1 Corinthians 1: 18

PRAYER THOT: Dear Lord, thank You for removing my sins and remembering them no more.

Hebrews 9 vs26

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

For further study - Leviticus 23:26-32 & Hebrews 9:23-28

Today on the Jewish calendar is the holiest day of their seven Jewish holy days, holy days that God gave to the Jews to observe on an annual basis. Today is "Yom Kippur," the "Day of Atonement."
During Biblical times, when the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the High Priest, after much preparation, would enter the Holy of Holies of the Temple for the purpose of pouring the "sacrificial blood" onto the "Mercy Seat" on the "Ark of the Covenant".
This act would cover the sins of the Jewish people for one year until the next Yom Kippur. This annual holy day was to be marked by a twenty-five hour fast and was to be a very solemn day.
Today, without a Temple and the sacrificial system in place, the Jewish people must approach this holy day in a different manner. The ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are referred to as the ten "Awesome Days".
That's a period of time when the present-day Jews seek forgiveness from family, friends, loved ones and neighbors that they may have trespassed against during the last year.
They will also take a piece of bread to a body of water, that preferably flows into the ocean, and will cast the bread on the water. Then they quote, Micah 7:19, "I will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
Many Orthodox Jews will also cut off the head of a chicken and wave its body around over their own heads. They believe all these activities will help them be included in the "Book of Life."
Since there is no Temple and no "sacrificial system" the Jews today offer up prayers three times daily, do good deeds and give money to needy causes. These activities replace the “sacrificial system”.
The holy day of Yom Kippur also has a "prophetic significance." Hebrews 9:23-28 reveals that prophetic aspect of Yom Kippur. The text tells us that in days past the High Priest, "entereth into the Holy Place every year with the blood of others".
Now look at what Jesus does, verse 26, "Once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." I'll explain that verse in a moment, but first let me remind you that Jesus Christ fulfilled the "spring feast" in the proper day sequences. Jesus Christ was crucified on "Passover", buried on "Unleavened Bread" and rose from the dead on "First Fruits".
Jesus will also fulfill the three "fall feast" in the proper day sequences. Jesus will return to the earth on a future "Rosh Hashana," followed by the ten "awesome days" when He builds up Jerusalem, builds His temple, goes to the Jezreel Valley for the Battle of Armageddon.
Then Jesus will gather the Jews that He will have protected for the last three and a half years of the Tribulation Period, in Petra, and bring them to Jerusalem by way of the Mt of Olives, the Eastern Gate and into the Temple, in fact, into the Holy of Holies, Ezekiel 43:7.
That will happen on the Holy Day, Yom Kippur. That's when all Jews get saved in a day, Zechariah 3:9. Passover was for "personal salvation" and Yom Kippur was for "national salvation." The Jewish feasts have always pointed to Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for Your forgiveness of my sin by the blood that You shed on the cross on Passover.

Hebrews 10 vs25 - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

For further study - Hebrews 10:1-25

The Apostle Paul, it has been said, wrote the book of Hebrews to help Hebrews quit being Hebrews. In other words, he was telling the new converts to Christianity, from Judaism, that there was a better way than the "law".

Basically that's how Paul starts this tenth chapter. Stating in verses 1-3 that the "law" was a "shadow" of the good things to come. Paul reminds these new converts that the blood of "bulls and goats" can not take away sins. You can read his argument in verses 4-9.

Then in verse 10 he states that Jesus Christ was the "offering, once and for all". What a blessing verse 12 is to me and each of us who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

After He became the "sacrifice for sins forever" the Lord went into the third heaven and He "sat down on the right-hand of God". Now our Saviour, the Son of God, is at the right hand of the Father, there to intercede as our special "advocate" with the Father, 1John 2:1.

Jesus is there to represent us at the right hand of the Father. He is there to restore our fellowship with the Father should we sin, which we know we will after salvation. By the way, notice Jesus is not now on "His throne" but instead seated at the right hand of the Father.

The Father will, in the future, give His Son, Jesus His "Kingdom", His "throne" and His "dominion". There is so much in this passage that is a blessing to each of us, Notice verses 19-22. Because of our 'high priest", Jesus, we can enter the Holy of Holies in boldness, because of the blood of Jesus.

