Author: John Tillman

Links for today’s readings:

Dec 1  Read: 1 Chronicles 29 Listen: (5:50) Read: Psalms 105 Listen: (4:02)

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 29.14-16

14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.

Reflection: Generosity Gives Hope — Hope of Advent

By John Tillman

As Christmas approaches, we often think of and see generosity. Generosity is inspiring.

David’s generous gifts to the temple inspired others to give as well. David prayed, acknowledging that Israel’s generosity was only returning what God provided. This mirrored Israel’s generosity toward building the tabernacle. The nation of former Egyptian slaves only had anything to give toward the tabernacle because God made the Egyptians favorable to them and they sent the Israelites away with expensive gifts. This is true for us too. All we have to give was given to us by God.

Are you generous?

Generosity is not measured by price tags. Expensive doesn’t equal generous. Through the widow’s mite, Jesus taught that one measure of generosity is related to how much one has to give. (Mark 12.38-44; Luke 21.1-4) Therefore, a ten-dollar gift from a day laborer with one hundred dollars in his bank account is far more generous than a thousand-dollar gift from a wealthy businessman with one million dollars. An hour of volunteering from a mother working double shifts is more generous than ten hours of volunteering from someone wealthy enough not to have to work. To whom much is given, much is expected. (Luke 12.48)

Generosity is also not calculated by percentages. Generosity is a matter of the spirit. You have to want to give. Scripture teaches that God loves those who give gladly and unreservedly, not grudgingly or under compulsion. (2 Corinthians 9.7) This is why taxes aren’t generosity. Taxes are a negotiated price for the services we desire our government to provide. Therefore, taxes are not theft or generosity, and Christians (and everyone else) should pay them. (Matthew 22.15-22; Romans 13.6-7) Generous giving is giving that you desire to do, not that you are compelled or obligated to do. Generosity causes you to curb spending so you can give more. Generosity causes you to give more than others consider reasonable or normal. This extraordinary kind of giving, whether it is financial donations or volunteer work, is a spiritual gift when it is directed towards the mission of the gospel in churches and ministry organizations. (Romans 12.6-9; 2 Corinthians 8.1-4; 9.8-11)

“Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope,” David says. But God’s generosity toward us and our generosity toward others in return brings light and hope to our world.

We pray that you experience God’s generosity this Advent season and pass on generosity to organizations that bring people hope through tangible and spiritual services.

Hope Gives Back: In addition to giving to your local church or to our ministry, we encourage you to find local organizations in your city that provide tangible help to the poor, the immigrant, and the prisoner. Donate time or money to them to give back what God has given so graciously to you. If you do not know of a local organization you’d like to give to, we’ve recommended some national organizations and some of our local organizations as well.

Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex
For the Nations Refugee Outreach
World Relief
Texas Baptists River Ministry and Mexico Missions
Prison Fellowship

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. — Psalm 118.23

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Links for today’s readings:

Nov 28  Read: 1 Chronicles 24-25 Listen: (7:01)  Read: Psalms 102 Listen: (2:45)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Nov 29  Read: 1 Chronicles 26-27 Listen:(9:38) Read: Psalms 103 Listen: (2:07)
Nov 30  Read: 1 Chronicles 28  Listen: (4:45) Read: Psalms 104 Listen: (3:37)

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 24.3-5, 30b-31

3 With the help of Zadok a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelek a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering. 4 A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than among Ithamar’s, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar’s descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar’s descendants. 5 They divided them impartially by casting lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.

30 …These were the Levites, according to their families. 31 They also cast lots, just as their relatives the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelek, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.

Reflection: Biblical Fairness Requires Subverting Human Systems

By John Tillman

Chronicles describes how the work for the temple and positions of honor within it were distributed fairly, without corruption or favoritism. Remember—separation of church and state did not exist. These temple jobs, ministerial roles, and positions of influence were intimately connected to and controlled by the government. 

