Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

God moves to Jerusalem

May 10, 2020

The presence of Jehovah was what David desired most in his life. In 2 Samuel 6, he attempts to bring the Ark of the Covenant, which represents the presence of the Lord, to Jerusalem. They have difficulties on the road, and it is left with a Levite.

What did they do wrong? They put the Ark on a cart. Yes, it was a new cart probably built just for the purpose of transporting this precious item. That was not the command of Yahweh. He told Moses that it would be carried by the Levites with the specially made poles. Then the King was angry with God for taking the life of the man who tried to protect it. Moses recorded that no one was to touch it.

David is depressed because he was not able to accomplish what he set out to do. He failed because, this time, he did not listen to God. In the Law, the procedures for carrying the presence of God is given. David, like many of us, did not bother to consult the Word before attempting what he wanted to do. Obed-Edom cared for it while the Israelites regrouped.

After a while, they try again. This time the Word of the Lord is followed. Another problem comes about when Micah, David’s wife, criticizes him for dancing and celebrating as the Ark is brought into Jerusalem. She is ostracized and left childless because of this.

How often have you been disappointed with God? In chapter thirteen of First Chronicles, King David is disappointed, when his attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem ends in failure. When we read this story in Second Samuel, we saw that one of the priests died because he touched the Ark.

We mentioned the errors that the King made in the transportation of the presence of Jehovah at that time. Mistakes are made by everyone. Often, they are due to the lack of information that is easy to attain. God’s will is often as close as The Bible. You just need to read it.

The interesting thing about 1 Chronicles, is the stories that are shortened from the other books about the rulers of Israel. In the fourteenth chapter, David begins the construction of his palace and continues the war with the Philistines. Remember that in Second Samuel we read about his hiding in Philistia for a while. That is not mentioned here.

Again, I will ask you to note the fact that David goes to Jehovah for advice before most of the battles. We pray when everything falls apart. To follow this example, we would pray before every test, business meeting, or any other event in our lives. Prayer is the first thing we should do, not the last.

David has done more research and in 1 Chronicles 15, he decides to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. A place for the Tabernacle is cleared. The Priests and Levites are prepared. Each has an assigned duty. They are consecrated for their service.

Do you ever notice names in the Bible that remind you of something? There used to be a cartoon called the Masters of the Universe. The main character was Heman. Heman is one of the musicians that served in the sanctuary.

David is so excited about having Jehovah’s presence in Jerusalem, he dances in the street with the Levites. His wife, Michal, sees this display and does not like his less than majestic behavior.

Who is better prepared to establish the worship of Yahweh in Jerusalem? 1 Chronicles 16 gives all the names of those charged to lead music and songs at the Tabernacle.

An example of the words that were sung by the people is given. Praise music was here as much as at any modern church. That is why many of our current praise songs include verses taken directly from the Psalms. In addition to music, there are sacrifices to be offered.

Unity

April 30, 2020

In Psalm 133 David speaks of the unity of God’s people. He says it is good and pleasant. The example of oil poured on the head of the high priest. Imagine a day camping or at the beach. Have you ever stepped into an outdoor shower and felt the water pouring on your head or dumped a bucket of lake or ocean water on your own head? The converse is also true. It is bad and unpleasant when we are fighting. Don’t dry up the dew on the mountain by your words or actions to a fellow Christian.

David crowned king of all Israel

April 29, 2020

After Abner and the son of Saul that he had supported are both killed, the rest of Israel comes to David in 2 Samuel 5. They now want him to be their king. They knew that Samuel had anointed him, but they wanted to do things the way everyone else does them. The next monarch is the son of the last one. That was not Jehovah’s way.

David is still in Hebron but decides that Jerusalem would be a better sight to rule from. Although their fortress was thought to be impenetrable, David and his men conquered it and destroyed the Jebusites that had lived there. It became “the city of David.”

Then the new King went after the Philistines again. They came after him and he defeated them. Notice as you read, that David is enquiring to see if God wants him to go to battle. When Yahweh says yes, the Israelites strike as they have been told and they are victorious. If you are not being successful in your endeavors, are they what God wants you to do, or what you want to do?

I hope you like reminders. 1 Chronicles 11 continues our look at previously studied material. After Saul and his sons are killed by the Philistines, David becomes King of Judah in Hebron. When Israel asks him to become their King, he and his men attack the stronghold of the Jebusites. It becomes the capital city of Jerusalem. Joab becomes the leader of the army by conquering the city.

The stories that are shared here, show the mighty men of the Israelite army. The one that tells the most about the King is when David wants water from the well in his hometown of Bethlehem which is held by the Philistines. When three of his warriors bring it, he pours it out. He will not drink water they risked their lives to obtain.

Some of the mighty men that are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 12 are Benjamites and Gadites. David’s strength of character drew strong men to him. When he went to Hebron, even more, joined him. His troops became over 300,000 strong as he was moving into the role vacated by Saul’s death.