We can talk to the Father because of what the Son has done for us. When Jesus died on the cross, the "veil of the Temple" was rent from top to bottom, giving us access to the Holy of Holies. We can now approach the Father with respect, honor and with boldness, verse 19.

Paul exhorts each of us to come together for fellowship, prayer, study of His Word and encouragement, verse 25. We should do this even more so as we quickly approach the time of the Rapture of the Church.

Believing that the Rapture could happen at any moment doesn't allow me to sit down on my "blessed assurance" and do nothing but wait for the Rapture. I, and each of us that know Christ, must do His work, even with greater intensity as that day quickly approaches when He will call us to be with Him in the heavenlies.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for Your sacrifice that gave me eternal life, Your ministry as an advocate with the Father for me and the reality of Your soon coming.

Hebrews 11 vs1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For further study - Hebrews 11:1-21

As we come to our devotional reading for today we will be presented with the "Hall of Fame" of men and women of "faith". I want you to notice that the first six men mentioned in the "Hall of Fame" have an interesting connection to Bible prophecy as well as to "faith".

Our passage starts with the definition of "faith", "it's the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen", verse 1. This is a very important statement about "faith". Notice, it is the "evidence of things not seen".

We don't have to, and in fact, we should not see the things we are "hoping for". Many people say, "show me and I'll believe", the Bible says "believe without seeing". By the way, Romans says, "Faith cometh by hearing, not seeing, and hearing by the Word of God", Romans 10:17.

It's the truth of the Word of God that is the basis for "faith", not things seen. In our extended reading for today, verses 1-21, we see six men who were "men of faith" and also have a unique connection to Bible prophecy.

"Abel", verse 4, was a son of Adam that by "faith" offered a "more excellent sacrifice" looking into the future and the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus Christ. "Enoch", verse 5, was a great preacher, Jude 14, and was one of two men who never died. This makes him one of the two witnesses during the Tribulation Period, along with Elijah.

I say this based upon the three and a half years of ministry for these two witnesses as detailed in Revelation 11: 3-12. These two witnesses will die, be resurrected and taken into heaven. This truth from Revelation must be coupled with Hebrews 9:27.

"Noah", verse 7, was another great preacher, with not real good results, he only had seven people believe him. His wife, his three sons and the three wives of his sons. Jesus mentioned in His prophetic "Olivet Discourse" that the return of our Lord will take place at a time when it is like the "days of Noah", Matthew 24: 37.

"Abraham", verses 8-19, the "father of faith" is a "man of faith" that plays a key role in Bible prophecy, as it relates to the Jewish people.The Lord promised Abraham, "in the Abrahamic Covenant" that the Jews would be a nation forever and have a land forever, Genesis 12 and 15.

Abraham's son and grandson, "Isaac" and "Jacob", are the "son and grandson of promise". It was through these three patriarchs that God focuses all of Bible prophecy. God made promises to these three, to be fulfilled, in the future. These promises must be fulfilled.

Notice how "faith" plays a role in "things to come", verse 20. I have barely touched the "hem of the garment" of blessing you can receive from this passage on "faith", and the "personalities of prophecy". Please spend more time in this passage, as we await the shout from Jesus for us to join Him in the heavenlies.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for these "men of faith" in the past. Help me to be a "man of faith" in the present, as I look to the future...by "faith".
Hebrews 12 vs.2 - Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For further study - Hebrews 12:1-15

Today, as I read through the extended passage for our devotional, I realized again how practical the Word of God is for us as we travel the pathway of our lives on our journey to go to be with Jesus Christ, forever.

This passage in Hebrews is especially practical and prophetic, as well. I'm sure you will be able to pick up on how many practical truths you can find in these fifteen verses. I'll only highlight a few so that we can rejoice together on how the Lord inspires men to record His Word for us to appropriate daily, for our lives to be lived in His power and His strength.

