Monday, May 19, 2014

Divisions of the Priests from 1 Chronicles 24:1-31


11/19/2010 9:25:14 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  The Priests

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                             Reference:  1Chronicles 24:1-31

 

            Message of the verses:    1 ¶  Now the divisions of the descendants of Aaron were these: the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2  But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. 3  David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their offices for their ministry. 4  Since more chief men were found from the descendants of Eleazar than the descendants of Ithamar, they divided them thus: there were sixteen heads of fathers’ households of the descendants of Eleazar and eight of the descendants of Ithamar, according to their fathers’ households. 5  Thus they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the descendants of Eleazar and the descendants of Ithamar. 6  Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel the scribe, from the Levites, recorded them in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites; one father’s household taken for Eleazar and one taken for Ithamar. 7  Now the first lot came out for Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, 8  the third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, 9  the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, 10  the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah, 11  the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, 12  the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, 13  the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, 14  the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, 15  the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, 16  the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, 17  the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, 18  the twenty-third for Delaiah, the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. 19  These were their offices for their ministry when they came in to the house of the LORD according to the ordinance given to them through Aaron their father, just as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

   “ 20 ¶  Now for the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. 21  Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the first. 22  Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. 23  The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24  Of the sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir. 25  The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. 26  The sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, Beno. 27  The sons of Merari: by Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri. 28  By Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. 29  By Kish: the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel. 30  The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. 31  These also cast lots just as their relatives the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the priests and of the Levites-the head of fathers’ households as well as those of his younger brother.”

 

            This section gives the names of the priests and when they would serve in the city of Jerusalem.  There were lots cast to find out when certain priests would serve in Jerusalem, and the rest of the time they would serve in different cities where they lived.  The lots were divided by clans and this was done the same way in the days of Zacharias who was the father of John the Baptist.

            David had two high priests serving while he was either in exile of was king, Zadok was a descendant of Aaron through Eleazar while Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar was from the line of Ithamar.  It was Abiathar who was David’s friend who served while David was in exile and he was of the tribe of Eli, the tribe that God said would not serve as high priest because of the sins of Eli and his sons during the time of Samuel.  Abiathar was not loyal to Solomon and he had him banished and I believe that this ended the line of Eli from serving as the high priest as spoken of by the Lord.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Yesterday while taking a walk I walked past a house that Sandy and I looked at while we were first looking in this area for a house in 1977.  The house was a different style that the one we now live in now.  I have a point to make here, a point that I have been thinking about for some time and it has to do with the wisdom of God. “Pr 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.”  I do not have enough time to write about all about the wisdom of God so I will be brief.  The wisdom of God is part of God’s attributes, and by knowing and to continue to learn about the attributes of God is causes me to want to worship Him and serve Him.  Each of His attributes gives Him glory and the wisdom of God is so far beyond my wisdom that they should not even be compared.  Let’s go back to the house issue that I first wrote about here.  We liked that house a lot but we moved here because it was in God’s plan that we live here, it was in His wise plan.  As I was walking by that house I thought of two things that happened in our lives because we live where we live and not there.  Jim and Karen moved next door to us and this would not have happened if we lived at the other house, and because Jim and Karen decided to move when they did Beth, John and their family move next door to us and eighteen people came to know the Lord.  God is in charge of all things and yet we have decisions to make each and every day and these decisions should be prayed over and in those prayers we should ask the Lord that they be made with His wisdom for our lives, for His glory, and for our good.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1.      Put on the spiritual armor and be prepared to fight.

2.      Trust the Lord to guide my steps and lean on Him for understanding to do the things that will be pleasing to Him, by seeking His wisdom in all decisions.

 

11/19/2010 9:58:38 AM

 

           

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