Sunday, May 20th, 2012
I Chronicles 14 (see also 2 Sam 5:11-25)
“Blessed Worship”
Bible Memory Verse for the Week: I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. — Genesis 12:2
What does it mean to be blessed?: (Dt 11:26-27; 15:6-10; 28:2-12; 2 Sm 6:11-12; 1 Chron 13:14; Ps ch. 1; 2:12; 29:11; 32:1-2; 34:8;84:4-5, 12; 94:12; 106:3; 119:1-2; Prv 3:13; Jer 17:7; Mal 2:2; Rom 4:6-9; Jas 1:25)
To bless means to grant prosperity or well-being (“fortunate power”), and God is generally the subject, bestowing physical and spiritual grace upon man in the form of long life, affluence, and power (Gn 39:5; Ps 3:8; [Mt 9]; 24:5; 129:8). He blesses mankind in creation (Gn 5:2) and throughout history (26:3; Ex 18:10). Such acts often provide fertility for man (Gn 1:28; 17:16, 20; 22:17; 48:4), animals (1:22), and various forms of produce (Ex 23:25; Dt 7:13; Ps 65:10 [Mt 11]; 132:15). God blesses man for keeping His laws, implying sanction (Dt 7:12-14; cf. Ex 23:25). (Geoffrey W. Bromiley, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, 523)
God’s blessings are frequently presented as dependent upon man’s obedience, in contrast with cursings which result from disobedience (Dt 30:15-20); nevertheless, they are ultimately gracious, and cannot be referred to anything but God’s mercy and kindness. (Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 1, 625)
The OT does not consider the word of blessing to have some independent force, but instead as always under God’s control (Dt 23:5). A proper understanding of the permanent character of the word of blessing must come from an appreciation of the faithfulness of the covenant-keeping God; to attempt to understand it in terms of appropriateness would be to contradict its basic gracious character. (Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 1, 625)
The NT makes clear the relation of blessing to commandment. The Beatitudes precede the call to obedience in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5 and 6; cf. The blessing-cursing contrast in Lk 6:20-26), so obedience is the response to blessing, not the means of obtaining it (perhaps the gracious prologue to the Sinai law in Ex 20:1 is analogous). Much the same stress is seen in the introductory blessings of Paul’s epistles (“Grace to you and peace,” esp. the extended blessing of Eph 1:3-14), which precede instruction to the churches. (Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 1, 625)
Background Information:
- The events of chapters 13 and 14 are memorialized by renaming the locality where they occurred. The site of the tragic death of Uzza is named “Perez-uzza” (breakthrough of Uzza) because there the Lord “broke through” (paraz) against Uzza (1 Chr 13:11). The site of the defeat of the Philistines was named “Baal-perazim” (master of breakthrough) because there God “broke through” (paraz) the enemy as “the breakthrough (perez) of waters” (14:11). In both events the names emphasize God’s breaking in upon the lives of His people for salvation or judgment. The God of the Bible is the living God. When He acts for His people in salvation or against them in judgment, His presence is felt with all the power and presence of the breaking through (paraz) of a wall of water in the bursting of a dam. (John Sailhamer, Everyman’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 41-42)
- In chapter 13 we had an outburst of God’s wrath against his people for failing to seek his will and comply with his commands. The result? Plans to move the ark had to be temporarily shelved. Here in chapter 14 David seeks the Lord’s will, carries out his commands, and there is an outburst of judgment on Israel’s enemies. The Chronicler is telling his people that the one whose mercies never fail will not abandon them. One outburst of wrath should not cause them to give up. Let them remember the way he also burst forth against those that threatened them. “His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Ps 30:5). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 1 Chr, 163)
- At this point in his life, David is beginning to see things from God’s perspective. He doesn’t take for granted his position as king. Rather, he sees that God is using him for the good of the nation (14:2). (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 15) (red, bold emphasis Pastor Keith)
- The embassy of Hiram is presented as a gift, if not tribute, drawing attention to David’s exaltation and contrasting with 10:13f., as 17:8, 11-14 demonstrates. Clearly this is out of its chronological position, which must come later in David’s reign (and so too with the following paragraph!), but once again the Chronicler is content to pass straight to the God-given results of faithful conduct. (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 116-17)
- David’s first defeat of the Philistines, a clear reversal of ch. 10. Had the Chronicler not wished to bring this into close association with the theme of seeking the ark, he would probably have grouped this paragraph with his collection of David’s military successes in chs 18-20. (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 117)
- That the gods of the Philistines fell into David’s hands may be seen as a reversal of 10:10, where Saul’s armor and head are taken as trophies to “the temple of their gods.” (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 118)
- Often the soldiers wanted to keep souvenirs from the battle (and 2 Sm 5:21 states that some of the men kept some of these idols), but David ordered them to burn the idols. The only proper response to sin is to get rid of it completely. You cannot be a follower of God while continuing to hold on to parts of your past life that push God out of the center of your thoughts and actions. Eliminate whatever takes God’s rightful place in your life, and follow him with complete devotion. (Tyndale House Publishers, Life Application Study Bible, 687)
- The spread of David’s fame and the fear of Yahweh among the nations are interrelated (14:17). As God blesses David’s faithfulness, so David’s success brings glory and honor to God. The Chronicler’s report of David’s growing reputation foreshadows the covenant blessing of God’s promise to make David’s name among the greatest of the world (17:8). Fittingly, the defeat of the Philistines at Rephaim reverses the outcome at Mount Gilboa and avenges the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, closing the story on that tragic first chapter in the history of Israelite kingship. (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 233)
The questions to be answered are . . . How and why did God bless David so much? How should this insight revolutionize our understanding of God’s blessings to us?
