Most of us either skip the first nine chapters of I Chronicles, (That is cheating if you are reading through the whole Bible. :) ) or like me, we read very quickly, merely glancing at hundreds of genealogy names. I did that this morning. However I paused several times, including at 5:18 - 26.
In this passage there are two contrasting descriptions of the 2&1/2 Jewish tribes that stayed on the east, the other side of the Jordan. When entering the Promised Land, the men from these tribes who fought the battles prayed and trusted in God. Their prayers were answered and they conquered because "the battle was God's". 5:22
Over a period of many decades, the people changed. They apparently had great leaders who were "brave warriors and famous men". Then comes the sad critique, "But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers." 5:25 The result: they lost their battles, were defeated by the Assyrians and taken into captivity and exile.
We know the biblical truth of course. God expects from us faith and faithfulness. This passage simply presents this truth through stark opposing examples in two brief paragraphs. Being brave (or talented, gifted, wise, educated, smart, ambitious, driven, etc.) and famous (powerful, important, wealthy, successful, etc.) counts for little compared to living a life of faith, actively dependent upon God.
We ought to pray for (rather than be envious of) believers who gain a measure of what the world deems as significant. We should pray that they remember what counts: actively living a life of faith. And we should remember this ourselves.
In this passage there are two contrasting descriptions of the 2&1/2 Jewish tribes that stayed on the east, the other side of the Jordan. When entering the Promised Land, the men from these tribes who fought the battles prayed and trusted in God. Their prayers were answered and they conquered because "the battle was God's". 5:22
Over a period of many decades, the people changed. They apparently had great leaders who were "brave warriors and famous men". Then comes the sad critique, "But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers." 5:25 The result: they lost their battles, were defeated by the Assyrians and taken into captivity and exile.
We know the biblical truth of course. God expects from us faith and faithfulness. This passage simply presents this truth through stark opposing examples in two brief paragraphs. Being brave (or talented, gifted, wise, educated, smart, ambitious, driven, etc.) and famous (powerful, important, wealthy, successful, etc.) counts for little compared to living a life of faith, actively dependent upon God.
We ought to pray for (rather than be envious of) believers who gain a measure of what the world deems as significant. We should pray that they remember what counts: actively living a life of faith. And we should remember this ourselves.
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