SPIRITUAL GEMS: Week from January 23 to 29, 2023, 1 Chronicles from 4 to 6, Answers.

SPIRITUAL GEMS: January 23-29, 2023, 1 Chronicles from 4 to 6, Answers.

Spiritual Gems 2022 (10 min.)

1Ch 5:10. If we face problems that seem insurmountable, how will thinking about victory over the Hagritas help us? (w05 10/1 9 par. 7)

This story helps us to think that no matter what situation we are going through, we must totally trust Jehovah, since in this spiritual warfare that we wage with our enemies, apparently they are superior to us. Just as it happened in the story that we have read, just like they must cry out to Jehovah for help and in this way we will see with our own hands the hand of Jehovah, since he will help us, even if we believe that there is no way out, because for Jehovah everything it is impossible.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

When the Israelites met in strong battle against the Hagrites there was a huge difference, the army of two and a half tribes numbered 44,760 while the Hagrites numbered over 100,000. Even so, they were able to defeat them thanks to the support and trust of Jehovah and they sought him for help and their God responded favorably, giving victory and great spoils of war.

In the same way we want to trust in Jehovah, but also be equipped with the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit, the Word of God, our warfare is spiritual in the midst of great disparity of conditions, since our enemies win us in quantity so much invisible as visible. But the support we receive from Jehovah and heavenly beings will surely give us victory over enemies.

In the governorate of King Saul. There was a war between the tribes that lived east of the Jordan (Israelites) and the Hagrites, this time the tribes to the east (Israelites) defeated the Hagrites. And the most outstanding thing was that the tribes that lived east of the Jordan fought with fewer men and the Hagrites were more than double. The reason for this achievement was that they cried out to Jehovah for help.

Thinking about the victory over the Hagrites will help us a lot, because although they were more than twice the number of the Israelites, they were defeated. Not only because the Israelites were brave, but especially because they trusted in Jehovah and cried out to him for help. So when we face problems that seem insurmountable, we must face them boldly, cry out to Jehovah for help trusting in the power of prayer, and meditate on examples from Bible stories like this one, showing that Jehovah never forsakes his faithful servants when They are in serious trouble.

What spiritual pearls have you found about Jehovah, the ministry, and other topics in this week's Bible reading?

1 Chronicles 4:9,10. We see that Jehovah granted Jabez's fervent request to peacefully enlarge his territory to accommodate God-fearing people. This text teaches us that we too must give from our hearts that our enthusiastic participation in the work of making disciples bears fruit.

1 Chronicles 5:1. For Joseph, receiving the birthright meant that he would obtain a double portion of the inheritance, which is why he became the father of two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, while the other children of Israel only gave rise to one tribe each.

1 Chronicles 5:1. This text teaches us that not controlling carnal desires can get us into serious trouble and deprive us of many blessings. Without a doubt, sin can seem very tempting and attractive, but the consequences are so bitter. And thinking well it is not worth it to unleash our bad wishes.

1 Chronicles 5:10. This example encourages us to trust in Jehovah as we equip ourselves with the shield of faith and the Sword of the spirit the word of God. And we equip ourselves because we participate not in a physical desire, but in a spiritual warrior in the midst of great inequality of conditions, and we can see that every week in the preaching.

1 Chronicles 6:31,32. In this text the singers of the temple are mentioned. Without a doubt, they had the musical talent, without microphones and digital equalizers to praise Jehovah with his voice. Although we are not professional singers, we can freely sing in the Kingdom hall in order to praise Jehovah in the congregation.

1 Chronicles 4:43. This was the last time that this tribe, the Amalekites, is spoken of in the scriptures, and it is because the Amalekites constantly insisted on going against the will and regulations of Jehovah, therefore, he decreed that they would be eliminated from the earth. Although on many occasions they managed to conquer land or survive, in the end what Jehovah had predicted was fulfilled, thus showing us that Jehovah always punishes those who deserve it, especially those who oppose his will and his people.