Answer: David was blessed in a variety and in numerous ways mostly because of his heart for God but always because of God’s grace. David realized that he was being blessed so he could be a blessing to others. We have not been blessed to hoard the benefits all to ourselves.
The Word for the Day is . . . Blessed
How and why was David blessed by God?:
Stop praying, “Lord, bless what I’m doing,” and start praying, “Lord, help me to do what you are blessing.” (Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church, 15)
All God’s promises relate, one way or another, to his purpose of glorifying himself by blessing his human creatures. (J. I. Packer; Rediscovering Holiness, 229)
These events in chapter 14 are to be read as a direct consequence of David’s taking proper care for the Ark of God. The point in this section is to show that blessing from God follows obedience to God’s word.
First, the chronicler recounts the tribute paid to David by the surrounding nations. Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers bearing materials and workmen who were to build a house for David. To David that was a sign that the Lord was establishing David’s kingdom (14:1-2). The Lord had made David’s house great.
Second, the chronicler takes up the theme of David’s sons and daughters (14:3-7). In a manner reminiscent of the godly men in the early chapters of Genesis, the writer shows God’s blessing on David by the enumeration of the births of his children. We can almost hear the words of Genesis echoing in the account of David’s family: “And God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply’” (Gn 1:28).
The third sign of God’s blessing is David’s victory over the enemies of God’s people, the Philistines (14:8-17). The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel. Since the defeat of Saul at Gilboa (1 Chr 10:1-14), the Philistines had controlled the major lines of communication and trade throughout the land of Israel. (John Sailhamer, Everyman’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 41)
God gave David honor and success (“his kingdom had been highly exalted”), but not simply for David’s personal gain. David realized that God had prospered him for a special reason–for the sake of God’s people! Often we are tempted to use our position or possessions only for our own good. Instead, we must remember that God has placed us where we are and given us all we have so that we may encourage others and give to those in need. (Tyndale House Publishers, Life Application Study Bible, 687)
David saw the hand of God behind his rise to prominence. Unlike a later empire builder by the name of Nebuchadnezzar, David did not say, “Is not this great [kingdom] I have built…by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dn 4:30). For David, Hiram’s emissaries were evidence that God had blessed him “for the sake of his people Israel” (v. 2). This was not the exaltation of a person, but of a people, and not an exaltation of a people for their own sake, but as the bearers of the promise that through them “all nations on earth [would] be blessed” (Gn 22:18). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 1 Chr, 158-59)
I. God blessed David with abundant and quality building resources so they could be used to build the King’s palace, the Temple and supporting structures to worship. (1 Chr 14:1-2)
Such a powerful king would not have entered into a relationship with David unless he considered David a significant king. This served as a sign to David that the Lord had indeed established him on his throne (v. 2). (Joe O. Lewis, Layman’s Bible Book Commentary, Vol. 5, 139)
Hiram was one of the first to recognize that there had been a shift in the balance of power among the nearby nations. David was now a man he needed to reckon with. The kingdom of Israel was a crossroads, through which many important trade routes of the ancient world passed. With David’s rise to power, the Israelites now controlled those vital trade links. Tyre was a port city to the north of Israel along the Mediterranean coast. The Tyrians were great sea-traders, people who depended for their very existence upon the free flow of goods between nations. As their king, Hiram could not afford to ignore David. We, of course, see the handiwork of God in placing his OT people where he did in the world. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 1 Chr, 158)
The hinterland of Tyre was noted for its cedars, and the port boasted skilled workers in wood and stone, some of whom were loaned to David. They took a gift of cedar wood and constructed the palace in Jerusalem.
