1 Chronicles 4:10 — The prayer of Jabez lay in relative obscurity for many years until Bruce Wilkinson wrote a small book on this verse and sold nine million copies. While many have their own definitions of what it means to enlarge their coasts, and the prophets of profit focus on the financial, may we pray more importantly to be kept from evil and that God’s hand would be with us. If we keep ourselves from evil and if God’s hand is with us, we will have all the blessings we need.
1 Chronicles 4:43 — As has been noticed in our YouVersion group, the Amalekites caused many problems for the Israelites since Saul disobeyed the LORD’s command in 1 Samuel 15:18.
Acts 25:11 — It’s interesting that Paul expressed no reservations to the death penalty, even when it might have been applied to him personally! God had told Paul that he would be sent to Rome, and now the Roman empire makes sure that the Roman citizen appeals to Caesar in Rome!
Psalm 5:8 — The Psalmist, like Jabez, realized that God’s blessing comes:
when you cry to the LORD (Psalm 5:2-3)
when you abstain from evil (Psalm 5:4-6)
when you follow the LORD (Psalm 5:7-8)
then God will bless the righteous (Psalm 5:12)
Proverbs 18:19 — Let us live peaceably then with all men (Romans 12:18)!
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1 Chronicles 3:10 — Now we’re back to familiar names. The kingly line of David going all the way to Josiah and his descendants that were wiped out by Nebuchadnezzar.
1 Chronicles 3:16 — Later we’ll read in Jeremiah 36:30-31 of the curse on the line of Jehoiakim. Jeconiah, his son, was further cursed (Jeremiah 22:30).
Tertullus accuses Paul
Acts 24:5 — By the way, we need a few more “ringleader(s) of the sect of the Nazarenes!”
Acts 24:14 — Yes! We have seen in the Law where it talks of Jesus! The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world!
Acts 24:16 — Like Paul, can you say that you have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man?
Psalm 4:4 — Speaking of a clean conscience, are we able to say we are free of unconfessed sin?
Psalm 4:8 — We can sleep because of safety in Him!
Proverbs 18:16 — Is Solomon talking about bribery? See the Pulpit Commentary:
Verse 16. – A man’s gift maketh room for him (comp. Proverbs 19:6). Mattam, “gift,” has been taken in different senses. Some consider it to mean a bribe offered for underhand or fraudulent purposes; but the context does not lead to this conclusion, and the parallel passage mentioned above makes against it … The term here signifies the present which duty or friendship offers to one whom one wishes to please. This paves a man’s way to a great person’s presence. Bringeth him before great men. The Oriental custom of offering suitable gifts to one in authority, when a favour or an audience is desired, is here alluded to (comp. 1 Samuel 10:27; 1 Kings 4:21; 1 Kings 10:25). So the Magi brought gifts so the newborn King at Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11). In a spiritual sense, the right use of riches opens the way to eternal life, evincing a man’s practical love of God and man; as Christ says (Luke 16:9), “Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles” (Revised Version).
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1 Chronicles 1:1 — Why the genealogy? And who even wrote this? While we’re not sure exactly, many think it was Ezra:
Just as the author of Kings had organized and interpreted the data of Israel’s history to address the needs of the exiled community, so the Chronicler wrote for the restored community. The burning issue was the question of continuity with the past: Is God still interested in us? Are his covenants still in force? Now that we have no Davidic king and are subject to Persia, do God’s promises to David still have meaning for us? After the great judgment (the dethroning of the house of David, the destruction of the nation, of Jerusalem and of the temple, and the exile to Babylon), what is our relationship to Israel of old?
Zondervan NIV Study Bible.
J. Vernon McGee’s ministry has an infographic on the difference between Kings and Chronicles:
1 Chronicles 2:3-4 — Sin has consequences. We have already read about Judah’s family sins including Er (Genesis 38:7) and Tamar (Genesis 38:26). Now we see as we look back on history, they form part of the chain in the record that takes us to David.
1 Chronicles 2:10 — Who was Nahshon the prince? Well, we know he was Boaz’s ancestor. When we look him up in our Bible Search Engine, he was the captain of the children of Judah under Moses (Numbers 2:3). He was the first prince to offer the sacrifice in the tabernacle (Numbers 2:12). There is an ancient tradition that he was the first to cross the Red Sea.
Acts 23:11 — Just like the post-exilic Israelites wondered if the LORD was still with them and needed to be reassured of His care, Paul was reassured of the LORD’s care for him, even though forty had gathered together to kill him.
Acts 23:16 — God used Paul’s nephew to save his life. Instead of 40 men wanting to kill Paul, the Romans send almost 500 soldiers to protect this one man (Acts 23:23).
Psalm 3:3 — Just like Paul, David knew that the LORD was his shield. We too can rejoice in the salvation that comes from the LORD (Psalm 3:8).