1 Chronicles 4:1. Although Javez had a very high economic position and undoubtedly a very good reputation among those who knew him, he stood out for his desire to promote true worship, so Jehovah granted Javez's fervent request to peacefully expand his territory to accommodate more God fearing people. This teaches us that today we also have the opportunity to express to Jehovah our desire to help others. We, too, must earnestly pray that our enthusiastic participation in the disciple-making work will bear fruit and that we may attend to the interest in the truth of some who still want to hear the message of truth.

1 Chronicles 5:1. Reuben's privileges of having an important role in the nation of Israel were lost because he dishonored his natural position as firstborn. None of Reuben's descendants became one of Israel's judges, prophets, or leaders, all because of past wrongdoing. We must take care of our Christian behavior because if we act carelessly without thinking about the consequences as Ruben did, some may suffer the loss of special privileges in the Christian Congregation, but due to undeserved kindness we can recover and have Jehovah's forgiveness but let us not abuse the mercy of God. Rubén suffered the consequences and so did we.

1 Chronicles 5:1, 2 . In these verses we see that Reuben's birthright passed to Joseph. What did it mean for Joseph to receive the birthright? It meant that he would get a double portion of the inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17). For this reason he became the father of two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, while the other children of Israel only gave rise to one tribe each.

1 Chronicles 6:28. Joel and his younger brother Abijah had been appointed judges by their father, who was Samuel, but their conduct was very similar to that of Eli's sons, demonstrating dishonesty in the performance of their duties, which served as an excuse for the people. ask for a human king. This example, and that of others, are a clear warning to Christian parents in helping their children to love Jehovah by their own faith and to see clearly the right way to conduct themselves in the path of truth, so that they may prove to be examples to others. others in the congregation and for their good conduct praise Jehovah.

1 Chronicles 5:20. The Israelites who lived in the land of Gilead, seeing the need to expand their territory and in harmony with the promise that Jehovah had made to Abraham to give him those lands, asked Jehovah for help, trusting that he would help them to conquer those lands, and thus it was. Similarly, today all of the organization's achievements are due to Jehovah's intervention, for we could not have accomplished so much without his help. This strengthens my faith in knowing that we act according to Jehovah's will and he, on his behalf, gives us his help and protection to be able to fulfill our service to him.

1 Chronicles 5:20. The Israelites knew that by their own means it was going to be very difficult to obtain the victory since they did not have the necessary resources to achieve it and although they knew that Jehovah had promised that they would obtain the victory, they did not trust themselves but on the contrary, they prayed a lot to obtain the help of Jehovah and fulfill what was promised. Today we also know that Jehovah has already written the end of this system, but we do not stop making every effort to support Jehovah, we must constantly pray for him to help us and we can see and enjoy the fulfillment of all the promises that without fail God will take care of come true.

1 Chronicles 4:10. He shows that Jabez, a descendant of Judah, prayed to Jehovah and among the things he asked for was his protection, and Jehovah granted him what he had asked for. This teaches me that asking Jehovah in prayer for his protection is in accordance with his will. So in this sense we should not hold back. And also this protection we can ask for both in a spiritual sense and in a physical sense.

1 Chronicles 5:1. It shows that Reuben defiled the marriage bed of his own father. For which he lost his right of firstborn, before this it is interesting to know that none of Reuben's descendants became judge, prophet or Leader of Israel. This shows how serious disrespecting Jehovah and our own parents can be.

1 Chronicles 5:12. He shows that when Reuben lost his birthright, this birthright passed to Joseph's sons. Which meant that he would get a double portion of the inheritance. Therefore, in the future he would become the father of two tribes, while the other children of Israel would only give rise to one tribe each. This is a very interesting detail that teaches us that in spiritual Israel he will also have two portions.

 1 Chronicles 5:26 . It shows that Jehovah moved King Pul of Assyria to banish the Reubenites among the first to be taken captive. Furthermore this tribe did not stand out above its fellow tribes of Israel ever. This is most likely because Reuben disrespected his father and Jehovah by desecrating Jacob's marriage bed, with which he lost the right of firstborn. This teaches me that Jehovah's punishments and disciplinary provisions can be passed down even to several generations.

