1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17, Acts 23:11-35, Psalm 3:1-8, Proverbs 18:14-15
Today is the 5th day of July, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it’s great to be here with you today around the Global Campfire together as we move further and further into the year and get all settled into this new month that we have. Big day of celebration around the United States yesterday. Of course, we were celebrating Jill’s birthday yesterday and so, yeah, we’re just kinda turning into this month and settling in, and as we do that, well, we’re reaching some new territory. It’ll be familiar territory but it’s new territory. So, yesterday we concluded the Book of 2 Kings which concluded the Books of Kings and in that final reading from 2 Kings we saw the Babylonians enter the land of Judah and eventually conquering it, displacing all of the Jews. This is where they get their name that they were from Judah and so they were called Jew’s and they were there they were taken into exile. This is actually massive and when we move through the territory in 2 Kings and then finished that book and it doesn’t seem apparent just how monumental what is happened actually is. So, we remember, right, that the Assyrians came and took the kingdom of Israel, the northern tribes the 10 northern tribes, they took them into exile and they disappeared. They were assimilated. Now, we have the kingdom of Judah, falling, falling to Babylon and now they have been carried off into exile so the promised land that we worked forward toward from the book of Genesis, basically until yesterday, is over. It’s the end. I mean, there will be remnant, a returns after exile yes, but it will never be this kind of independent nation like it was again in ancient times. Ancient Israel has come to an end.
Introduction to Chronicles:
And so, today we’re going to begin 1 Chronicles and of course there’s a 2 Chronicles and if we’ll remember these were all one text at one time and then were broken up, especially with the with the translation into the King James, that’s when a lot of these distinctions and breaking up of books and stuff happens but that’s the Middle Ages, that’s like 500/600 years ago. So, for the thousands of years before that these were one text from the time that they were written and it’s not really certain who, who collected these Chronicles, there are traditions like there’s a Jewish tradition that suggests the priest Ezra, who has a book in the Scriptures by his name was involved, and it’s not exactly clear specifically, ya know when and where these were chronicled, but it seems that about 4 ½ centuries before Christ’s time the first century and that is contemporary with Ezra and what will notice is that we’re covering a lot of the same territory. It will be familiar. Chronicles, both 1st and 2nd Chronicles look at this same history that we’ve been covering in Samuel and Kings. But it’s just from the perspective of the priestly view and these Chronicles were probably chronicled from exile during the exile, at least partly in an attempt to not forget who they were. Because empire building was the process of assimilating conquered people, we’ve talked about this a couple times how, you know, the nation will come in and conquer one another nation, and then carry off those conquered people into a different region of the empire and then relocate other conquered peoples in so that it’s just all mixed up, so that as the generations pass there’s, the identities are lost and so impart this is to not forget. So, as we begin Chronicles, we’ll be reading genealogies a little bit, lots and lots of different names and this is that part that’s kind of famous in the Bible because almost in a negative way like what was up with all these names and I certainly had those feelings early on in reading the Bible, but even being aware of them in my childhood, like who sits down to read page after page of names? And it really settled in, probably a decade ago for me, traveling into Africa, going into the into the country of Rwanda and experiencing the memorials from the genocide that happened in Rwanda. And I explain this most every year because this is the best way, I can make what were about to read meaningful to us. So, in Rwanda, I mean the genocide, it wasn’t like warfare, it was, but it was like with machetes and knives and stuff like that and a lot of people were killed by machetes. There was a lot of places, even churches where, like priests gave up their entire congregations to be killed off. It’s just a horrible, horrible story, but it’s also a remarkable story of redemption in the end. But yeah, these things happened, and in many places throughout the country, places were mass murder, basically, genocide happened they’re preserved and really preserved in a way where people are left where they died, like their skeletons all over in bones and bones and bones. But anyway, there’s a national museum about the genocide in Kigali in the capital city. And, you going there, super, it’s super sobering to say the least to see clothing that was worn when people died, blood stained or bones, skulls that have been, you know, you can see where the machete crushed their skull and they died and it’s just like, it’s really, really sobering to think of what humanity is capable of doing to each other. And, there is one darkened, dark quiet room you go and there’s pictures everywhere, wall-to-wall pictures of people who died in the genocide. And there’s a female voice, just very quietly saying the names of the people who were lost in the genocide. We need to understand that as we go into Chronicle’s exile is upon these people. They have been dragged from their homeland, the temple of the most high God has been burned to the ground. They have been carried away because it’s warfare, many, like there’s been rape and pillage and plunder and separation, people are being pulled away from other members of their family and sent to different places. No one knows if anybody’s ever going to see each other again. There are lingering questions about who’s still alive like, you can only imagine the kind of agony that these people would’ve been going through. And so, as we go into the genealogies, if we’ll remember that this is written from exile as an attempt to not forget who they are and to have a memorial to remember how things are connected but then it gives rich meaning. Actually, when I read this section now it’s a sobering reminder of what I experienced in Rwanda, but any of the Holocaust museums from World War II, similar to this, any kind of genocide memorial similar to this because as a people were trying to not forget what happened so that we don’t forget who we are, but also so that this doesn’t happen again. So, with that we move into some new territory. The book of 1 Chronicles chapter 1 verse 1 through 2 verse 17.