Foreign recognition was indeed a new development; David was conscious of the encouragement this offered, but the writer notes that David put it down to the Lord’s doing for the sake of his people Israel, not for the sake of David personally. This awareness of the Lord’s concern for all his people kept David from exaggerating his own importance (Dt 17:20) and from extravagant policies involving oppressive taxation. (Joyce G. Baldwin, Tyndale OT Commentaries: 1 & 2 Samuel, 198-99)
Tyre was an ancient Phoenician city which had grown wealthy through extensive sea trade. Tyre consisted of two sections, a city on the shore and a citadel on an island in the sea. The former was probably first conquered by Nebuchadnezzar; the latter not until Alexander the Great built a causeway for his army to reach the island. (Broadman & Holman Pub, Shepherd’s Notes, 1, 2 Chr, 27)
As will be seen in many of the comments below, the reigns of faithful kings are frequently associated with building operations, family, and victory in war (cf. 2 Chr 26:1p-15). (Roddy Braun, Word Biblical Commentary: 1 Chr, 178)
In the ancient Near East it was common for royal inscriptions to indicate divine blessings toward kings by recounting the king’s successful construction efforts. City walls, roadways, fortifications, palaces, and temples were considered proof that a king was in the favor of his god. In much the same way, the Chronicler indicated his evaluation of kings at particular moments by noting their building projects. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 49)
The desirability of cedar wood for monumental architecture is attested from earliest times in ancient Near Eastern texts. Beginning with Sargon of Agade, it was prestigious for kings of Mesopotamia to travel to Lebanon to cut down cedars from the cedar forest. Even legendary heroes such as Gilgamesh did the same. Cedar wood was prized for its beautiful grain, sweet-smelling aroma, and durability. Its high resin content inhibited the growth of fungus. Not only so but they could attain heights of 125 feet, which made the wood ideal for use as beams. (John H. Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Vol. 3, 251)
II. God blessed David with children who were to be raised to be future leaders of Israel (1 Chr 14:2-7; Dt 17:18-20; 2 Sm 7:29; 1 Kgs 2:45; 1 Chr 17:27; Acts 3:25-26; Gal 3:8-9)
That David took “more wives” was a historical fact but a moral failure, directly contrary to the law (Dt 17:17). This sin led to a whole series of disasters later on (2 Sm 11:27; cf. the implications of 13:4, 32, and even 1 Kg 1:5-6). (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 382)
David’s polygamy is mentioned without censure. In 2 Chr 24:3 we are told that the chief priest, Jehoiada, selected two wives for the young king Joash. This of course was consonant with the Eastern assumption that increase of children of royal blood was wholly desirable. But the troubles of David’s later life (suppressed by the Chronicler) supplied eloquent comment on the disadvantages of royal polygamy, and Solomon’s enormously large harem shocked even the Hebrews. Very interesting therefore is the considered criticism of later days expressed in Dt 17:17, that the king to whom Israel’s obedience can be rightly given “shall not multiply wives for himself.” Given time, the Jews proved themselves conspicuous in antiquity for the acceptance of monogamy, and for high ideals of marriage and home relationships. (Abingdon Press, The Interpreter’s Bible Vol. 3, 395-96)
Marriage was an important tool of diplomacy in the ancient Near East. There are numerous examples of alliances between states by this means, whether states on an equal footing or smaller states seeking to ally themselves with larger ones. Women were seen as a valuable commodity. (John H. Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Vol. 3, 253)
Moses had made it clear that many children were the blessing of God for fidelity to the covenant (see Ex 32:13; Dt 30:2-6, 9-10). Similar beliefs were expressed elsewhere in the OT (e.g. Job 5:25; Ps 127:3; Isa 48:19). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 50)
In Chronicles remarks concerning a sizeable family are regularly indicative of God’s blessing; cf. 2 Chr 11:18-23. (Roddy Braun, Word Biblical Commentary: 1 Chr, 179)
In its context in Chronicles, hard on the heels of Uzzah’s death and David’s failure, this expression of confidence is particularly striking. Not only is David’s kingdom blessed, but David is also blessed personally, by many wives and children (14:3-7//2 Sam 5:13-16; see 1 Chr 3:5-8). (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 57)
III. David was blessed with military victories over the Philistines so the region could be rid of these idol worshiping and barbarous scoundrels. (1 Chr 14:2, 16; 1 Sm 17:45-47; Zec 4:6)
The contrast with Saul is worked out in some detail. There is significance in the listing of David’s sons because of the association of Jerusalem, the new royal centre, with Solomon. Solomon would be to David what Jonathan never was to Saul–an heir to sit on the throne. Once again David is portrayed in victory over the Philistines while Saul was shown in defeat. David’s burning of the Philistine gods and expulsion of them from the land is in triumphant contrast to the events of chapter 10. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 40)
David knew the Philistines and their tactics as well as anyone, but still he stops to consult God before deciding to fight. God gives him the go-ahead, and David and his men soundly defeat the Philistines (1 Chr 14:8-12). The Philistines had carried their gods into battle with them but left them behind when fleeing the Israelites, so David’s men collect and burn them.
