Practically Speaking

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. – Colossians 3:18-4:1 ESV

Paul now takes those other-oriented, selfless, and love-motivated character traits and applies them to everyday life. Since he was writing to believers living in Colossae, he customized his words for their particular context. He wanted them to know what seeking and setting their minds on things that are above looks like on a daily basis. He wasn’t promoting some kind of ethereal and impractical brand of religious pietism and asceticism; he was recommending a highly practical brand of faith that revealed the transformative nature of the gospel in everyday life.

They were to “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10 ESV). Having been chosen by God, they were to put on “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12 ESV). But none of these “add-ons” would be effective without love.

…put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony… – Colossians 3:14 ESV

According to the apostle John, God is love (1 John 4:8), which means true love is the essence of His character, and He best expressed that love through the gift of His Son. That is why Paul calls the Colossians to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17 ESV). As the Son of God, Jesus was the visible manifestation of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). He was God in human flesh. He physically demonstrated God’s love by coming to earth and carrying out His Father’s will.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
   he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

So, when Paul tells the Colossians to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, he is calling them to follow the example of Christ. But what would that look like? How were they supposed to make these powerful admonitions practical? Well, Paul makes it plain and simple for them, and he begins with the family unit, the central source of all relationships in this life.

The family was God’s idea. It was He who originated and ordained the union of one man and one woman, creating an indissoluble bond between them as husband and wife. The creation account found in the opening chapters of Genesis records God’s institution of the first marriage.

So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. – Genesis 2:21-24 ESV

Jesus Himself confirmed the validity of the Genesis account by stating, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6 ESV).

So, Paul begins at the beginning, with the family unit. He calls believing wives to submit to their believing husbands. But he adds an important, yet often overlooked, distinction: “as is fitting in the Lord” (Colossians 3:18 ESV). The New Living Translation puts it this way: “as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.”

For Paul, the use of the word “submission” was directly linked to his call that all believers conduct themselves with compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). If there was ever a relationship where those characteristics were essential, it was the one between a husband and wife. So, Paul calls wives to lovingly, humbly, meekly, and patiently relate to their husbands in such a way that honors their role as the God-appointed head of the household. Paul provided additional insight into the headship role of the husband when writing to the church in Ephesus.

…submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. – Ephesians 5:21-24 NLT

The biblical concept of submission has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority. Paul is not suggesting that women are somehow second-class citizens; he is simply articulating the divinely-ordained concept of headship within the family unit. Just as Christ is the head of the church, the believing husband is given responsibility for the well-being of his family. And that responsibility comes with a heavy dose of accountability.

Paul made it clear that one of the primary leadership responsibilities of a godly husband was to selflessly love his wife. And, once again, Paul provides further clarity in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

…this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. – Ephesians 5:25-26 NLT

In order to lovingly, graciously submit to her husband, a wife would have to surrender her pride and natural desire for autonomy. In other words, she would have to “put off the old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9 ESV). Submission doesn’t come naturally or easily; it requires a sacrifice of the human will. In order for anyone to submit in a way that “is fitting for those who belong to the Lord” (Colossians 3:18 NLT), they have to “put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within” (Colossians 3:18 NLT). And according to Peter, submission isn’t something that is reserved for wives alone.

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God… – 1 Peter 2:13-15 ESV

The life of a believer, regardless of their gender, is to be marked by an attitude of humble submission to others, for this is God’s will. And, according to Paul, one of the greatest displays of death-to-self was a husband’s selfless expression of love for his wife. He was to put his wife’s well-being ahead of his own, both spiritually and physically. He was to be willing to die on her behalf.

At the core of Paul’s teaching on submission is the idea of humility versus pride. There is no place for self-aggrandizement in the life of a believer.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4 BSB

Even children had a part to play in God’s divine order for the home; they were to obey their parents in everything. Why? Because this is pleasing to the Lord and is in keeping with His divine will. A child’s obedience is a form of submission to the God-ordained authority of their parents. Again, this is not normal or natural. As the proverb states, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child…” (Proverbs 22:15 BSB).