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for Your word and we thank You for bringing us into this new territory 2 Chronicles and as we move through these names help us Lord understand that every single name represents an entire life. People who laughed and cried and smiled and frowned. People who ate and drank, planted and harvested, enjoyed festivals and celebrations, endured the grief of loss. These are the names of the people who formed the story. The story that we’re reading the story that affects our lives until today and so, we thank You for allowing us to recite these names and we ask that they be meaningful to us and even as we continue to journey with the apostle Paul, under arrest and the chaos going on in Jerusalem. We recognize that Paul, all of the sudden, although in chains, is communicating with power, communicating with powerful people, he’s been able to under the protection of the Romans speak to the Jewish Council and yes, they wouldn’t hear and they want him dead but he’s able to tell the story and we will continue to observe this as we continue through the Book of Acts. So, Holy Spirit we invite You to plant the words of Scriptures deep into our lives. The soil of our hearts that we can see that You have been doing that because we have reaped a harvest, we are being transformed. This is changing us, so we invite You to continue the work of transformation. We ask this expectantly in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Announcements:
dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it’s the website, it’s where you find out what is going on around here and its day after tomorrow, what’s going on around here. The 7th of July is coming up and that is our own holiday here around the Global Campfire. We lovingly call it the Long Walk and it’s exactly that, a day that’s on our calendar each year in the center of the year. A day to be, not to do so much. A day to go out somewhere beautiful whether it’s a little walk down to a park or whether it’s a, you know, a long drive somewhere that’s beautiful and meaningful, somewhere lovely and we go there and go for a Long Walk. And, I mean, the best way to imagine it is, think, think of when you’ve been in love, when you fell in love. You do that all, all the time. Time standstill when you’re love and you’re on a Long Walk with somebody that you love and you’re just talking about your life and about your future together are just dreaming or thinking. The beautiful thing about going for a Long Walk with God is yeah, you can talk out loud if you want, be silent if you want. That’s what happens when you’re comfortable and comfortably in love right, it’s communicating with words and beyond words. It’s being together and when we’re out in nature and we realize not only does God love me, but he made all this. All of this life that’s bursting forth that I don’t even hardly pay attention to and it’s healing and it sets us up well to go into the second half of the year so that’s what we’ll be doing on 7th of July. It’s what we do every 7th of July so make plans for that. We will post a post on the Daily Audio Bible Facebook page for the Long Walk, 2021, and in that post, you can post your pictures or videos and all the sudden we have this place where we’ve gone on a Long Walk but that we can join in or appreciate. Go on a little mini holiday all around the world by looking through the little windows of each other’s cameras and it’s so it’s a solitary beautiful thing but it’s also a community event. So, that’s coming up on the 7th, on Wednesday. There is a resource that we have created that is really perfect for this kind of event, it’s called Heart: A Contemplative Journey and you can get that at the iTunes store or the Google play store wherever it is that you can buy music. Just search for my name or search for Heart: A Contemplative Journey and you should be able to find it and it is a really good companion for the Long Walk because it’s really good conversation starter. It’s really good to allow prayer to, through prayer to open up our emotions and our heart, which is why the projects called Heart, open our heart to God in the things that we’ve been feeling and then just to allow music to speak while we’re in nature and to contemplate, invite God into those emotions and that gets us going on the Long Walk. So, check out that resource, it’s available wherever you get your music.
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And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.
Prayers and Encouragement:
Dear DAB family this is Russel from Superior. I’m calling cause I heard Little Sharie’s prayer about using her walker for the first time. And it really touched my heart because my mom started using her walker about 8 months ago because she has back problems. She had surgery and for the first time she’s at the casino with my step-dad and she’s away from me for the first time for two days. And I was just sitting there thinking about her and Little Sharie came on talking about her walker so I see you too Sharie. Ya know, it really touched my heart right now. Stay strong, I love you and I’m praying for you. God Bless.
