Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are 1 Chronicles 28:1–29:30; Romans 5:6-21; Psalm 15:1-5; and Proverbs 19:18-19. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
1 Chronicles 28-29:30 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Chronicles 28
David Gives Solomon the Plans for the Temple
1David called a meeting in Jerusalem for all of Israel's leaders, including the tribal leaders, the government officials, the army commanders, the officials in charge of the royal property and livestock, the palace officials, and the brave warriors. 2After everyone was there, David stood up and said:
Listen to me, my people. I wanted to build a place where the sacred chest would be kept, so we could go there and worship the LORD our God. I have prepared all the supplies for building a temple, 3but the LORD has refused to let me build it, because he said I have killed too many people in battle.
4The LORD God chose Judah to be the leading tribe in Israel. Then from Judah, he chose my father's family, and from that family, he chose me to be the king of Israel, and he promised that my descendants will also rule as kings. 5The LORD has blessed me with many sons, but he chose my son Solomon to be the next king of Israel. 6The LORD said to me, "Your son Solomon will build my temple, and it will honor me. Solomon will be like a son to me, and I will be like a father to him. 7If he continues to obey my laws and commands, his kingdom will never end."
8My friends, you are the LORD's people. And now, with God as your witness, I want you to promise that you will do your best to obey everything the LORD God has commanded us. Then this land will always belong to you and your descendants.
9Solomon, my son, worship God and obey him with all your heart and mind, just as I have done. He knows all your thoughts and your reasons for doing things, and so if you turn to him, he will hear your prayers. But if you ignore him, he will reject you forever. 10The LORD has chosen you to build a temple for worshiping him. Be confident and do the work you have been assigned.
11After David finished speaking, he gave Solomon the plans for building the main rooms of the temple, including the porch, the storerooms, the rooms upstairs and downstairs, as well as the most holy place. 12He gave Solomon his plans for the courtyards and the open areas around the temple, and for the rooms to store the temple treasures and gifts that had been dedicated to God.
13David also gave Solomon his plans for dividing the priests and the Levites into groups, as well as for the work that needed to be done at the temple and for taking care of the objects used for worship. 14He told Solomon how much gold and silver was to be used in making the sacred objects, 15including the lampstands and lamps, 16the gold table which held the sacred loaves of bread, the tables made of silver, 17the meat forks, the bowls and cups, 18the gold incense altar, and the gold statue of a chariot for the winged creatures which were on the lid of the sacred chest.
19David then said to Solomon:
The LORD showed me how his temple is to be built. 20But you must see that everything is done according to these plans. Be confident, and never be afraid of anything or get discouraged. The LORD my God will help you do everything needed to finish the temple, so it can be used for worshiping him. 21The priests and Levites have been assigned their duties, and all the skilled workers are prepared to do their work. The people and their leaders will do anything you tell them.
Listen to me, my people. I wanted to build a place where the sacred chest would be kept, so we could go there and worship the LORD our God. I have prepared all the supplies for building a temple, 3but the LORD has refused to let me build it, because he said I have killed too many people in battle.
4The LORD God chose Judah to be the leading tribe in Israel. Then from Judah, he chose my father's family, and from that family, he chose me to be the king of Israel, and he promised that my descendants will also rule as kings. 5The LORD has blessed me with many sons, but he chose my son Solomon to be the next king of Israel. 6The LORD said to me, "Your son Solomon will build my temple, and it will honor me. Solomon will be like a son to me, and I will be like a father to him. 7If he continues to obey my laws and commands, his kingdom will never end."
8My friends, you are the LORD's people. And now, with God as your witness, I want you to promise that you will do your best to obey everything the LORD God has commanded us. Then this land will always belong to you and your descendants.
9Solomon, my son, worship God and obey him with all your heart and mind, just as I have done. He knows all your thoughts and your reasons for doing things, and so if you turn to him, he will hear your prayers. But if you ignore him, he will reject you forever. 10The LORD has chosen you to build a temple for worshiping him. Be confident and do the work you have been assigned.
11After David finished speaking, he gave Solomon the plans for building the main rooms of the temple, including the porch, the storerooms, the rooms upstairs and downstairs, as well as the most holy place. 12He gave Solomon his plans for the courtyards and the open areas around the temple, and for the rooms to store the temple treasures and gifts that had been dedicated to God.
13David also gave Solomon his plans for dividing the priests and the Levites into groups, as well as for the work that needed to be done at the temple and for taking care of the objects used for worship. 14He told Solomon how much gold and silver was to be used in making the sacred objects, 15including the lampstands and lamps, 16the gold table which held the sacred loaves of bread, the tables made of silver, 17the meat forks, the bowls and cups, 18the gold incense altar, and the gold statue of a chariot for the winged creatures which were on the lid of the sacred chest.
