2 Chronicles 3

2 Chronicles 3:17

He erected the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right and the other on the left, and named the one on the right Jachin and the one on the left Boaz.

Why name the pillars?  In the entire description of the temple, nothing else has a specific name.  So what's so significant about these pillars, that they get names?  For that matter, why are they even there?  It doesn't sound like they are supporting anything.  The description suggests they're free-standing.

Also, what is the significance of the names?  Boaz we know, from Ruth's story.  But why is Jachin significant?  What is the reference in the name?  The only Jachin I recall was a minor figure, someone who was really only mentioned, not known for doing anything.  So why name the pillars at all, and why those names?

2 Chronicles 2

2 Chronicles 2:12

Then Huram continued, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.

Does Huram believe in the blessing he's saying here?  I can't recall any reference to the king of Tyre being a believer in God previously.  I know the future king would become downright hostile to Israel and had no respect for God.  So is this serious?

Certainly, he could have known about the many things that happened in Israel under Saul and David, how many times they won battles when the odds were so vastly against them.  He certainly would have known of God, just as we today know of Buddah or Allah.  He ruled a neighboring nation, so he certainly would have been briefed on their belief system.  But there's no evidence that he believed that God was supreme, or that he himself worshiped Him.  So I'm guessing that this is all diplomatic curlicue, rather than true veneration. 

2 Chronicles 1

2 Chronicles 1:4

However, David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim to the place he had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

Why did David separate the Ark from the Tent?  He moved the Ark to Jerusalem, but then put it in a different tent than the one that was made for it.  Why not move both, and have everything in one place?  Why put the vessel of God in the city, but leave the Tent, empty, on a hill elsewhere?

The Tent's purpose was to be the place of sacrifice, and to house the Ark so that it was separated from the people and they were not exposed to God's glory.  Why would you leave the Tent sitting hollow, with nothing but the altar?  What's the point?

I guess I should actually ask who did this, rather than assume it was David.  Maybe it was something that happened when Saul was king, or even before that.  Still, the question remains, why separate the two in the first place?

1 Chronicles 29

1 Chronicles 29:14

"But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this?  For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You.

Being unemployed right now, and because of what holiday is coming up, this caught my attention.  I'm not exactly suffering in my unemployment right now.  I have good savings, to last a while, thanks to God's prior gifts to me, and his thwacking me with enough wisdom to save.  So while I don't have much, what I do have is enough to keep me comfortable.

But it might not have been so.  God could have put me in very tight straits, where I had nothing when I was laid off.  I could be at my parents' home right now, having had no other option besides to crawl back under their roof.  God has allowed me to not resort to that, for which I'm grateful.  But if He had, would I still be grateful?  Would I be thankful that I had parents able and willing to take me in?  Or would I have been resentful about what I'd been forced to do?

I just accepted a temporary job, doing something that's far below my skill level, and I've been hating myself for it.  I'm embarrassed to be forced to go back to such meager work, and at such poor pay.  Yet I keep telling myself (and anyone else) that at least it's something to keep the lights on, rather than having to drain my savings.  But I wonder how much am I blaming God right now for being stuck in this position, rather than being grateful for having something at all?

1 Chronicles 28

1 Chronicles 28:7

I will establish his kingdom forever if he resolutely performs My commandments and My ordinances, as is done now.'

I'm going to slip into geek parlance here:  I'm always fascinated by "do-if" statements like this. Here God says that if Solomon followed Him faithfully, He would make His kingdom forever.  So, first question:  did Solomon fulfill this enough for God to follow through?  Was the forever referring to physical or eternal?  Is Christ the fulfillment of this promise?  Or did Solomon mess up, and therefore God didn't give his earthly kingdom lasting rule?

If Solomon messed up, what would things have been like if he hadn't?  Would Israel and Judah have split?  Would the Babylonians and Assyrians not have conquered the kingdom?  Would Israel have remained an independent nation even with the rise of the Persians, Greeks, and Romans?  Would there have been a 2-millenia break in Israel's rule?  Would Christ have come yet, or would the apostles' tasks have been different?  So much may have changed because of this promise.

1 Chronicles 27

1 Chronicles 27:24

Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to count them, but did not finish; and because of this, wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not included in the account of the chronicles of King David.

What do you mean, the number was not included?  It was given in Chapter 21:  1.1 million.  And what do you mean that Joab didn't finish?  If he didn't finish, how did they give the number, that you say they didn't give?

I only have one guess on what this means:  that the "number" wasn't a number.  Rather, perhaps what hadn't been finished was the compilation of all the data, breaking it down by tribes and families and such.  That may have been interrupted by God's condemnation and the plague before it was completed.  But the census was taken, and we have the rough results.

1 Chronicles 26

1 Chronicles 26:30

As for the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, had charge of the affairs of Israel west of the Jordan, for all the work of the LORD and the service of the king.

