1 Chronicles 15:4 (10/4/23)

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1 Chronicles 15:4 (10/4/23)

Operating As a King / Priest

October 4, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 1 Chronicles 15:4

- God has made all of us to be king/priests (Revelation 1:6).

- In the OT, the king and priest were separate offices.

- They were made to work together - one didn’t function without the other.

- Kings take dominion and rule.

- Priests focus on the relational aspect between God and man.

- In the NT, Jesus was a king/priest.

- Now we are king/priests!

- We have to learn how to operate in that identity.

- Here’s the KEY - The key is to let the priest lead!!!!

- Act like a king, think like a priest.

- When you think like a priest, “how” you do something is more important than “what” you’re doing.

- Backstory - two times we see David attempting to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem.

- The first time, he consulted all the leaders of the people but not the priests.

- That was a very "kingly" move - get your leaders involved in the decision.

- Good move.

- But he should have then consulted the priests on how to do it.

- They would’ve told him Levites should carry it on poles.

- But David used a cart since it worked from the Philistines.

- As a result, a man died and Jerusalem didn’t get God’s presence (1 Chronicles 13).

- Now, years later, David got it right.

- Vs 1-4 - “After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.” David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites.”

- Vs 11-13 - “Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and …the heads of the Levitical families - It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.”

- On the first occasion, David let his kingly heart lead.

- But on this occasion, he fixed it and let the priest lead.

- Later in the chapter we see David wearing the same linen garments that the Levites wore.

- This was the outward sign of what was going on in David inwardly.

- He was thinking like a priest now!

- He was thinking in terms of his and Israel's relationship to God more than the task at hand.

- How do we let our inner priest lead our inner king?

- Have an eternal perspective - always consider God’s point of view before you do anything.

- Listen for God’s voice - get still, be quiet, focus your thoughts.

- Look for God’s hand - pay attention to what happens, knowing that God is speaking.

- Walk at the pace of our people (family).

- Keep ambition in the passenger seat.

1 Chronicles 3:5 (6/14/18)

June 14, 2018 • Benham Brothers

* The prophet Nathan was the one who rebuked David for his sin with Bathsheba. * How did David reward him? * First, he kept Nathan as a private advisor. * Second, he named one of his sons whom he had with Bathseba, Nathan! * One of Solomon’s older brother’s was named Nathan! * That’s true honor.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (7/10/14)

July 10, 2014 • Benham Brothers

Jabez made a simple request of God, and God granted it to him. So who was Jabez? Observe: 1) He was the right WHO - he was honorable, which meant he lived in such a respectful way that he was distinguished among his bretheren. Honorable people concern themselves more with WHO than DO - they want to BE the right person and not just DO the right things. 1 Sam 2:30 - "http://...if you honor ME I will honor you...." He knew WHO he was - Jabez means "sorrow, trouble." His mom named him this because she didn't want him to forget the pain she went through to give him life! Jesus did the same for us - He endured death to give us life! Psalm 78:9 - "The men of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle because they FORGOT" 3) He asked for a blessing - he knew his history! He remembered God giving Abraham a blessing. He aspired to be a part of God's blessing, because he knew that apart from God's blessing his life would be worthless. He knew that God's blessing was for a purpose - for God to be honored! 4) He wanted God's presence - he knew about Moses denying the Promised Land if God didn't go in with them. Jabez didn't want the blessing without the God of the blessing. He wanted God more than His blessing. We often times go for the blessing but miss the God behind the blessing in the process. 5) He wanted to be clean - he saw how dirty Solomon got even though he was the wisest man ever. He didn't want God's blessing if he was going to end up living a dirty life. 6) He got what he asked for - because he asked with the right intentions. 1 John 3:22 - we will get what we ask for when we ask with the right motives. Why? When we seek to honor God we will live honorably, and when we live honorably we will make honorable requests - and God will never say no to an honorable request! It happened for Jabez and it will happen for us! It's all about HONOR!

1 Chronicles 5:20 (9/20/23)

September 20, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 1 Chronicles 5:20

* Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to Trust and Obey. * It all starts with Trust (security). * 1 Chronicles lists the names of leaders and the number of fighters in each tribe. * It was written to encourage those who were in Babylonian captivity to Trust and Obey. * Couched in the middle of all these names, we learn about three of the tribes and how God rescued them from an insurmountable army. * Vs 18-20 - “The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19 They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.” * The Hagrites had over 100k troops. * How would God rescue them? * Notice three things: * 1) The trained for battle - they sharpened their skillset. * God gives ability, but we have to turn that into skill. * God didn’t make these guys good with the sword - they had to train for it. * 2) They trusted God - they didn't fully rely on their skills or weapons. * They relied on God for deliverance. * Whatever it is that you use in your day-to-day life (your tools, your gifting, your friends, your software, whatever) you must not rely on those things, you must rely on God. * I USE my tools but I TRUST in God. * If you're a farmer you use your tractor to plant crops but you trust in God to bring the harvest. * An insurance salesman uses his ability to connect with people to sell policies but he trusts in God to provide for him financially. * Victory comes when God knows that we trust Him more than the stuff He's given us to use. * We USE stuff but we TRUST God. * 3) The battle was the Lord’s - God ordained it because He had a plan for it. * Two types of battles: * Ones we cause - because of sin. * Ones God causes - so He can do stuff! * God allowed this battle because He was going to destroy the Hagrites and enrich the Israelites. * Vs 21-22 - “They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22 and many others fell slain, because the battle was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.” * How else would the Israelites get this stuff except through a fight? * Think of your life, the battles you face. * Is it from God? * If so, then He’s probably sharpening you, dealing w/the person, and enriching you both on the other side!