If you are still reading this daily manna blog, you among those with strong faith with endurance as we plough through all the names listed in Chronicles!  Thank you!  I know this has been laborious; but I also think that each name needs to be read as this was a person God created and loved deeply. 

Whether these people fully trusted Him or not; God loved them.  Whether each one obeyed Him or turned from Him to do their own thing—God mentions them in His Word as a demonstration of His love and discipline for His created whom He loves. Names represent someone God loves.

Their names are “on record” as being part of a bigger picture. Not all are mentioned who walked the earth in any given era.  But those who are listed are mentioned for a specific reason sometimes known only to God. We must realize that as we read the names of real people, often with their response to God in certain circumstances; we learn that their story of imperfect living in relationship with a perfect God has meaning for us today. 

Here is the big picture, plain and simple enough for a Kindergarten student to understand. God wants us to know the basics of life with Him:  

• God was first.  Jesus was with Him from the first.  God’s Holy Spirit was there as well. 
• God/Jesus/Holy Spirit—all God in One Person—The Holy Trinity.
• God created the world—from the heavens to the depths of earth.
• God created male and female.  He created them in “His own image” with a created place in our hearts to love and commune with Him freely. 
• God’s love and compassion for his created humans never changes or fails us. It is not in His nature or character.
• God guides and provides for His created. God desires His best which is always greater than what we can produce on our own. 
• There is an angel, Satan, who was kicked out of heaven for trying to be God. He and his warring demons are the number one Enemy of God and His created.  Mankind will forever be tempted by the Enemy of God. However, those who believe, love, trust and obey God will overcome the Enemy.

From the beginning; God had a Plan of rescue and redemption from this Enemy who will say and do anything to distract us from God and destroy our faith in God. The first humans to fall for the enemy’s lies were Adam and Eve.  They fell for evil; but God had a plan for their new way of life. They were kicked out of the garden but God’s love form them never gave up on them. He had a plan. The Plan included sacrifice of their best for God’s atonement for their sin. 

God’s people were specifically instructed to give their “first” and best lamb, born without blemish, from their flocks, to the appointed Levite priests who were given even more specific directions of how to sacrifice this lamb in the process to “cover” over the sins of His people who offered their lamb to God.

For today’s passage we learn that an individual’s lineage was very important in Bible times. A person’s tribe determined where that person would live or what occupation he or she would pursue.  The Levites were designate, set apart by God to serve in the temple. The prophets of God will proclaim the coming of the Messiah (One who saves) from the line of David. Though careful records were kept, the genealogical listings in 1 Chronicles were considered a condensed version, with certain names, lines, and generations omitted.  Rather than merely listing names, several times the genealogy reveals glimpses into individuals’ lives. It mentions small acts of faith, small deeds of kindness, and even “small” sins. Many of these people used their years on earth to serve God.  

1 Chronicles 6

Levi

The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

³ The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam.

The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

⁴ Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas the father of Abishua, ⁵ Abishua the father of Bukki, Bukki the father of Uzzi, ⁶ Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah the father of Meraioth, ⁷ Meraioth the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub, ⁸ Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Ahimaaz, ⁹ Ahimaaz the father of Azariah, Azariah the father of Johanan, ¹⁰ Johanan the father of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),

¹¹ Azariah the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of Ahitub, ¹² Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Shallum, ¹³ Shallum the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah the father of Azariah, ¹⁴ Azariah the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah the father of Jozadak.  ¹⁵Jozadak was deported when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁶ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

¹⁷ These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei.

¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

¹⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.

These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:

²⁰ Of Gershon: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, ²¹ Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son and Jeatherai his son.

²² The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, ²³ Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, ²⁴ Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son and Shaul his son.

²⁵ The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, ²⁶ Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, ²⁷ Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son and Samuel his son.^[e]

²⁸ The sons of Samuel: Joel the firstborn and Abijah the second son.

²⁹ The descendants of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, ³⁰ Shimea his son, Haggiah his son and Asaiah his son.

The Temple Musicians

³¹ These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the Lord after the ark came to rest there. ³² They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.