Later the Philistines regroup and attack again. David doesn’t take anything for granted or make the assumption that he will again defeat them. He once more inquires of God. The Lord tells him to go ahead and fight, but He provides David with a completely different battle plan than before. (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 15)
Leaving their homeland on the coastal plain, the Philistines invaded the hill-country of Israel, thrusting deep into David’s new kingdom. They overran the valley of Rephaim, located just to the south and east of Jerusalem. The Hebrew word used to describe the Philistine activity in the valley conjures up images of marauding bands of soldiers stripping the land and terrorizing farming hamlets. Clearly the Philistines were issuing a challenge to their former vassal: “If you want to keep your kingdom, you will have to fight us for it!” (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 1 Chr, 162)
The period when the Philistines dominated Israel had come to end. What faithless Saul could not do, faithful David did do. God gave Israel success through his anointed one. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 1 Chr, 164)
So long as David was king only of Judah, the Philistines were content to tolerate his rule, but when he was proclaimed king of all Israel he became too powerful to be trusted, hence these two concerted efforts to divide his territory, and so weaken his effectiveness. The valley of Rephaim is within sight of Jerusalem, among the precipitous hills to the south-west of the city. Whether or not the capture of the Jebusite city had already taken place, the Philistines were attacking at the point where David’s kingdom was arguably at its weakest, for this was an area which the Israelites had not been able to hold, and David had not yet had time to build up his defenses. Furthermore, this northern border of Judah was adjacent to Benjamin, the tribe from which Saul came, and from the enemy point of view it made good sense to exploit any uncooperative elements in David’s newly extended kingdom. (Joyce G. Baldwin, Tyndale OT Commentaries: 1 & 2 Samuel, 202-03)
Isaiah was able to make passing reference to the event and expect it to be immediately meaningful, more than two centuries later (Is 28:21). For Israel it must have had all the emotional overtones that Trafalgar has for the British, together with the awesome sense of God’s overruling associated with the evacuation from Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and with the D-day landings during the Second World War. This was one of Israel’s remarkable deliverances. (Joyce G. Baldwin, Tyndale OT Commentaries: 1 & 2 Samuel, 203)
David did not take for granted that his God-given strategy on the previous occasion would succeed a second time, nor did he trust his own expertise but asked afresh for guidance. This time he was not to go to meet the enemy head on. Instead, he was to make a surprise attack from the rear, which would have the advantage of cutting off the Philistine retreat route. (Joyce G. Baldwin, Tyndale OT Commentaries: 1 & 2 Samuel, 204)
More important than the identification of the species is the sign that the Lord will give, the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees. The wind which would cause a sound like a rushing of feet was in this case the wind of the Spirit of God, for then the Lord has gone out before you to smite the army of the Philistines. Once the sign is given, there is to be no delay: bestir yourself or “move quickly” (NIV). David must move with the Spirit of God if he is to fulfill God’s purpose to defeat the enemy. There was a place for waiting, but a place also for action. David accomplished what Saul had failed to achieve, because David did as the Lord commanded him, and triumphed once again. The secret of success, obedience, had been an option open to Saul, but he had not chosen it. David was, indeed, one of a rare company of people, rare even in the Bible, of whom it could be said that they did as the Lord commanded them. (Joyce G. Baldwin, Tyndale OT Commentaries: 1 & 2 Samuel, 204-05)
So decisive was this battle, that from this time on the Philistines ceased to be a serious menace to Israel, though they continued to cause trouble during the period of the monarchy. (Joyce G. Baldwin, Tyndale OT Commentaries: 1 & 2 Samuel, 205)
Rather than plunder the idols and parade them as trophies of war, David burns the relics of false worship in accordance with the law of Moses (Dt 7:5; 12:3). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 232)
The Chronicler’s emphasis on military defeat as divine judgment followed the outlook of Moses and the prophets. Mosaic literature presents defeat as a covenant curse for rebellion against God (see Dt 28:36-37, 64; Lv 26:17). The prophets affirmed the same perspective (e.g. Isa 8:5-8; Jer 5:10-17; Hab 1:2-11). The Chronicler applied these theological perspectives to his analysis of Israel’s history. The nation often suffered defeats because of rebellion against God.