It’s interesting to note that disobedience of children to their parents is one of the characteristics Paul listed when describing the future state of the world in the last days.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. – 2 Timothy 3:1-4 NLT

According to Paul, an obedient child is the byproduct of a loving and godly father.

Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged. – Colossians 3:21 NLT

It is important to look at the whole thought behind Proverbs 22:15.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. – Proverbs 22:15 BSB

Godly, loving discipline is essential for raising children, but too much discipline, done in an unloving and heavy-handed manner, can do more harm than good. It can cause a child to become discouraged. Discipline that is lacking in compassion can disincentivize a child and make obedience a burden rather than a delight. It can actually result in rebellion rather than submission. So, Paul warns fathers to use their role as heads of their households with care.

Next, Paul moves from addressing the family unit to dealing with another relationship that was ubiquitous in the Colossian community: that of slavery. While we find this topic uncomfortable and somewhat off-putting, it was a normal part of everyday life for the citizens of Colossae.

“Scholars estimate about 10% (but possibly up to 20%) of the Roman empire's population were enslaved. This would mean, for an estimated Roman empire population of 50 million (in the first century AD) between five and ten million were enslaved. This number would have been unequally distributed across the empire, with a higher concentration of enslaved people in urban areas and in Italy.” – https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/nero-man-behind-myth/slavery-ancient-rome

Slavery was an everyday part of daily life in Colossae. Yet Paul didn’t attempt to address the moral implications of slavery. Instead, he tried to show the Colossian believers how their new identity in Christ should impact every area of life. The reality was that slaves were coming to faith in Christ and becoming a part of the local faith community. It was likely that the church in Colossae had slaves attending worship services with their own masters, and this presented a particularly difficult problem for Paul and the church’s leaders. How were these people supposed to relate to one another? How was their mutual relationship with Christ to impact their interpersonal relationship with one another?

Paul addresses both parties. He tells slaves, “Obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord” (Colossians 3:22 NLT). Then he tells masters, “Be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven” (Colossians 4:1 NLT).

Notice his emphasis on God. Both parties were to recognize that their earthly relationships had been dramatically altered by their new identity as God’s children. While nothing had changed regarding their earthly status, Paul wanted them to know that God viewed them in a whole new light.

In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. – Colossians 3:11 NLT

There is an invaluable and universal lesson to be learned from Paul’s words to slaves. These were individuals who had no choice regarding their condition. Their position as slaves required total submission, whether they wanted to or not. But Paul challenged them to take a different attitude.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. – Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

And this applied to every believer in the local church in Colossae. It’s what Paul meant when he wrote, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2 ESV). A slave was to live his life with an eternal perspective, knowing that his current circumstances were temporal. There was a reward awaiting him that made his present suffering pale in comparison. And that heavenly-minded, future-focused perspective was to motivate the life of every believer in Colossae, regardless of their gender, race, or social standing. 

Father, You intended for our salvation to make a difference right here, right now, not just in the future. Our ultimate glorification is a wonderful reality that should motivate our present behavior. As Your children and heirs of the glory that awaits us, we should live our lives in a way that reflects our set-apart status and reflects our appreciation for Your love, grace, and mercy. While this life may throw us curveballs and make it difficult to focus on the promise of our future life with You, we have the Holy Spirit to encourage and empower us to live godly lives in an increasingly godless world. And Paul calls us to make our hope in Your pending promises practical and personal. As we await Your Son’s return, we are to live like He could come back any day. We have opportunities every day to model His life of love, sacrifice, selflessness, and submission, in our homes, marriages, communities, workplaces, and local congregations, knowing that we will receive the inheritance You have promised as our reward. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Heirs of the Promise

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

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

8 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 9 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 10 Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man.

11 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 12 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim.

13 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 14 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 15 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 16 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

17 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. And the sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 19 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg (for in his days the earth was divided), and his brother’s name was Joktan. 20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.

24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu; 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah; 27 Abram, that is, Abraham. – 1 Chronicles 1:1-27 ESV

I know what you're thinking. Why in the world did God include this chapter in the Bible? What could possibly be the purpose of this mind-numbing list of hard-to-pronounce names? But we have to keep in mind the original author's intent and who his original audience would have been.

