Tag: BDBD

2 Chronicles 6:18-21. God Hears – today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 8:27-30 also records Solomon asking and contemplating this question. Solomon is in the middle of prayer during the dedication of the temple. He asks a question, not apparently to God, but to himself and others. The question is almost a realization. “Will God really dwell on the earth… in this temple I have […]

2 Chronicles 6:14-17. God Kept His Promise – today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 8:22-26 is the same part of Solomon’s prayer during the Temple dedication ceremony. God always keeps his promises. The Lord, God of Israel, the one and only God, kept his promises to David. God’s promise was based on a covenant of love. The covenant was two-sided. God’s side of the covenant of love […]

2 Chronicles 6:1-11. The Day Jesus Left the Temple – today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 8:14-22 is another record of Solomon’s words at the dedication. The Lord appeared in a dark cloud when the temple that Solomon built was dedicated (5:14,16:1). A cloud also enveloped Mount Sinai when the Lord God descended to talk with Moses, giving him the Ten Commandments. A pillar of cloud also led the […]

2 Chronicles 5:10-14. Temple Built, Temple Fall – today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 8:10-13 also records what happened when the ark was placed into the temple. Solomon finished the temple as his father David had instructed (10). Building the temple took seven years. Add to that the many years that David prepared. Building the temple was a continual drain on Solomon and all Israel. People were […]

2 Chronicles Chapter 5 Overview. The Ark Enters the Temple – today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 8 also records the ark being brought into the temple. The pomp and grandeur of the procession that brought the Ark of the Covenant from the tent that David constructed in Jerusalem to the finished temple are depicted in 2 Chronicles 5 and 1 Kings 8. David with all his passion, Solomon with […]

2 Chronicles Chapter 4 Overview. Being Willing is More Important – today’s BDBD.

The details of the construction of all the items used in the temple are mostly recorded in Chronicles, though 1 Kings 6:14-38 and 7:13-51 mention some of the work. Since the two books of Chronicles (two scrolls) were written sometime shortly after the Jews returned from exile in Babylon and Assyria and before the temple […]

2 Chronicles 3:3-17. Purify Your Temple -today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 6:2-14 also records the inside of the Temple. The inside of the temple was filled with glistening, polished gold. Even a small amount of light would reflect brightly. The finest materials were crafted into precise, finely decorated, usable shapes. All were made to represent the Lord God’s throne in heaven. The magnificent temple […]

2 Chronicles 3:1-2. Faith, Hope, Love Is Remembered -today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 6:1 also records the exact day the temple building project began, but from a different perspective. The temple was built on Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion, the mountain range surrounding Jerusalem) starting in the spring of 966 B.C. The Lord had appeared to David on this mountain (1). The meeting was not a […]

2 Chronicles 2:11-18. Confess the Name of Jesus -today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 5:7-12; 7:13 states Solomon’s request for a master craftsman late in the narrative. Hiram, king of Tyre, was pleased with Solomon’s request so much that he praised the Lord, the God of Israel (11,12). Tyre’s chief deity was Melqart, also spelled Melkart or Melkarth, the Phoenician god. He was also called the Tyrian […]

2 Chronicles 2:1-10. The Temple replaced by Jesus and the Spirit -today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 5:1-6 also records Solomon’s exchange with King Hiram. Solomon announced his continuing commitment to build a magnificent temple to the Lord God of Israel, as his father David had instructed him and had started (1). He also announced his plans to build a large palace as his father had done (1). Solomon needed […]

2 Chronicles 1:13-17. Foolishness and Wasted Life -today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 4:20-28 also records Solomon’s wealth. The Lord God enabled Solomon to be extremely wealthy and prosperous. Horses and chariots were a measure of extravagance in those days. Solomon had many of both (14). He also made silver, cedar, and gold common (15). Thus his wealth flowed to the people of Israel through commerce. […]

2 Chronicles 1:1-6. In Want? In Plenty? Seek the Lord -today’s BDBD.

1 Kings 3:2-28 also records that Solomon’s wisdom was a gift of God. That passage does not go into as much depth as 2 Chronicles 1. Verses 2-4 show some of the writer’s concerns. Many Israelites had religious inclination. Some had a pure love for God. David did, and now Solomon did. The ark of […]