Lamentation and praise

April 28, 2020

Psalm 102 is a song of lamentation. The writer cries out to Jehovah to hear his prayer. How often have you been in a situation where you did not feel that God was listening? This can happen to any of us. Our lives can be cut short for many reasons. We all know how it feels to have our name used as a curse word. Enemies seem to have the upper hand. Yahweh is on His throne forever. His dominance is certain. Everyone praises Him or will. Our lives are fading as His is eternal.

The Psalms overflow with praise for the Lord and the 103rd song is no different from most of David’s poems. God receives glory for salvation, healing, compassion, redemption, righteousness, justice, and grace.

Verse twelve includes a statement that we seem to jump over. Our sin has been removed from us by Jehovah. How far is this separation? How far must you travel to the east to begin going west? You will never stop going east. When you travel north or south, you change directions at some point. Not when you travel east to west and west to east. Our world is round, and the north is established by magnetism close to the northernmost point. South, east, and west are determined by the position that is related to the north. God always knew this. Man did not. This is a statement only God could make at this time.

Jesus called Jehovah His Father and David knows Him as his Heavenly Father. He also recognizes Him as the creator of the Universe. He ends the song, as he began, with praise.

Praise is what Psalm 104 is about as before. The creativity of Jehovah is the first thing to be proclaimed. His power is next. The same being that created the Heavens and the Earth, caused a worldwide flood and then put the water back where He wanted it to stay. Everything is ordered in creation. Leviathan is thought to be an extinct creature of the sea. Maybe one of what we call the dinosaurs. It was made by Yahweh.

More descendants of Jacob

April 27, 2020

1 Chronicles 10 13 to 14 Over 145,000 fighting men are listed as descendants of Issachar during the reign of David. The seventh chapter of I Chronicles gives us this. Benjamin had over 50,000 fighting men in his lineage. The sons of Naphtali are also given. The other half of the tribe of Manasseh is found here and Gilead is one of his offspring. This is where the name of the town began.

The second son of Joseph is Ephraim who had family members named Nun and his son Joshua. There are also a number of cities in Ephraim’s territory that you might recognize. Do Bethel, Megiddo, and Gezer sound familiar. List to the international news sometime and see what they say about them. Asher is the last son mentioned in this chapter. Twenty-six thousand soldiers came from them.

King Saul’s clan is the Benjamites. 1 Chronicles 8 gives this list. Verse 33 gives Kish, Saul and Jonathan. Mephibosheth is conspicuously missing.

All the exiles from Judah are listed in 1 Chronicles 9. It also includes the Levites that were chosen for all the positions in the Tabernacle including Korah whose family wrote some of the Psalms. Saul’s family is included in this chapter as well.

Continuing with the family of Saul, we move on to the story of his death and his son’s demise at the hands of the Philistines in 1 Chronicles 10. Yes, these are reruns once more. We are reminded of how the enemy violated their bodies and what their countrymen did to recover their remains.

Notice the last paragraph and the description of the sins that caused Jehovah to remove the leadership role from Saul and give it to David. Saul was never repentant when his sins were brought to his attention. How many modern Christian or other leaders have fallen due to their sins and refusal to admit them and change their actions?

Psalms of the Kaorahites

April 27, 2020

Music is integral to the Psalms. The 81st chapter focuses on praising Jehovah. Music and worship of our God are made for each other. The Israelites sang to Him each time He delivered them. The Psalmist reminds us of the first of the Ten Commandments. The Israelites are reminded of Yahweh’s promises.

Psalms 88 is written by the sons of Korah. This family is also related to Asaph. They were Levites and given duties of being gatekeepers at the Temple along with leading the worship. In this song, they ask Yahweh to listen to their prayers. They believe their troubles are overwhelming them to the point of death. They also ask if dead people praise God? As we all do, they are blaming the Lord for their hardships that are a result of their disobedience. Have you cried out to Him for relief of results from your own actions? I think most of us have.

The Sabbath is an important day for the Hebrews. Psalm Ninety-Two is for the weekly celebration of Jehovah. The lyre and harp are used to praise Him on this special day. His deeds and works are proclaimed. The wicked are condemned, the righteous are praised and the Lord is exalted. Not bad for a worship song on the day of rest.

Another short song is chapter 93 of Psalms. Majesty and strength are used to describe Yahweh. He is from all eternity, meaning He has no beginning or end. When you are asked who created God, the answer is no one. He has always existed and that is what makes Him God. That is also what Jehovah means. I am that I am. Literally, it means I have always existed, and I will always be. Mightiness and holiness are attributed to God. The statutes or laws He has given us still stand even if most of us ignore them.

History of the Levites

April 27, 2020

1 Chronicles 6 49 The Levites are listed in 1 Chronicles chapter six. Verse ten gives the name of the priest who served in the Temple after Solomon built it. Verse fifteen tells when the Babylonians took the Judeans and their Levites captive. Samuel is mentioned in verses 27 & 28.

Aaron’s descendants begin in the fiftieth verse. All the towns that the Levites occupied are listed as well. Hang on, we will be back to interesting stories soon.

