This first section of 1 Chronicles is full of genealogy.  It’s tempting to just glance over it and not read every word.  But take a moment to read all the names listed.  Notice the precision with which each family and generation are mentioned.  Yes, I know that it’s mostly just the men who are listed.  However, if you can get past that fact, the beauty of these chapters is awe inspiring.  Imagine…the Lord has taken great effort for you and me to see every generation from Adam to David.  These passages are another reminder to me of the Lord’s faithfulness, plan and purpose.  God knows everyone by name.  There are no mistakes.  There is a clear lineage.   This line from Adam goes all the way to David and will eventually lead to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In these days of worry and doubt, it’s reassuring to know the Lord has a plan.  The Lord is on His throne.  Good wins and truth will prevail.  Come Lord Jesus, come.

The books of Kings are appropriately named.  They are a record of the various kings and reigns in Judah and Israel.  The most common thread in all these stories is the way in which each king either led the people toward or away from the Lord.  Unfortunately, most of these stories say things about the kings like, “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”

Honestly many of these stories sound like the world we live in today.  We’ve set up false gods and do, “wicked things that provoked the Lord to anger.” (2 Kings 17:11).  In light of the current situations in America we may have a tendancy to assume that God is all love.  True, God is love.  We only know what real love is because of Him.  However, God is so much more.  He is just too.  God despises sin.  In chapter 17 the Lord says, “Turn from your evil ways.  Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law…” (2 Kings 17:13)

I’m not perfect and I don’t follow the law perfectly.  I’m the chief sinner that I know.  I’m grateful for grace and the love of Christ.  But in the end, I know that the Lord takes sin seriously.  He wants nothing to do with our evil ways.  He loves us all, yet expects more from us than we are giving Him.  May we as a nation and planet turn back toward Him.

May we be more like the young King Josiah, who when he found the Word of God and read it for the first time, was transformed.  After reading and understanding it, he led his people to take down the idols and worship the One true God during his reign over Jerusalem. (2 Kings 22-23)