Able Workers Serving God

1 Chronicles 9:1-13
    1 So all Israel was recorded by genealogies, and indeed, they were inscribed in the book of the kings of Israel. But Judah was carried away captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. 2 And the first inhabitants who dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and the Nethinim.
    3 Now in Jerusalem the children of Judah dwelt, and some of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: 4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the descendants of Perez, the son of Judah. 5 Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. 6 Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brethren—six hundred and ninety. 7 Of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; 8 Ibneiah the son of Jeroham; Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri; Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; 9 and their brethren, according to their generations—nine hundred and fifty-six. All these men were heads of a father's house in their fathers' houses.
    10 Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin; 11 Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the officer over the house of God; 12 Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah; Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13 and their brethren, heads of their fathers' houses—one thousand seven hundred and sixty. They were very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

After all the genealogical chapters in this book, the attention shifts to the people of God and their situations.  First we find that the records were officially written down and not just passed on orally, for certainty can only be found if engraved in an unchanging form; we all know how stories change from on person to another when spoken, as each one remembers things differently and retells as true in their own mind.  God Made certain that His word captured facts carved in stone and other forms that His work and intent would be unchanged and that His people would be accounted for and accountable to that word.  We see here how the genealogies were saved for posterity as a testimony to God’s faithfulness, judgment, and grace.  We also find the record of those (Judah) who did not believe and follow His word being taken captive to the world then centered at Babylon.  This applies also to we who are in Christ, for when we oppose the truth and are taken captive by the lie, others’ patience to minister the truth of God’s word leads us to repentance and restoration from that bondage (2 Timothy 2:25-26), just as we so minister His word as well.  This passage in Chronicles also demonstrates how there were “very able men” who worked in serving the house of God, which is serving Him for enabling worship and reconciliation by sacrifice and obedience.  We learn that this example tells us to be strong and valiant for the truth to minister the gospel as written and not back down into convenient error to avoid difficulties for those in opposition to the truth of God’s word, serving to salvation and reconciliation of the lost and the restoration of the wandering.  We serve the house of God which is the body and temple of Christ, the corporate entirety of all who are His, even though this is normally only seen worked out in local church congregations and not to all believers across the world at once.  Let us then serve our God and Savior acceptably as Hebrews 12:28-29 commands us (see also Hebrews 13:15-16) as very able ones who are valiant for the truth as humble and trusting servants full of grace and truth ourselves as it is written and put into practice with love. May we all be able workers serving God.