For us, as modern-day Christians, these names mean next to nothing, except for the occasional reference to Adam, Abraham, and Isaac. But even though we know who these men were, we aren't exactly sure what they have to do with us. But the Chronicler was writing to a particular audience for whom this list would have had real significance. It is believed that the books of Chronicles were the last books written in the Old Testament. They would have been penned after the people of Israel had returned to the Promised Land from Babylon where they had been exiled by God for their disobedience. Upon their return, they would have been suffering from a kind of identity crisis. Many of them would have been born in exile, having never set foot in the land of Canaan before. Now here they were, living in the land of "promise." What did that mean to them? Where was the promise? They would have returned weak and powerless to a land that was desolate with the vast majority of its cities decimated and in disrepair.  This would have been a whole new land to them and they would have felt like strangers in their own home. Their collective experience would have been much like that of a prisoner released after 70 years in confinement and allowed to return home. He would feel like an alien even in his own home.

So the writer of Chronicles begins by reminding his readers of their heritage. They needed to remember their rich heritage and their unique relationship to the God of their ancestors. Yahweh had a plan for them.

During their lengthy stay in Babylon, God had sent them a message through Jeremiah the prophet.

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 10-11 NLT

Now that plan had come to fruition. Their detour into captivity had not changed God's original plan. Beginning with Adam, the author takes them through the genealogy of Adam, Abraham, and Isaac, all the way to David, all the while giving them a history lesson in who they were and what God was doing in their midst. He reminds them that as the descendants of Abraham and Isaac, they were the chosen people of God. He is also going to remind them about the former Temple and the sacrificial system God ordained to take place there. He is going to remind them of their covenant relationship with God as descendants of Abraham. David was their covenant king whom God had placed over them and through his lineage would come the ultimate Shepherd/King, the Messiah.

“The purpose of these two volumes [1 and 2 Chronicles] is to review the history of Israel from the dawn of the human race to the Babylonian captivity and Cyrus’ edict of restoration. This review is composed with a very definite purpose in mind, to give to the Jews of the Second Commonwealth the true spiritual foundations of their theocracy as the covenant people of Jehovah. This historian’s purpose is to show that the true glory of the Hebrew nation was found in its covenant relationship to God, as safeguarded by the prescribed forms of worship in the temple and administered by the divinely ordained priesthood under the protection of the divinely authorized dynasty of David. Always the emphasis is upon that which is sound and valid in Israel’s past as furnishing a reliable basis for the task of reconstruction which lay ahead. Great stress is placed upon the rich heritage of Israel and its unbroken connection with the patriarchal beginnings (hence the prominence accorded to genealogical lists).” – Gleason L. Archer Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction

Having just recently returned from exile in Babylon, the ragtag remnant of Israelites to whom the Chronicler wrote had their work cut out for them. They were facing the daunting task of rebuilding their cities and homes. The land was filled with foreign invaders who had taken advantage of their absence and claimed ownership rights over their inheritance. Their reclamation of the land was going to be long and arduous and the Chronicler knew they were going to need a refresher course in their history and a reminder of their status as God’s chosen people.

For modern readers, the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles can be a tough read because they are essentially one long-running genealogical record. But for the original audience, these lengthy lists of names carried important significance. Each Israelite who had made the long journey from Babylon back to the Land of Promise could trace his heritage back to one of the names contained in these opening chapters. Their roots and rich heritage were on display as a not-so-subtle reminder of their status as heirs of God’s covenant promises.

Their story could be traced all the way back to Adam. That is where God’s unique relationship with mankind began. But sin destroyed that relationship, resulting in God’s judgment and His destruction of humanity.

But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.  So the Lord said, “I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.” – Genesis 6:5-7 NET

Yet, despite all the wickedness that filled the earth, there was one man who found favor with God. The Genesis account states that “Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth” (Genesis 6:9-10 NET).

With this one godly man and his three sons, God started over again. After saving them from the devastating effects of the flood, God gave them the same mandate He had given to Adam and Eve.

Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth. All the animals of the earth, all the birds of the sky, all the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the fish in the sea will look on you with fear and terror. I have placed them in your power.” – Genesis 9:1-2 NLT

The sons of Noah would become the patriarchs of all the nations of the earth, including the Israelites.

The sons of Noah who came out of the boat with their father were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham is the father of Canaan.) From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth. – Genesis 9:18-19 NLT

And that is where the author of 1 Chronicles picks up the story. In the first four verses, he collapses the timeline and moves from Adam to Noah and his three sons. Then he begins to unpack the lineage of each of Noah’s sons until he reaches the one name that resonated with his Israelite audience: Abraham.

Abraham was the revered patriarch of the Israelite people, the father of their nation and the original recipient of God’s covenant promises. It was to Abraham that God made the promise to multiply his seed and produce a great nation, and the genealogical record contained in the first nine chapters of this book provides proof that God kept that promise. The very fact that the Israelites were still in existence was evidence that Yahweh was a covenant-keeping God. Despite their disobedience and God’s judgment, they had been allowed to return to the land of promise and begin again. Yahweh had promised to restore them and He had kept His word.

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again…I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:10, 14 NLT

They were home but nothing was familiar. The land was desolated. Many of their cities were occupied by foreign invaders. They had no king or standing army. They were powerless, leaderless, and facing an uphill battle to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. But the Chronicler wanted them to know they were sons and daughters of the one true God. They had Yahweh on their side. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was not only their advocate, He was their protector and provider. 

Sometimes we can forget who we are. As we live in this fallen world, surrounded by sin and bombarded by the false lies of the enemy, we can too often lose sight of who we are and forget the promises of God. Like the Israelites, we are children of the promise. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We have been chosen by God and He has a plan for our lives.

While our circumstances may not be the best and we may sometimes feel as if we are anything but saints, we must constantly remind ourselves of the truth of God's Word and His promises found in it. While this first chapter may be hard to read, and even harder to find something spiritually life-changing to pull out of it, we can walk away knowing that we too are children of Abraham, with access to all the promises made to him.

So that’s why faith is the key! God’s promise is given to us as a free gift. And we are certain to receive it, whether or not we follow Jewish customs, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. – Romans 4:16 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Man of His Word.

So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were priests.

And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet. – 2 Samuel 8:15-9:13 ESV

I have chosen to link these two passages together because they provide a telling illstration of David’s approach to his power. At the close of chapter eight, we are told, “David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people” (2 Samuel 8:15 ESV). He was a good king and a fair one. He took his job seriously and ruled responsibly. And we see him surrounding himself with trustworthy men who will act as his official cabinet. He appointed Joab as his military leader. Jehoshaphat was his chief of staff. Zadok and Ahimelech were his spiritual advisors. Seraiah was secretary. Benaiah was a representative. And then we read that two of David’s sons were priests. This one should catch our attention, because as sons of David, they were not qualified to be priests. They were not of the tribe of Levi. And yet, the very same Hebrew word is used to describe their role as that used to describe Zadok and Ahimelech. Now, if David had appointed his sons priests, he would have been making a serious mistake; one which the Lord would have seen as an egregious affront to His law. But since there is no indication elsewhere in Scripture that David’s sons ever functioned as priests, many believe that an alternative meaning of the Hebrew word, kohen, must apply. That word could also refer to a chief ruler. In fact, the New American Standard Bible translates the word as “chief ministers.” The New Living Translation uses the term “priestly leaders.” More than likely, these two sons were not official priests, but acted as intermediaries between the priesthood and David’s administration.

David did not try to rule alone. He surrounded himself with wise and gifted men who could assist him in responsibilities as king. And it would seem that most of these men had proven themselves loyal to David over the years. He was comfortable with their advise because he could trust their character. He knew them well.