19David then said to Solomon:
The LORD showed me how his temple is to be built. 20But you must see that everything is done according to these plans. Be confident, and never be afraid of anything or get discouraged. The LORD my God will help you do everything needed to finish the temple, so it can be used for worshiping him. 21The priests and Levites have been assigned their duties, and all the skilled workers are prepared to do their work. The people and their leaders will do anything you tell them.
1 Chronicles 29
Gifts for Building the Temple
1David told the crowd: God chose my son Solomon to build the temple, but Solomon is young and has no experience. This is not just any building--this is the temple for the LORD God! 2That's why I have done my best to get everything Solomon will need to build it--gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx, turquoise, colored gems, all kinds of precious stones, and marble.
3Besides doing all that, I have promised to give part of my own gold and silver as a way of showing my love for God's temple. 4Almost one hundred twenty tons of my finest gold and over two hundred fifty tons of my silver will be used to decorate its walls 5and to make the gold and silver objects. Now, who else will show their dedication to the LORD by giving gifts for building his temple?
6After David finished speaking, the family leaders, the tribal leaders, the army commanders, and the government officials voluntarily gave gifts 7for the temple. These gifts included almost two hundred tons of gold, three hundred eighty tons of silver, almost seven hundred tons of bronze, and three thousand seven hundred fifty tons of iron. 8Everyone who owned precious stones also donated them to the temple treasury, where Jehiel from the Levite clan of Gershon guarded them.
9David and the people were very happy that so much had been given to the LORD, and they all celebrated.
3Besides doing all that, I have promised to give part of my own gold and silver as a way of showing my love for God's temple. 4Almost one hundred twenty tons of my finest gold and over two hundred fifty tons of my silver will be used to decorate its walls 5and to make the gold and silver objects. Now, who else will show their dedication to the LORD by giving gifts for building his temple?
6After David finished speaking, the family leaders, the tribal leaders, the army commanders, and the government officials voluntarily gave gifts 7for the temple. These gifts included almost two hundred tons of gold, three hundred eighty tons of silver, almost seven hundred tons of bronze, and three thousand seven hundred fifty tons of iron. 8Everyone who owned precious stones also donated them to the temple treasury, where Jehiel from the Levite clan of Gershon guarded them.
9David and the people were very happy that so much had been given to the LORD, and they all celebrated.
David Praises the LORD
10Then, in front of everyone, David sang praises to the LORD: I praise you forever, LORD! You are the God our ancestor Jacob [a] worshiped. 11Your power is great, and your glory is seen everywhere in heaven and on earth. You are king of the entire world, 12and you rule with strength and power. You make people rich and powerful and famous. 13We thank you, our God, and praise you. 14But why should we be happy that we have given you these gifts? They belong to you, and we have only given back what is already yours. 15We are only foreigners living here on earth for a while, just as our ancestors were. And we will soon be gone, like a shadow that suddenly disappears.
16Our LORD God, we have brought all these things for building a temple to honor you. They belong to you, and you gave them to us. 17But we are happy, because everyone has voluntarily given you these things. You know what is in everyone's heart, and you are pleased when people are honest. 18Always make us eager to give, and help us be faithful to you, just as our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob faithfully worshiped you. 19And give Solomon the desire to completely obey your laws and teachings, and the desire to build the temple for which I have provided these gifts.
20David then said to the people, "Now it's your turn to praise the LORD, the God your ancestors worshiped!" So everyone praised the LORD, and they bowed down to honor him and David their king.
16Our LORD God, we have brought all these things for building a temple to honor you. They belong to you, and you gave them to us. 17But we are happy, because everyone has voluntarily given you these things. You know what is in everyone's heart, and you are pleased when people are honest. 18Always make us eager to give, and help us be faithful to you, just as our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob faithfully worshiped you. 19And give Solomon the desire to completely obey your laws and teachings, and the desire to build the temple for which I have provided these gifts.
20David then said to the people, "Now it's your turn to praise the LORD, the God your ancestors worshiped!" So everyone praised the LORD, and they bowed down to honor him and David their king.
Solomon Is Crowned King
21The next day, the Israelites slaughtered a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, and they offered them as sacrifices to please the LORD, [b] along with offerings of wine. 22The people were very happy, and they ate and drank there at the LORD's altar. That same day, Solomon was crowned king. The people celebrated and poured olive oil on Solomon's head to show that he would be their next king. They also poured oil on Zadok's head to show that he was their priest. 23So Solomon became king after David his father. Solomon was successful, and everyone in Israel obeyed him. 24Every official and every soldier, as well as all of David's other sons, were loyal to him. 25The LORD made Solomon a great king, and the whole nation was amazed at how famous he was. In fact, no other king of Israel was as great as Solomon.
