Month: April 2012

1 Chronicles 14

When we do things after we consult God, we will be successful. When we attempt to do things our way, without His counsel, we will ultimately fail.

1 Chronicles 14 (cf. see our study of 2 Samuel 5.11-25)

This chapter is the parallel of 2 Samuel 5.11-15 wherein David is established as a king on an international level as he makes treaties with other countries. It is also seen in his taking of wives (see the study in 2 Samuel 5.11-25 for greater detail).

The two differences lie at the end of each pericope. Second Samuel 5 lists eleven sons while 1 Chronicles lists thirteen sons. The other difference is the fame of David spreading throughout the land (all countries). That is, the military strength of Israel is brought before all the nations that surround Israel. His nation has been established. The only failure to this point was the failure wherein he did not seek God’s counsel that of the Ark remain in the house of Obed-edom. This will be remedied in the next chapter.

When we do things after we consult God, we will be successful. When we attempt to do things our way, without His counsel, we will ultimately fail.

1 Chronicles 13

When we attempt to accomplish God’s means in our own power, no matter how successful we are, we have failed.

1 Chronicles 13 (see our study in 2 Samuel 6.1-11)

The major differences between the parallel passages of 2 Samuel 6.1-11 and 1 Chronicles 13 are found in Uzzah touching the Ark with his hand (see comments in our study of 2 Samuel 6.1-11) and how the army was gathered. The army was gathered by the assembling together of the men under their captains, which is not stated but implied in 2 Samuel (the normal method of taking a muster). The remainder of the chapter is similar.

Another difference is the context of the passage. First Chronicles presents the crowning of David as king over all Israel, both north and south, and not merely of Judah, the south, in 1 Chronicles 12 (see our study). The next step in David’s reign was to establish Jerusalem not only as the political center but the religious center of the kingdom as-well.

Just to add to the thought established in 2 Samuel 6, it is not always in counsel and in enthusiasm that a matter is made right. The troops nor David consulted God at this point in the journey of the Ark to Jerusalem. When we attempt to accomplish God’s means in our own power, no matter how successful we are, we have failed.