I find this interesting.  These are Levites, dedicated to the service of God.  Yet in this resuffling as the Temple is built, things are getting changed some.  Here David is taking some of the Levites and making them into other types of leaders.  In effect, he's mixing the duties to God and to him.

I can understand the Levites being in charge of all the work of God.  After all, they are set apart to be God's servants in ministry.  So them being in charge or things like collection of taxes for the Temple, or more local support of Levite cities, makes sense.  But here it sounds like they're simultaneously being put in charge of more "secular" concerns.  Basically, they're becoming David's representatives.  While David is king by God's decision, are the king and the Temple supposed to be so closely interwoven?

My view may be colored by America's "separation of church and state," which was not an issue for their monarchical theocracy.  However, it seems that David is taking from God what is due him, or his own benefit.

1 Chronicles 25

1 Chronicles 25:5

All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman.

The construction here is a bit confusing to me.  First, who's being exalted?  Is it the king, Heman, or God?  If it's the king, why is he the one being exalted instead of God?  If it's Heman, why would he be exalted?  Is it because God gave him so many children?  Or is it God, and Heman is simply the overseer of those doing the exalting?

For that matter, who is doing the exalting?  I'd like to think that this God has exalted Heman by giving him so many children that they can handle all worship, but I'm far from confident on that.  And why did God give him so many children?  Was is for this purpose?  Or did Heman do something else that marked him as worthy to God?

1 Chronicles 24

1 Chronicles 24:5

Thus they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the descendants of Eleazar and the descendants of Ithamar.

All right, I'm confused again.  Here we've just had a listing of all the families, and who was given what post, and there is absolutely no indication of what the posts are.  It just said that so-and-so's family was drawn first, and such-and-such was drawn second.  What are they doing with the lots?

Is it an assignment for which family will be doing a specific duty?  Is it a specification of what order they will rotate through duties in?  Is it a designation of who will serve in the Temple, and who will serve in the other Levite communities throughout Israel?  There is far too little information given here, and that confuses (and therefore annoys) me.

1 Chronicles 23

1 Chronicles 23:26

Also, the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its utensils for its service."

This was a significant change in how the Levites duties were allocated.  Previously, some families of Levites were specifically charged with carrying the articles of the Tabernacle.  Since the time of Moses, when the Tabernacle was constructed, the Levites were divided up into who did what, and some families were to carry specific items.

Now, with the Temple about to be constructed, and the Ark residing permanently in Jerusalem, David is changing the rules.  It makes sense, because their old duties won't be needed any more.  However, it's still a significant step.  For the first time, God's commands of who does what are being changed.  I'm sure it had His blessing, either indirectly or through a prophet, but it likely caused some consternation among the Levites.

1 Chronicles 22

1 Chronicles 22:7

David said to Solomon, "My son, I had intended to build a house to the name of the LORD my God.

I want to focus here on one word.  When David has made all his preparations for the construction of the Temple, he charges Solomon with the task.  However, there's one word here that makes me wonder if David already knew that trouble might be coming.  When David refers to God, he uses the term "my."

This one word seems minor.  Maybe it's just how God is always referred to in this context.  However, it worries me that he says "my," not "our."  David honors God, but does Solomon?  Is he giving his son a task to build a house and place of worship for a god that Solomon doesn't really believe in?  We know that in time he would abandon God, only to come back late in life.  Was this reference a symptom that maybe David already is concerned about the path Solomon is taking?

1 Chronicles 21

1 Chronicles 21:29

For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were in the high place at Gibeon at that time.

I'm confused.  There seems to be a discontinuity here.  Earlier in the book, David brought up the Tabernacle to Jerusalem.  There was never any indication that it moved from that site until the Temple is built.  So how did it get to Gideon?

I suppose one of two possibilities exist.  First, it could be that the Tabernacle is separate from the Ark for some reason.  I thought the two always traveled together, since the Tabernacle was where the Ark was supposed to be housed, to contain God's Glory within its tent walls.  Maybe that's wrong.  Second, it could be that the Tabernacle (and Ark) were sent on a sort of roving circuit of Israel for some reason.  I don't know why this would be, but it sounds more likely of the two possibilities.  But why would they have it moving around?

1 Chronicles 20

1 Chronicles 20:5

And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

Goliath was not the only giant among Israel's enemies.  Apparently Goliath's family was also like him.  He wasn't some anomaly like it appeared in the original story against David.  Here we see that his brother is of similar size and ability, as are others.

However, David is not the only mighty warrior for Israel, either.  Here we see another man defeat one of these Philistine giants.  Later in the chapter, it says one of David's nephews also beats a giant.  The enemies of Israel are neither small nor quelled, but God has raised up champions to fight them still.