1 Kings 3:1. Solomon’s Political Marriage to an Egyptian -today’s BDBD.

Solomon became king of all Israel. He made an alliance with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Egypt was not part of the promised land. Egyptians were not Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1-4). Egyptians had made slaves of the Israelites over a century after Joseph and his brothers’ families moved to Egypt (Exodus 1:8-11). Now, 500 years later, Solomon […]

1 Kings 2:36-46. Shimei Brings on His Own Execution -today’s BDBD.

Shimei was a relative of Saul, the first king of Israel. Shimei ridiculed David when David had to leave Jerusalem because of Absalom’s threat. Saul still had followers. So Shimei was a threat to Solomon’s throne. David instructed Solomon to “bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.” (1 Kings 2:8-9) David wanted […]

1 Kings 2:26-35. David’s Unfinished Business -today’s BDBD.

Solomon was king. In those days, a king’s responsibility included establishing and maintaining justice. The king was the highest court of law. The king’s responsibility also included maintaining and defending the country. They were to establish and organize the fighting men. The king was not responsible for maintaining the priesthood, for priests were established by […]

1 Kings 2:13-25. Another Failed Ego Trip -today’s BDBD.

David had no sooner passed away when Adonijah hatched his plan to gain power through marriage. Adonijah had convinced himself of the gross exaggeration that he was indeed the king of Israel and all of Israel looked to him as their king (15). He seems to acknowledge and yet resent the Lord for making Solomon […]

1 Kings 2:1-12. David’s Instructions to Solomon -today’s BDBD.

Ancestral influence does not mean that I am free of responsibility and decisions. David instructed his son, “Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found […]

1 Kings 1:41-53. Solomon Showed Grace -today’s BDBD.

Adonijah knew he was in danger of execution. Fear entered his body as if he breathed in deadly gas (50). He ran to the altar of the Lord where sacrifices were made and took hold of the horns at its corners. Grasping the horns of the altar was a way of seeking sanctuary or protection […]

1 Kings 1:32-40. Truth is Absolute -today’s BDBD.

Good news for one person is bad news for another. King David anointed Solomon king of Judah. This was good news for Solomon and his mother. This was bad news for Adonijah, who wrongly claimed the throne before Solomon. Everyone receives truth differently, processes it differently, and reacts to it differently. The truth is that […]

1 Kings 1:28-31. Good Marriage Practices -today’s BDBD.

When David learned that his fourth-born son, Adonijah, had acted against his will and made himself king, David immediately gave orders to make Solomon king. He promised queen Bathsheba and he kept that promise (28-30). Bathseba showed David great respect and honor (31). She bowed low and called him lord. Here is displayed good marriage […]

1 Kings 1:15-27. David, Old Age Problem -today’s BDBD.

Trouble does not consider a person’s age. David was well advanced in years. Yet, trouble remained an invited guest in his life. Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” David’s fourth son declared himself king without his father’s consent (25). He threw a party and […]

1 Kings 1:7, 11-14. Nathan the Prophet -today’s BDBD.

Nathan was a prophet of the Lord and David’s personal prophet. The prophets communicated with God directly, giving the king and God’s people messages from the Lord. Nathan acted as David’s spiritual mentor, friend, shepherd, Bible teacher, advisor, and counselor. Leaders should be accountable to someone like David was to Nathan, though in reality David […]

1 Kings 1:1-10. David, Not a Wise Father -today’s BDBD.

Solomon had challengers to the throne: Adonijah, just before David passed away (Not found elsewhere in the Bible). David’s fourth son was Adonijah, who was born after Absalom, who died earlier trying to take the throne (2 Samuel 15). Adonijah put himself forward as king, even though David had made it clear that Solomon would […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 29 Overview. Offerings -today’s BDBD.

David’s speech concerning offerings to fund the building of the temple reminds me of pledge offering challenges I heard in my lifetime. I heard them in many social groups and on Christian radio, TV, concerts, and in congregational pews. “An unnamed individual(s) has given a match pledge offering challenge. The individual will match all offerings […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 28 Overview. Responsibility and Decisions -today’s BDBD.

