Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles 7:30-40. Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles%207&version=NASB1995
I quote only the following verses.
“The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer and Hotham, and Shua their sister. … All these were the sons of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, heads of the princes. And the number of them enrolled by genealogy for service in war was 26,000 men.” 1 Chronicles 7:30-32 and 40.
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Let’s meditate generally about what was said about the sons of Asher and meditate upon the hope that it provides.
First, in today’s Scripture, the sons of Asher were described by the word “choice”.
Let us also look at other Scriptures about what Moses and Jacob, the father of Asher, said about Asher and the sons of Asher.
“Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come.
…
“As for Asher, his food shall be rich,
And he will yield royal dainties.” Genesis 49:1 and 20.
“Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. He said,
“The LORD came from Sinai,
And dawned on them from Seir;
He shone forth from Mount Paran,
And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones;
At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them.
“Indeed, He loves the people;
All Your holy ones are in Your hand,
And they followed in Your steps;
Everyone receives of Your words.
…
Of Asher he said,
“More blessed than sons is Asher;
May he be favored by his brothers,
And may he dip his foot in oil.
“Your locks will be iron and bronze,
And according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be.” Deuteronomy 33:1-3 and 24-25.
What hope does what was said about the tribe of the sons of Asher provide?
We should eagerly seek to learn about all the blessings received by those chosen of the LORD. And yet, sadly many seek to meditate upon man’s works and man’s alleged free-will.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.” Psalm 103:1-5.
Even when we meditate upon the difficulty presented by the ungodly, there is hope for the chosen, “vessels of mercy”, that in sharp contrast to the ungodly, “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction”, God will “make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory”.
“Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.” Romans 9:21-24.
Now, let us meditate on these other Scriptures.
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6.
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him 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, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6.
“5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:5-6.
“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.
“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.” 1 Peter 2:9-10.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 