[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (DG) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]
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"The
sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine, whom she bore, were Zimran, Jokshan,
Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and
Dedan."
Abraham
married Keturah after Sarah died! And had begotten Midian through that
marriage.
Moses
married a Midianite woman. However, later, Israelites were prohibited to have
any relationship with the Midianites!
A
lot of children of Abraham through many wives, and much bloodshed! He should
have married only Sarah. Then, there would be no such people, and Muslims (not the
people but the false religion developed through Ishmael), huh! π
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"Abigail
bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite."
We
often see a non-Israelite, being part of the great program of God. Jesus’
ancestry includes Moabite, prostitute, illegitimate son, etc.
Amasa
was a son of an Ishmaelite. Does that mean it was okay to have intermarriage?
No. It was a sin. And whatever is against the scriptural teaching is sin, till
today, and forever will be.
What
it shows us is that God, still, is sovereign even over sins. And God, still,
loves each individual.
What
if God rejects all the children of Bathsheba because it was an illegal marriage?
Are the children responsible for their parent’s sins? Should you kill a son of
a prostitute or of a raped victim? What wrong has that son done? Doesn’t he
have all the rights and opportunities as any other child? We can't look down on
them because of their parents. God didn't, does not, and will not.
That's
what we learn from such a scandal of ancestry.
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"The
sons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of
Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah."
Why
a list of dead people? We never know some of them, never heard of them apart
from this chapter?
In
itself, this chapter, including 1 and 2 is boring!
But
it is written as proof that God had preserved His promise to raise up Messiah
from the descendants of David [and Abraham], no matter how challenging it had
been.
It
shows the faithfulness and power of God!
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"Now
Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that You would bless me indeed
and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would
keep me from harm that it may not pain me!’ And God granted him what he
requested."
In
this list of names, suddenly there's a mention of prayer, and God answered that
prayer. Interesting! π
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"They
were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were
given into their hand; for they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered
their prayers because they trusted in Him."
The
narrative suggests that they were losing but when they put their trust in God
and cried out to God, they were helped by God.
‘Trusted’
and ‘cried’ are the keywords here – what they did. And what God did were, help
them, and deliver the enemies into their hands. Wow!
Let's
be fervent in prayer all the time!
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"So
the sons of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their pasture
lands."
This
chapter gives a lot of consideration to the concerns [needs] of the Levites.
And so, as Moses commanded them, they gave cities to the Levites!
When
we have little, giving a little of what we have is not that tough. But I have
heard from lots of people that when you have much, to give proportionately from
what you have is really tough!
Giving
10 out of 1000 is 0.1 percent.
To
give 0.1 percent when you have millions is another thing!
But
some things are commanded and must be fulfilled. Israelites were commanded, and
so, so far, so good! π
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"The
sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of
Bilhah."
The
chronicle of the tribe of Naphtali is very short. It's obvious there were not
many significant people from this tribe. Even Jacob's blessing in Genesis 49 is
short.
Would
people remember you and your descendants after you die?
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"The
sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons and
grandsons, 150 of them. All these were of the sons of Benjamin."
This
chapter is devoted to the descendants of Benjamin. Indeed, they were mighty
people of war. Gifted, skilled, and even brave. Even the first king of united
Israel was from the tribe of Benjamin, King Saul.
Even
the great Apostle Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul of Tarsus.
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"Now
the first who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests,
the Levites and the temple servants."
This
chapter focuses on the return of the worship team from exile.
The
worship team is essential for Worship, Community, and Livelihood. The worship
team includes the Priests and the Levites. BTW, the worship leader is not the
guy with the guitar, it's the man with the Bible [I agree with John Piper]. The
worship leader of any church is the teaching pastor!
Singing
is just a tiny part of worship. Remember that!