1 Chronicles 6:31,32.Since David was an excellent musician and singer, he wanted to use those gifts to praise Jehovah, so they decided to choose the best singers and musicians. It must have been impressive and moving to hear the songs of praise to the Most High, those who listened did so with gratitude as the Levites exalted Jehovah in song. Many of the songs in Sing Joyfully to Jehovah are written as if they were a prayer to God, allowing us to express our feelings to him. Other songs motivate us to encourage the brothers to show love and do good works. So it is convenient that we know the melody, the rhythm and the lyrics of the songs well, to achieve this we can listen to the sung versions that are available on jw.org, by practicing the songs at home we will learn to sing them with confidence and with our heart.

1 Chronicles 6:31. It shows that David recognized the importance of worshiping Jehovah in song. Hence, he chose specific people to sing to Jehovah. This teaches me that singing of Jehovah is a privilege, in addition to being part of our worship, that is why we must arrive on time to the congregation meetings and stay until the end to be able to praise our God with songs in union with our brothers.

1 Chronicles 4:10. The story of Jabez shows a character that is spoken of very little in the Bible. However, this story shows that Jehovah is the hearer of prayer, and the fact that this passage is in the middle of genealogies is also surprising. The fact that Jehovah wanted to mention him in the Bible is strengthening for all his faithful servants. , because it encourages us to pray to him and ask him for what we need with the confidence that he will hear and answer our prayers.

1 Chronicles 4:9,10. It shows that Jehovah granted Jabez his fervent request to peacefully enlarge his territory so that he could house more God-fearing people. This teaches us that we, too, should heartily pray to Jehovah that our enthusiastic participation in the disciple-making work will bear abundant fruit.

1 Chronicles 5:20. It shows that in the days of King Saul, the tribes that dwelt east of the Jordan River defeated the Hagrites although their number was more than double, it also shows that this Victory was granted to them by Jehovah because they trusted him and cried out for him. help. This teaches me that in the same way we must totally trust Jehovah in this spiritual warfare that we are waging against satan and his demons.

1 Chronicles 5:18-22. He shows that the Gileadites hoped that Jehovah God would help them. The story says that it was to God that they cried out for Help in the war, and adds that he allowed himself to be prayed for on their behalf because they trusted him. This teaches us that the example of the Gileadites is worthy of being imitated by all servants today.

1 Chronicles 5:1 shows that when Reuben lost his birthright, two problems arose: The vacancy had to be filled to complete the 12 tribes of Israel, and the firstborn rights had to be granted to someone else. This text teaches us that Jehovah simply resolved both issues with a single action, when he granted full recognition to Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, Rachel's firstborn. Another lesson that we learn through this text is that when something in our eyes seems very complicated or impossible for Jehovah, it is something very simple.

1 Chronicles 6:16, 31 and 32. It shows that the Israelites, when celebrating the festivals in the sanctuary of Jehovah, listened to the singers and musicians of the tribe of Levi and what they heard they did with gratitude, as the Levites exalted Jehovah with his Song. This teaches us the importance that the lyrics and music that we use in songs dedicated to God in our worship should not be mixed with popular rhythms or lyrics or songs that are in fashion in the world; on the contrary, we must keep in mind that these songs are a form of praise so that its purpose is higher.

1 Chronicles 4:9,10. Jehovah granted Jabez's fervent request to peacefully enlarge his territory to accommodate more God-fearing people. We can imitate his example, praying heartily to Jehovah that our enthusiastic participation in the disciple-making work will bear fruit.

1 Chronicles 4:21. In this verse the families of the manufacturers of fine cloth from the house of Asbea are mentioned. The word house can have different meanings in the bible, for example, using this word, it can refer to a family that resides in the same house or all the descendants of a man, it can also refer to a royal residence, a priestly lineage , etc. In this case, it refers to a group of workers employed in the same profession, not necessarily being direct family. This passage encourages me to deepen my study of the Bible in order to come to a correct understanding of the scriptures.

1 Chronicles 4:22, 23. These texts mention the names of Israelites who were recognized as “royal potters” who worked for the king. A difficult task because they had to be capable and skillful men to transform the clay into a beautiful piece or object. This teaches me, that in the same way, . Jehovah has given us parents the very important task of "being potters" and modeling our children, as if it were "clay", so that they become responsible and balanced adults. Skilled parents do not leave the hearts of our children to chance, rather, "we educate them in the way they should go" so we will have transformed them into good people who have Jehovah's approval.

