1 Kings 13:1-10;

God sent a prophet to Jeroboam regarding the altars he built.  Jeroboam attempts to have the man seized, but his arm his seized up instead.  Then God demonstrates His power by destroying the altar.  The prophet also speaks of the coming reign of Josiah, who will not reign for some time.

So, does God still step in today when things are looking dire?  Sometimes.  I believe He does.  In fact, I read a recent story concerning the war in Israel.  A missile attack was launch on Israel.  Had it hit, it would have been the deadliest attack on Israel to date.  Israel attempted twice to shoot down the projectile, but failed.  Then a strong wind blew up & forced the missile off course.  It exploded in the sea.  http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/167229-rocket-cause-worst-terror-attack-israels-history-miracle-happened/

Why does God step in at times and at other times He seems to stay silent.  I have no idea.  But what I do know is that God has His perfect reasons.  Have you ever heard the analogy of the woven tapestry?  Each of us are the strings.  We only know what directly touches our string, but God sees the finished product.  In fact, God created the tapestry.  He knows its past, present, and future.  Because I have a relationship with God, I trust His decisions.  That's what faith is all about.

2 Chronicles 10:1-11:23, 1 Kings 12:1-33

Rehoboam, Solomon's son, becomes king.  The Israelites ask him to lighten their burden.  See, in the later years of his reign, Solomon put the people under hard labor.  Now that Solomon has died, the people are hopeful that things will change and they will go back to living in freedom.  Rehoboam seeks the council of the elders, who tell him to lighten the people's load.  Rehoboam doesn't like that advice.  So, he asks his friends, who advise him to not only ignore the people's plea, but to punish them for asking.

Rehoboam has grown up in the lap of luxury.  He is spoiled and materialistic.  So are his peers.  To lighten the people's load would cut into his leisure and luxury.  Rather than be a king of the people, Rehoboam is following in his father's footsteps and being a king of himself.  This is another side effect of Solomon's turning away from God.  He had no respect for God, and his children have learned their lack of respect from him.

Notice verse 15 in 2 Chronicles 10:15, "it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word." Does this mean that Rehoboam had no choice in his answer?  Is he just a pawn in God's game?  Absolutely not.  God has given each of us free will.  We make our own decisions.  However, God knows what we are going to do before we even do it.  He knows the choice we will make.  He knows our hearts and our minds.  He also knows the natural consequences of actions because, guess what, He set up the system.  As my study Bible says, "Amid all the human decisions, God's decision is being carried through."

So, Israel starts a civil war and elects Jeroboam king.  But Jeroboam makes a terrible mistake.  He creates gods for the people to worship so that they will not return to Jerusalem for the feasts.  Notice he didn't just make altars, but gods.  Oh, will people never learn?  Then again, I can't say much as I make the same silly mistakes myself.  I think that's why God preserved this history in such detail.  So we can learn from the mistakes of others, but also to learn about the heart of God and our relationship with Him.  I will never build a golden calf to worship, but I must ask myself if I have made anything a god in my own life?  Am I letting myself become selfish and materialistic?  Sometimes.  Do I put my wants before the needs of others?  Sometimes.  Has God given up on me?  NEVER.  The Bible reminds me to reassess my life, my choices, my attitude and ask forgiveness for the times I've gone wrong.  It also reminds me that God is always there.  He is interested in my life.  He wants a relationship with me.  When I make that relationship a priority, I don't struggle as much with the other stuff.  Isn't that good news?

1 Kings 11:9-43, 2 Chronicles 9:29-31

Solomon has turned from the Lord and built altars to other gods.  Therefore, the Lord kept His Word from 1 Kings 9:6-9.  The Lord promises to take the kingdom and give it to the other 10 tribes.  Adversaries also rise up against Israel.

So, what do we learn from this?  God is a God of wrath?  Don't follow His ways and He will come down on you with great punishment?  God is unfair?

