TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
1 Chronicles 28:1-29:30
Romans 5:6-21
Psalm 15:1-5
Proverbs 19:18-19
1 Chronicles 28:2 — Notice that David was building a house for the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, but not a house for the LORD. He was building a footstool for the LORD! This is the first use of the word “footstool” in the Bible, but Isaiah emphasizes this word in Isaiah 66:1 – the entire earth is the LORD’s footstool, and Solomon will recognize that it is impossible to build a house for the LORD (2 Chronicles 2:6)!
1 Chronicles 28:5 — Notice also that the LORD forgave David’s adulterous relationship with Bathsheba by blessing him through his son Solomon. Yes, there were painful consequences, but God alone works all things together for good (Romans 8:28).
1 Chronicles 28:8 — Seventy-three times in the Bible it talks about keeping the Commandments. Since 200+ commandments apply to the Temple, this dedication of the preparation for the Temple occurs near the middle of the Chronicler’s work in order to remind those who lived 500 years later that the Temple they built was part of God’s eternal covenant with David (1 Chronicles 28:4, 1 Chronicles 28:7-8).
1 Chronicles 28:12 — The pattern was given (reiterated in 1 Chronicles 28:19) “… by the Spirit of God, who gave him the whole form of the temple, and all things relative to it; just as God showed to Moses the pattern of the tabernacle in the mount” (Gill’s Exposition of Scripture). See Exodus 25:9, Exodus 25:40, Exodus 26:30, Exodus 27:8. It was done that way because the plans were a copy of the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8:5). Five hundred years later, the people addressed by the Chronicler had to rebuild the Temple after the teaching of Moses (Ezra 3:2). The new Temple was different in substance, yet of the same pattern.
1 Chronicles 29:11 — From Scott LaGraff, an operatic performance of this verse:
How great is Christ?
- He died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6)
- He died for sinners (Romans 5:8)
- He died for enemies (Romans 5:10)
- He saved us from wrath (Romans 5:9)
- He gave us righteousness (Romans 5:17)
- He offers all justification (Romans 5:18)
- He makes grace reign (Romans 5:21)
The incurable, spreading disease of death was checked by the perfect obedience of Jesus (Romans 5:19), the One who could fully keep the Ten Commandments and all the laws of the Torah. The only One who could do it! The reign of sin has ended, the reign of grace has begun!
Psalm 15:1 — As we read in Chronicles about the Temple, we see the qualifications necessary to abide in the Temple!
- Upright walk (Psalm 15:2)
- Worketh righteousness (Psalm 15:2)
- Speaks truth (Psalm 15:2)
- No backbiting (Psalm 15:3)
- No doing evil (Psalm 15:3)
- No taking up a reproach (Psalm 15:3)
- Not contemning the vile (Psalm 15:4)
- Honoring God-fearers (Psalm 15:4)
- Not breaking a vow (Psalm 15:4)
- Not loaning at usury (Psalm 15:5)
- Not taking bribes (Psalm 15:5)
As we’ve read in Romans and earlier in the Psalms, we can figure out how many people meet these stringent requirements. NONE (Romans 3:23)! Yet, through the perfect obedience of Christ (Romans 5:19) and His righteousness, we are seen to meet every one of them!
Proverbs 19:18 — The way of transgressors is hard (Proverbs 13:15) – do what you can to get your son out of the hard way, even if he whines!
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