Author: Calleen Hough

Begin with the end in mind

Before David became king, he and the prophet Samuel collaborated on the design of the temple that would one day be built in Jerusalem. The temple is often referred to as Solomon’s Temple. Solomon was the son of David that succeeded him as king and was responsible for building the temple. It was a magnificent structure that is thought by some Bible scholars to resemble the throne room of God in Heaven.

Along with the plans for building the structure, David established certain offices to enable the temple to function effectively. One of the offices David established was the porter or gatekeeper. It says in 1 Chronicles 9:22, “All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set offices.”

I believe the reason David established that critical offices would be reckoned to certain families and ordained as a permanent office was to ensure that the temple and its service could be reestablished if the temple was destroyed. Solomon’s Temple was destroyed when king Nebuchadnezzar invaded Israel and deported its inhabitants to Babylon.

The porters were sentries that guarded the gate against attack and therefore, would be the first to be killed if the city were invaded. The men that were assigned to the office of porter cast lots to determine which gate they were assigned to (1 Chronicles 26:13). Some gates were more or less desirable due to the likelihood that an attack would be targeted for that location.

To ordain someone into a set office means that you establish a fixed position for him (530). The word translated set, ’emûnâh (em – oo – naw´) is related to the word ’amân (aw – man´) which means to believe or be faithful (539). Aman is the word used in Genesis 15:6 where it says that Abraham “believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” The link between the two words is permanence. Abraham had a belief that endured in spite of his circumstances and the porter had a position that had to be maintained in spite of any imminent threats or the destruction of the city.

There were four chief porters who “were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God” (1 Chronicles 9:26). These men were most likely killed when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Israel because it says in 2 Chronicles 36:7 that “Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.” If the chief porters lost their lives in line of duty, then they had the assurance that “the LORD repays the one who demonstrates that he does what God demands” (530).

The Israelites’ captivity was predicted long before the temple was built (Deuteronomy 28:41) and it was known that the people would return also (Deuteronomy 30:3), so David’s plans were made with that in mind. Given that he assigned men to positions that would likely result in death, David had to rely on Samuel for guidance in how to assure that the office of porter would not be left vacant.

In the arrangement for porters, it is noted that one man, Shemaiah had sons that were mighty men of valour. They were able men for strength for the service and they outnumbered the other porters’ families by more than 3 to 1 (1 Chronicles 26:8). It is not clear whether Shemaiah’s descendants were in the population that returned to Jerusalem after the exile. It is possible they were all killed by Nebuchadnezzar’s army and therefore, gave their lives so that others might survive and one day repopulate the city.

God’s favorite

No matter the size of your family, if there are at least two children, there will be a first born and last born child. In the Bible, the oldest or first born male received a double portion of his father’s assets and became the heir of any land that was owned by the family. Jacob was the last born of twin brothers. When it came time for Isaac to distribute his estate, Jacob managed to get his brother’s inheritance by tricking his father into believing he was his oldest son Esau.

Benjamin was Jacob’s last born child and became his father’s favorite after his older brother Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt. The first king of Israel, king Saul came from the family of Benjamin. It would seem that God reinforced Jacob’s favoritism toward his youngest child.

When David took over as king, all of Saul’s male descendants were killed except one grandson, Merib-baal, also known as Mephibasheth, the son of Jonathon. This was the second time the family of Benjamin was nearly exterminated (Judges 20:48). At the end of the geneology of the family of Benjamin that is recorded in 1 Chronicles chapter 8, it says, “And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers, and had many sons, and sons’ sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of Benjamin.

The family of Benjamin is a typology of the nation of Israel. Many time they have been nearly exterminated, but have survived for thousands of years because of God’s protection. God’s favoritism toward Israel is obvious. He will never leave or forsake them, therefore, their survival is guaranteed…for ever.

And justice for all

America’s pledge of allegiance ends with the words, and justice for all. I think there is an assumption that America’s justice system will fulfill this expectation, but the part of the pledge that assures justice is, one nation under God. Some people do not believe God is just. They accuse him of allowing sins to go unpunished when the criminal justice system fails them.

The thing that makes God just is not that he punishes the wicked, but that he paid the penalty for every sin. The Hebrew word nacah which is translated as lifted up in Psalm 93, “is used of the undertaking of the responsibilities for sins of others by  substitution or representation” (5375). Jesus died on the cross for every sinner and his blood paid for every sin that has or ever will be committed.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 92:4, “For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the work of thy hands.” Many people equate punishment with justice, but the word for just in Hebrew, yashar means upright or righteous. It is also expressed as right or right in his eyes, in the same way that we think of doing the right thing.

In God’s justice system, doing the right thing meant paying the penalty for our sins himself. He offers each person a full pardon and forgives every sin that we have ever committed. Every person that accepts his forgiveness is a testimony, a believable witness that God is just and holiness or perfection is a fair standard of measurement.

As good as dead

I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. (Psalm 88:4-5)

A question often asked about God is why do bad things happen to good people? It is assumed that only good things should happen to good people. The truth is that good and bad things happen to all people.

