Spot the Difference

Yesterday marked a whole year since we set out on this crazy journey of reading the whole Bible in five and a half years. It makes me feel emotional actually – when I think back over what we have achieved and all that we have learnt and the encouraging comments from others who have walked with us on this journey through the first twelve books of the Bible.

I have often felt discouraged and have wanted to give up. I have wondered if all the time I am giving to this project is worth it. I have questioned what the point is. But whatever other success indicators could be used to decide the success or failure of this blog, the fact remains that I am getting up early pretty much every day to read the Bible and write about it – and that has been a good thing for me.

So here we are. About to embark on the book of 1 Chronicles. Now the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles cover the same period in history as 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, but in a different way and from a different perspective. 1 Chronicles actually starts right back at the very beginning with Adam and trace the history of the people of Israel right up to the fall of Jerusalem and the start of the exile. These books were written 500 years after David’s reign, when the Jews have returned to Jerusalem and started to rebuild their lives and their city. At a time when it is more important than ever to remember. To remind themselves of the history that they are grounded in and the traditions of their faith. To remember how God has dealt with His people and how He has kept all His promises to them. To reflect on who God is and what He has done. These are books about roots, about identity.

So I’m not going to repeat it all again. I’m going to read it all, but only bring to this blog anything that strikes me as particularly noteworthy or different from anything I have already written about. A kind of ‘Spot the Difference’ exercise. Let’s see where that takes us.

Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on earth. 1 Chronicles 1:10

Simply an excuse for a link to a beautiful, beautiful piece of music – ‘Nimrod’ by Edward Elgar. And breathe.

Egypt was the father of the Ludites………. 1 Chronicles 1:11

Not to be confused with the Luddites, who were 19th-century English textile workers (or self-employed weavers who feared the end of their trade) who protested against newly developed labour-economizing technologies, primarily between 1811 and 1816. (Wikipedia)

These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 1 Chronicles 2:1-2

Funny how some of these names – well, particularly Joseph and Benjamin – have become so very popular in our day, while others not so much. I really loved Asher as a name when I was pregnant with Luke but Andy was having none of it. And now Reuben is the name it seems – came across a good few Reubens at Greenbelt.

And Ethan is right here in 1 Chronicles 2:6 by the way.

Who knew David’s second son was called Daniel? (1 Chronicles 3:1) Not me.

And then we come across Jabez in chapter 4 and I actually have something interesting to get my teeth into – so we’ll come to that tomorrow! My dog is whining for a walk and I can’t ignore him any more.

All of those lists of names just remind of the importance of roots for all of us. The fascination with tracing our ancestry and the whole ‘Who do you think you are?’ phenomenon. Because where we come from and our history shapes who we are. Which is more problematic for some than others. Like adopted kids for example – we know something about that.

Why don’t you tell someone (or the dog) something about one of your ancestors today?