Today's Reading:

1 Chronicles 1
1 Chronicles 2
Psalm 43
Psalm 44

Reflecting Psalm 44, the people were called to praise God’s name for past victories. But now, they felt humbled and rejected. This communal psalm shows when Israel felt defeated and humiliated. They did not feel like the Shepherd who protects His sheep was with them. They felt like nothing of value and were living in disgrace with their enemies. Yet, they lament that they were not disloyal or forgetting Him, but suffering despite their faithfulness.

If they had forgotten God or prayed to pagan gods, He would have known. He is omniscient and sees everything. Yet because of their devotion to God and their refusal to follow other gods, they were suffering. Not due to rebellion, but persecution. Israel felt they were facing death and hunted down by enemies without relief. Like defenseless sheep that do not fight back, they were easy prey for the butcher.

We remember faith under fire from the New Testament in Romans 8:36, where this psalm is quoted. Suffering for God’s sake is not abandonment by Him. The verse, “If God is for us, who is against?” (Romans 8:31), is like a Christian’s security blanket. Even in the darkest hours described in the Old Testament, it proves that when in the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23), we as God’s people are already victorious.

Why do good, faithful people sometimes feel like sheep headed to the slaughter? What does Psalm 44 say about this?

 

The books of Chronicles are the “newspaper articles” about David’s life and reign. These books give extra tidbits of information that might not be covered in the books of Samuel and Kings. The first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles cover genealogy. Remember, there are a lot of names, and here we will focus on memorable names to note.

The lineage of Noah in verse 1:4 lists his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Notice the order; it is not by birth, but by importance. This is why in the following chapter headlines, they were listed in reverse order (Japheth in verse 5, then Ham in verse 8). The people listed represented the heads of clans, tribes, and nations descended from each of Noah's sons. The 14 named individuals from Japheth are traditionally associated with peoples in Europe, Asia Minor, and northern regions (such as the Greeks and Medes). From Ham came 30 nations, including the Cushites, Mizraim (Egyptian), Philistines, and Canaanites. Then, Shem is listed for 26 nations, bringing the total to 70, as given in Genesis 10.

Notable names, from creation to flood:

• Adam- the first man created by God.
• Seth- the son of Adam where the lineage of the Messiah continued.

Post flood Patriarchs, Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

• Noah- Saved through the Ark during the flood
• Shem- Ancestor of Semitic people, leads to Abraham.
• Japheth- Ancestor of many northern and coastal nations.
• Ham- Father of several nations often opposing Israel. From Ham came Nimrod, described as a mighty warrior and ruler from the early kingdoms like Babylon (Genesis 10). The name Nimrod associated with the slang word for “foolish”. Under the Semites, the name Peleg was highlighted because his life was at the time “the earth was divided”, referring to when God confused the languages at the Tower of Babel and geographic locations and tribes were divided (Genesis 10:25).

The Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were listed:

• Abraham- Father of Israel and the line of God’s covenant promises.
• Isaac- Son of Promise in which the messianic line continued.
• Jacob (Israel)- the Father of the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Ishmael- Abraham’s son who became ancestors of desert tribes.
• Esau- Jacob’s brother and ancestor of Edomites, a hunter.

Abraham's two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, were named in 1 Chronicles 1:28, with Isaac listed first because he is the “son of promise” through whom the covenant line would continue, even though Ishmael was born first. The genealogy then listed Abraham’s descendants through his mothers: Hagar (Sarah's servant), Keturah (his second wife after Sarah died), and Sarah (his beloved first wife). After naming Isaac first, the genealogy listed the descendants through Hagar, beginning with Ishmael, and then Keturah. Sarah and the descendants through Isaac’s line as the Messianic line continued by Israel (Jacob), so for continuous flow into the next section, they were listed last.

At the end of chapter 1, Esau and his descendants were recorded first, but the genealogy continued through Israel. Esau’s lineage was divided by the people of Seir and the Rulers of Edom. The People of Seir were the clan leaders of the original inhabitants of Edom. They were the notable Kings of Edom who ruled before Israel had official kings. The end of the chapter was divided this way to explain the history of Edom, who lived there first, and how Esau’s descendants came to be part of Edom. This highlighted that there were kings in Edom before Israel had the monarchy with Saul and David.

In chapter 2, Israel’s (Jacob) lineage to the Messiah was covered. Chapters 2 through 9 record the genealogy from the 12 Tribes of Israel, especially the line of Judah that led to David, and the line of Levites as the priestly line.

• Judah- The tribe of Israel’s kingdom, son of Jacob and Leah.
• Perez- Key ancestor in the royal line of David and Jesus, via Tamar and Judah, twin to Zerah.
• Zerah- Perez’s twin brother.
• Hezron- Son of Perez, in the royal line of Judah, had 3 clan divisions (Ram, Caleb, Jerahmeel).
• Hamul- twin brother to Hezron.
• Achan- Remembered for stealing plunder at Jericho, when they lost to Ai, and then stoned him.
• Ram- Son of Hezron, line continued to Boaz (Ruth), Obed and Jesse on to David and Jesus.
• Caleb- Son of Hezron, one of the 12 spies who trusted God’s plan and received land in Judah. His name is not in the main royal line. Caleb is listed with his lineage in 2:18, and then with his clans in 2:42, to show the full picture of Judah’s branches that subdivide, showing that David’s family is part of a large tribe.
• Bezalel- Noted craftsman who supervised building of Tabernacle.
• Jerahmeel- Son of Hezron.
• Aksah (Achsah)- Calebs’ daughter, married Othniel who was the first judge.

Note there are many names in genealogy that repeat across generations, like in Obed and Jonathan, but are not the same individuals mentioned in Scripture. It is important to find context with names to avoid confusion.

Psalm 43- This was a sequel to Psalm 42 (not read yet), by the sons of Korah. Korah was the Levite family of musicians that led worship in the sanctuary (listed in 1 Chronicles 9:19 and 2 Chronicles 20:19). This was a plea to bring David to the altar to yearn and restore worship. David asked to be rescued by God, and wondering why He felt rejected, Let Your light guide me.

The verse 43:5, “Why, my soul, are you downcast?...Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” was repeated from Psalm 42:5, 42:11. This was encouragement to trust in God written as reinforcement to show that true faith often involves speaking God’s promises back to ourselves until they become our personal reality. A good pep talk to yourself to live the life of faith.

Have you ever given yourself a serious pep talk using Scripture? What verse do you repeat to yourself when feeling down, and does it help to shift your perspective?

Psalm 44- This was a national/communal lament, which was a prayer of the public speaking collectively to God. The people remember how faithful God had been in the past and plead with Him for help again. They praised God’s victories, in which He gave them the Promised Land “not by their sword” but by His hand. In verse 4, “You are my King”, while written singularly, “my” meant the nation speaking collectively, and “Jacob” was Israel as a whole. They praised God’s name, knowing that every victory had come from Him.

Today's Discussion question: 

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