Chapter 28 continues what started in chapter 23, explaining how David organized the kingdom for himself and his son. The Lord enabled David to have everything prepared for Solomon and Israel. Solomon’s reign would have been relatively easy because of all that David had done. Everyone’s life is influenced by the labor of those before […]

1 Chronicles Chapters 23-26 Overview. Getting Organized -today’s BDBD.

Chapters 23 through 26 are about the organization of the labor for the Levites, priests, musicians, gatekeepers, and the army. Concerning the Levites, there was a problem to solve. Moses had said the Lord told him that they were to carry the ark, set up the tabernacle, and take it down when they moved. However, […]

1 Chronicles 22:7-19, #2. Passing Onto Your Children -today’s BDBD.

David, in his old age, spoke of two subjects to his son: building the temple (11) and discretion and understanding in leading Israel (12). Parents who love the Lord want their children to accept and live in a relationship with the Lord. David wanted this for his children, especially Solomon. Parents who love their children […]

1 Chronicles 22:7-19, #1. Making God’s Name Great -today’s BDBD.

David was intent on building the temple. He wanted it to be “of great magnificence and fame and splendor” (5). Why? What purpose was it that the building was as such? David wanted it so because it was to be “in the sight of all the nations”. David told his very young son Solomon of […]

1 Chronicles 22:1-6. Maintaining a Relationship With God -today’s BDBD.

David was a man, a husband, a father, a king (thus a warrior), and a man after God’s heart. That which defined him came with certain responsibilities and duties, all claiming his attention. Throughout his life, the most consistent of who he was as a person was a man who loved God with all his […]

1 Chronicles 21:13-30. Pain in the Sacrifice -today’s BDBD.

The angel of the Lord responded when David repented (18). David was to make a sacrifice on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. (18) This is the place that Abraham was about to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. This is the site where David would prepare the temple to be built. Everyone saw the […]

1 Chronicles 21:7-12. Actions Have Consequences -today’s BDBD.

Trust, humility, and obedience will bring blessing. Doubt, pride, and rebellion will bring punishment. This is the clear message of the Chronicler(s). Is this true? It is true only for believers in Jesus, or rather, those who have made a decision to live by faith in Christ. Why are the principles of punishment and reward […]

1 Chronicles 21:1-6. Counting Chicks Before They Hatch -today’s BDBD.

David ordered Joab, Israel’s army commander to count the mighty men. Joab knew this was wrong. He knew it was the Lord who gives armies strength (3). The Lord enables small armies to defeat large armies. David needed to examine why he wanted to count the number of fighting men (3). David was either worried […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 20 Overview, #2 -today’s BDBD.

Is This Really What You Want? The Lord promised Abraham and his descendants that he would give them Canaan. The Israelites promised that they would obey him at Mount Sinai. God and Israel had made a covenant. The two stone tablets that the covenant was written on were in the Ark of the Covenant. The […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 20 Overview, #1 -today’s BDBD.

Same Old, Same Old. Israel fought two related battles in these verses. Joab leads Israel in the first battle. David leads Israel in the second battle. David did not go to the battle with the Ammonites, the first battle. He sent Joab out (8). David did go to the battle with the Arameans, the second […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 19 Overview -today’s BDBD.

Responses to Disrespect. David showed kindness to the son of a man he had respected. The man he respected was Nahash, king of the Ammonites. Nahash had shown David kindness. David sent a noble delegation to pay his respects when Nahash died (1,2). Nahash’s son, Hanun, did not return the respect with kindness. Instead, he […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 18 Overview -today’s BDBD.

Success Belongs to the Lord. Financial, military, and business success is a gift of God. God has his plans and purposes, which are mostly hidden from humans. His ways are hidden by God’s intervention and by our sin and character flaws. God’s plans include a successful streak. Often baffling is who has success and who […]

1 Chronicles 17:16-19. Humble Yourself Before Jesus -today’s BDBD.

David was humble. He acknowledged his humble beginnings (16). Humility is knowing and accepting myself: my sullied past, my imperfect character, my infected soul (heart and mind), and my Lord’s mercy and grace in dealing with and purifying me. David’s humble character came even though he knew the Lord treated him and loved him in […]

1 Chronicles 17:10b-15. The Son to Come and Rule -today’s BDBD.

The offspring the Lord promised who would succeed David is Jesus. Jesus is the house the Lord built. David had already built himself a fine house made of cedar (1). So the Lord’s promise to build a house for David (10b) is a different kind of house. Jesus’ house is a different kind of house. […]

1 Chronicles 17:7-10a. All About Jesus, Not Me -today’s BDBD.

After the Lord corrected and rebuked David and the prophet Nathan (4-6) he turned the tables on David. David had wanted to build a temple (1). The Lord reminded them of everything he had done for David (7). Then he told him his plans. David was the Lord’s servant, not the other way around (7). […]

