What’s In A Name? – I'm Following Jesus

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Thursday, April 25, 2019
Chapters: I Chronicles 3-5
Message: What’s In A Name?

Hello My Friend,

As I read the chapters from the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles I get a little confused as to why they are laid out the way they are in terms of timeline because different things are thrown in that make no sense, just like the lineage of Abraham, which includes everyone up until the time the Jews were taken to Babylon. Then as I read the chapters for today, God showed me what it was all about. These were written just as Moses wrote the books from Genesis to Deuteronomy, God directed them. These writers were not always present at that time, they were the messengers of God just as we are today in telling the world about Jesus, which by the way were called prophets. “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.” – I Corinthians 14:1-4.

“but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.” Those who speak in an unknown tongue, meaning those who keep the Gospel hid while they teach things too complicated for even them to understand, are the ones who bring confusion. God makes everything simple, “Believe in my Son, receive Him, and live your life as He did when He was here.” Simple right? Man complicates it, they have from the day of creation, and they will until Jesus returns. I Chronicles continues to record the lineage of Abraham through Jacob, we can learn a lot by just reading names. And now we come to David’s sons, and one daughter.

“Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess: The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years. And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel: Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.” – I Chronicles 3:1-9.

“These were all the sons of David,” Twenty kids, from several women, not counting the ones he had with the concubines, which were common law marriages or ones with foreign women. It is incomprehensible as to why these men had so many wives, but what is comprehensible is God’s mercy. We must understand that God never condoned any of this as from the beginning, marriage has always been one man and one woman, and we will find as we read through these chapters what happens as a result of this. With all his faults, God still saw David as a man of his own heart. You tell me that God is an unjust God, and I will tell you that His mercy endures. Now, we come to the lineage of Judah, and David’s kin.

“The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum. And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea, And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. And these are ancient things. These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.” – I Chronicles 4:1,8-10,21-23.

“These were the potters,” The potters were the landscapers or groundskeepers for David, which has me thinking of how God sets us all up for His work. We are more than just teachers, and preachers of His Word, we are landscapers, construction workers, housekeepers, salesmen, businessmen, managers, congressmen, and laymen of every job you can think of. God does not discriminate, if you are one of His own He will use you for His work, and even if you are not one of His He will use you to perfect His own. “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,” – Romans 9:21-23.

“the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy,” In case you did not know it, you are a vessel of mercy, if you are saved, that is. That means, you belong to Jesus, and He will use us as He sees fit. Which brings us to the lineage of Simeon. “The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul: And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah; These mentioned by their names were princes in their families: and the house of their fathers increased greatly. And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old. And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks. And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.” – I Chronicles 4:24,37-43.

“And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah,” Shimri’s children, very small in number, yet God was with them and used them to conquer land that the Philistines had taken over for the longest time. It is also interesting that this was written after all these events took place, including Hezekiah, who turned the nation of Israel around just before their captivity into Babylon. When God gives us an opportunity to receive something, it often comes with challenges, He does not want us to push it aside and just be content with what we have, He wants us to go get it, with His help of course. Keep in mind, that we are to go get it in a Godly way. And we come to the lineage of Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob, but that is where it stops, he lost his birthright, and everything that followed when he had sexual relations with one of his father’s concubines, and Gad.

“Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:) And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead. And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salchah: The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.” – I Chronicles 5:1-2,10-11,18-20.

“The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh,” These are grouped together because they have no inheritance in the land of Israel as they sought land in Gilead. They were also the first to turn away from God, and be captured by Assyria when God judged them. It is interesting that God helped them in their war with the Hagarite’s, who by the way were the children of Hagar, Ishmael’s mother, his father being Abraham. And just as fast as He helped them the half tribe of Manasseh turned on Him, and were the first of them to be captured.

“And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon. And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers. And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them. And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.” – I Chronicles 5:23-26.

“and he carried them away,” While there are a few tribes of Jews that came back to Israel from Babylon, the majority of them are still scattered all over the world. Interestingly, I talked with my students yesterday at Jr. Church about the importance of a birthright, as it is what allows us to receive the blessings passed down to us from our ancestors. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour we have a birthright as one of God’s children, that means unlike Reuben who lost his birthright to Israel, we cannot lose our birthright. Once we receive Christ, we are His inheritance, and nothing or no one can take that away. Amazingly, God has many blessings to give us as being one of His, and we may even see them while we are here, one thing is for sure, we have a place with Him. Amen! “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” – John 14:2-3.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.” – I Chronicles 3:9.

Today’s Prayer: God, Throughout the years I often wondered why You put me in a certain place or brought certain people in my life, and I still do not understand some of it. What I do understand is that everything I have gone through, good and bad, has been used not for me, but for me to be a blessing to others and to glorify You. Lord, thank You for using me, continue to use me as You see fit, and give me Your power, love, mercy, grace, wisdom, and guidance to be a woman of Your own heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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