READING FOR APRIL 30, 2025: 1 CHRONICLES 9, 2 Corinthians 3, Psalm 37:1-11 1 CHRONICLES 9 Ezra, believed to be the chronicler, does not write history for the casual reader of the 21st century with our short attention spans. First, there are the long genealogies. Then, there is the flip-flopping between the ancient and recent past with the present time.
Ezra reminds the reader that Judah, here meaning the southern kingdom of Israel (the northern kingdom had already been exiled to Assyria), was exiled because of their lack of faithfulness to God. This is a statement one would never read in a secular historical account. For example, Bart Ehrman, a leading critic of the Bible, states that supernatural statements of this nature can’t be made by historians because they can’t be the likeliest cause of an event. Only the Bible gives the total cause of historical events. This is a limitation of public education.
Then after having given us the extensive genealogies of most of the tribes of Israel (chapters 1-8) and before beginning a lengthy account of the era of Israelite kings (rest of book), He jumps into a brief description of the then present time: those who were returning to Israel after the Babylonian exile. Instead of calling this reclaimed land “Judah,” it is now all called “Israel.” The time of the divided kingdom between the northern and southern tribes is over. Ezra mentions returnees from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Some individual citizens along with their abbreviated genealogies are listed. All these individuals are termed “heads of fathers’ households” and thus likely men of great influence.
Next, we see a proportionally large number of priest and Levities listed as returning. This makes sense due to God’s word to Cyrus: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:2-3). Intermixed in these lists of names we see job descriptions that were given centuries ago and that will need to be followed precisely again once the temple is operational: doorkeepers, gatekeepers, treasury managers, security staff, utensil keeps, and coordinators for flour, wine, and oils. Especially significant were the singers who were to be active day and night. The last 10 verses prepare us for the upcoming historical review of the era of the Kings by providing, once again, the ancestors and descendants of Saul, Israel’s first king.
2 CORINTHIANS 3 Is it possible there is a more moving chapter in all of human literature? Hard to imagine. Rather than send or solicit letters of recommendation, Paul said the Corinthians themselves are his letters, the true evidence of his apostleship. They are the letters others read to learn about Jesus. How are we doing as an accurate letter or representation of Jesus to an unbelieving world? Do strangers at Walmart and drivers on McGalliard perceive Jesus’s sacrificial love when they observe us? Also, can we honestly say that our impact on our children or grandchildren is such that their lives are our letters of God’s truth to the world?
READING FOR APRIL 30, 2025 CONTINUED: 2 Corinthians 3, Psalm 37:1-11 How can we, like Paul, convey God’s love and truth to the hearts of others. Paul says he was only adequate for the task through the Holy Spirit, not obedience to the law. It had nothing to do with his goodness, nor was this possible through the Old Testament covenants. Only after the resurrection can we be indwelt by the Holy Spirit by making Jesus our Savior and Lord (Rom. 10:9). Paul reminds the Corinthians that Moses’s face was so bright that it was blinding as he brought down the commandments from the mountain. He goes on to imply that this radiance from Moses’s face is more like darkness compared with the glory of the Holy Spirit. Is our experience of the Holy Spirit that overwhelming?
This Holy Spirit gave Paul such hope that he could speak with boldness. He was not embarrassed or timid. He was indwelt by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit and was sharing the most lifechanging message possible. It was not a time for Paul then nor a time for us now to shrink from communicating this truth with a world who will die eternally without it.
Paul mentions that the Jews of his day were unable to understand the scriptures because their minds were hardened. This is even more true today. According to a 2021 Pew survey only 26% of American Jews believe in the God of the Old Testament. They are among the most secular people on earth. Paul states that this can only change when they receive Jesus. There are some coming to Him now. Paul elaborates in Romans 11 that this will happen in massive numbers in the future. Let’s pray both for that day and, as Paul urges, that we will become transformed more and more into the Lord’s image.
Psalm 37:1-11 David tells us not to get upset because of evildoers. Yet the suffering and death of the innocent at the hands of oppressors make many of us upset. Is David right? Let’s suspend judgment until the entire chapter is studied. Consider these opening verses:
- Don’t be envious of wrongdoers. Why would we be? Their future is doomed.
- Trust in God and do good. It is much more productive than envy and frustration.
- Live where God has placed us and cultivate faithfulness. Don’t dream of greener grass elsewhere. There are plenty of opportunities to be faithful where we are, if we look.
- Delight in the Lord. Popular culture cannot imagine this. It often portrays faith in Jesus as boring. Let’s not believe Satan’s lies. Walking with Jesus is totally thrilling.
- If we truly delight in the Lord, our heart’s desires will be to serve and love Him and to serve and love our neighbor. Mere stuff will not be exciting.
- David says rather than stress out over the success of evildoers we can wait for and rest in the Lord. To do otherwise suggests we know better than God.
- In fact, our anger only starts a chain leading to our sinning.
- Instead, we should cultivate humility. This starts a virtuous cycle, leading to a godly inheritance.
