Kingdomtide Readings

This week’s Old Testament readings in 1 Chronicles can be divided into three sections regarding David’s reign, all of which are focused in different ways on laying the groundwork for the Temple.  Recall that the Temple is one of the touchstones for the restored covenant community.  The first section (chapters 18-20) describes David’s victories over his enemies in Philistia, Moab, Zoab, Syria, Edom, and Ammon.  These victories would give Israel peace, thereby enabling his successor, Solomon, to build the Temple.  The second section, chapter 21, describes David’s sin in numbering the people for military service, which would amount to David trusting in his military strength rather than in the LORD.  The importance of this chapter is that the resolution of the plague that came among the people would end with David being commanded to build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite; that location would be where the Temple would eventually be built.  Lastly, the third section describes the administrative organization for the Temple service.  The extensive genealogies here again would allow the people to connect back to their ancestors.

The New Testament readings pick up with the Council of Jerusalem, which decided the controversy the Paul addressed in his letter to the Galatians.  They then trace Paul’s Second Missionary Journey, which went beyond the region of Asia Minor and crossed over into Europe, going to Philippi, Thessaloniki, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.  This journey contains some of the most memorable accounts of Paul’s journeys and sets the stage for his subsequent letters to the Thessalonians and the Corinthians.

The Psalm readings cover Psalms 37-42, and the Confessional readings continue going through the Ten Commandments, this week focused on the Third Commandment.