Today's Daily Lesson comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 3 verses 1 through 9:
These are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite; 2 the third Absalom, son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth Adonijah, son of Haggith; 3 the fifth Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth Ithream, by his wife Eglah; 4 six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months. And he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 5 These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, four by Bath-shua, daughter of Ammiel; 6 then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9 All these were David’s sons, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.
We are reading the Bible through and today we have more genealogy. It's a slog of a read and I can't blame you if you skimmed it or even skipped it altogether.
But notice this first section about the sons of David. Nineteen sons by at least 8 wives and probably more plus who knows how many other sons by concubines. And, of course, the daughters, except for Tamar, aren't even mentioned.
Can you see some problems coming? Power struggles? Factions?
It's a list of names. But it's more than a list. The author of 1 Chronicles is telling us something. He's foreshadowing.
David's house will be cut a hundred ways. It will be divided. And as Jesus said, a divided house cannot stand . . .
NOTE: We are reading the whole Bible together this year. Tomorrow's Lesson will come from 1 Chronicles chapter 6.
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