|
|
1 Chronicles 19:
When Nahash, king of the Ammonites died, Hanun, his son became king. So David
sent messengers to console Hanun and also wanted to deal with him kindly because
he was friends with the father. The Ammonite princes convinced Hanun that
David was actually there to spy and survey the land in an attempt to overthrow
him. Hanun then took David's messengers, shaved their heads, and cut their
clothes around the waist and hip. When the Ammonites saw that it
displeased David, they went to hire foreign armies and prepared for war.
David and the Israelites defeated the Ammonites and their foreign armies.
When people legitimately offer friendship, do not let cultural, racial, gender,
fear, or religious difference be the justification for rejection or dishonor.
When you do this, you legitimize the power of the opposition to harm you.
1 Chronicles 20: The spring was when kings went to war. I guess it was the beginning of
the year and a time to conquer more lands for resources. David conquered
Rabbah and took the crown of their king. The crown was very valuable so
David placed it on his head. He made all the cities he conquered labor for
Israel and he returned to Jerusalem. David and his men also defeated the
Philistines and struck down the descendants of giants among them. Every
evil obstacle such as racism, sexism, tribalism, and religious segregation shall
fall at your feet. If you are not with God, then you need to join the evil
doers in their obstacles to survive, but if you follow God, those who perpetrate
these evil acts shall be struck down by God in front of your eyes. |
|
The Political & Spiritual Purpose of the
Holy Land
|
|
1 Chronicles 21:
Satan stood against Israel and made David take a
census of Israel. Joab, the general of Israel, did not think it was a good
idea to count God's people because God was multiplying them. David
insisted and a census was taken. Joab counted about 1.6 million aside from
Benjamin and Levi. This angered God and he made David to chose between 3
years of famine, 3 months of being overridden by the sword of his enemies, or 3
days of pestilence. David left the option to God, so there was 3 days of
pestilence in Israel, and 70,000 died. God even had to stop the
destruction and David saw the angel doing it, he begged God to stop killing the
people because he requested the census. Taking national census to plan and
make better decisions is a good thing, especially during the time of scarcity
and underdevelopment, but not during prosperity. I guess David took a census to see how much
resources God had given through conquest compared to the population.
I
think God was angry at David's intent rather than the census itself.
If
this is so, then it was considered an arrogant move of ingratitude. God
told prophet Gad to have David build an altar for him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. David did as he was told and paid full value for the
threshing floor because he refused to give God what will not cost him anything
and God answered David by fire on the offering made on the altar David built.
Put your mind, body, and soul in worshipping God.
1 Chronicles 22:
David gathered the resident aliens (immigrants) to cut stones for God's temple. He
got all the material ready for the building and called Solomon. He told
Solomon that God had chosen Solomon to build God's temple because he had shed too
much blood upon the earth from many wars, but his son, whose name is Solomon shall
have peace during his reign and build my temple. So a murderer even for a
good cause does not do everything for God. Solomon was guaranteed peace
from his enemies in order to build God's temple. David then provided
Solomon with all the gold as well as precious wood and metals for building God's
temple. He also instructed the elders to help Solomon because he was young
and inexperienced. |
Advertise here for
just $100 / year |