DAVID ANOINTED KING OF ISRAEL

PROCLAMATION

“Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king of Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before The Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of The Lord by Samuel.”  1 Chronicles 11:3 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The words First and Second Chronicles were written as one Bible book under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although Jewish tradition suggests, and some current Bible scholars believe, that this book was written by Ezra the scribe and priest and historical Bible scholar.  After the death of King Saul, David the son of Jesse was anointed king over Israel in the city of Hebron. (1 Chronicles 11:1-3)  David had been anointed king by the prophet Samuel while he was a boy (1 Samuel 16:13) and later the people anointed king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4) before now being made king of Israel.  Then David went to Jerusalem and found it to be inhabited by Jebusites.  They told David not to come into the city but he did not listen to them and took Zion as his own.  Joab the son of Zeruiah led some men and defeated the Jebusites, and David made him captain of the army. (1 Chronicles 11:4-6)  David dwelt in the castle there and the city became known as the city of David.  He became greater and greater because The Lord of Hosts was with him. A number of mighty men of valor joined with King David. (1 Chronicles 11:7-10)  The remainder of chapter eleven lists the mighty men who joined David and some of their accomplishments. (1 Chronicles 11:11-47)

 

APPLICATION

The Word of The Lord will be fulfilled according to His timeframe.  David had to wait for his time to be the king.  The Lord God has made promises to us in His Holy Word.  Because we have the promises of God we ought to act more Christ-like. (2 Corinthians 7:1)  We will just have to wait for Him to bless us and provide them for us.  So, let us be patient, and be of good courage, and wait on The Lord.  “Wait, I say, upon The Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)  “They that wait upon The Lord shall renew their strength …” (Isaiah 40:31)

 

KILLED FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS

PROCLAMATION

“So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against The Lord, even against the word of The Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;  And enquired not of The Lord; therefore He slew him …”  1 Chronicles 10: 13-14 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The words First and Second Chronicles were written as one Bible book under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although Jewish tradition suggests, and some current Bible scholars believe, that this book was written by Ezra the scribe and priest and historical Bible scholar.  After nine chapters of genealogies, chapter ten covers the death of King Saul.  The Philistines were fighting a war against Israel. The men of Israel were losing the battle and fled before the Philistines.  The Philistines slew the three sons of Saul.  During the battle, Saul was wounded by archers.  Saul asked his armor bearer to thrust him through with a sword and kill him so that the Philistines would not take him and abuse him.  However, his armor bearer would not kill him, so Saul himself took a sword and fell upon it and died. (1 Chronicles 10:1-6)  When the Philistines found Saul’s body, they stripped off his amor and cut off his head.  They took his armor and his head to the temple of their idol god Dagon.  When the valiant men of Jabesh-gilead heard what had been done to Saul, they went and got the bodies of Saul and his three sons and buried them in Jabesh. (1 Chronicles 10:7-12)  Saul died for his transgressions against The Lord.  After Saul’s death the kingdom was turned over to David, the son of Jesse. (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)

 

APPLICATIONS

To sin is wrong.  It is wrong to go against The Holy Word of God.  However, it is even worse to put someone or something ahead of The Lord God.  The sins idolatry which reject The Lord God and favor something or someone else make Him angry. (Exodus 20:3-5)  It is not good for us to sin in such a manner that we make God angry and incur the wrath of God.  We should not put anything ahead of our worship of The Lord.  Do not deny, insult, condemn, or disrespect The Lord God.  If we seek Him first, then everything else that we need will be given unto us. (Matthew 6:33) 

 

 

NINE CHAPTERS OF GENEALOGIES OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH

PROCLAMATION

“So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgressions.”  1 Chronicles 9:1 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

The words of this Book of The Bible were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although Jewish tradition suggests that, and some current Bible scholars attribute, this book was written by Ezra the scribe and priest and historical Bible scholar.  It was written to the Jewish people of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas on their return from 70 years of captivity in Babylon.  In the original Hebrew copies of the scriptures, First and Second Chronicles were both part of one Bible Book, as was Samuel and Kings.  The first nine chapters in the Bible Book of First Chronicles contain Biblical genealogies.  Chapter one begins with Adam and ends with the three dukes of Edom. (1 Chronicles 1:1-54)  Chapter two begins with the sons of Israel and ends with the sons of Salma. (1 Chronicles 2:1-58)  Chapter three begins with the sons of David and ends with the seven sons of Elioenai. (1 Chronicles 3:1-24)  Chapter four begins with the sons of Judah and ends with the sons of Shiphi who smote the Amalekites. (1 Chronicles 4:1-43)  Chapter five begins with the sons of Reuben and includes the sons of Abihail and then states that these are genealogies of Judah and Israel. (1 Chronicles 5:1-17)  Then the author briefly describes the war that the sons of Reuben, and the Gadities, and half of the tribe of Manasseh  made war against the Hagarites, and defeated them and took their flocks and their land. (1 Chronicles 5:18-23)  The heads of the tribes are listed, and these men transgressed against The Lord and sought other gods.  The Lord God caused Pul and Tilgath-pilneser, the kings of Assyria, to rise up against them, defeat them, and carry them away into captivity. (1 Chronicles 5:24-26)  Chapter six includes more genealogies and begins with the sons of Levi and includes how the land was divided up and assigned to each of the tribes. (1 Chronicles 6:1-81)  Chapter seven begins with the sons of Issachar and ends with the sons of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:1-40)  Chapter eight begins with the sons of Benjamin and ends with the sons of Ulam. (1 Chronicles 8:1-40)  Chapter nine records the people that dwelt in Jerusalem, (1 Chronicles 9:1-13), the responsibilities of the Levites, (1 Chronicles 9:14-34) and the family of King Saul. (1 Chronicles 9:35-44)

APPLICATION

There is an old saying which goes, “Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it.”  Actually that quote a paraphrase from the original saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” (George Santayana)  Knowing one’s history and one’s ancestry can be important.  Knowing one’s roots can give a person strength of character.  Those who grow up without the knowledge of their genealogy do not know who they really are.  The same is true for knowing how we came to believe in what we believe.

THE FALL AND CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH

PROCLAMATION

“And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath.  So Judah was carried away out of their land.”  2 Kings 25:20-21 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although some Bible scholars attribute this book to the prophet Jeremiah.  After Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had set up Zedekiah as king of Judah, the Chaldean army attacked the city.  Zedekiah and his army fled by night via the king’s garden gate and went into the plains.  The Chaldean army pursued them and his army scattered.  Zedekiah was captured and taken to Babylon.  There they slew the sons of Zedekiah as he watched, then they put out his eyes and bound him. (2 Kings 25:1-7)  Then Nebuzar-adan, the captain of the guard in Babylon, went to Jerusalem and burned down the house of The Lord, and the king’s house, and all of the other houses in Jerusalem.  He carried away all of the people except the very poor who were left to be vinedressers and husbandmen. (2 Kings 25:8-12)  He stripped the gold, silver and brass from all of the pillars and fixtures from the house of The Lord and the king’s house before they burned them down.  He took the priests, the officers, and the well-to-do people of Judah to Babylon and slew them all. (2 Kings 25: 13-21)  For the poor people that were left in Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah, the grandson of Shaphan, to be their ruler.  When the men of valor who had scattered heard that Gedaliah had been made governor of Judah, they returned.  But he told them to serve the king of Babylon and all would be well.  However, they disagreed with him and got together and killed him. (2 Kings 25:22-25)  When the people heard what they had done, they fled to Egypt for fear of what the Chaldean and Babylonian armies might do in retaliation.  However, the new king of Babylon, Evil-merodach, took Jehoiachin the king of Judah out of prison and treated him like one of the kings of Babylon. (2 Kings 25:26-30)

APPLICATION

The Word of God will be fulfilled, and all of the promises of The Lord will come to pass. (Joshua 21:45)  We will receive all that has been promised to us because we are believers and partakers of His divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4)  However, if we do not believe and do not obey His Holy Word, then we will receive the punishment that was promised. (Revelation 20:15)

THE PROMISED PUNISHMENT FULFILLED

PROCLAMATION

“For through the anger of The Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until He had cast them out from His presence …”  2 Kings 24:20 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although some Bible scholars attribute this book to the prophet Jeremiah.  After the king of Egypt had put the puppet king Jehoiakim son of Josiah over Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon made war against him and took him captive and made him his servant.  He turned against Nebuchadnezzar after three years and he rebelled against him.  Then The Lord sent a series of armies against Judah and Jerusalem to destroy them as punishment for the sins of Manasseh. (2 Kings 24:1-4)  When Jehoiakim died his son Jehoiachin reigned in his stead.  He also did that which was evil in the sight of The Lord.  Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon then seized Judah and took King Jehoiachin, his mother, his servants and all of his officers captive.  He also seized Jerusalem and took all of the leaders, officers, the army and all of the craftsmen captive leaving only the poorest of the people behind. (2 Kings 24:6-16)  Then the king of Babylon put another puppet king, Mattaniah the son of Josiah, to rule over the poor people who were left behind in Jerusalem, but changed his name to Zedekiah.  He also did that which was evil in the sight of The Lord.  All of this came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah because of the anger of The Lord. (2 Kings 24:17-20)

 

APPLICATION

We can rest assured that The Word of God will be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)  All of the promises of The Lord shall come to pass. (Joshua 21:45)  When The Lord God makes a covenant with His people, we can be sure that He will be faithful and fulfill His word. (Deuteronomy 7:12)  He will not let us down.  We just need to be sure that we do our part and obey His word. 