Psalms of Asaph

April 26, 2020

Psalm 77 14 We now look at Psalms written by Asaph, a contemporary of David, in Psalm seventy-three. He confesses his envy of the wicked and arrogant. His criticism of these evil folks is expounded and sounds like he is thinking seriously about rejecting Yahweh for this lifestyle. He admits his frailties and asks forgiveness for them. The Lord stays with him as He does with all of us. God is his refuge. Is He yours?

Crying to God to hear Asaph is how Psalm 77 begins. This Priest is asking for a favor from the Lord as in the past. He remembers the faithfulness of the past. He declares Yahweh’s holiness, greatness, and miracles. His power is proclaimed from the display of thunder and lightning. He is likened to a shepherd.

We have a parable from Asaph in Psalm 78. This is another record of all the glories of Jehovah. His mercies to the Israelites. We are reminded to educate our children as Deuteronomy instructed the Israelites. The Psalmist encourages them to not reject Him as their ancestors did. All the history is repeated from the exodus from Egypt to the wandering in the wilderness, and the entry into Canaan. The sins of their fathers are recounted. The discipline of losing battles is remembered. The coronation of David is praised.

David’s descendants

April 26, 2020

1 Chronicles 5 2 Chapter three of 1 Chronicles gives us the descendants of David. We have already seen that Solomon takes the throne before his father’s death. Forty years as King for David leads to the long list of his successors.

We will read in first and second Kings all the kings of Judah and Israel. Other stories in the first and second Chronicles give additional stories of these leaders of the two countries. Let’s look at the balance of the genealogies in the first Chronicles before pursuing Solomon and his family.

As we proceed with the lineage of Judah in 1st Chronicles chapter four, we see one that stands out. Jabez gives a prayer that has had wide recognition a few years ago. While this was touted as a great prayer, let’s look at what it really is. He asked Jehovah for three things. Bless me, enlarge my territory, let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm. It sounds a little selfish. Can we ask for these things free of selfish motives? We should at least try.

The descendants of Simeone are not as numerous as some of the others. They are one of the smaller tribes and had less property given to them at the distribution of the land. Those who come from this line are as important as Judah which produced many kings. The past does not determine who we are. The future is the key.

The offspring of Reuben, Gad, and Joseph’s son Manasseh is discussed in 1 Chronicles chapter five. An interesting note is the exclusion of Reuben, the oldest son, from his birthright due to sexual sin. The privileges of the oldest are given to Joseph, a younger brother. We often see the will of Jehovah violating man-made laws.

These two- and one-half tribes also conquered some of the neighbors that Yahweh wanted to be driven from the land. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. The loot gathered from these battles was substantial.

These three families were part of Israel that was taken captive by Assyria. This punishment for following other gods was what the Lord said he would do to them.

David’s stronghold

April 22, 2020

The Psalmist in chapter forty-three pleads for vindication and calls God his stronghold. Verse two includes the phrase “Why have you rejected me?” Again, we assume David is the writer because of the thoughts and emotions that are expressed. The promise to praise Him with the lyre seems to indicate the shepherd King. He talks to himself encouraging a continuation to hope in the Lord.

The Sons of Korah refer to a clan that leads worship in the Tent of meeting. This group was assigned these duties by David. They have attributed authorship of many Psalms including number 44. They give credit to Jehovah for bringing the Israelites to the Promised Land. He is also called King.

They continue with a discussion of being rejected and scattered, This seems more appropriate for the captivity period. The disgrace of this period could be what is referred to in this passage. The claim is that He has not yet been rejected. That may be why this Psalm is considered in David’s time when the King was rejected. His unfailing love will lift them again.

A noble theme and a skillful writer give us Psalm 45. The language seems to indicate that David is the subject of this song. The Sons of Korah recognize that Yahweh is eternal. He causes truth, humility, and justice. King David is His chosen instrument to bless the entire world.

Wisdom and understanding are sung of in Psalm 49. We have nothing to fear because Our God is all powerful and will never dessert us. We all begin and end the same. We can believe that our own power is all we need. The wise person knows that money and power will not keep them from perishing. The Lord Jesus is the only one that can and will rescue us from the grave.

Do you ever find being in the home of a close friend something that you desire? In Psalm 84 we are shown that Jehovah should be our closest friend. Our praise of Him will never end. Do you truly join this Psalmist in this opinion? Is our trust in Him really what is described here? If not, why not.

The forgiveness of God is told of in Psalm 85. Time after time, He has given another chance for the Israelites to return to their land. Our salvation is also secure despite our habit of disobedience. He is both love and faithfulness. Jesus tells us in the New Testament that even an earthly Father treats his children lovingly. How much more will our Heavenly Father?

Bragging about being chosen by Jehovah begins Psalm 87. Jerusalem or Zion represents the entire Jewish nation. Being born in this Holy City is like Jesus statement that we must be born of water and spirit. Our spiritual rebirth is necessary.

Walk With a Servant