Proverbs 18:15 — Congratulations to you! You are getting knowledge and seeking knowledge found in the Word of God! You are prudent and wise!
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2 Kings 23:33 — The nation that once had collected tribute from others now is forced to pay tribute. On this day that we recognize America’s independence from foreign powers, let’s look at how Judah lost her independence from foreign powers.
2 Kings 24:14 — We will meet four of these captives in the Book of Daniel.
2 Kings 25:9 — So ends the great building of Solomon – both the house of the LORD and the house of the king.
2 Kings 25:30 — This obscure phrase at the end of the Book of 2 Kings has a remarkable confirmation in the Pergammon Museum in Berlin. From the Bible and Archaeology Online Museum:
This clay tablet from ancient Babylon describes monthly rations allowed to Jehoiachin, a Jewish king. The biblical account of King Jehoiachin is found in 2 Kings 25:29-30, which also states that he received a “regular allowance” from the king of Babylon. The tablet was made in c. 595-570 BC, and was discovered in Babylon in c. 1900. The text is in the Akkadian language using cuneiform script, and the tablet measures roughly 4 x 4 inches. The artifact is now located in the Museum of the Ancient Near East, Pergamum Museum, Berlin.
Acts 22:21 — Paul was able to speak to his people until he said that God sent him to preach to another people. When Paul left the synagogue and started preaching to others, the trouble usually started.
Acts 22:25 — Again, Paul was able to use whatever tools he had on hand to further the gospel. Later he would use his identification as a Pharisee (Acts 23:6) to re-direct the debate.
Acts 23:9 — Ah, the wisdom of Gamaliel took root (Acts 5:34)! Then again, Paul invoked it earlier (Acts 22:3).
Psalm 2:6 — The king of Judah was deposed, but the King of Kings will one day take his throne!
Proverbs 18:13 — As many a mother has said, “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason.”
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2 Kings 22:8 — “I have found the Book of the Law!” This was the book that each king was commanded to hand copy. Amos prophesied a famine of the word of the LORD (Amos 8:11). Senator Zell Miller quoted that passage from Amos from the US Senate floor and talked about our need for the Word.
2 Kings 22:16 — The Word of the LORD will come to pass. God does judge sin, and God is angry at sin (2 Kings 22:17).
2 Kings 22:19 — What does God want? A tender heart, a humble soul, a repentant man to call upon Him!
2 Kings 23:2 — This year we will (God willing!) read through the entire Bible. Some of our readers have told me that they are reading through the Bible out loud! That is a great idea to keep God’s Word fresh! This year if you’re reading it through silently, consider reading it aloud next year. Or how about hand copying ten verses a day until you’ve copied an entire book of the Bible? If you get distracted easily, this is a great way to focus!
2 Kings 23:3 — The objective of a covenant is obedience to the LORD. Interestingly, the covenant was last renewed when Jehoiada was High Priest (2 Kings 11:17). Obedience to the covenant was demonstrated by Josiah’s obedience to the Law, which resulted in purging the violations of the First Commandment (Exodus 20:2, 2 Kings 23:4) and the deposing of the false priests (2 Kings 23:5) that were the downfall of Korah (Numbers 16:3). Obedience to the covenant also resulted in the destruction of the grove that was on the Temple Mount (2 Kings 23:6) as commanded in Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:5, Deuteronomy 12:3, and in Deuteronomy 16:21. Gideon is a great example of obedience in this area (Judges 6:28). Josiah removed the Sodomites (2 Kings 23:7) as commanded in the Torah (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13). He ended the practice of offering children to Molech (2 Kings 23:10) as commanded in the Law (Leviticus 18:21, Leviticus 20:2-5). He kept the Passover as commanded (Exodus 12:43, Leviticus 23:5, Numbers 9:2, Deuteronomy 16:1, 2 Kings 23:22). He cleansed the land of wizards (Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6, Leviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy 18:11, 2 Kings 23:23). He more than any other king followed the LORD with all his heart, soul and might (2 Kings 23:25) as God commanded (Deuteronomy 6:5) and Jesus reiterated (Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27).
2 Kings 23:17 — Yes, Josiah, prophesied by name hundreds of years earlier (1 Kings 13:2), fulfilled the Word of the man of God.
Acts 21:37 — God used Paul’s training in Greek (Acts 21:37) and Hebrew (Acts 22:2) to prepare him for times such as this.
Acts 22:6 — Paul gladly shared his personal testimony of how he went from a persecutor of Jesus to a preacher of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to share your testimony!
Psalm 1:2 — Be like Josiah. Delight in the Law. Meditate in the Law. Obey the Law!
Proverbs 18:12 — The contrasts within Hebrew poetry show a clear break. Haughtiness or humility. Destruction or honor. Choose well!
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