1 Chronicles 27:16-34 Organized 7
David continues to get things in order for Solomon to take the reins of the kingdom of Israel. He deals with the leaders of the tribes today.
David is nearing the end of his ‘to do list’ for Israel. I for one am glad. I’m getting tired of reading the lists of who got what job. Today he sets the heads of the tribes in order. Let’s see where the Spirit takes us with this task.
This accounting doesn’t seem so much as a setting in order as an accounting of things already in place. I suppose it is possible that David appointed these leaders for the tribes but I don’t think so. Tribal leadership had been a well-established process long before David took the throne. He probably left the process as it has always been. I wonder what that process was. Did it have to do with family size? Maybe it was wealth controlled. Could it be done through lots? God used that system a lot.
It looks like another census was being taken at this time too but it wasn’t a FULL census. Each tribe was to count the men OVER 20 years old. They weren’t to count ‘the next generation’ as God held these youngsters in reserve. They were Israel’s future and that was to be in God’s hands, NOT man’s. I wonder if the count of Joab is the census that David called for or if there was a second one he tried to conduct. As dead set against the census as he was, this verse is probably referencing that one. ALL of Israel paid for David’s sin.
David has a LARGE amount of personal property. I’m curious if “the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers” are David’s property or the nations. Everything else listed are the king’s. When I was reading about the different groups of people tending to David’s possessions my mind immediately went to the idea of unions. I wonder if they had anything like worker’s unions in bible days. Collective bargaining, strikes, contracts, and negotiating power of the group. Probably not as many of these people were probably slaves. I feel for these people.
David KNEW to delegate! There is NO WAY he could have kept up with all he had on his own. Did he even give a thought to his possessions? The one ‘possession’ that he probably did give thought to was his sons. David’s uncle watched over David’s sons. I wonder what this entailed and at what age their oversight was turned over to the two men.
It just now struck me as interesting concerning the order of this list. The final ‘thing’ listed here is the king’s army. David probably spent more time with his army than any other group in Israel, maybe even more than his own sons. His friends are counselor and his friend was mentioned right before the army. These were VERY important men in David’s world. Were they held for last because they were the most important to David? Or was it just a natural place to end the list? What comes to mind is the scripture, “Where your treasure is there your heart is also” (Matthew 6:21). David treasured these people. He treasured God more though. That’s why he went to so much trouble getting everything in order and passing along his dream to Solomon.
How much of this organization that we see today was already set in place? Did he review it all near the end of his life or is it put in here to show us what was already in place? Honestly, it is a good idea to have things in place all along. Waiting until the end is near to ‘right your will’ and set your house in order is dangerous. None of us know how long we have on this earth. Don’t put off to tomorrow what needs tended to today. I finally took my own advice here and set up life insurance for my passing. There isn’t much more for me to attend to since I don’t have a lot and my children are grown.
Thank You Father for allowing me time on earth to see my children grow and have children of their own. I pray I will see another generation too but ONLY if Jesus tarries. The way this world is going right now I wish I could put some things in order like David did. But I know things have to get MUCH worse before the end comes. I’m leaving it in YOUR hands to ‘organize’ instead. I would probably wind up leaving something or someone out by mistake.
Watch after the people I treasure Lord Jesus. Keep them safe and in Your arms. Watch over my aunt right now who is struggling, physically and emotionally. Heal her and protect her from the environment she lives in. I know You know her concerns and issues. Thank You for loving her BEYOND words!