But one of the amazing things we see about David from these two passages is that he was also a loyal leader. He did not abuse his power or allow the significance of his role to go to his head. He was still the young shepherd boy at heart. He may have become the king of all Israel, but his character remained virtually unchanged. And chapter nine provides an insight into David’s heart. After he had solidified his rule over all Israel, he remembered a covenant he had made with Jonathan, the son of Saul and his best friend. When David had decided it was time to leave Saul’s employment for good, he and Jonathan met for the last time to say their goodbyes. At that emotional farewell, David and Jonathan made a covenant with one another. Jonathan pledged to David, saying,

“May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father. And may you treat me with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live. But if I die, treat my family with this faithful love, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.” – 1 Samuel 20:13-15 ESV

Just as they departed ways, Jonathan said to David once last thing:

“Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’”And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. – 1 Samuel 20:18 ESV

Now, years later, Jonathan was dead and David was the king. David remembered his covenant with Jonathan and asked if there was anyone left from the house of Saul. If David had been like any other king of that era, he would have been asking that question so that he could eliminate any possible claimants to the throne. Killing potential kingly candidates was a fairly normal practice. But David wasn’t looking to murder any descendants of Saul, he was wanting to keep his commitment to Jonathan. To David’s apparent surprise, he was told that Jonathan had a son, Mephibosheth. He had been crippled in a household accident at the age of five, and by this time was probably a young man. He had been under the care of a man named Ziba ever since Jonathan had died in battle. When David was informed of Mephibosheth’s existence, he commanded that he be brought to him. Can you imagine how this royal decree struck the young son of Saul? He was probably petrified. In fact, the text tells us he fell on his face before David. And David, sensing his fear, David attempted to calm him.

“Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”  – 2 Samuel 9:7 NLT

This was not what Mephibosheth had expected to hear. He most likely had thought that David would view him as an enemy and a threat. He probably knew well the stories of how his grandfather had treated David. He would not have been expecting a warm welcome from David, and yet, David showed Mephibosheth grace and mercy. He welcomed him with open arms and invited him to live in his home and eat at his table. He took complete responsibility for Mephibosheth’s care – all out of respect and honor for his friend, Jonathan. And Mephibosheth was so taken aback by all of this, that all he could do was bow before David and exclaim, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” (2 Samuel 9:8 NLT).

Mephibosheth became like a son to David. He ate at his table. He was treated with dignity, honor and respect. David even returned to Mephibosheth all the land and property that had belonged to his grandfather, Saul. This incredible kindness shown by David was not something he was required to do. He did it out of love for his friend, Jonathan. He had made a covenant and he was going to keep it. He didn’t let his new-found power and fame go to his head. He didn’t allow himself to justify or rationalize away his keeping of his word to Jonathan. He was a man of his word. Even if it cost him. Even if those who sat on his cabinet might not agree with his decision. He did the right thing, even if others might have viewed it as illogical and unnecessary. And Mephibosheth was the undeserving beneficiary of David’s mercy, grace and kindness.

Those of us who have placed our faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ have also been shown mercy and grace – from the King of kings and Lord of lords. In our weak and undeserving state, crippled by sin and condemned to death, we were invited to feast at the King’s table and made His sons and daughters. Paul tells us in Romans that we are God’s children and heirs (Romans 8:15-17). In his letter to Titus, Paul gives us a reminder of just how much Mephibosheth we all are.

When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. – Titus 3:4-5 NLT

David was a man of his word. And God is faithful to keep His promises to us. We are His sons and daughters, and one day we will inherit his kingdom. We will feast at His table and live in His presence. Not because we deserve it, but because of His grace, mercy and love.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Case Closed.

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? – Romans 8:33-35 ESV

Not guilty! That is the verdict. Let the magnitude of that statement sink in. In these verses, Paul provides us with a stunning reminder of the staggering reality of our status as completely innocent and totally righteous sons and daughters of God. As he stated when he began this chapter, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 ESV). In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul gave them unbelievably good news. “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV). At one time, we were all guilty before God, condemned and deserving of His just judgment: Death. But how we stand before His presence not only forgiven, but sinless in His eyes. We have been justified. So not only have we had our sins forgiven and removed, we have been given the righteousness of Christ. And as a result, no one can condemn us. No one can bring a charge against us. Our debt has been paid. Our death sentence has been commuted. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV). We have received the righteousness of Christ. He took on our sin and we took on His righteousness.