Important work and powerful positions are normally distributed based on culturally defined human systems of rank. In David’s time, the first would be nationality or ethnicity. Non-Israelites would be excluded or pushed to minor positions. Second would be family importance or influence. How close (and loyal) one’s family was to the king would be vital. Third would be intra-family rank by wealth or birth order. The most important positions would be claimed or given to the eldest and wealthiest within the family.

David, with the help of the two highest ranking priests, at least partially subverted and undermined these systems.

Who were the first people to work on building the temple? Foreigners living in Israel. (1 Chronicles 22.1)

David assembled foreigners together and appointed stonecutters to dress stone for the temple’s foundation. (Later Solomon used forced labor, but that is not specified here.) The temple’s foundations were laid by foreigners who would be limited in accessing the completed temple. However, Isaiah later wrote that foreigners “bound to the Lord” would be included among God’s people and would “minister to him,” “love the name of the Lord,” and “be his servants.” God pledged to bring foreigners to his “holy mountain,” give them joy, and accept their offerings and sacrifices because the temple was “a house of prayer for all nations.” (Isaiah 56.3-7) This is one of the passages Jesus quoted when he cleansed the temple. (Mark 11.15-17)

What principles were used to distribute the ministerial roles in the temple? Equity and impartiality. (1 Chronicles 24.5, 31) 

One priestly family was much larger, yet the positions were distributed impartially by casting lots. Casting lots was also used by the Levites, to equitably treat children of the youngest the same as those of the eldest.

How are our culturally defined human systems of rank different from those of David’s time? Who are we tempted to exclude? To whom are we tempted to show favoritism? Against whom do we hold prejudices?

David and the priests used casting lots as one means of subverting human favoritism and prejudice. What means, as Holy Spirit empowered followers of Jesus, might we use to subvert today’s prejudicial systems of favor?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm

Our iniquities you have set before you, and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
When you are angry, all our days are gone; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty; yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
Who regards the power of your wrath? Who rightly fears your indignation?
So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. — Psalm 90,8-12

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Balancing Justice and Mercy

Having balanced systems minimizes the opportunity for human corruption, but doesn’t eliminate it.

Consider Supporting Our Work

End-of-year giving makes the difference in keeping our ministry funded. Whether you are an end-of-year giver or a monthly donor, your gifts are vital and we need more donors like you.

Links for today’s readings:

Nov 25  Read: 1 Chronicles 21  Listen: (5:03)  Read: Psalms 95-96 Listen: (2:37)

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 21.1-3

1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

3 But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

Reflection: Wilderness Versus Garden Tempations

By John Tillman

Chronicles’ account of David’s reign focuses tightly on events related to building the temple, which omits most of David’s failures and mistakes, except one. The military census caused great suffering and death and led directly to David’s purchase of the temple site.

Chronicles emphasizes that Satan tempted David. Samuel’s account emphasizes that God allowed it. Just as the Holy Spirit “drove” Jesus into the wilderness and Satan tempted him, God tested David.

This temptation happened late in David’s reign. By this time, David had suffered political and familial losses. He had been betrayed and had betrayed others. He had been exposed in scandals. He had fled into wilderness exile after a coup. He survived the resulting civil war that left the country scarred and divided. He buried many friends, family members, and his own children.

Through much of this long, hard reign, David’s goal was pacifying enemies and acquiring wealth to provide Solomon peace, stability, and resources to build the temple. (1 Chronicles 22.14) From this perspective, numbering Israel’s fighting force made sense. We can imagine David thinking, “Have I done enough? Have I left behind enough treasure, enough security?”

