March 25, 2022 - 1 Chronicles 5-8

The genealogies of these chapters continue to detail the families of the twelve tribes. Along the way, one reads phrases such as:

“He also lived to the east”

“They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasturelands of Sharon”

“They broke faith with the God of their fathers [and were taken] into exile”

“They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting”

“Their number enrolled by genealogies, for service in war, was 26,000 men” (the men of Asher)

Not trying to be redundant, here, but I am just always struck by these stories, that these are reports of real people making their way in the real world doing real things recognizable to us: they lived in certain places, they grew crops, they sinned and God disciplined them, they fought wars, and they worshipped before the tabernacle. Through it all, God remained faithful to his promises and, because of God’s faithfulness, and only because of that, Israel had a great hope. So it is for us.

Children of the heavenly King,

As we journey let us sing;

Sing our Savior’s worthy praise,

Glorious in His works and ways,

Glorious in His works and ways.

We are traveling home to God,

In the way our fathers trod;

They are happy now, and we

Soon their happiness shall see,

Soon their happiness shall see. -- John Cennick (1743)