1 Chronicles 5:1. This text mentions the reason why Reuben was not included in the genealogical records with the right of firstborn, was: because he contaminated his father's bed. He allowed selfish desires to control him which led him to commit sin and thus forfeit this right. This teaches me how important it is to take time to reflect on the damage we would do to ourselves and to others if we let ourselves be overcome by bad desires. Therefore, to remain firm we must take "spiritual measures" that protect us and make us hold our spiritual heritage in high esteem, that will encourage us to avoid sin.

1 Chronicles 6:16, 31,32. The Chronicles record mentions that "expert singers or musicians" descended from the three sons of Levi, this detail indicates that singing was of great importance in the worship of Jehovah God. This teaches me: that music and singing will always be part of the worship of Jehovah, therefore, it gives us the opportunity to express what we feel for our Creator. Some of us may say: "I don't know how to sing", but the truth is that, for Jehovah, no voice that sings praises to him is "out of tune". So let's sing with all our soul because it is a way to declare our love, adoration and praise to our God Jehovah.

1 Chronicles 4:9. When reading this verse, we may wonder: Why would his mother have called him that? Was it her that she gave birth to him in more pain than usual? Would she have been left a widow, and would she be lamenting that the child's father was not present? The Bible doesn't say it. Still, the day would come when this woman would have good reason to be proud of Jabez. Her other children may have been righteous as well, but “Jabez became more honorable than his brothers.”

1 Chronicles 4:10. We see that Jabez prayed for the peaceful enlargement of his territory, and the reason was evident. Since he wanted to accommodate more God fearing people. He realized that he couldn't do that in his own strength, but he fervently prayed for God's help. Applying his example, we too can work for the enlargement of our territory in an individual sense and we can do it through specific prayer and zealously striving to make disciples.

1 Chronicles 4:39,40. This text mentions that the shepherds found good and abundant pastures for their sheep, in our days Jesus Christ the excellent shepherd gives us spiritual food through the Bible and the organization. Therefore, how obedient sheep we must have the determination to take advantage of the spiritual food available in our language, especially in the Bible, the reference, the diagrams, the complementary tools of the JW site, All of this will provide us with a solid base in knowledge deep and nutritious of the Word of God what is Bible.

1 Chronicles 4:4. Among the first descendants of Judah, son of Jacob, "Salma the father of Bethlehem" and "Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah the father of Bethlehem" are mentioned. The fact that these characters are called that way may indicate that they were ancestors of the Israelites who later they came to occupy Bethlehem.

1 Chronicles 4:9, 10. Jehovah granted Jabez's fervent request to peacefully expand his territory to accommodate more God-fearing people. We, too, must earnestly pray that our enthusiastic participation in the disciple-making work will bear fruit.

1 Chronicles 4:39, 40. Some scholars recommend that in 1 Chronicles 4:39, 40 “Gedor” be replaced by Gerar, as the Septuagint Version does. This account associates Gedar with a region originally inhabited by the Hamites and which had good pastures, a description that fits with the Biblical references to the surroundings of Gerar.

1 Chronicles 5:1, 2. For Joseph, receiving the birthright meant that he would obtain a double portion of the inheritance, thus he became the father of two tribes, namely, Ephraim and Manasseh, while the other children of Israel they only gave rise to one tribe each.

1 Chronicles 5:23. In 1 Chronicles 5:23 "Baal-hermon" is cited along with Senir, Mount Hermon, and the region of Bashan to delimit the territory occupied by the half-tribe of Manasseh. It is possible that it refers to a city or place near Mount Hermon, or also to the entire mountainous region of Hermon.

1 Chronicles 6:22-24. To determine the relationships, it is usually necessary to examine the context or compare parallel lists or texts from different parts of the Bible, in 1 Chronicles 6:22-24 there are listed ten "sons of Cohat", but in verse 18 of the same chapter and in Exodus 6:18, only four sons are attributed to Cohat. A study of the context allows us to conclude that the list of "sons of Cohath" that appears in 1 Chronicles 6:22-24 is actually part of a genealogy of families of the Kohathite line, some of whose representatives David appointed for certain temple duties.