Verses 5-11 discuss how the "Lord's chastening" can be such a blessing to each of us. Seven times in these seven verses Paul writes about how the Lord will correct us, and in fact, he says in verse 8, that if we "be without chastisement then we are not sons we are illegitimate children".

The writer of Hebrews encourages us with the truth that "whom the Lord loves, He chasteneth", verse 6. Verse 10 tells us that the Lord's correction is "for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness".

However, at the same time, Paul tells us that "no chastising for the present seems to be joyous", but if we are exercised by the chastisement it "yields the fruit of righteousness", verse 11, within our lives.

Just reading this passage almost makes me want to be "chastised" because of the blessing it is to those of us who know Him as Lord and Saviour.

Verses 12-15 details how we then live as a result of His chastisement.

Go back with me now to verses 1 and 2. What wonderful truth in these two verses. Paul's exhortation is for us to "lay aside every weight and sin which so easily besets us."

We then take off and run the race that is set before us, and we are to "run with patience", this race. I believe we run the race in front of the "heavenly grandstands" as the "witnesses" already in the heavenlies are watching, verse 1.

Then, we are to "look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who went to the cross with a 'joyful heart' even though He despised the 'shame of death' on the cross, and is now 'seated' at the right hand of the throne of God."

Notice, Jesus Christ is not on "His throne" but seated on the Father's throne, at His right hand. Jesus will sit on His throne during the "thousand year Kingdom", a throne that will be located in the Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, in the future.

We are not today in the Kingdom Period, Jesus is not on His throne and God has not yet given Him dominion over all of Creation. That is yet to come. It is a prophecy of God's Word, Daniel 7:13-14, that will be fulfilled.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for loving me enough to chasten me so that I can partake of Your holiness and bear fruit of Your righteousness.

Hosea 1:11 - Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel. For further study - Hosea 1:1-11

This opening section of the prophetic book of Hosea sets forth the major themes of the entire prophecy; Israel's unfaithfulness; the certainty of judgment; and the ultimate restoration of the Jewish nation in the last days.

At the outset of Hosea's ministry the Lord instructs him to marry an "adulterous woman." As was the case with the prophet Ezekiel, the "street preacher," the Lord wants to use the lives of these prophets to communicate these prophetic truths to the Jewish people.

Hosea's relationship, characterized by infidelity on his wife's part was to portray Israel's unfaithfulness through its covenants with the Lord. Hosea did follow the Lord's instructions and married a "woman of whoredom," Gomer. To many the command for Hosea to marry this adulterous woman, and I believe he literally married Gomer, would be over and above the call of duty. In being obedient to the Lord Hosea would communicate a powerful message to the Jewish people that though they would be unfaithful and thus would be punished, restoration would be an absolute. In the end this unfaithful wife, Israel, the wife of God, would be restored to God, the husband.

The name of the firstborn son to Hosea and Gomer, "Jezreel", has an interesting significance to Bible prophecy and the Jewish people. The name "Jezreel" literally means "God sows". However, the significance of his name was not in its meaning but in its association with past and future events at the place, Jezreel.

The Jezreel Valley was the sight of Jehu's ruthless massacre of the house of Ahab, verse 4,(II Kings 9 and 10) This valley was the scene of victory and defeat. It was the scene of a great military victory under Gideon, Judges 6:33 & 7 and a symbol of national defeat at the time of the death of Saul and his army, I Samuel 29:1,11 and 31. Verse 5 speaks of the Lord breaking the "bow of Israel" in the Jezreel Valley. The fulfillment of this prophecy took place 734-722 BC when the Assyrians overran Israel, II Kings 15:29 and 17:25 . Our key verse also speaks of a "battle" in the Jezreel Valley.

The "day of Jezreel", verse 11, refers to the victory of Messiah Jesus Christ at the battle in the Jezreel when those opposed to the Lord's “theocratic rule” will be defeated and the establishment of His Kingdom will take place, fulfilling His promises to His people, the Jewish people. When the Lord Jesus Christ came the first time and presented Himself as the King of Kings the Jewish people rejected Him. When He comes the second time He will set up His Kingdom, headquartered in the city of Jerusalem, as He sits upon the throne of King David. We as Christians will be with Jesus at this time and will rule and reign with Him forever.