On the other hand, the Chronicler also pointed to Israel’s tremendous victories as a result of fidelity to God. He often stressed the wonder of these events by indicating the enormous sizes of the enemies whom Judah defeated. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 47)
For the most part, the Chronicler noted the tremendous advantage of Israel’s enemies to demonstrate that victory came not by human power but by divine intervention. From the Chronicler’s perspective, victory in battle demonstrated that “the battle is God’s” (1 Chr 5:22; 2 Chr 20:15). By contrast, the Chronicler once mentioned that infidelity led to Israel’s defeat despite her superior numbers (2 Chr 24:24). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 47)
David inquired of the Lord. He was a trained soldier and a skilled strategist, but he did not trust his skill or strength, but went like a little child to his God and asked immediate counsel. It is very remarkable to notice the form in which he asked counsel. He did not first ask if He should be successful, but he first asked what the Lord wanted him to do. His primary desire was to please God; his second request, to know what God was going to do for him. This is very beautiful and very important. It is much more natural for us to say, “Lord, will you bless me in this?” and then if He promises us prosperity we are disposed to accept His direction and go forward in it. David’s attitude was far more single and sincere. With him the supreme question was, “Lord what will you have me to do?” and quite subordinate to that was the other, “Lord, what will you do with me?” (A.B. Simpson, The Christ in the Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, 303)
CONCLUSION/APPLICATION: Four Applications and four questions to consider:
Obedience to God results in general material prosperity, including supremacy over Israel’s neighbors, economic prosperity and flourishing families, while disobedience results in just the opposite (Dt 27:3). Material blessing must not be understood as having no spiritual application: Israel’s role as witness to the world of the might and love of the Lord depends upon the evidence of the Lord’s favor to her; the promise of numerous descendants rests upon agricultural and military success; the very worship of the Lord is to be centered in Jerusalem, to which exile (military defeat) is the antithesis. God’s personal choice and blessing of His people inevitably involves His blessing of the details of their lives.
What is true of Israel as a people is true of the individual believer, and his happiness and blessing also rests in obedience. Proverbs esp. indicates how happiness consists in finding wisdom (3:13), hearing the Lord (8:34), trusting in Him (16:20), and keeping His law (29:18). (Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 1, 626)
A- You have been blessed with resources. For what purpose are you using them? (Gn 12:2; Dt 16;17; 23:20; 24:19; Sampson, Boaz – Ruth; 2 Chr 31:10; Ps 37:26; 41:1-2; 132:15; Prv 10:22; 11:26; 14:21; 22:9; 28:20; Ezk 44:30; Mal 3:10-15; Acts 20:35)
Churches that give away blessings are much more likely to be blessed. (Leith Anderson, A Church for the 21st Century, 192)
Blessed are those who give without remembering and receive without forgetting.
Now we are in a position to see why Jesus (and Isaiah, James, John, and Paul) can use the ministry of mercy as a way to judge between true and false Christianity. A merely religious person, who believes God will favor him because of his morality and respectability, will ordinarily have contempt for the outcast. “I worked hard to get where I am, and so can anyone else!” That is the language of the moralist’s heart. “I am only where I am by the sheer and unmerited mercy of God. I am completely equal with all other people.” That is the language of the Christian’s heart. (Timothy J. Keller, Ministries of Mercy, 61)
Someone asked the American Episcopal bishop Phillips Brooks what he would do to resurrect a dead church, and he replied, “I would take up a missionary offering.” Giving to others is one secret of staying alive and fresh in the Christian life. If all we do is receive, then we become reservoirs; and the water can become stale and polluted. But if we both receive and give, we become like channels; and in blessing others, we bless ourselves. American psychologist Dr. Karl Menninger said, “Money-giving is a good criterion of a person’s mental health. Generous people are rarely mentally ill people.” Someone wrote in Modern Maturity magazine, “The world is full of two kinds of people, the givers and the takers. The takers eat well—but the givers sleep well.” (Warren Wiersbe; Be Determined; 146-47)
We live in the age of personal autonomy, which defines our lives by our own choices. The role of society, our culture believes–and courts have agreed–is to do nothing to limit our choices. As one pundit put it, we live in the “republic of the imperial self,” in which we are free from all unnecessary restraints in order to pursue whatever we believe will bring us happiness. (Charles Colson, The Good Life, 99)
The post-exilic building and fortification projects anticipate the spiritual building of the Kingdom of God. Architectural imagery is pervasive throughout the NT as Christ the king announces the ultimate building program when he claims, “I will build my church” (Mt 16:18). The inauguration of the Kingdom also coincided with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (70 AD).