Absolutely not.  What we learn is that God keeps His Word.  God states exactly what is given, what is expected, and what will happen.  He gave David the kingdom.  David obeyed God, so God's promises where fulfilled.  God gave Solomon the kingdom.  Solomon turned away from God, so God took back the kingdom.

But why such a harsh punishment?  First, let'schange the word punishment.  Instead, let's use discipline.  A loving father watches over his children.  He steps in when they endanger themselves or others.  Understanding that there are natural consequences to actions, a father will sometimes allow the natural consequence so that the child learns from his mistakes.  Other times the father will provide a consequence in order to teach a lesson.  For instance, my child ignores my instructions to stop and is running into the street amid traffic.  Do I let my child experience the natural consequence by allowing him to get hit by a car?  No.  I stop him, physically if need be.  Because of the seriousness of the situation, I may provide a consequence of my own.  Perhaps a grounding, a scolding, a spanking. Whatever the consequence, the purpose is to help the child learn to listen in order to avoid injury.  God is our Heavenly Father.  He has given us instructions to keep us safe.  He provides us consequences when we ignore or turn away from those instructions.

Why did Solomon receive such a harsh consequence?  Well, allowing altars to other gods is a big deal.  Not only did it break relationship with God, it put others in danger.  These altars weren't just pretty statues.  They were places of worship.  These gods where worshiped in terrible ways - human sacrifice, forced prostitution.  By allowing these practices, people were being destroyed physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

I feel so blessed to have a Heavenly Father that loves me so much He would not only provide me with instructions to keep me safe, but He corrects me when I am wrong.  It gives me the opportunity to repent, grow, and achieve a healthy, peaceful, joyful life.  Isn't that what we are all seeking?

2 Chronicles 9:1-28; 1 Kings 10:1-11:8

Wealth and fame have come to Solomon because of his renown wisdom.  The Queen of Sheba (or Saba which corresponds roughly to modern Yemen.  Others believe Sheba to be Ethiopia) pays Solomon a visit to test his wisdom.  Solomon is able to answer all her questions.  The queen is amazed and recognizes that Solomon's wealth and wisdom come from the Lord.

Solomon was the wealthiest and wisest king that ever lived.  In one year, he amassed 666 talents of gold, which equals 22 tons.  His house and his kingdom were very opulent.  Others sought out his wisdom, his advice, and his help.  But notice the tone here.  The people of Israel are not mentioned, only Solomon's servants.  Back in chapter 4, there was an emphasis on the benefit of Solomon's wisdom for all the people.  Here, the emphasis is on Solomon and his court officials.  There is a strong leaning toward luxury goods and pride.  He is sought out by kings of the earth, he drinks from gold cups, he imported horses, spices, chariots - but what of the people?

Our reading ends with the consequences of Solomon's choices.  He allows himself to marry many women - 700 - from all over.  Women that God specifically told the Israelites not to marry.  These people worshiped false gods.  The Lord warned Israel not to marry into these cultures, for their worship of false gods would corrupt.  Yet, Solomon did not listen.  He allowed his loyalty to his wives to pull him away from true worship of the One True God.  And then he did the unthinkable - he build altars of worship to these false gods and allowed his wives to make offerings and sacrifices.  Chemosh was an underworld god associated with drought, plague, and death.  Molech is associated with child sacrifice.  Ashtoreth, also known as Ishtar and Astarte, is the goddess of the moon, sexual love and fertility.

As the Bible states, "Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord."  He allowed wealth, pride, and love of himself and his wives to pull him away from God.  God warned him and the people over and over to guard their hearts, to obey His ways.  Solomon, the wisest king to ever live, got so caught up in his wisdom, that he forgot to follow God's wisdom.  We do the same things.  We are so independent.  We live in the wealthiest country in the world.  We have food and luxury items in abundance.  It is very easy to forget that all of these things are a blessing from the Lord.  We begin to go our own way, make decisions based on our wisdom, seek out relationships that pull us away from the Lord.  And then we wonder why things are so difficult for us.  Why do we struggle?  Why do we live lives full of strive and stress and hardship?  Because we are not making God the number one priority in our lives.  We are not following His rules and statutes.  We are making it hard on ourselves.