 

THE SON WAS NOT LIKE THE FATHER

PROCLAMATION

“And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to The Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.”  2 Kings 23:25 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although some Bible scholars attribute this book to the prophet Jeremiah.  After hearing what “Thus saith The Lord” from the prophetess Huldah, King Josiah gathered together all of the elders of Judah, and all of the priests and prophets, and all of the people of Judah and read the book of the covenant to them. (2 Kings 23:1-2)  Then he commanded the priests to take everything related to Baal out of the temple and burn them.  He put down all of the priest who had burned incense unto Baal and he broke down all of the high places where they offered their sacrifices.  He burned the grove and broke down the houses of the sodomites.  He got rid of everything that was associated with idol worship. (2 Kings 23:3-15)  He even took the bones out of the sepulchers of those who had worshiped Baal.  However, he did not disturb the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria.  He slew all of the priests of Baal and then burned their bones. (2 Kings 23:16-20)  Josiah reinstituted the keeping of the Passover in Jerusalem.  He performed the words of the law as it was written in the book which was found in the house of The Lord.  There was no king before him who was like him, and neither was there any after him that was like him. (2 King 23:21-25)  However, none of this changed God’s mind regarding the punishment He had in store for Judah and Israel.  King Josiah went to war against Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt and was killed.  The people carried his body back to Jerusalem in a chariot and buried him.  His son Jehoahaz was anointed king of Judah.  He did that which was evil in the sight of The Lord.  He only reigned for three months before the king of Egypt put him in chains and made his brother Eliakim the king.  The king of Egypt changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim, and as king of Judah he gave silver and gold to Pharaoh. (2 Kings 23:26-35)

APPLICATION

Some of the time boys grow up to be just like their fathers, with the same career and the same behavior.  There is an old saying, “Like father, like son.”  However, that was not the case here.  Josiah was not like his father Amon who did evil, and Jehoahaz was not like his father Josiah who did that which was good.  If we are going to copy or imitate someone, we should choose someone who is a believer and follows The Lord.  Better yet, we should pattern our life after Jesus, The Christ, and not after any man. (Psalm 118:8)  For only in The Lord should we trust. 

 

SPARED FOR FOLLOWING THE WORD OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before The Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith The Lord.  Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shall be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place …”  2 Kings 22:19-20 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although some Bible scholars attribute this book to the prophet Jeremiah.  Josiah the son of Amon was eight years old when he began to reign as the king of Judah.  He did that which was right in the sight of The Lord. (2 Kings 22:1-2)  When he was eighteen years old, he sent Shaphan the scribe to the Hilkiah the high priest telling him to take the silver from the treasury and pay the workers who were to repair the house of The Lord. (2 Kings 22:3-7)  While going through the treasury, the high priest found the book of law in the house of The Lord.  The priest gave the book to Shaphan who read the book.  Then Shaphan took the book and showed it to the king, and read it to him.  When King Josiah heard the words of the book, he tore his clothes.  He commanded Hilkiah the high priest to enquire of The Lord concerning the words of the book, knowing that his father and the people had not followed the book and that the wrath of The Lord was kindled against them. (2 Kings 22:8-13)  The high priest and his servants went to Huldah the prophetess in Jerusalem and they communed with her.  She told them that The Lord was going to bring a great evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof.  However, she also told Hilkiah that because of the tender heart of King Josiah, who humbled himself before The Lord when he heard the words of the book, he would die in peace and not see the evil that would come upon this place. (2 Kings 22:14-20)

APPLICATION

Doing the right thing when those around you are doing that which is wrong may cause you to be spared the punishment which they will receive.  When we know what is right, we ought to do what is right.  “Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better.” (Maya Angelou)  Let us know what is right and choose to do what is right. (Job 34:4)  There are severe consequences in store for us when we know what is right and yet choose not to do it, especially when this pertains to The Word of God.