Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 8.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+8&version=NASB

I quote only the first two verses.

“And Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.”  1 Chronicles 8:1-2.

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“Of Benjamin he said,

“May the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him,
Who shields him all the day,
And he dwells between His shoulders.”  Deuteronomy 33:12.

Other doctrine base God’s love for us on our works or our will or our love for God.

But, Scripture does not teach that God loves us because of something good we did.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8.

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”  Ephesians 2:4-5.

Reformed Doctrine bases God’s love for us on His choice of us:  “knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;”  1 Thessalonians 1:4.

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”  Deuteronomy 7:7-8.

“Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.”  Deuteronomy 10:15.

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”  2 Thessalonians 2:13.

“As He says also in Hosea,

“I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”  Romans 9:25.

“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.

And, if God chose us and loves us, His beloved, then we will dwell in security in Him, He will shield us, and He will preserve us to salvation (the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.) 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 7.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+7&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Now the sons of Issachar were four:  Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.  2 The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel, heads of their fathers’ households.  The sons of Tola were mighty men of valor in their generations;  their number in the days of David was 22,600.  3 The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah.  And the sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, Isshiah;  all five of them were chief men.  4 With them by their generations according to their fathers’ households were 36,000 troops of the army for war, for they had many wives and sons.  5 Their relatives among all the families of Issachar were mighty men of valor, enrolled by genealogy, in all 87,000.”  1 Chronicles 7:1-5.

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Mighty men of valor in this chapter points us to the LORD.

“3 “The Lord is a warrior;
The Lord is His name.
4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 “The deeps cover them;
They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 “Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power,
Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
7 “And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You;
You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff.”  Exodus 15:3-7.

“In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.”  Exodus 15:13.

“17 “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance,
The place, O Lord, which You have made for Your dwelling,
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”  Exodus 15:17-18.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 6.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+6&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.  The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.  The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses and Miriam.  And the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

…

But Aaron and his sons offered 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.”   1 Chronicles 6:1-3 and 49.

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“11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?  12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.  13 For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.  14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.  15 And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.  17 For it is attested of Him,

“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.  20 And inasmuch as it was not without an oath 21 (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

“The Lord has sworn
And will not change His mind,
‘You are a priest forever’”);

22 so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.  25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;  27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.  28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.”  Hebrews 7:11-28.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 5.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+5&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“The sons of Reuben and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, consisting of valiant men, men who bore shield and sword and shot with bow and were skillful in battle, were 44,760, who went to war.  They made war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab.  They were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand;  for they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him.  They took away their cattle: their 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys; and 100,000 men.  For many fell slain, because the war was of God.  And they settled in their place until the exile.”  1 Chronicles 5:18-22.

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“Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength;  so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude.  O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.”  So the Lord routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.”  2 Chronicles 14:11-12.

Other doctrine comes to the LORD and says:  “We have works.  We have will.  We have other virtuous qualities.  We just need a little help as we see fit.”

Reformed Doctrine comes to the LORD and says:  “We have nothing, and Lord, there is no one besides You to help.  We need everything as You see fit.”

When one truly believes that Scripture teaches “Total Depravity” (that man is in his natural condition dead in sin, hostile to God, enslaved to sin and Satan), the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, then that one will not bristle against “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, because that one recognizes that “Unconditional Election” is the only chance of salvation.  That humble one recognizes the need for everything that pertains to salvation from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”.  In summary, that one will not dictate how one should be saved.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”  Ephesians 2:4-5.  “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,”  Colossians 2:13.

“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.

“So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.  …  So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”  Romans 9:16 and 18.

“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;”  1 Peter 2:9.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles Chapter 2.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+2&version=NASB

I quote only the first two verses.

“These are the sons of Israel:  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.”  1 Chronicles 2:1-2.

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Only a remnant of the sons of Israel would be saved.  Romans 9:27-28.  In comparison to the number of Gentiles who would be saved, it is a remnant.  Nevertheless, it is a substantial and perfect number, and they are not second class citizens of heaven, but rather they are precious in God’s sight and they are part of that “great multitude” of Jews and Gentiles, one body of the saved, the true church, from “every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues”.