I just completed a week of VBS in which we learned of Moses and the Israelites in the desert.  We spoke of God's rules every day.  The emphasis that we need to keep in mind is that these rules are not there to spoil our fun or to keep us in bondage.  They are there to keep us safe, healthy, and free.  They are there to help us foster good relationships, to keep us whole, and focused on the big picture rather than our selfish wants.  When we grasp that understanding, that the rules are good for us, when we turn to God and follow His ways, we will finally find the peace and joy we have been searching for.

2 Chronicles 8; 1 Kings 9:10-28

What can we ascertain from these passages?

1)  Hiram supplied gold and timber to Solomon for the building of the temple.  In return, Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities.  Hiram wasn't pleased with the cities; however, the relationship continued.  Hiram called the cities Cabul, or "fettered", showing he is the junior partner in this partnership.  He continues to supplies goods to Israel, but this is not an equal partnership and Hiram's resentment is noted.

2)  Solomon used forced labor to build the temple and his kingdom.  These peoples were not Israelites, but Canaanites.  These were what was left of the people that were destroyed during the capture of the promised land.  The writer also links these people will Solomon's Egyptian wife.

3)  Solomon's Egyptian wife is sent to her own home and spends her time there.   She is not to live in the city of David, probably because of her paganism.

4)  Solomon continues to make offerings to the Lord according to the law.

5)  It took twenty years to build the temple and all of Solomon's other building projects.

Solomon is living two lives - his life of dedication to the Lord and his life as a king.  He is beginning to be seen as someone who does not always deal fairly with people.  These two lives could be combined by simply seeking the wisdom of the Lord, but Solomon seems to follow the Lord in the temple and his own wisdom in his other decisions.  We often live double lives - our church life and our secular life.  It's not the right life.  WWJD, what would Jesus do?, was a popular saying when I was in high school.  I think of it to this day.  It reminds me that in ALL my actions I should think of how Jesus would act or respond and do likewise.  I'm not always successful.  Sometimes I let my sin nature take over and do what I want to do. There are always consequences.  The more I experience the consequences of my own way, the more  I seek to follow God's way.  I think that's what our christian walk is all about - figuring out how to trust God in everything.  Being content to follow His way and turn away from our own.  It's a day to day, sometimes minute by minute, choice.  As we continue to read Solomon's story, we will find that not everyone is successful in this walk.  Solomon's tale is a cautionary tale, one of which we should all be mindful.

2 Chronicles 7:1-22; 1 Kings 8:62-9:9

The temple was consecrated at the beginning of the feast of booths.  All of Israel was present to witness the consecration of the temple.  The offerings were consumed by a fire from heaven and God speaks to Solomon telling him that He has chosen the temple as His place of sacrifice.

God one again warns the people that if they turn from Him and decide to follow another way, they will be taken into captivity.  Why does God keep issuing this warning?  Well, He knows the hearts of His people.  We grow lazy and complacent.  We forget that our blessings come from the Lord and begin to build up our own worth and value.  We start to buck against the system and look for ways in which to get our own sinful way.  It happens time and time and time again.  So, once again, God is telling us, "I am here.  I know what's best.  I will protect you and guide you.  I will listen to you and council you.  However, if you ignore me and choose your own way, you will reap the consequences of your actions." Sound harsh?  Well, hold off judgment for now.  Let's continue to read about Solomon's choices and make a decision then. 

2 Chronicles 6:12-42, 1 Kings 8:22-61

Solomon now prays for grace and mercy.  Notice his acknowledgment that there is consequences for sin. However, when we repent and seek God's forgiveness, He will forgive us.  I like that Solomon emphasizes that we are not perfect, we will make poor choices.  We sin.  However, this is a relationship, not a dictatorship.  God understands perfectly exactly who we are.  He knows our hearts, He knows our struggles, but He doesn't turn away from us.  He is right there, waiting for us to come back and acknowledge our mistakes.  Repenting isn't just saying sorry for what we've done wrong.  It's understanding that God's ways are better than our own ways.