The continuation of the Kingdom is characterized by the building up of the people of God into his Kingdom (Jude 20). Paul exhorts the people of God to “excel in the gifts that build up the church” (1 Cor 14:12). Christian fellowship finds its purpose in the building up of one another (1 Thes 5:11). The expansion of the Kingdom is accomplished through missionary efforts to lay a “foundation” as “expert” builders (1 Cor 3:10).
As “God is the builder of everything” (Heb 3:4), the glory of the Kingdom’s consummation will result from the efforts of the Divine builder (Heb 3:4). While the enemies of God will ultimately suffer destruction (2 Thes 1:9. 2 Pt 2:1), the people of God will enter the great City “whose architect and builder is God” (Heb 11:10). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 50)
I hear addicts talk about the shakes and panic attacks and the highs and lows of resisting their habit, and to some degree I understand them because I have had habits of my own, but no drug is so powerful as the drug of self. No rut in the mind is so deep as the one that says I am the world, the world belongs to me, all people are characters in my play. There is no addiction so powerful as self-addiction. (Donald Miller; Blue Like Jazz, 182)
Some people use the example of David’s association with Hiram as an illustration of how believers might benefit by going beyond Christian circles in their daily lives. By hiring the most qualified people to do the best possible work, God can be honored in a variety of ways. (Dr. Tremper Longman, Quicknotes, 1 Chr Thru Job, 14)
B- You have been blessed with family. For what purpose are they living? (Gn 12:2; Elkanah & Hannah – 1 Sam chps 1-2; Ps 112:1-2; ch 127; Prv 5:18; 20:7; Isa 61:9; Mal 2:13-17)
How are the key relationships in your life? What about your marriage? What about your relationship with your children? If you are single, how are you doing in the area of moral purity? Dad, Mom, do you see your family as an opportunity for God to demonstrate his power and grace to those who are watching?
“What’s this got to do with vision?” you ask. Everything. We are not much of a light on a hill if we sacrifice people and purity for the sake of achieving our vision. When we do so, we remove any incentive God may have had to bless our labor. We become unblessable because we have made ourselves unusable. At that point there is nothing of significance for God to draw attention to. (Andy Stanley, Visioneering, 229)
The OT’s concern with physical progeny is developed in a number of directions in the NT. On the one hand, concern for children as the expected heirs of the covenant promises is evident in a number of NT passages (see Acts 2:39; 16:31; 1 Cor 7:14). Beyond this, however, the Chronicler’s emphasis on large numbers within Israel develops into the NT theme of multiplication through the proclamation of the gospel. In his first coming, Christ brought many to salvation (Mt 4:23-25). The Church continues today to add to the numbers of the Church. At Christ’s return the Chronicler’s emphasis on the blessing of large numbers will find its final fulfillment. In the end, myriads of men and women will stand before God in the salvation of Christ (Rv 7:9). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 51)
C- You have been blessed with victories! For what purpose are they enjoyed? (Gn 12:2ff; Neh 13:2; Ps 109:28; Zec 8:13; Lk 6:28; Rom 12:14; 1 Cor 4:12)
Ralph Winter has popularized the analysis of biblical Israel as a nation that wanted to be blessed but didn’t want to be a blessing. The result was their destruction. (Leith Anderson, A Church for the 21st Century, 191)
“Bless those who curse you. Think what they would say if they knew the truth.” — Mother Teresa.
“‘Bless those who curse you…because they may be right.’” (Steve Brown; Living Free, 115)
“My biggest disappointments have often turned into my greatest blessings.” (Thomas Kincade daily calendar note for April 22/23, 2006)
D- You have been blessed with a Savior. Has He moved you to save you from you self-absorption? (Gn 12:2; Mt 5:1-16; Acts 20:35; Rom 12:14; 15:27; 1 Cor 4:12; Eph 1:3; Phil 2:1-11; 1 Pt 3:9)
The Lord gives his blessing when he finds the vessel empty. — Thomas A Kempis
Only the Holy Spirit can create in us the kind of love toward our Savior that will overflow in imaginative sympathy and practical helpfulness towards his people. Unless the spirit is training us in love, we are not fit persons to go to college or a training class to learn the know-how or particular branches of Christian work. Gifted leaders who are self-centered and loveless are a blight to the church rather than a blessing. (James I. Packer; Your Father Loves You).