“4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

5 from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;  10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”  Revelation 7:4-10.

What is more consistent with this Scripture?

Other doctrine which haphazardly places salvation in the hands of man in accordance with his alleged freewill?

Or, Reformed Doctrine which perfectly places salvation in the hands of “our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”?

Today’s devotion comes 1 Chronicles Chapter 1.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Chronicles+1&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Adam, Seth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4 Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

5 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.  6 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Diphath, and Togarmah.  7 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Rodanim.

8 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.  9 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama and Sabteca;  and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 10 Cush became the father of Nimrod;  he began to be a mighty one in the earth.”  1 Chronicles 1:1-10.

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“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;  and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him;  male and female He created them.  God blessed them;  and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it;  and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  Genesis 1:26-28.

“1 O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
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 Chapter 8.

But, then we see that man forfeited the excellent gifts he received. 

Article 1.  Man was originally formed after the image of God.  His understanding was adorned with a true and saving knowledge of his Creator, and of spiritual things;  his heart and will were upright;  all his affections pure; and the whole man was holy;  but revolting from God by the instigation of the devil, and abusing the freedom of his own will, he forfeited these excellent gifts;  and on the contrary entailed on himself blindness of mind, horrible darkness, vanity and perverseness of judgment, became wicked, rebellious, and obdurate in heart and will, and impure in his affections.  THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE  Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof of Canons of Dordt.

Article 1.  As all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice by leaving them all to perish, and delivering them over to condemnation on account of sin, according to the words of the apostle, Romans 3:19, “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”   And verse 23:  “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”   And Romans 6:23:  “for the wages of sin is death.”  FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE  Of Divine Predestination of Canons of Dordt.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-8.

“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.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings Chapter 25.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+25&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around it.  2 So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.  3 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 4 Then the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls beside the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city.  And they went by way of the Arabah.  5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho and all his army was scattered from him.  6 Then they captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and he passed sentence on him.  7 They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.

8 Now on the seventh day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.  9 He burned the house of the Lord, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire.  10 So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.  11 Then the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the people, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile.  12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.”  2 Kings 25:1-12.

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In the last chapter, we read:  “The Lord sent against him bands of Chaldeans, bands of Arameans, bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites.  So He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken through His servants the prophets.  Surely at the command of the Lord it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the Lord would not forgive.”  2 Kings 24:1-4.

In today’s Scripture, we read more about the execution (or performance) of this judgment.

“The Lord has made Himself known;
He has executed judgment.
In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared.  Higgaion  Selah.”  Psalm 9:16.

“Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved;  for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.”  Romans 9:27-28.

But, there is hope!

“‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David (Christ) to spring forth;  and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.  In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety;  and this is the name by which she will be called:  the Lord is our righteousness.’”  Jeremiah 33:14-16.

“¹ The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble;
He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
² The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is exalted above all the peoples.
³ Let them praise Your great and awesome name;
Holy is He.
⁴ The strength of the King loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”  Psalm 99:1-4.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Kings Chapter 24. Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+24&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 The Lord sent against him bands of Chaldeans, bands of Arameans, bands of Moabites, and bands of Ammonites. So He sent them against Judah to destroy it,according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken through His servants the prophets. 3 Surely at the[a]command of the Lord it came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the Lord would not forgive.

…

10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it. 12 Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother and his servants and his captains and his officials. So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign. 13 He carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, just as the Lord had said. 14 Then he led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.

…

20 For through the anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.” 2 Kings Chapter 24: Verses 1-4 and 10-14 and 20.

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As incredibly sad as it is to read about Judah being taken into captivity and “He cast them out from His presence”, first, we must remember that LORD’s judgment was just. We also consider our own sin.

“Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.” Psalm 51:4.

So, we cry out:

“Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11.

But, there is hope!

We were sealed in Christ!

“…  you were sealed in Him (Christ) with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 10:27-27-29.

“… for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” Hebrews 13:5.

Reformed Doctrine helps us believe these glorious Scriptural truths which it summarizes as “Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Article 3. By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength. But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end. FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints of Canons of Dordt.