Also notice that here in the Old Testament, anyone who seeks God is heard by God.  It wasn't only those with Israeli blood that are accepted by God.  I love that.  I know a lot of times we think of the Old Testament as being just about a certain family, but the Old Testament, in fact the Bible in general, is about the relationship between man and God - it's past, present, and future.

2 Chronicles 5:2-14, 6:1-11; 1 Kings 8:1-21

The temple has been completed.  With great fanfare and celebrating, Solomon brings the ark from the city of David to the temple.  Notice we are given an accounting of what the ark holds - the two tablets that Moses put there.  These are the tablets on which the Lord wrote the commandments.  After the ark was placed in the Most Holy of Holies, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.  Solomon then spoke to the people, reminding them of the promises of God.

This event took place during the Feast of Booths, also known as Sukkot, a feast in which the people of Israel live in tents for seven days to remind them of the exodus.  It takes place five days after the Day of Atonement in the fall after the harvest.  It is one of three pilgrim feasts, which was to be celebrated in Jerusalem with offerings brought to the temple.  Although mostly unknown to many modern day Christians, Sukkot has messianic significance.  Many scholars believe that Jesus was born during Sukkot.  Given that Sukkot is a time of remembering God's deliverance of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, it is fitting that Jesus would have been born during this feast since He is the deliverer of the world.

Of the three pilgrim feasts:  Passover, Pentecost, and Sukkot, Jesus was crucified on Passover, ascended into heaven on Pentecost, and His first and second coming occur on Sukkot.  Check out this link for more information about Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths:  http://www.gotquestions.org/Feast-of-Tabernacles.html



 

2 Chronicles 3:1-5:1; 1 Kings 6:1-7:51

2 Chronicles gives a very technical history of the building of the temple, measurements, descriptions, etc.  
Let's take a closer look at 1 Kings:
verse 7:  tells us that the temple was built with reverence.  No tool of iron, nor ax, nor hammer was heard in the temple.  It took more work, yet, the builders knew this was to be a holy place, and they treated it as such.
verses 11-13: God tells Solomon that He will dwell with the people under the condition that they will obey His Word.  This is the same condition God gave to the people at Mt. Sinai.  Buildings do not change the relationship between God and His people. As my study Bible states, "God is not as impressed with structures as He is with obedience."Once again, it is emphasized that this building is just a place.  Why does God keep reminding the people of this?  Because we are proud.  We quickly become impressed with shiny things and turn our attention away from God.  It is very easy to turn worship of God into worship of the temple.
verse 38 - it took seven years to build the temple.

verse 7:1-12 Now 1 Kings moves onto Solomon's house.  It took 13 years for Solomon to complete his own house, and it was completed entirely.  The temple is not yet complete, as the interior is still being worked on and it is not being used.  This shows Solomon's divided heart - he spent much more time building his own house than he did God's house.  Solomon's house was bigger than the temple.  He also built a special house to please his Egyptian wife.

7:13-51 - Back to the temple:  The interior furnishings and vessels are completed.  The treasuries are filled.

2 Chronicles 2:1-18; 1 Kings 5:1-18

Solomon is preparing to build the temple.  This is an account of the number of workers needed and the arrangements made for the timber.  Some might question the benefit in reading this passage.  I can give two reasons:
1.  The details provide validity to the telling.  The Bible is full of small details that provide records for the events in history.  Names, places, dates, lists - these can and have been used to verify the credibility of the Bible.  How cool is that?
2.  There are life lessons in this passage:
     - Reputation - Solomon approaches the king of Tyre based on his previous relationship with King David. Whether business or friendship, the relationships we build with others speak of our character.  But our   reputation also helps to define non-Christian's opinions of God's character.  If you're known to be a Christian, your actions define your relationship with Christ much more than your words.  Are you showing others God's work in your life?  Or are you showing them your flesh?
     - Look at verse 6 - this verse is key to understanding the purpose of the temple.  The temple is not for    God, but for man.  It is not to contain God, nor is it to house Him.  The temple is a place for man to
 approach God.  Solomon isn't constructing a building of his choosing.  He is being used by God to bring about God's plan.  He shows humility and faith by listening to God, not by trying to do great things.  This is an example of faith and works working together.  Solomon's actions are determined by his faith.  It's a good lesson for us all.