David Dies
26David the son of Jesse was king of Israel 27for forty years. He ruled from Hebron for seven years and from Jerusalem for thirty-three years. 28David was rich and respected and lived to be an old man. Then he died, and his son Solomon became king. 29Everything David did while he was king is included in the history written by the prophets Samuel, Nathan, and Gad. 30They wrote about his powerful rule and about the things that happened not only to him, but also to Israel and the other nations.
Footnotes:- 1 Chronicles 29:10 Jacob: See the note at 1.34.
- 1 Chronicles 29:21 sacrifices to please the LORD: See the note at 16.1.
Footnotes:
- 1 Chronicles 29:10 Jacob: See the note at 1.34.
- 1 Chronicles 29:21 sacrifices to please the LORD: See the note at 16.1.
Romans 5:6-21 (Contemporary English Version)
6Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.
9But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life's blood, we will also be kept safe from God's anger. 10Even when we were God's enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son's life. 11And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us.
9But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life's blood, we will also be kept safe from God's anger. 10Even when we were God's enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son's life. 11And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us.
Adam and Christ
12Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die. 13Sin was in the world before the Law came. But no record of sin was kept, because there was no Law. 14Yet death still had power over all who lived from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. This happened, though not everyone disobeyed a direct command from God, as Adam did. In some ways Adam is like Christ who came later. 15But the gift that God was kind enough to give was very different from Adam's sin. That one sin brought death to many others. Yet in an even greater way, Jesus Christ alone brought God's gift of kindness to many people.
16There is a lot of difference between Adam's sin and God's gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God's gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has been so kind to us, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings.
18Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life. 19Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God.
20The Law came, so that the full power of sin could be seen. Yet where sin was powerful, God's kindness was even more powerful. 21Sin ruled by means of death. But God's kindness now rules, and God has accepted us because of Jesus Christ our Lord. This means that we will have eternal life.
16There is a lot of difference between Adam's sin and God's gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God's gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has been so kind to us, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings.
18Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life. 19Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God.
20The Law came, so that the full power of sin could be seen. Yet where sin was powerful, God's kindness was even more powerful. 21Sin ruled by means of death. But God's kindness now rules, and God has accepted us because of Jesus Christ our Lord. This means that we will have eternal life.
Psalm 15:1-5 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 15
(A psalm by David.)
Who May Worship the LORD?
1Who may stay in God's temple or live on the holy mountain
of the LORD?
2Only those who obey God
and do as they should.
They speak the truth
3and don't spread gossip;
they treat others fairly
and don't say cruel things.
4They hate worthless people,
but show respect for all
who worship the LORD.
And they keep their promises,
no matter what the cost.
5They lend their money
without charging interest,
and they don't take bribes
to hurt the innocent.
Those who do these things
will always stand firm.
of the LORD?
2Only those who obey God
and do as they should.
They speak the truth
3and don't spread gossip;
they treat others fairly
and don't say cruel things.
4They hate worthless people,
but show respect for all
who worship the LORD.
And they keep their promises,
no matter what the cost.
5They lend their money
without charging interest,
and they don't take bribes
to hurt the innocent.
Those who do these things
will always stand firm.
Proverbs 19:18-19 (Contemporary English Version)
18Correct your children
before it's too late;
if you don't punish them,
you are destroying them.
19People with bad tempers
are always in trouble,
and they need help
over and over again. [a]
before it's too late;
if you don't punish them,
you are destroying them.
19People with bad tempers
are always in trouble,
and they need help
over and over again. [a]
Footnotes:
- Proverbs 19:19 and they. . . again: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Thought for the Day
“Don't be afraid. I am with you. Don't tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.” (Isaiah 41:10 - Contemporary English Version) At some point, everyone faces challenges as they live their lives. But regardless of the difficulties we might face, we can be confident that we're loved by the Lord and creator of the universe.
Quote for the Day
American economist and the W.R. Berkley Professor of Economics and Business at New York University, Thomas J. Sargent wrote, “What I really don't like is oversimplification.”
A Joke for Today
Two businessmen in Florida were sitting down for a break in their soon-to-be new store. As yet, the store wasn't ready, with only a few shelves set up. One said to the other, “I bet any minute now some senior citizen is going to walk by, put his face to the window, and ask what we're selling.”
No sooner were the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious senior citizen walked to the window, had a peek, and in a soft voice asked, "What are you sellin' here?"
One of the men replied sarcastically, "We're selling idiots."
Without skipping a beat, the old timer said, "You're doing well. Only two left."
A Prayer Request
As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.
That leaders put aside their pride and ambition for the good of their country.
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