Israel rebelled against Moses in the wilderness when they lacked food and water. Yet Moses warned that when they were at peace in the garden land, tempation would still come. (Deuteronomy 8.10-18) Twice, in the wilderness, David resisted the temptation to kill Saul, take the throne, and end his wilderness exile on his terms. David often resisted temptations in the wilderness but he frequently fell to temptations in the garden. In a garden grove of wives to pick from, he plucked Uriah’s. (2 Samuel 12.7-10) Surrounded by thirty legendarily mighty warriors, he demanded a military census. (1 Chronicles 11.10)

The wilderness and the garden have temptations. The wilderness tests us with want. The garden tests us with plenty. The wilderness tempts us to curse God in suffering. The garden tempts us to forget God in comfort. The wilderness threatens us with danger. The garden suffocates us with security.

The “garden” temptations of wealth and security are at least equal to and perhaps more dangerous than the “wilderness” temptations of want and suffering. Are you in the wilderness or the garden? Do you recognize and resist both wilderness and garden temptations?

Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, in the wilderness (Matthew 4.3; Luke 4.3) and the garden (Mark 14.34-38; Matthew 26.38-42). He triumphed where we fail. (Hebrews 2.18; 4.15) Victory over temptation rests in submission, obedience, and trust in Jesus.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation say forever, “Great is the Lord!” — Psalm 70.4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Is The Lord Among Us?

“Is the Lord among us or not?” It’s not a bad question. Each of us has probably wondered something similar from time to time. 

Read more: Seduced by Corn Kings

Corn kings promise growth, profit, protection, security if only we will do homage, shift our identity, and conform to a few minor moral sacrifices.

Links for today’s readings:

Nov 24  Read: 1 Chronicles 19-20 Listen: (5:02) Read: Psalms 94 Listen: (2:08)

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 20.1-3

1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins. 2 David took the crown from the head of their king—its weight was found to be a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city 3 and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

Reflection: Bad Feelings And Good Old Days

By John Tillman

Chronicles’ first readers were probably Ezra’s temple rebuilders and Nehemiah’s wall rebuilders. For this audience, the chronicler omitted many of David’s failures, presenting a more idealized founding story for Jerusalem and the temple. However, he dropped hints reminding readers that all was not well in “the good old days.”

In nearly every Star Wars story someone says, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” It’s the longest running gag in film history, but it’s more than a gag. This thematic connection between stories indicates dread and foreshadows danger. When audiences hear it, suspense rises as they recall what happened the last time they heard it.

For the chronicler’s audience “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war” would have rung alarms like “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” does for Star Wars fans. In an oral culture, where most people had scripture read to them, they would have heard it repeatedly. It would remind them of a well-known and dreadful story of danger and foreshadowing.

The phrase highlighted what David ought to have done in opposition to what he did. Instead of going to war, David went to his roof and spied on Bathsheba. (2 Samuel 11.1-2) What happened next began a cascading series of scandals, rapes, murders, deaths, and a civil war that exiled David from Jerusalem to the wilderness he wandered in during the days of Saul.

Chronicles’ readers didn’t just know this story—they lived it. They were returning from exile in the “wilderness” of Babylon following their own cascading series of scandals. That generation could focus on David’s positives because they had dealt with their past sins. They weren’t in denial or ignorant. But as reformers often do, they recalled and were encouraged by the best ideals and actions of the past.

Reflecting on positive ideals and actions of the past can encourage us in today’s struggles. However, as Billy Joel wrote, “the good old days weren’t always good and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.” We can’t build better tomorrows on the foundation of a falsified past. If we draw encouragement from the past by erasing or minimizing sin, we deceive ourselves and doom our future.

Are we dealing honestly with the past? Are we justifying ourselves or pursuing justice?

When remembering “golden ages,” use wisdom. Maintain a healthy dread of past mistakes, and resist uncritical nostalgia about past achievements.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; wash me, and I shall be clean indeed. — Psalm 51.8

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Ancient #MeToo Story

As with David, authority has been used as a tool to shift blame to the victim, silence any witnesses, or hide the crime in darkness.

Read more: Have Mercy—Guided Prayer

David sinned against God by bringing harm to those God cared for, who included Bathsheba, Uriah, Joab, and the entire nation.