The events of today seem more and more like the activities of the days described by not only Hosea but all the ancient Jewish Prophets. What we see today is the "stage setting" for these prophecies to be fulfilled in the very near future. We must live in light of His soon return, maybe today. PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for keeping your promises and the future relationship we will have with you.

Hosea 2 vs18  And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

For further study - Hosea 2:14-23

Let me remind you of the story line of the book of Hosea. It is the prophet, whose wife Gomer is an adulteress, which Hosea will find in the street, bring back home and clean up after her adulterous ways.
in this context, the Lord speaks through Hosea to the Jewish people who He refers to as “His wife”, verse 19. The children of Israel will be very much like Hosea's wife and live an adulterous life. God will, as Hosea, go find His wife and bring her back into the family and clean her up.
In our extended passage, we see the Lord describing the relationship He has with the Jewish people. He is also describing a future day when His wife will no longer go out whoring but be His faithful wife.
That day will be at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ when the Lord God will restore the earth and its residents, mankind, to how He planned for them to be upon the earth when He created them, and the earth.
The Lord God will be married to Israel in a day when He makes her righteous, loving, merciful, and faithful, verses 19-20. He will have his new bride, Israel, to refer to Him as "Ishi" my husband and no longer "Baali" my Lord.
I know that at the Lord's return to the earth this all happens because of the description of "that day." Verse 18 reveals the Lord's plan for that time when He brings the beasts of the fold, the fowls of the heavens and the creeping things on the earth into the relationship there was between His creation and man before the fall.
The Lord will also give safety and security to His new bride, the Jewish people, as He breaks the bow and sword of Israel's enemies and ends the wars so she can rest quietly and in safety. This all happens when Jesus Christ rules and reigns in Jerusalem and the earth and humankind return to the times of a theocracy, the Kingdom to come.
God is today preparing for this wonderful day as He continues to find Israel, His bride, in an adulterous situation only to bring her to Him and clean her up.
PRAYER THOT: Our Lord's dealings with Israel, His bride, show us His love for His people and His forgiveness, which also applies to us - thank you Lord.


Hosea 3 vs5  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

For further study - Hosea 3:1-5

This short five-verse chapter in Hosea is basically the message of the entire book. Hosea, the prophet, had a wife named Gomer who was described as a "wife of whoredoms," Hosea 1:2. God had commanded the prophet to take Gomer for his wife, he did and she bare him a son, Hosea 1:3. However, Gomer goes chasing after her previous lovers - she goes whoring again.
Here in chapter 3, the Lord tells Hosea to go after his wife, find her, and restore her to himself. We see that played out in this prophetic book of Hosea. The Lord in this book uses the experiences of Hosea and Gomer to illustrate His relationship with Israel.
God is the “husband” of Israel and has down through the centuries watched His "wife" go whoring as well. As Hosea goes after Gomer, cleans her up, and restores her to himself, so the Lord continues to go after His "adulteress wife," Israel.
Here in our reading for today the Lord tells Israel, over 2,700 years ago, what they would go through before He would restore them to Himself. Starting in verse 4 Israel is told of the time, "many days" that they would be without a “king”.
These "many days" have been defined by history to be almost 2,500 years since Judah went into the Babylonian captivity.
Hosea wrote also that the Jews would be without a "sacrifice" for these "many days." Here the "many days" would be determined as almost 2,000 years since the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by General Titus and the Roman Army in AD70.
Of course, without a temple and without a sacrifice, there is no way for the Jews to have their sins covered for a year, as was the case during the time of the "Day of Atonement", "Yom Kippur."
What the Jewish people do today, instead of offering sacrifices, is give money, do good works, and pray three times a day toward the Temple Mount, the location where the Temple once stood.
It goes without saying that no place in the Bible does it say this Jewish substitution for “temple sacrifice” will take away their sins. Only by the shedding of blood, the “blood of Jesus Christ”, can sin be removed from us, in God's eyes. That is, of course, the reason the Lord had the temple destroyed.
But notice after all this, the Jews will return and seek the Lord, verse 5. The truth be known, the Jews are in the process of returning to their land but are not yet seeking the Lord.
The Jews will “seek” the Lord during that “seven-year” Tribulation Period. Then Jesus Christ, in the line of King David and in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, will come to Earth to be the “king” of the Jewish people and they shall be His people.
What we see today among the Jewish people, especially in Israel, is at least the beginning of Hosea's prophecy, a prophecy that will indeed be fulfilled "in the latter days."
PRAYER THOT: Thank you, Lord, for giving me the illustration of the Jewish people and their present-day situation, to help me know the times in which we are living. Please help me live accordingly.