And nothing can change our forgiven, guiltless, uncondemned, fully righteous status. We are completely covered by the unfailing love of Christ. Even at this moment, He intercedes on our behalf. His very presence at the side of God the Father is a constant reminder of the payment that was made and the complete satisfaction of God's justice that was supplied by His death in our place. And Paul would have us consider the fact that nothing can separate us from that love. He rhetorically asks, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?” (Romans 8:35 NLT). And the answer is: Nothing. Absolutely, positively nothing. Even when things appear to be less-than-perfect in our lives or it feels as if God is not there, Paul asks us to consider: “Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” And again, the answer is, “No!” Christ died for us, as a payment for our sin. He was resurrected by the Spirit as a confirmation that His sacrifice was acceptable to God. And He ascended to the right hand of God, where He intercedes on our behalf. “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25 ESV). We must always remember that our salvation will not be complete until we experience glorification – our finalized adoption as sons and daughters and the redemption of our bodies. Until that day, we must not let the troubles and trials of this life tempt us to doubt God's love, Christ's work, or our status as God's children.

Our case has been completely settled. Our sentence of innocence has been pronounced. Our debt has been settled and our future is secure. Nothing can change that. No one can do anything to reverse God's declaration of our guiltlessness. Not even us. There is no longer any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Let that sink in. Don't take it for granted. Don't treat it lightly or flippantly. As the old hymn says, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.”

Our Prayer Partner.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. – Romans 8:26-27 ESV

In the preceding verses, Paul encourages us to wait eagerly, hopefully, and yet patiently for the final stage of our adoption as sons and daughters of God and for the redemption of our bodies. There is a day coming when we will freed from these bodies of death as Paul called them (Romans 7:24). We will be given new bodies and the long-awaited opportunity to live in perfect, unbroken fellowship with God, fully enjoying our position as His children and all the benefits that come with being His heirs. But in the meantime, we must continue to live in a fallen world, dealing with the ongoing presence of our sin natures and struggling against the persistent attacks of Satan. Back in verse 17, Paul told us “we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Our glorification is coming, but in the meantime we sometimes find ourselves suffering as a result of our faith in Christ and our relationship with Him. And as we suffer as God's children, we naturally call out to Him as our Father. We find ourselves too weak at times to handle all that is happening to us and around us in this world. We are constantly experiencing and witnessing the effects of sin. And so, in our weakness, we cry out for help. But there are times when we don't even know what to pray. We aren't even sure what to ask God for. And when we do ask, we sometimes never see the answer to our request.

In our present circumstances, our needs are constant, but Paul assures us that so is the help of the Holy Spirit. He helps us in our weakness. As we patiently, eagerly, hopefully wait for our final adoption and redemption, He comes alongside and assists us during this time of suffering. Paul says we “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23 ESV). That word, “groan”, means to sigh or pray inaudibly. As we attempt to live holy lives in the midst of an unholy world, we find ourselves struggling with our own sin and the constant emotional bombardment from witnessing sin's damaging influence over the world. So we pray. We call out. And when we do, we find ourselves asking God to remove the cause of our struggles. We beg Him to remove sickness from our loved ones. We ask Him to provide us with resources when our bank account is low or our pantry is bare. We plead with Him to remove our pain and restore our strength when we are weak. And when He doesn't seem to answer those prayers, we become defeated, confused and, at times, even bitter and disillusioned. But Paul would have us consider that the Holy Spirit helps us in our times of weakness. When we don't know what to pray, how to pray, or how to get what we pray for, He intercedes on our behalf. “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” The truth is, we don't know what we need. Paul says, we don't know what to pray for. We are like little children who ask for the obvious. Driven by our fallen human nature, we tend to ask for what we want, not necessarily what we need. If we have pain, we want it removed. If we experience sickness, we can think of nothing better than having it healed. Paul provided us with a personal testimony regarding this very thing. “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ESV). Whatever the “thorn” in Paul's flesh might have been, Paul prayed that it be removed. But God had other plans and a higher purpose. He was protecting Paul from conceited, proud and arrogant over his position as God's spokesman. Paul pleaded for the removal of the thorn, but the Holy Spirit interceded and turned those self-centered, comfort-oriented requests into prayers that matched the will of God.

