Who is running things?

 

READ 1 Chronicles 6–10

Yesterday I wrote about running errands on a chilly day and experiencing green lights and amazing freedom in traffic and finding parking. That and today’s reading reminds me that even though “the devil is in the details” is a more common saying, the truth is that “God is in the details” and the devil only tries to make us think he is in control.

These chapters are again filled with hundreds of names, genealogies showing that God takes note of all those who serve Him. For instance, some of them were musicians:

These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solomon built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they performed their service according to their order. (1 Chronicles 6:31–32)

Others had different responsibilities: “Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense for all the work of the Most Holy Place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.” (6:49)

Even where they lived was set by God, not only the priestly tribes but each clan. The sons of Aaron were given Hebron. Caleb was given the fields of the city and its villages. The sons of Aaron received the cities of refuge, and so on. Each had a purpose and a place designated by the Lord.

Some were given leadership roles. Most of them belonged to “units of the army for war” and “they had many wives and sons.” This organization of God’s people was both before the exile and after.

So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith. Now the first to dwell again in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the temple servants. And some of the people of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem: (1 Chronicles 9:1–3)

He appointed “mighty men for the work of the service of the house of God” and chief officers as well as gatekeepers and guards for the tabernacle, and those who took charge of the work of the service, those who were entrusted to be over the chambers and the treasures of the house of God, and those in charge of the utensils of service, counting them when they were brought in and taken out. Others of them were appointed over the furniture, all the holy utensils, the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the incense, and the spices. Others prepared the mixing of the spices, and still others entrusted with making the flat cakes, and with preparing the showbread every Sabbath. The singers were in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were on duty day and night. (9:17-33) Is this not like NT church order with descriptions of spiritual gifts and our duties to the Lord and each other?

The last part of these chapters tells of the death of Saul and his sons. He fell on his own sword rather than die at the hands of the Philistines. “When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and lived in them.”

The story ends saying that “Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.” (10:1–14)

Yet this news also shows God in the details. The account is long compared to what is said about the many names listed in the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles. For me, this stresses the importance of doing what a servant of God should be doing according to the gifts and resources God gives, in the place where God puts that servant, and always seeking the guidance that God gives rather than doing our own thing.

God is in the details. Yesterday I called a friend I’ve not talked to for several weeks. She told me that when the phone rang, she was talking to her caregiver about me. This is one of dozens of stories of unusual things happening that make sense only to those who know that the Lord is sovereign and that He cares about even our smallest needs and deeds, sometimes with humor, or odd ‘coincidences’ but always with grace and loving kindness.

 

God holds the deciding vote

 

2 Kings 1; Psalms 110–111; Daniel 5; 2 Thessalonians 1

Today my laziness comes forward. I just read the story in Daniel about an evil king who defied God and what happened to him because of it. The story is long and I’m not wanting to retell it, just outline that this king was having a party while his enemies were busy diverting his city’s water supply. He was so proud of his power that he thought no one could take him down.

Then, during the party, a hand appeared and wrote something on the wall that scared this king until his knees knocked. Neither he nor his ‘magicians’ and wise men could decipher it. His mother remembered Daniel and Daniel was called in. Again he relied on the Lord who had previously helped him to interpret dreams. This time, it was not a dream but a vivid display of God’s power to reveal His will; He was judging this wicked king. Daniel said:

And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Daniel 5:25–28)

That very night the king died.

I am reluctant to connect this judgment to contemporary leaders since I don’t know what God plans to do with today’s kings and prime ministers and presidents. However, I do know truths about God and need to APPLY them as I watch the news and wonder about what will happen next. These truths give me confidence in the Lord:

1.  God sets up and takes down leaders. As Daniel said to the king who came before this king, “The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” (Daniel 4:17) We are supposed to vote and those who run for office do all they can to win, but God has the final say.

2.  The person God puts in leadership may not look like much. Daniel says, “the lowliest of men” and it is like God to exalt those who are least expected to be given positions of authority. This thought is repeated elsewhere:

“He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.” (1 Samuel 2:8)

“He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” (Luke 1:52)

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–29)

3.  Not all leaders are godly yet all are appointed by God and He uses them for His purposes. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” (Romans 13:1) In other words, resisting governing authority is resisting the will of God. Resisting Him declares that I do not trust Him or His plan.

4.  God can bring down those He deems wicked because of their pride and their attitude toward Him. While these shortcomings are often obvious, I don’t know for sure what goes in the hearts of others. The Word of God is clear; assuming I know what motivates others is risky and can even be sinful. How many times have I missed the truth about my own motives and thoughts!

5.  Realizing the power of God in setting up and taking down leaders gives me confidence when elections roll around. I vote according to my understanding, yet I trust Him to put into office the person He wants there, whether I agree or not. God has a plan and I know that His plan is right. It may not be for my comfort, but He is far more interested in my character. If it takes ‘hard time’ and even bad leaders to shape me into the image of His Son, then I must accept that, not reluctantly but with joy, knowing that His will is perfect and that He has every right to decide and fulfill His plans personally and globally. Amen.