Every Christian is part of God’s continuing plan for the redemption of the world. It may be that, even in rightly identifying the way in which God could advance his purposes through us, we are often less than satisfactory in the practice of it. But here we have a picture of a God who kindly overrules, sets us back on the path and refreshes our vision. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 41)
The NT extends the Chronicler’s concept of victory and defeat into the inauguration, continuation, and consummation of Christ’s Kingdom. The inauguration marked the beginning of great victory. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, death was “swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor 15:54). Satan fell from his position of authority (Lk 10:18), and was bound that the Kingdom might progress victoriously (Mk 3:27; Rv 20:2). In his earthly ministry, Christ disarmed and made a mockery of the powers opposing God (Col 2:15).
Following the leadership of the Divine Warrior, Christians are to engage in battles that the Kingdom may advance. The war is not against “flesh and blood” but “against the powers of this dark world” and “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12). Believers are to fight the good fight (1 Tm 1:18; 6:12) by putting on the full armor of God and the armor of light (Rom 13:12; Eph 6:11). The weapons of the Christian soldier are not the weak weapons of this world. Rather the weapons of the Christian are filled with “divine power” (2 Cor 10:4). The principal empowerment of the believer is prayer (Eph 6:18). Far from being a privilege of communication with God whereby we merely petition God for blessings, prayer is our access to the Divine Warrior himself. The prayers of believers are the powerful tools that God has issued to dismantle the forces of evil. As a result, Christians attain the victory through Christ (1 Cor 15:57) and become “more than conquerors” (Rom 8:37). For everyone “born of God overcomes the world” (1 Jn 5:4). (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 48)
Worship point: God blesses you and then asks you to be a blessing to others. God cursed his Son and then asked His Son to bless others. SELAH! And you find it hard to worship?
Our church is growing, the statistics look good, and people start asking about our “methods.” You must be doing something right,” they say. It is at times like these when it is especially important to remember that God blesses us, not because we have personally earned or deserved it for all our good “doing,” but for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ–because of his “doing” and dying on the cross. With David, we ought to boast not in ourselves, but in the Lord. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 1 Chr, 159)
Jesus Christ is the Son of the Blessed (Mk 14:61); i.e. He is to be praised with the same praise due to the Father; both Christ’s accomplished salvation and His return reflect the glory of that blessed Father (1 Tm 1:11; 6:15). His birth is a blessing (Lk 1:42, 48); His death is remembered by the cup of blessing of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 10;16), reflecting His own blessing of the meal (Mk 14:22; cf. 6:41). He blesses His disciples as He ascends, having promised His return (Lk 24:50). His continued ministry to His people is a “greater” kind precisely because of its blessing character (Heb 7:1, 6). His return blesses His people who are awake, are keeping His words, have washed their robes, and so may enter and rest, being invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (the doxologies of Rv 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7, 14). (Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 1, 626)
Spiritual Challenge: Count your blessings. Analyze: Am I using what God has given me to allow God’s will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven? Your only hope for motivation to be so benevolent to an undeserving world is by looking to Jesus Who understood His blessing is now not yet (Ex 20:24; Mt 5:1-16; Lk 6:20-22; Jn 20:29; Phil 2:1-11; Ti 2:13; Heb 11:13-16, 39-40; 12:1-2; Jas 1:12; Rv 14:13).
The Hour of Darkness a sermon by Tim Keller 32:53 minutes into the sermon
What is the consequence of our sin against God? . . . the loss of a relationship. But don’t forget, you realize what that means; for the son to lose a relationship with a mother, if he does not patch that up, he is going to have a lousy life. If we don’t patch up our relationship with God—we were built for the presence of God, we have to have the presence of God to be human, to love, to think, to be utterly cut off from the presence of God, absolutely is agony, is hell. But, what Jesus is beginning to experience, is way beyond that.
Now, you say, “What you mean way beyond that?” Wait a minute, how can you say way beyond that, how could anything be way beyond that?
Well, think about this: Remember when I said, “If a friend rejects you that is infinitely less harmful than if a spouse rejects you; as you certainly know. If God rejects me, that is awful. But, if the Father rejects Jesus (we have to realize) that the Father and the Son have a relationship of love that is infinitely greater than anything that we know.
The greatest marriage in the history of the world, compared to the love of the Father and the Son is like a dew drop compared to the Pacific Ocean. No lover was ever so one with her spouse, no parent was ever so one with his child, no soul ever so one with its body as the Father and the Son were. And so for the Son to even get on the outskirts of a loss of that love, to even get on the outskirts, to even get a whiff of that, meant that he began to experience a horror that . . . pushed blood out of his pores, even though He was the Son of God. What must it have been like to actually DRINK the cup, if the sight of it, if the smell of it did this to Him. That is what is going in the garden.
And so, why did he do it? Why did he do it. . . .
Centuries ago, God put Adam in Garden with a tree. And He said, “Obey me about the tree. Don’t eat it.”
