself brought to Israel. Tomorrow will blow them away.
And to think, that what we have in Jesus makes all this look
like dust in the wind. We have become the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells
within us. We are not our own; we were bought with a price; so we are to
glorify God in our bodies by bearing much fruit in the harvest and so proving
to be disciples of our Lord.
Romans
7:1-13
Vs. 1-3 This is one of those verses where Paul addresses a
specific group within the Roman church. Although this could be law in general, it is obvious by v. 7
that the Law of Moses is meant. This argument follows the logic of chapter 6. A
death has occurred so we are no longer bound to the law as a way to follow God.
Vs. 4-6 This is the explanation of what Paul is saying about
the law and sin. Verse 5 is really important to understand what is going on in
this conflict. So, what do you understand?
V. 6 is a very key verse in Paul's argument. The RSV says the new life of the Spirit. I think this
is accurate and this "new life" will be explained more in chapter 8.
Notice the contrast here. Either you face or follow God
through the law, or you approach God through the new life of the Spirit. One
way causes sin to rage. The other way responds in love to Christ’s love, and
sin doesn’t get enraged. It becomes powerless.
Vs. 7-12 This is the mechanics of how the sickness within us
works. This is why it is important to live in the new life of following the
Spirit in the Word and in the love of Christ. Even as Christians, if following
God becomes too law- or works-oriented, it enrages the sin within us.
V. 9 is where we get the teaching on the age of
accountability. This is a very important verse. Before a person can morally
understand right or wrong, they are "alive." The sickness of sin can
still be seen in a child, but sin as a volitional, rebelling and damning
condition is dormant. But when the "commandment comes," that is, at
whatever age for that person they become morally accountable and "know"
good and evil (so to speak), sin awakens in them to rebel against God, and they
are immediately judged and "die." A child might do stuff that is
angry and sinful, but until they cross the line to moral understanding, it is
just the baloney kids do. Once they cross that line, if it is at 4 or 5 or 6,
they stand before God accountable to the law and the sin within them reacts to
that moral accountability to God.
V. 13 Paul has actually said this a couple of times. In
3:20, Paul said, For by works of the law
no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes
knowledge of sin. Among other things, the law was given, like a blood test,
to show us that we have a disease. We may rationalize and explain away our
problem, but all of us know that there is something wrong with us. The law acts
as a mirror, showing us our condition, but you can’t wash your dirty face with
a mirror. You’ll cut your face. You need soap, or in our case, the blood of
Christ.
Every person who does not know Christ (being saved by Him)
stands before God under the law. Facing God through the law causes sin to go
nuts. As disciples, how do we face God? It needs to be through the love of
Christ and the grace of God.
Psalm
17
We've read this before. What do you observe here, having
read of David's life? What are some common themes that should be important to
us as disciples?
Vs. 1-5 When David regained his balance after the fear and
injustice of being hunted by Saul, David saved Saul’s life twice. David could
have justified killing Saul, even saying that God had put Saul in David’s hand.
Yet David honored God and resisted the words of his men in sparing Saul. David
was tested and passed.
Vs. 6-9 On this basis David cries for deliverance. God was
his only refuge. It is of course interesting that David wanted to build an
actual house for God in which David must have imagined taking quiet refuge in
His presence.
V. 8 apple of your eye
= eyeball.
Vs. 10-12 This is in contrast to the pity David showed to
Saul. Notice that as David is asking for God’s protection, he says our and us. There isn’t a “we” in team either, but David was speaking as a
shepherd of the weak who were around him. If David had been caught, they would
have been killed also.
Vs. 13-14a This is David’s cry for God to rouse Himself and
judge the arrogant.
Vs. 14b-15 Notice the note you have for the second part of
v. 14, “As for your treasured ones, you fill their womb.” I am always impressed
that rather than obsess with the problems and with his enemies, David sought
God and meditated on His Word. I think that is something God is suggesting to
us too.
Notice how this psalm fits well with the verses below from
Proverbs.
Proverbs
19:22-23
Is it me, or did we just have three readings today that
mentioned God’s steadfast love? In
this case in Proverbs, steadfast love
is learned from God. Amen!
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year
Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't
work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/
and click on “Every
Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are
following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple,
following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship
culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging
each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make
disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here
or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some
explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My
comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on
Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups
will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with
and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the
harvest.
If you would like a complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is
still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's
keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you
what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in
fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is
encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the
comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding,
that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but
only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download
these to use on your computer or to print.
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