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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
1 Chron. 1-2
Genealogies – don’t we just love ‘em! I’m sure there is a lot to glean from them but most of it is lost on me. I recognize some names here and there, though it gets confusing because there are so many repeats of the same name for different people and variations of a name for the same person. I wonder, too, at the primary purpose for the collected information. Based on the information it contains, the book was written sometime after the Babylonian exile ended and the Jews began returning to Jerusalem. So maybe this was some kind of re-grouping for their fresh start.
I am curious, though, if the chronicler simply gathered all the information he could find or if he was selecting certain records he though relevant for one reason or another. The genealogies are not complete. For example, he expands on only two of Japheth’s seven sons. Also, he scatters seemingly random comments throughout. Sometimes he mentions mothers or daughters, but most often not. Sometimes he includes an extra piece of identifying information or an expanded historical account. It’s a mystery to me. One thing I know for certain, however, is that somewhere in all this historical information, God gave us what we needed to know.
Ps. 44
Something about this Psalm doesn’t make sense to me. The writer declares that God has abandoned His people even though, “we have not forgotten you or betrayed your covenant. Our hearts have not turned back; our steps have not strayed from your path.” (Ps. 44:17b-18). That certainly doesn’t sound like the message we hear from the many prophets of God who call out His people’s unfaithfulness. Nor does it sound like the prayers of faithful men like Daniel, among others, who claim Israel’s guilt and unfaithfulness as their own. So what gives?
Perhaps this Psalm is a plea from the faithful few. Or, knowing the prophetic nature of the Psalms, maybe it’s something a little more than that. Perhaps it is a cry from the hearts of all of God’s faithful throughout the generations. The faithful remnant of Israel suffered and went into exile along with the faithless multitudes. So we, who faithfully serve God today, are impacted by the evil of the multitudes around us who choose their own way over God. I can hear the Christians of the early Church praying this Psalm. “Because of You we are being put to death all day long” (Ps. 44:22a). I’m sure it applies to many others over the years as well.
So for me, I see one of the prominent messages of the Bible in this Psalm. As Christians, God’s people, we will face suffering and hardship in this life. Choosing to remain faithful to God will never be the easy choice. But we have a promise, a sure hope that we can cling to. We see it in the last verse. “Redeem us because of your faithful love.” (Ps. 44:29b). Now that is a prayer we can be certain God has already answered.
Ps. 45
This Psalm is love poetry, like the Song of Songs but from a third person perspective. As with the Song of Songs, I wonder at its purpose. Perhaps it is just a bunch of obligatory fluff that people say at a royal wedding to honor the king and his bride. Or perhaps, as I have explored with the Song of Songs, it depicts the union of love that we have with Christ, our Savior.