1 Chronicles 17:1-6. God’s Dwelling? -today’s BDBD

. Where does God dwell? David had it wrong. The Ark of the Lord was in a tent in Jerusalem that he had constructed and pitched. (1) David implied that the Lord God was thus living in a tent. Interestingly, Nathan the prophet did not correct him (2). I can imagine a group of people […]

1 Chronicles 16:37-43. Two Places of Worship Until the Temple Was Built -today’s BDBD.

The Lord God, through Moses, required the Israelites to establish a place for them to approach him physically and offer sacrifice. He had the ark built and a tent to place the ark in. The Lord through Moses also established specific people, the men of the Levite tribe, to perform the sacrifices and keep up […]

1 Chronicles 16:23-36. David’s Psalm of Thanks, Part 2 -today’s BDBD.

David continues his psalm during the first celebration with the Ark of the Lord in Jerusalem. The glory and majesty of the Lord Jesus and his Father are declared in all the earth (23, 30, 31, 32, 33). The earth trembles before him, the heavens rejoice, the sea resounds, the fields jubilate, and the trees […]

1 Chronicles 16:7-22. David’s Psalm of Thanks, Part 1 -today’s BDBD.

David starts his psalm with a set of commands: give thanks, call, make known, sing praise, tell, glory in, seek, rejoice, look to, remember – all concerning the Lord. I need to set aside time to do just this. Sunday worship service in physical presence with other believers, such as was done when the temple […]

1 Chronicles 16:1-6. Fellowship Offerings -today’s BDBD.

David starts his psalm with a set of commands: give thanks, call, make known, sing praise, tell, glory in, seek, rejoice, look to, remember – all concerning the Lord. I need to set aside time to do just this. Sunday worship service in physical presence with other believers, such as was done when the temple […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 15 Overview -today’s BDBD.

The Ark of the Lord Moved to Jerusalem. David knew that the Ark of the Lord, which housed the covenant with Israel, was to be in the capital city of the Lord God’s people. David wanted the symbol of the Lord’s presence to be near him. So a second time he gathered the community together […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 14 Overview -today’s BDBD.

The Lord Blessed Israel Through David. The Lord God was blessing David in all he did. David inquired before he went to battle with the Philistines (10, 14). “Shall I go and attack…” Though defending one’s territory seems obvious when an enemy attacks, David inquired anyway. The Lord was fighting in the battle (15). At […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 13 Overview -today’s BDBD.

The Ark Was A Symbol. The Ark of God symbolized the Lord God’s presence with the people of Israel. The only thing in this chest-shaped artifact was two stone tablets that had the covenant between the Lord God and Israel carved into them. Perhaps Aaron’s staff and the manna were in the Ark too. The […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 12 Overview -today’s BDBD.

Character Development. David and Saul make a good character development study. What does God desire our character to be like? What characteristics draw people to one person and away from another? Both men were chosen by God to rule Israel from a meek beginning. While some characteristics are common in the two, some differences are […]

1 Chronicles 11:10-47. David’s Mighty Men -today’s BDBD.

The Lord had promised David kingship when he was a young teenager. The Lord had promised Israel that he would protect his people with strong support (10). The Lord kept his promise through David. David did not accomplish and maintain strong support for Israel on his own. He had a group of men appointed as […]

1 Chronicles 11:4-9. Israel’s New Capital City -today’s BDBD.

David was starting anew when crowned king of Israel in Hebron. He had lived in the remote desert city of Ziklag. When Saul died, he moved to Hebron, where Judah made him their king. Seven years and six months later, all Israel made him king. The Lord was enabling David to slowly improve his life […]

1 Chronicles 11:1-3. David, Shepherd of Israel -today’s BDBD.

David was crowned king twice while living in the city of Hebron, the then main city of Judah, located south of Jerusalem (1; 2 Samuel 2:1-4). Only Judah crowned him at first. He was king of Judah in Hebron for seven years and six months. David’s second crowning was for all Israel. (1-3; 2 Samuel […]

1 Chronicles Chapter 10 Overview -today’s BDBD.

King Saul’s Deadly Failure. Saul had been called from an ordinary life to be the first king of Israel. His only extraordinary attribute was that he was taller than most. He was not a man of faith in God. He had no fear of God. Saul was the type of man Israel wanted when they […]