2 Chronicles 1:14-17; 1 Kings 3:16-28 & 4:20-34

1 Kings 3:16-28 - Solomon's wisdom.  I have heard this story ridiculed many times.  People scoff at a king that would cut a baby in half, pointing out the cruelty & bloodshed included in the Bible.  I simply pray for those people, because they have blinded themselves to the truth.  This event is not about cutting a baby in half.  Instead it shows us how to solve arguments by determining one's motivations.  He-said-she-said disagreements are hard to solve simply because there are no witnesses other than the two people who are attempting to get what they want.  In order to get to the heart of the matter, you must look at the heart of the people.  Solomon solved the disagreement by discovering which woman had the child's best interest at heart. The woman that should care for him was the one that is willing to give him up in order to keep him safe.

So often we look only at the surface, quickly judging by what we see and hear.  But that is only half the equation.  You cannot judge a person's actions until you understand that person.  I work in a public elementary school.  We have many students that have behavioral problems, yet these are not naughty children.  Each one acts out for a different reason.  Solving their behavior issues takes time and an understanding of why they do what they do.  Do you know what this is called?  Relationship.  And that is what the Bible is all about - our relationship with God & our relationship with others.  True wisdom comes from taking the time and effort needed to understand a person's motivations.

The last portion of our reading tells us that Solomon was very wealthy and ruled a large kingdom.  God blessed him in his endeavors because he put his relationship with God first and he valued wisdom.  Once again - it's all about relationships.  When we take the time to build our relationship with God - good things happen.  When we understand that He is the creator of the universe & He has the best plan, then we take the time to learn His plan and carry it out - well, it's going to be successful.  When we build relationships with others, understanding who they are and treating them with respect - well, your social & business dealings will be successful.  There is no magic formula for getting God's blessing.  Focusing on doing everything right won't make us successful.  Spending time getting to know the Lord, His heart, His will - that is where true success lies.

2 Chronicles 1:1-12; 1 Kings 3:4-14

Solomon establishes his kingdom publicly by worshiping the Lord.  Solomon knows that the kingdom is not his, but God's.  The people are not his, but God's.  He is simply the caretaker.  So, when asked what he wants, Solomon asks for wisdom.  This is a humble request born out of a heart that desires to serve the Lord in the best way possible.

Sometimes I ask myself, "Is this my heart?  My prayer?  Do I seek to do my best for the Lord?  Do I seek the tools necessary to understand and carry out His will and purpose for my life?  Or do I look at my life through pride and selfishness, only seeking temporary comforts and rewards?"  Our life seems so short, and our world tells us to live it to the fullest.  Seek pleasure and comforts while you can.  But this is a narrow, materialistic approach, for there is a bigger picture to life.  Ever heard the saying, "Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime?"

Our lives should be focused on the big picture - eternity, not only for ourselves but for our neighbors as well.  Notice that when Solomon focused on the big picture and humbly asked for that which would allow him to succeed in the purpose God laid out for him, he also gained the blessings of riches and honor.  When we put our focus on God's purpose, all the rest falls into place.  We can spend a lifetime scratching and clawing for money, security, pleasure - always struggling, always obsessing.  Or we can spend a lifetime focusing on God and His ways - resting in His love, grace, and mercy - and let God take care of us. That seems like a much more peaceful road, now doesn't it?

