Another chapter of genealogies! As I read through the priestly line, the Levite clans, the temple musicians, Aaron’s descendants, and the territories for the Levites, the disbursement of God’s ministering servants stood out to me. The Levities were not allowed to all congregate as one group in one allotment of land; God spread them out over all the people and territories of Israel. While the Tabernacle was in one location and certainly further away from those in the outer reaches of the land, access to those who ministered before God and had knowledge of the law was close at hand. God dispersed the light of His Word rather than allowing it to congregate in one spot—many candles over much distance instead of one spotlight.
This reminded me of the early church in the New Testament. As the church grew considerably in Jerusalem, God dispersed the church through persecution. God’s plan was for the church to spread out to the ends of the earth (the Great Commission), letting the light of the glorious Gospel pierce the darkness of all regions.
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles…Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. (Acts 8:1-4, ESV)
Just as God wanted light throughout all the land of Israel, where access to His ministering servants was close at hand, God wants the Gospel, born upon the mouths of light-bearing Christians, to spread to the uttermost parts of the earth. Jesus himself modeled this in Matthew 4:12-17.
Now, God may not ask every one of us to go abroad with the Gospel in the sense of missionary work, but God does ask us to let our light shine before men wherever we may be.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16, KJV)
There are people all around us who sit in darkness. Darkness and confusion have settled over their minds. The god of this world has blinded their eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4). They stumble through life and know not what they stumble over (Proverbs 4:19). They look for answers, but time and time again, the wisdom of this world and age has failed them (1 Corinthians 1:20–21).
But this is where you and I come in…we have a ministry of reconciling people to God (2 Corinthians 5:18–19)! We have the message of hope! We proclaim the One who can break the power and grip of sin and darkness! We once were in darkness, walking according to the lust of our flesh, but God made us alive together with Christ! We have experienced this great power in our lives—this power needs to leak out into the lives of the people around us and break the power of their desperation!
What a ministry, what a calling, what a God! Let’s spread the light, for this light is not meant to have boundaries put around it!
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from 1 Chronicles 6.