Hosea 3 vs.’s 4-5 - For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

For further study - Hosea 3: 1-5

The storyline of Hosea is that the prophet married a woman named Gomer who is a "wife of whoredom" (Hosea 1:2) and he will spend time going to find her, cleaning her up and bringing her back home. The message of this prophectic book is the Lord referring to Israel as a "wife of whoredom" and continually searching for His chosen ones who are off in idolatry as an "adulterous Israel." As the Lord would have Hosea to forgive his adulterous wife and forget her unfaithfulness to the prophet, so the Lord will do for His "wayward wife".

Here in Chapter 3 of the book of Hosea, the Lord tells Israel that they one day will not play the harlot any more (Hosea 3:3) and abide with Him forever.

However, before that day, the Lord tells Israel they shall abide many days without a king, without a sacrifice and without an image (vs. 4).

But then they shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their King.

This return of the "adulterous wife" will be in the latter days when Israel will fear the Lord (vs. 5). These are the days that we see unfolding before our very eyes as the Jewish people by the hundreds of thousands have returned to the land that God promised to give them in the latter days. For those of us who are Christians, we are not a part of the "bride of God" but instead the "bride of Christ", the church.

We can recognize the time talked about by Hosea. I realize that the Jews have not started to seek Him and fear Him yet, but they have started to return to where they will come to know Him for who He is, the Jewish Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is evidence that we are in the latter days. Keep looking up!
PRAYER THOT: Thank the Lord for our relationship with Him, our bridegroom.

I Chronicles 1 verses 1-4, 34 and 2 verse 1-2
Adam, Sheth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth ... And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel ... These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

For further study - I Chronicles 1:1-2:2

I can just hear you now, not another genealogy to read for our devotion today. Remember, when we read Genesis 5, another genealogy, we did learn something. I remind you that there is something and in fact many things that can be learned from reading through genealogies - even though it may be more difficult to do than reading a narrative of events in Biblical history. This particular genealogy goes from Adam to the twelve sons of Israel, which of course, become the nation of Israel.

Let me point out several items of interest as it relates to prophecy. Notice the sons of Japheth, (I Chronicles 1:5-6). They are Gomer, Magog, Tubal, Meshech, and Togarmah. Now remember, this is 4,500 years ago, right after the flood, that these sons were born to Japheth. These are the names of the peoples and the nations that come against Israel, to destroy the Jewish state in the Last Days, (Ezekiel 38:2-6).

Then look at the sons of Ham, (I Chronicles 1:8-10). Among those mentioned are Cush, modern-day Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia. There is Mizraim, modern-day Egypt and Put, the name for today's Libya. Verse 10 tells us that Cush begat Nimrod who became mighty on the earth.

Genesis 10:10 tells us that Nimrod had a kingdom in Babel, Biblical Babylon which is modern day Iraq.

These sons of Ham, whose descendants became the present Arab states, were born over 500 years before Abraham of his first son, Ishmael, came on the scene, (I Chronicles 1:28 and Genesis 10:10 - 11:26).

Therefore Abraham nor his son Ishmael is the father of the Arab world.

Notice that Abraham also has Issac, (I Chronicles 1:28), who will be the father of two boys who became two nations, (Genesis 25:19-23).

The Lord told the mother, Rebekah, of these two boys that they would struggle throughout all their generations. Jacob, or Israel as God changed his name, (Genesis 32), would have 12 sons, (I Chronicles 2:1-2), and they would become the Jewish people, the nation of Israel.

