CONFIRMING our PLACE in our GENERATION

April 22 Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles Chapters 1-3

CONFIRMING our PLACE in our GENERATION

"One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever." (Eccl 1:4)

The book of Chronicles was written soon after the exile in order to help those returning to Israel how to worship God. It was written after the destruction of Jerusalem in order to answer the question “Why did God choose to punish His people in such a way?” The answer is found in history, and it is beneficial to learn from others mistakes so that we will repeat them again.

As we go through the initial chapters of 1 Chronicles, the following thoughts come to mind:

1. God knows every person who has ever lived in this earth. He knows each of us by name, and we are not just a faceless number to him. He is intimately concerned with our welfare and we should never feel insignificant. As the Psalmist has exclaimed: "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand..." (Psalms 139:17-18)
2. God records all our activities in His book of remembrance. "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name." (Malachi 3:16). We have to be very careful how we act, and even what we speak every day.
3. God is working on a plan throughout history. As we see the names of people recorded for each generation in Chronicles, there is a distinct pattern that can be traced from Adam and goes to Abraham through Seth, and thereafter goes to David through Israel. It is obvious that God is creating a family tree for His Son Jesus Christ to be born in due time.

Even today, God is working on a plan of redemption that is already set in place through the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16). We should be aware that God has an individual plan for each one of us as well and we need to confirm our place in our generation by fulfilling God’s plan in our lives.

Let us shine the light of the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ into the dark world that we live in and fulfill God’s plan in our lives. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16)