Sun.’s Devo - God’s Family and His Plan

Read: 1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17; Acts 23:11-35; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 18:14-15 Today we start reading First Chronicles. The Kings gave us the prophetic outlook of the nations of Judah and Israel and were probably written by Jeremiah during exile. The kings illustrated what happens to a nation who trusts in God and the consequences of a nation that turns from God. The Chronicles were probably written by Ezra, the priest. It is given from the priestly vantage point and was written after exile looking back at their history. It only covers the nation of Judah which housed the Temple where the priests served. First Chronicles starts with Adam and ends with the death of David. It is a history of Judah’s spiritual journey. In verse one we find that Cain and Abel are not mentioned as being Adam’s descendants. Cain was the seed of Satan that murdered Abel who was a type of Jesus, who offered the pleasing sacrifice to God. Seth was born as the “substitute” for Abel as we are the “substitute” for Jesus on the earth. The whole earth was destroyed by the flood and started over with Noah’s descendants: Shem, Ham, and Jepheth. Here are some of the ones that stood out to me: From Japheth came the Scythians, Assyrians, Medes, Greeks, Asians and foreigners and barbarians. From Ham came the Philistines and most of the “ites” in Canaan. From Shem came Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the second chapter we have the tribe of Judah of which Chronicles tells their history. The son’s of Israel are given in this order: Leah’s sons, her concubines sons, Rachel’s sons, her concubine’s sons. In Acts, Paul had been sent to Jerusalem where he knew persecution and jail awaited him. All of this happened and he was now in jail when the Lord appeared to Paul to encourage him and tell him what was next. God was sending him to Rome where more of the same was waiting him. He was to take the message of the gospel to Rome. Paul’s nephew learned of a plot to kill Paul on the way to trial and warned the guards, who told the governor. The governor had Paul removed that night and taken with 470 armed soldiers to Caesarea. There he was ordered by Governor Felix to be kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters. Lord, when you are leading us there is nothing to fear. You surround us with your army and we will complete our mission on the earth just as Paul did. Thank you for your marvelous plan.