Esau, Jacob's twin brother, would also become a nation, the modern- day Palestinians who are in the process of becoming a nation. Several Jewish prophets tell of the conflict between these two brothers that will continue until the return of the Lord (see my study, Esau and the Palestinians - www.prophecybookstore.com). We can learn from genealogies-Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.

PRAYER THOT: Help me as I study God's word, all of it even the genealogies, to understand the times we are living in today and to live in light of the truth I will come to know.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

For further study - Hebrews 13:1-14

I have come to the conclusion that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, but I won't argue with you about it. The truth is that whoever the human penman was, the Holy Spirit "breathed" the Word into the author. This reality helps me to realize that God is the one speaking to me through this human scribe.

With that in mind, I now approach today's devotional reading, the key verse and the extended reading, with a heart that must be receptive to God's instructions, correction, doctrine and all that is good for me so that I can be the man of God He wants me to be in our world today.

I don't have to guess about how He wants me to live each day of my life. As I read this passage I am instructed, exhorted and encouraged as I read.

I must continue in "brotherly love", verse 1. I could have the opportunity to entertain angels, thinking they were strangers. verse 2.God has given me and my wife of 48 years, something "honorable", marriage.

I should not live a life of "wanting" but be "content" because all my needs are met by Him, the one who will not forsake me, verse 5.

I will not fear what man can do to me, verse 6. The Lord tells me to honor, remember those who have the "rule over me", verse 7. Those over me are responsible to God for their "watchcare" over me.

Verse 9 exhorts us to be not carried away by every whim of "doctrine". God uses "doctrine" to teach me through His Word. Every instruction, exhortation and promise is because of verse 8.

The great promise of this chapter is that Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, is the very same every day; yesterday, today, and everyday in the future.

There's one last verse to ponder, verse 14. This old world can offer us no great city; however, there is one that can do everything that "we seek to come", that New Jerusalem, Revelation 21.

I can't even begin to tell you of that "coming city", all that I can say is that the "New Jerusalem", the "city to come", is better than anything in this present world.

The instructions in our devotional reading for today are those preparations for that "city to come".

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for not leaving me in the dark as to how I should be living for you now and into the future in that "city to come".

I Chronicles 17 vs9 

Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,

For further study -I Chronicles 17:1-27

As we come once again in our devotional readings to I Chronicles, I must mention that in the original Hebrew Canon, First and Second Chronicles were one scroll. In Hebrew, the title of that scroll means, "the words concerning the days."

These two books today are a historic account of the "days" of Davidic kings of Israel, all twelve tribes, and Judah, the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, after the division recorded in I Kings 11. Jewish tradition says that Ezra was the author of the two books. However, scholarship believes that Ezra may have been the writer but the author is actually unknown and referred to as the "Chronicler."
The two books of history start with Adam, I Chronicles 1:1, and conclude with the "carrying away" of the Jewish people into the Babylonian captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar in II Chronicles 36.
As we come in our reading today to I Chronicles 17, we see the record of David's desire to build the Lord a “permanent place of worship” instead of the “transportable worship center” known as the “Tabernacle”.
David has brought the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem and rested it in a tabernacle, I Chronicles 16, and now David approaches the Lord about building the temple. The Lord responded with the Davidic Covenant, which promises that there will be a temple built by David's son, Solomon, as recorded in I Kings.
The record of David's response is worship and prayer, verses 16-27 . David's past sins have been forgiven and the Lord now tells David of the future of his family and house. It is an account worth reading and meditating on as you read it.
Notice two verses in our extended reading, verse 21 and our key verse, verse 9. In David's prayer, he thanks the Lord for his people and his nation whom God has chosen for a special purpose, verse 21. But then, reread our key verse, verse 9.
God makes the promise, in fact, He ordains a place for His "people Israel" to dwell. It will be a place where they will live forever. They will not be removed from this “place” nor "wiped off the map", as has been threatened by the Iranian president Ahmadinejad, and the leadership of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic terrorist organization.
God's promise of a land for the Jewish people and a Temple in that land with a king, King Jesus, on the throne will be fulfilled and seemingly in the near future.