One of the outcomes of free choice is that people make bad choices as well as good choices and therefore, get mixed results, both good and bad. My granddaughter who is one year old likes to play with my stereo receiver. When I was out of the room, she decided to turn the volume knob all the way up. The sound was so loud it hurt her ears and made her cry. She learned that turning the knob all the way up produced a bad result and hasn’t done it since.

Unfortunately, not everyone learns from the bad results they get and sometimes choose to ignore the results they get until it is too late. My dad was an alcoholic who drank excessively until he was 65. After he stopped drinking, his health improved significantly and he thought he would live to be 100. When he was 72, he was diagnosed with cancer and died six weeks later.

The day that I went down into the pit was the day my ex-husband called me and told me he was having an affair. I had been a Christian for almost 20 years, but in the moment that the news sunk in, I felt as miserable as I had the night I overdosed on sleeping pills, a few weeks before giving my life to Christ. Psalm 88 expresses perfectly how I felt for about a year afterward.

The difference between the two situations in my life was when I found out my ex-husband was having an affair, even though I felt dead inside for awhile, I recovered. From that point forward, I made a conscious decision to make choices that would bring good results, not bad. Like the Psalmist, I thought, “Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves” (Psalm 88:7), but I knew it wasn’t the end of my life or my dreams.

In Psalm 88:10, the Psalmist asks, “Wilt thou show wonder to the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise thee?” I believe the answer to both questions is yes, because Jesus rose from the dead. The power to rise from the dead resides in every Believer. We can choose to live and overcome whatever afflictions come into our lives.

A woman after God’s own heart

After the Israelites were delivered from bondage in Egypt, they became God’s servants and were required to worship him. Animal sacrifices were not optional and were required on a continual basis until the Messiah came. In order for the sacrifices to be made there had to be a large population of priests to maintain the tabernacle and later the temple of God.

The tribe of Levi was selected to fulfill the roles of priests and musicians and were given the job of guarding the ark that contained the Ten Commandments. Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. Their sister Miriam is the only woman listed in the genealogy of the Levites found in 1 Chronicles, chapter 6.

Miriam is mentioned several times during the Exodus from Egypt. Her role as prophetess is unique for the time in which she lived. She is the only woman that had a special role during the Exodus. The name Miriam means rebellious (4812) and is derived from a word that means bitterness (4805). At one point, Miriam and Aaron challenged Moses’ calling and she was punished with leprosy.

Miriam was clearly a strong willed woman and may have been abused by the Egyptians. As a prophetess, she probably proclaimed God’s word boldly and did not hesitate to join in activities typically reserved for men. She is most likely mentioned in the genealogy because she distinguished herself from other women in her service of God and unlike the men who were required to serve God, she served him voluntarily.

Celebrate!

Renewal is a concept that is difficult to grasp until you get to a place where you feel stuck or are at the end of your rope and are struggling to let go of control of your life. There is something about starting over that does not seem natural in a life that seems to be all about making progress.

One of the things God prescribed for the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land was celebration. There were certain festivals established that required singing and dancing as an expression of gratitude and worship of God. Celebration was a way of emphasizing the positive aspect of renewal and making it something to look forward to.

When God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, he was giving them the chance for a new way of life, but they preferred their old lifestyle. God wanted to provide for their needs, but the people wouldn’t listen to him. It says in Psalm 81,” But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their hearts lust: and they walked in their own counsels” (Psalm 81:11-12).

When we pursue our heart’s desire apart from God, life becomes and endless journey. There is no renewal because lust always takes you deeper, farther, searching for more and it never relents. That’s why in pursuit of freedom, addicts are directed to a higher power or help.

Only God has the power to make old things new. His universe was designed for constant renewal and without it, we will self destruct. His command to celebrate with festivals that involved singing and dancing show us that he should be worshipped with expressions that go beyond words. He is the God of new beginnings and he can renew us if we will listen to his voice.

They knew what they were doing

The family of Aaron had unique responsibilities which included making burnt offerings, “and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel” (1 Chronicles 6:49). Atonement or kâphar (kaw – far´) in Hebrew, was the process whereby the sins of the Israelites were covered over by the blood of the animals that were sacrificed on their behalf.

A young bull was designated for the sin offering. “After the elders laid their hands on the bull (to transfer the people’s sin to the bull), the bull was killed. The priest then brought some of the blood of the bull into the tent of meeting and sprinkled it seven times before the veil” (3722). This ritual enabled the people’s sin to be forgiven. “The Day of Atonement was celebrated only once a year. Only on this day could the high priest enter the holy of holies of the tabernacle or temple on behalf of the people of Israel and make atonement for them” (3722).

Most people probably think that Jesus’ death on the cross was a mistake, that the Jewish council that condemned him to death did not know what they were doing. The responsibility of making atonement for the people was specifically placed on the high priest because of the seriousness of the problem. If the people’s sin was not atoned for, they would not receive salvation when they died.

