Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles 1:1-27. I went from considering to skipping today’s Scripture to needing two days to cover it. Normally, each devotion to covers about 750 words, more or less. But, today’s devotion is about 1,160 words and tries to cover the important subject of “What is man that You take thought of him …?” So, God willing, I will not post a new devotion until next Wednesday, February 5, 2025, to allow for more time for all of us to meditate upon this important subject before we proceed to the next devotion.
“Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth.
The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Diphath, and Togarmah. The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Rodanim.
The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. Cush became the father of Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Mizraim became the father of the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, Pathrus, Casluh, from which the Philistines came, and Caphtor.
Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, Heth, and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites and the Hamathites.
The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech. Arpachshad became the father of Shelah and Shelah became the father of Eber. Two sons were born to Eber, the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.
Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abram, that is Abraham.” 1 Chronicles 1:1-27.
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Mostly just names in the format of a genealogy. Not even “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:” Matthew 1:1.
Why not just skip this Scripture?
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Emphasis added. 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
So, we include it and will meditate on three major points for the reasons for it.
First, today’s Scripture reads like the LORD is taking Inventory of all men. Taking an Inventory is a starting point for doing an Accounting. Most generally, it is good to remember that the LORD takes thought of man, the good and the bad, and that the LORD created man to rule over the works of His hands. Then, still within this first point, we will proceed to consider that the LORD delights in justice. “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12.
“4 What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD, our LORD,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:4-9.
It is good to also remember that the LORD delights in justice and righteousness, not only delights in lovingkindness, and the LORD exercises all three things, lovingkindness, justice and righteousness, on the earth.
“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24.
“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 97:1-2.
“Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;” Romans 3:19.
“So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12.
Second, the variety of good and bad men in today’s Scripture leads us to meditate on the point that the LORD does not only save Jews, but the LORD also saves Gentiles, people “from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”
“And they *sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10.
Third, like names were written in today’s Scripture, it is also good to meditate on the hope that our names are written in the “book of life” to use the term for it in Revelation 21:27.
“… He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,” Ephesians 1:4-5.
“The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20.
The names written in the “book of life” are not the most mighty, most wise, most intelligent, and most noble, but rather, the names are God’s choice of those whom He will save. Furthermore, we should not be surprised that many really do not believe in God’s choice, preferring to believe in man’s choice and man’s free-will and man’s ability to control his own destiny, because God chose to hide “these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.”
At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.” Luke 10:21-24.
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 