We are children of God, but like all children, we rarely know what we truly need. The Spirit does, because He knows the heart and mind of God. If you ask a small child what he or she wants for dinner, they are likely to respond, “Ice cream!” That is what they want, but that is not what they need. And a loving parent would not give in to their request. Instead, they would provide them with what they truly needed, even though the child may feel like their “needs” are not being met. The difference between our prayers and those that the Spirit prays on our behalf are that He “intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” I don't always know the will of God. I don't always know what is best for me. But the Spirit does. And He is constantly taking my sighs, moans, and silent prayers, and turning them into requests that align with God's will for my life as His child. So when His answers come, I may not always recognize them, but I can trust that they are just what I needed. I have a prayer partner who intercedes on my behalf. He knows the desires of my heart, the will of God, and how the two can become one. Like any loving Father, God is not interested in giving us all that we want, but He is determined to provide us with all that we need for life and godliness. And His Spirit helps us pray within His will so that we can always know that we are receiving the right answer at just the right time.

God's Family.

Ephesians 2:19-22

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. – Ephesians 2:19 NLT

God has taken each one of those whom He has called and placed them into His very own family and made them His very own children. We are talking about the adoption of those who used to be His enemies. While we used to live apart from Christ and totally devoid of a relationship with God the Father, we now enjoy an intimate relationship as His sons and daughters. We have become His heirs. "The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)" (Romans 8:16-17 NLT). At one time we lived in the world without God and without hope, but now we have a restored relationship with Him and are considered a part of His family, with all the rights and privileges the come with being a child of the King, including eternal life. "…since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life (Titus 3:7).

Paul makes it clear to his Gentile readers that their position has been dramatically altered because of what Jesus has done. At one time they were called, "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews. They were looked down upon by the Jews. Not only that, they were despised and hated. Prior to the cross, the Gentiles had no relationship with Christ, the Messiah. He was the Messiah of the Jews. They had not been expecting or hoping for a Messiah. They would not have known who He was had He shown up right in front of them. Also, Gentiles were, for the most part, excluded from any kind of citizenship among the Jews. While they could choose to become members of the nation of Israel, it was both rare and difficult, which made them virtual strangers among the Jews.

Even more significantly, the Gentiles were left out when it came to the promises that God had made to Israel. When it came to the covenant promises God had made to Abraham, Moses, and David, the average Gentile was clueless and probably disinterested.  As a result, they were without God and without hope for the future. Their lot was cast, their doom sealed. Their future hope was totally contingent of God doing something for them through the seed of Abraham. The nations of the world would have to be blessed through the line of Abraham. There was no other way.

And yet, now all those Gentiles who have come to faith in Christ have been placed into God's growing family, which includes Jews and Gentiles, poor and rich, the influential and the insignificant, the powerful and the weak, slave and free, male and female, old and young, educated and uneducated. "We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord" (Ephesians 2:21 NLT). What a marvelous truth, what an amazing reality, what an unbelievable privilege. We are part of the dwelling, the Church, where God lives by His Spirit. Inexplicable and incredible.

Father, Thanks for placing me in Your family. What an amazing thought. I can't even begin to fathom the full import of that reality. I have a difficult time getting my head around just what that means, but thank You for making it possible. Thank You for making me Your own. Amen.

In the Meantime.

Romans 8:18-30

And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. – Romans 8:23 NLT

As believers, we live in what Paul Tripp refers to as "The Gospel Gap." it's his simple, yet memorable way of referring to that somewhat mysterious and sometimes confusing period of time that began at the point of our salvation and will end with our future glorification, when we die or when Jesus comes to take us home. As believers, we tend to put a great deal of weight on those two ends of the spiritual spectrum – our salvation and glorification – while minimizing what is commonly referred to as our sanctification – the ongoing transformation of our lives into the image of Jesus Christ. We had nothing to do with our salvation and we will play no part in our future glorification. And the reality is, we have nothing to do with our growth in Christ-likeness – our sanctification. It is all a work of God. What happened in the past, at our salvation, was the gracious gift of God, provided by the death of Jesus Christ, His Son. What will happen in the future will also be an incredible gift from our heavenly Father, in fulfillment of His Son's promise to go and prepare a place for us. Eternal life is the ultimate outcome of our faith in Jesus Christ, and it awaits us in the future.