1 Kings 2:13-46

This chapter is full of death, so what is going on?  Let's break it down:

Adonijah was David's eldest living son; therefore, he thought he had a right to the throne.  In 1 Kings 1, as David is nearing the end of his life, Adonijah goes to Joab and Abiathar the priest to usurp David.  Adonijah isn't waiting for David to name him king, he's just going to take it while is father is too ill to stop him. However, the rest of Israel is not behind Adonijah, and Solomon is named king.  So, Adonijah attempts to gain the upper hand by asking to wed Abishag, the woman attending the king.  Basically, this is very much what Absolom did - bedding' his fathers concubine, which amounts to claiming the throne.  Because of his continued attempts to usurp the throne, Solomon has him put to death.  Those in conspiracy with Adonijah are either put to death also, or cast out.

Harsh?  Well, let's think it through.  Solomon is in charge of a great kingdom.  As king, he is tasked in bringing peace and prosperity to the nation.  Does one continue to allow a group of people to threaten that peace and prosperity with their greed and pride?  Our country doesn't.  Traitors are put to death or confined to prison.  I think we have a tendency to read the Old Testament and think of it as a violent, uncivilized time; yet, in our world today wars are being fought, governments are being overturned, and the peace and prosperity of our own country is constantly being defended.  The technology of such defense has come a long way, but really there is nothing new under the sun.

So, as we continue to read the Old Testament, take the time to think these events through.  Compare and contrast the actions of these people with our own lives.  There is much to be learned from the history of Israel.

A final round of psalms - 2, 20, 21, 72, 93-95, 97-99, 101, 110, 144

2, 72, 101, 110, 144 - a royal psalm reminding the people of the promises God has made regarding the House of David.

20-21 - a pair of royal psalms.  The first requests success in battle, the second thanks for the success.

93, 97, 98, 99 - Hymn of praise for God's rule over all creation

94 - a community lament for God to step in & help His people during times of oppression

95 - a prophet hymn calling the people to learn from the mistakes of those who have come before

2 Samuel 23:1-7; 1 Chronicles 29:22b-30

The "last words of David" are a song praising God for establishment of the house of David & the promises of God.  What a wonderful completion of a life.  For David, death isn't the end, but the fulfillment of an earthly purpose.  Oh, to look back on one's life with satisfaction & to look forward with eagerness and joy.

Solomon is now made king.  Remember, he has been serving as regent.  During this time, both David and Solomon are kings.  David, the king, teaching Solomon, the regent king, the ropes.  Once again this is a time of looking ahead, a time of humbleness, a time of cooperation, a time of sharing.  This is a true leader, a leader that we should aspire to be.

Whether we are leaders of countries, cities, or simply households.  You may be a leader over many or just one.  Regardless - humility, cooperation, peace and a total reliance on God are the marks of a good leader.

1 Chronicles 29:1-25

The temple was a very big undertaking.  It required lots of materials to build.  David set the example when he willingly offered his own gold and silver.  He then asks for those willing to freely give to also help fund the temple.  Notice this isn't a tax, nor is giving a requirement.  Instead, it is a free will offering.  When we believe in the validity or necessity of something - a building, a mission, a charity - we happily support it's funding.  God's kingdom is no different.  We don't give because we HAVE to.  We give because we believe in the mission of the church.  And it's not just about money.  We can also give our time, our talents, our service to the betterment of the church.  I have found in my own life that free will giving offers some of the greatest sense of purpose and satisfaction in my life.  Working together to spread the gospel, using my God-given talents to support and help - there's no better feeling.

David then prays over the offering, the temple, his son, his nation.  I love that in this prayer he recognizes that the ability to give has also been given by God.  We are able to give, because He has given to us.

Psalms 15, 24, 42-49, 84, 85, 87

Psalms for your weekend ~ these are psalms written by David toward the end of his life.

Ps. 15 - is a hymn celebrating the ideal worshiper

Ps. 24 - for liturgical purposes.  This psalm celebrates the presence of God.

Ps. 42-43 - go well together as a corporate worship song

Ps. 44 - another corporate song - this one is sung when calamity befalls a group of people

Ps. 45 - a hymn for a royal wedding

Ps. 46, 48, 87 - celebrate Zion as the Holy City.  This is also a liturgical song.