In other words, God says to Adam, “Obey and you will live!” But he didn’t.
Centuries later, the second Adam, is in the garden: Not Eden, Gethsemane. And there is another tree. This time it is a cross. And God says, “Obey me about the tree.” But, I want you to see the contrast here. The first Adam was told, “Obey me and you will live.” The second Adam was told, “Obey me and I will crush you to powder.” Jesus was told something that God has never said to anybody before and will never say again. God has never said this before or again. But He said it once. He said, “I want you to obey me, and if you obey me I will utterly abandon you. I will utterly cast you off. I will send You into hell. I will send You into infinite sorrow. Because our relationship was infinitely greater than a relationship between anybody else. Your sorrow, your pain, your misery, will be infinitely greater than someone going to hell.
God says to the first Adam, “Obey and you will live.” And he didn’t. God says to the second Adam, “Obey and I will crush you to powder.” But he did obey! Why? Why would he do that?
To get glory? He had glory before. To get a relationship with the Father? Obviously not. What did He get out of it? Only one thing. Us! You. Forgiven. Loved. A relationship. Don’t you see when Jesus died, the minute He died, Luke 23:45, it says darkness was over the whole land for the sun stopped shining. What does that mean? The darkness came into him. He took the darkness. He took the consequences of what was done. He took the darkness. . . . He died in the dark, the ultimate dark, so we could live in the light. So we could have the light that never goes out.
Do with me whatever it shall please thee. For it can not be anything but good, whatever thou shalt do with me. If it be thy will I should be in darkness, be thou blessed; and if it be thy will I should be in light, be thou again blessed. If thou grant me comfort, be thou blessed; and if thou will have me afflicted, be thou still equally blessed. My son, such as this ought to be thy state, if thou desire to walk with Me. Thou must be as ready to suffer as to rejoice. Thou must cheerfully be as destitute and poor, as full and rich. (Thomas A Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, III:17:1-2)
Aaronic Blessing: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. — Numbers 6:24-26
Quotes to Note:
Martin Luther said, “Blessings at times comes to us through our labors and at times without our labors, but never because of our labors. God always gives them because of His undeserved mercy.” But there is more than that to a Christian Thanksgiving. We are thankful because God owns it all and he delights in our using his stuff. (Steve Brown, Key Life Newsletter, November 2007_
God is fearsome in his judgments and fierce in his zeal to fight for his people through his anointed king. This was true not only for ancient Israel; it is true also for God’s people today. In all things Jesus, our anointed King, sought to do the will of the Father. This was especially true of the last great battle of his earthly ministry. After he had placed his life into the hands of the Father, he followed his will to the cross for our sakes. As the “commander of the army of the LORD” came in human form, he succeeded in doing what no mere human king could ever have done. He stormed the gates of hell, destroyed the devil’s power over us, and set us free from our miserable slavery to death and sin. All praise be to God alone! (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 1 Chr, 165)
According to the Albright chronology (cf. Bright, History, 199) Hiram ruled ca. 969-936 B.C., and thus only the last decade of his reign would have coincided with that of David (ca. 1000-961 B.C.). Hence the inclusion of the notice at this point in the narrative is, it might be noted, as misleading in Samuel as in Chronicles. The writer apparently is not troubled by David’s friendship with Hiram. If not the result of a simple reproduction of his source, the chronicler has probably understood it as one example of the prosperity which Yahweh gives to his faithful people, i.c., recognition, respect, and gifts from foreign peoples (cf. The account of the Queen of Sheba in 2 Chr 9, taken from 1 Kgs 10, and more pointedly, 2 Chr 17:10-12; 26:8, 15; 32:23). (Roddy Braun, Word Biblical Commentary: 1 Chr, 178)
This verse is in addition to the account of 2 Sm 5, highlighting David’s international fame. David stood strong against his enemies. Other nations saw the power of God in the king’s victory and feared (Josh 2:11; 2 Chr 17:10; 20:29). Readers of the book are encouraged to hope for a new David who would overthrow secular worldly powers (Hag 2:6, 7, 20-23; Zech 9:1-13). (Luder Whitlock, Jr., New Geneva Study Bible, NKJV, 580)
If you want to know the blessings of God, the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessings of the Christian gospel, the first thing you must do is admit that you have no claim at all upon them, that you do not deserve them, that actually you deserve nothing but punishment and hell. If you are still trying to defend yourself, if you still feel that God has not been fair to you, that God is unkind to you or that God has kept something back from you, you are not a Christian; you are still in the position of rebellious Adam and Eve; you are in the position of the Pharisees. (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones; God’s Way, Not Ours: Isaiah 1, 91)
Christ:
The Blessed One
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