So Paul reminds us that "what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later" (Romans 8:18 NLT). In that one sentence, Paul sums up the reality of life as a believer. We suffer NOW. But there is something glorious that is coming LATER. There is a future day coming when "God will reveal who his children really are (Romans 8:19 NLT). What we look like, act like, feel like and think like NOW, is nothing compared to what we will truly be in the FUTURE. Our transformation or sanctification will one day be complete and we will be glorified. As God's children, we will experience "glorious freedom from death and decay" (Romans 8:21 NLT). Our bodies will "be released from sin and suffering" (Romans 8:23 NLT). So in the meantime, we "wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us" (Romans 8:23 NLT). This is the hope that was given to us at our salvation. There is a glorious future in store for us. But again, in the meantime, we groan. We suffer. We wait patiently and confidently. Or do we? Oh, most of us groan and suffer quite well. We have that part down. But it's the waiting patiently and confidently that throws most of us for a loop. We struggle with the here and now. We wrestle with the circumstances of life and wonder how in the world our faith in Christ can make a difference in this lifetime. Our salvation becomes a distant memory and, our future glorification, a nebulous, difficult-to-comprehend hope. When we read the well-known words of Paul in verse 28, we roll our eyes and shake our heads, questioning the validity and veracity of his statement. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (Romans 8:23 NLT). Really? EVERYTHING? For our good?

This verse reeks of the here-and-now. It is all about life in the Gospel Gap. It gives us a way of looking at life and interpreting the circumstances of life as we experience our ongoing conformity to the Son of God. God called us at salvation with a distinct purpose in mind. And it was NOT just to take us to heaven! If that had been His purpose, He would have done so at the point He saved us. But instead, He left us here. Why? Because His purpose was that we "become like His Son" (Romans 8:29 NLT). God had a plan for us, and that plan included our salvation, our future glorification, and our ongoing sanctification as we live out our lives on this planet in the meantime. But we need to know that God is using any and everything in our lives – the good, the bad, the ugly – to transform us into the likeness of Christ. He causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God – in other words, us. God can use our mistakes. God can use our hurts. God can use our darkest moments and brightest days to conform us into the image of His Son. He can use tragedies and victories, gains and losses, joy and sorrow, to achieve His ongoing purpose in our lives – our sanctification. He has given us His Spirit to assist us, comfort us, convict us and guide us. The Spirit intercedes for us, prays on behalf of us, and constantly seeks to motivate us toward our pursuit of God's purpose for us – our spiritual transformation into the image of His Son. If God plans on completing His work in our lives by someday glorifying us and establishing us as permanent residents in His heavenly Kingdom, then we have to trust that what He is doing here on this earth is part of His divine plan for us – regardless of how it looks or feels. Paul encouraged the believers in Philippi, "that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6 NLT). God finishes what He starts. He completes what He begins. Our time on this planet has a rhyme and reason behind it. There is method to God's seeming madness as we suffer and struggle our way through this life. He is at work in our life, just as much now as He was at our salvation. His purpose is just as clear now as it was when He saved us. He is constantly, faithfully, and lovingly making us more and more like His Son, with each passing day. And some day He will complete His work project in our lives. But in the meantime, we must learn to wait patiently and confidently.

Father, I want to learn to wait patiently and confidently. I lose hope far too often and easily. I run out of steam. I get confused by the circumstances of life and end up seeing them as setbacks, rather than as opportunities and the tools You are using to transform me into the likeness of Christ. Give me the perspective Paul had. Let Romans 8:28 become a verse that I cling to and hope in. Continue to show me the reality of the statement that You really do cause all things in my life to be instruments for good and opportunities for my ongoing transformation. Amen.