The council’s decision making process for putting Jesus to death  is recorded in John 11:47-53:

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

The word translated expedient, sumphero (soom – fer´ – o) means to bear together. It is derived from two words, phero (fer´ – o) which means to bear as in bearing or bringing forth fruit (5342) and sun (soon) which means with or together (4862). The idea behind these words is prosperity, to gather much fruit and receive benefit from it. So what Caiaphas was saying was that Jesus’ death would bring forth the fruit or final result of all of their sacrifices for the people’s sin.

An attitude of happiness

During the time when Lucifer was the worship leader of heaven, he probably discovered the power music has to affect moods. I think one of the ways he gets us to do what he wants us to is to get us in a bad mood. Some people seem to always be in a bad mood, especially older people that suffer from chronic pain and have disabilities.

Music can not only affect our moods, it can reinforce or develop attitudes that are responsible for our behavior patterns. That is why worship through music is so important to the health of our relationship with God.

In addition to making sacrifices in the tabernacle of God, the Levites were designated musicians that performed specific songs of worship. Initially, the musicians were like strolling minstrels that were constantly moving while they played instruments and sang. After the ark of the covenant came to rest in a permanent location, the musicians waited or stood still (5975) and ministered based on their right or privilege to enter into the presence of God (1 Chronicles 6:31-32).

There is an element of transformation that occurs during the worship of God. In a sense, we are able to transcend circumstances. We connect with God in a spiritual realm that we typically do not have access to, similar to the holy of holies in the tabernacle of God. Satan does everything he can to keep us out of this realm because he knows that it is where an attitude of happiness begins to enter our hearts.

This is stupid

If you have ever forgotten to do something you said you would, you can appreciate how difficult it would be to remember a promise for more than 400 years and then fulfill it exactly as you said you would. Imagine if it were not just one promise, but a dozen promises or even a hundred promises, now extend that over not just hundreds of years, but thousands and you can see why God is so awesome and the work he does in our lives so amazing.

David became king of Israel approximately 400 years after they entered the Promised Land. The initial conquests and occupation of the land laid the foundation for what David did 400 years later. It is not only amazing that the Israelites were able to uproot the Canaanites and Philistines, but miraculous that the twelve tribes of Israel became a united kingdom under David’s rule.

Regarding his selection as king, it says in Psalm 78, “He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfold” (Psalm 78:70). God is able to do anything, therefore, his choices are unlimited. When he chooses to do something it is because the thing he chooses to do is the best option for what he wants to accomplish. David is referred to as God’s servant. A servant is someone that is subject to the will and command of his master (5650). God chose David because he knew he would serve him willingly and love him with his whole heart.

The work that God did through David began when Jacob wrestled with God and demanded his blessing. In Psalm 78, it says of God, “For he established a testimony in Jacob…That they might set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:5, 7). The word translated hope, kecel (keh – sel´) means stupidity (3689). Sometimes it might seem like stupidity to put your confidence in God. What God does in an individual life often times does not make sense.

The reason why a lot of what God does seems stupid to us is because God does the impossible. If we could do it ourselves, we wouldn’t need God. If it made sense, then everyone would  be doing it. David wasn’t concerned about doing stupid stuff. He fought Goliath with a slingshot and a few stones. He became Saul’s son-in-law even though he was a peasant. David pretended to be crazy when he was confronted by Achish the king of Gath. Some people may have thought David was a fool…until he became king of Israel.

Unbroken

“And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months” (2 Samuel 2:11). The seven and a half years that David reigned in Hebron were filled with conflict. A power struggle between David and Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was fueled by Abner’s refusal to give up his position as captain of Saul’s army. Over time, the conflict took a toll on David and at the low point of his effort to take control of the entire nation, David wrote Psalm 77.

David said, “In the day of my trouble I sought the LORD; my sore ran in the night and ceased not: My soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled. I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah” (Psalm 77:2-3). David was no doubt describing a sleepless night in which he tossed and turned and could not rest. His descriptive words make it clear that he was at a breaking point, unable to reconcile his situation with his vision of becoming king.

Psalm 77 captures a turning point in David’s struggle. After asking the questions, Hath God forgotten to be gracious? and Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?, David forces himself to focus on God’s previous track record of delivering his people. David said, “I will remember the works of the LORD: Surely I will remember the wonders of old. I will meditate also of  all thy work, and talk of thy doings” (Psalm 77:11-12).

The things David likely remembered were the plagues God brought on Egypt in order to deliver his people and his parting of the Red Sea when the Israelites were being chased by Pharaoh and his army. God used miracles to draw attention to his deliverance of his people so that his name would become famous throughout the world. David asked the rhetorical question, “Who is so great a God as our God?” as a reminder that nothing was impossible with God.

David’s breaking point became a turning point because he did not forget God’s promise. God’s promises are not like the promises we make. God’s word cannot be broken. Whenever God speaks, it is as if a promise is being made and divine power is released in order accomplish what has been spoken. The creation of the world is the best example of the power in God’s words. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).