Ps. 47 - song celebrating God's kingship

Ps. 49 - a liturgical wisdom song extolling God's Scripture

Ps. 84 - a song celebrating the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship at the temple

Ps. 85 - a community lament seeking forgiveness

1 Chronicles 28

In this chapter, David calls together the military, tribal, and royal leaders of Israel.  He lets them know God's plan - that Solomon will be king and will build a temple.  Then he charges them with this, "observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever."  Notice that it says observe and seek.  Our relationship with God is not a passive relationship, it is active.  It its not one-sided.  We are to seek God, through prayer & reading His Words.

David then charges Solomon with the building of the temple.  Notice that he starts by telling Solomon the relationship with God is first and foremost.  Without relationship, we can accomplish nothing for God.  David also tells him to not let the task burden him.  Building this temple will be a life long & costly project, but Solomon doesn't need to worry or stress about it, for God is with him.

As we face our own lives, we need to remember David's counsel - first and foremost, focus on strengthening your relationship with God.  Then, as the projects and storms of life approach, have no fear, for God is with you.

1 Chronicles 26-28

Organizing the temple was a big task.  These next few chapters continue to break down different temple duties:

The Musicians: Musicians were also taken from the Levites and arranged in 24 divisions for their duties. Once again, lots were cast to assign duties.  Note the instruments used:  cymbals, harps, lyres.   Worship of God is vital - it leads you into His presence, provides you an opportunity to commune with God.  To praise Him, thank Him, and spend time with Him.  Are you making the most of worship?  Do you just sing the song or do you speak the words directly to Him?  

The Gatekeepers:  Once again, these men were from the Levite family.  There duty was to guard the temple against trespass from unauthorized persons and from idolatrous practices.  They also guarded the temple treasury and maintained the building and its equipment.  

The Treasurers:  These Levite men were the treasurers of two temple treasuries:  one for the House of God to store regular tithes and offers; and one for the dedicated gifts, the spoils of war and other special gifts.

The Missionaries:  Those that served outside Jerusalem.  The trip to the temple was long and costly for those that lived far away.  These men would have served as the religious leaders and possibly government officials among the people.

The Military and government leaders - these are non-Levites.  

Notice that these duties don't fall to one man.  We aren't here to do it all.  Instead, we have been given gifts and talents that we need to develop in order to best serve the Lord and live out a purposeful life.  So, what are you good at?  What puts a fire in your belly and a smile on your face?  Where do you find the most satisfaction and joy?  

1 Chronicles 24

Well, I took a little more time than a week.  Does your life ever seem to get so busy that it controls you rather than the other way around?  I learned this past holiday season that doing it all isn't worth the stress.  So, I took a nice long rest and now I'm ready to get back to it.

We left off near the end of David's life.  In the beginning of chapter 23, David anoints Solomon king of Israel.  This doesn't mean that David is stepping down.  Instead, Solomon will serve as a regent king.  Think of it as a king in training.  This was common practice in David's time, and it allowed for an easier transition.  We will see what happens when a king dies without naming an heir further into Israel's history.  Let's just say the transition isn't always pretty.

Chapter 24 outlines the organization of the priests from the lineage of Aaron.  David may not be permitted to build the temple, but he does start the work of organizing the work force.  These divisions, chosen by lot, set up a duty roster of 24 divisions providing for two weeks of service by each division.  The lunar calendar has 48 weeks.  The roster was organized by lot, so no favoritism was shown.

What I find interesting about this portion of Scripture is that David didn't organize the temple according to his wants and desires.  Rather, he followed God's plan for the temple outlined in Exodus and Leviticus.  How did he know this plan?  He prepared and did he research by reading and understanding the Word of God.

We should do the same.  Don't undertake a project with your own thoughts in mind.  Instead, spend time in prayer, asking God for His plan.  Read the Bible - this is God's Word.  Knowing the Scriptures, understanding their meaning, will help you make good choices no matter what project you have undertaken.