Hi everyone, my name is Isaac and I am from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. I’d like to give a little inspiration. Back in October of last year I spoke to one of my doctors about going off medication that had side effects of severe weight gain. Now, at this time I was 20lbs short of 300lbs. I’m happy to say now that as of right now that I am probably 75lbs down since October. With that being said, there’s more work to be done. I’m gonna trust Jesus because I’m tired of trying to live my own life the way I want to live it. So, what I’m asking is for prayer. Prayer for my anxiety, my depression. Right now, my anxiety is so strong that I can’t work and I want to work, I want to be a hard-working person. I’ve had doctors tell me my anxiety is too strong and that they can’t help me. And I don’t want to listen to that anymore cause I know that’s lies from the devil. Not only that but I’ve had a head twitch, turrets head twitch for the last 11 years and it’s just painful, it’s frustrating and it’s just, it wears me out. If you could pray for that, that’d be great. Not only that but could you please pray for my mom. She needs both of her knees replaced, she needs surgery on her spine done, she’s got something called sciatica and it’s not fun, she’s in constant pain. The nerve twinges are unbearable for her and it’s hard because somedays I just I can’t stand seeing her in pain especially when all she can do is cry into a pillow because it hurts so bad. I know that Jesus can help but I know He will. Would you please pray for me and my family? Thank you, guys. Bye.
Hello family, Drew from the Bay area. Listen, just wanted to call in a quick prayer for Travis from Alberta, Canada. Travis, I’m so excited for you being in the pastoral internship and learning all about how to teach others about God, that’s awesome. I just want pray for you. Heavenly Father, You are an awesome God, You are Holy, beyond perfection. You created everything in 6 days. Lord, the God of Isaac, Jacob and let’s not forget Abraham, Moses and David, Lord, although we are imperfect men You are with us and when you are with us Your power, Your love spills out all over the place. Lord, we thank You for the love story of Your word, we thank You for this ministry. We ask You to bless Travis and the ministry that You have before him. Lord, encourage him, take away any doubt, confusion, anxiety and help him to show others that Your word comes from You and that You encourage through people like Travis, You encourage others. So, we thank You for Travis, bless him. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is Nathan Basset from Bloomington, Illinois. Hopefully your day is truly going well. I have a prayer request. One week ago, today this, pretty much this very hour my step-son and his wife and their 7-month-old were involved in a very serious car accident. They hydroplaned on the highway going 70+ miles an hour and lost control, rolled the car multiple, multiple times and ended up going to the hospital. Seven-month-old, he actually was discharged a little bit after that, he was doing fine, no bumps, no scraps, no nothing. My step-son, he had some bumps and he’s still a little sore even a week later. My daughter-in-law actually fractured two vertebrae in her neck had surgery on Sunday and was released on Monday which kind of baffles me how that works. So yes, that’s my prayer request for healing, emotionally and medically. But here’s the other request that I have: my wife had a very good conversation with my daughter-in-law about Jesus on Sunday. She was asking questions of my wife about relationship and she was raised catholic, really hasn’t gone to church since her childhood probably. And she really was seeking a change of a heart. And so, this whole week we’ve been praying, praying for that, that they attend church. We’ve even invited them several times but that they see that Jesus really did protect them. And she even said when they were rolling over, she saw two big hands surrounding their child and my wife says that was God. that was God Allie. So, please pray for them. Embrace you …
Hello, my DAB family my name is Terrell Revenelle. I actually stumbled across this app a few days ago. I’m all things devotional, I love devotionals, lover of God, lover of Jesus, Holy Spirit and I was looking for a different type of devotional I already listen to several others and when I stumbled across this it blessed my soul immensely and then at the end when I was able to hear all the testimonials, the prayers, the prayer requests for different individuals, family, friends and also for the DAB family, that just lit up my soul. So, so I’m hear today just asking for you all to stand in agreement with me for my son who is 24 years old, my only son, his name is G and a couple years ago he woke up and he couldn’t walk. He had already been dealing with a bulging disc and he found out that he had seven bulging discs so just imagine, you know, how debilitating that was for him and his life. He’s newly married of two years. Him and his wife just moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. And he’s really just trying to get back in step. He’s not a 100%, he’s able to walk now. We’ve gone through spinal non-decompression therapy, we’re trying to avoid surgery at all costs but now the issue is more neurological and muscular having issues of weakness of muscle, weakness of limbs. He gets exhausted very quickly after doing just a little bit of activity. He was once very active, he played college basketball, weightlifting and all of these things, dancer, and all of these things and I know that this is spiritual warfare that God is drawing him closer to Him. So, the prayer is two-fold that his spirit is enlightened and that he’s totally healed in Jesus’ name. Thank you.