³³ Here are the men who served, together with their sons:

From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, ³⁴ the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, ³⁵ the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, ³⁶ the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, ³⁷ the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, ³⁸ the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; ³⁹ and Heman’s associate Asaph, who served at his right hand:

Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea, ⁴⁰ the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malkijah, ⁴¹ the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, ⁴² the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, ⁴³ the son of Jahath, the son of Gershon, the son of Levi; ⁴⁴ and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand: Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluk, ⁴⁵ the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, ⁴⁶ the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, ⁴⁷ the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

⁴⁸ Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God. ⁴⁹ But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

⁵⁰ These were the descendants of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, ⁵¹ Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, ⁵² Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, ⁵³ Zadok his son and Ahimaaz his son.

⁵⁴ These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them):

⁵⁵ They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands. ⁵⁶ But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.

⁵⁷ So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, ⁵⁸ Hilen, Debir, ⁵⁹ Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. ⁶⁰ And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands.

The total number of towns distributed among the Kohathite clans came to thirteen.

⁶¹ The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.

⁶² The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.

⁶³ The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

⁶⁴ So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns and their pasturelands. ⁶⁵ From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns.

⁶⁶ Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.

⁶⁷ In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer, ⁶⁸ Jokmeam, Beth Horon, ⁶⁹ Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands.

⁷⁰ And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

⁷¹ The Gershonites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands;

⁷² from the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh, Daberath, ⁷³ Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;

⁷⁴ from the tribe of Asher they received Mashal, Abdon, ⁷⁵ Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands;

⁷⁶ and from the tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.

⁷⁷ The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following: From the tribe of Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands; ⁷⁸ from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho they received Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, ⁷⁹ Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands;

⁸⁰ and from the tribe of Gad they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, ⁸¹ Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God’s Word teaches us how to do it right with demonstrations of how others did it wrong. If we read God’s Word, asking for His Spirit to guide us to what God wants us to know and learn; we discover that God does indeed provide all the “hows” with His “you should and you shall.”

“You have heard it said; but I say to you…” Not only did Jesus come to earth to save the lost without God and be the ultimate, willingly sacrifice for our sins once and for all the world; Jesus taught us how to live humbly with God with each step we take!  Yes, God knew mankind needed clarification of His Law because over centuries; the overly religious, without a real relationship with God, Levites fell for unholy practices that muddy the waters of Truth.  (Matthew 5-7)

Jesus who is God and is Truth lovingly taught men, women, and children with compassionate, uncondemning love. He taught us “how to live” as citizens of the Kingdom of God.  Over centuries of abusing the first plan of sacrifice as a way to line the pockets of priests and others; God had the ultimate Plan in place.

The ultimate Plan from the beginning of time was to send Jesus, His Son, a part of Himself, to earth to seek and to save the lost without God.  The Plan was foretold by God’s prophets but most people didn’t understand the words or meaning because their faith was weak, ears dulled by the noise of the world, and their hearts hardened by sin. 

Jesus did not come to earth with the pageantry of a royal king but as a venerable infant born to two loving parents who loved, trusted, and obeyed God.  What a lesson Jesus taught us in humility with even His birth!  It was a miraculous birth, as God’s Spirit hovered over Mary and made it happen inside her womb. Some still have hard time believing this, but God does not hold back His love or faithfulness even when we are not faithful to Him.  God’s Plan to save us happened because what God says always happens!  Great is His faithfulness!

God demonstrated His love and compassion for us by giving us His Son, a part of Himself, to be the final, once and for all sacrifice for our sins. This too is elementary teaching: Our sin blocks our view of and relationship with our Holy God. Our sins hold us in bondage until we repent of them to Jesus who removes them and sets us free! Get a grip on Jesus. Let go of everything else.  Jesus changes everything!

So, what is our response to a loving Father who gave His Son to die for our sins?

Pause, pray, repent, believe, love Him back, trust and obey for there’s no other way to live with expectant hope for eternal life that can begin right now, where you are, in the middle of life’s circumstances.  Thank God for names of people we did not know but had had a place in God’s heart.

Come to Jesus, know God to know real love. Love God, love each other as commanded, go tell others the Truth they are dying to hear!  May God’s Holy Spirit lead us to Truth daily!  May His peace rule our hearts today!  Open up all lines of communication with God—Jesus IS coming back, you know!  To God be the glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen