1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 24: Every priestly family has its turn

Begin in prayer

Before we read how the priests were divided into groups, let us pray together. Ask the LORD to show us that He is a God of order, and to lead us to Jesus, the Priest who lives forever.

House of Israel, praise Yahweh! House of Aaron, praise Yahweh!

Psalm 135:19

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You put Your priests in order, and show us Jesus, the Priest who lives forever. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

This chapter lists the divisions of the sons of Aaron, the family of the priests (verse 1). Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests (verse 2). David, with Zadok and Ahimelech, divided the priests into groups for their service (verse 3). Sixteen family heads came from Eleazar and eight from Ithamar, and they drew lots fairly (verses 4 and 5). The lots made twenty-four divisions, and Shemaiah the scribe wrote them down before the king (verses 6 to 18). Each division came into the LORD's house by the order Aaron had received from the LORD (verse 19).

As you read 1 Chronicles 24, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God put His priests in order, so every family had its turn to serve Him.

Aaron's four sons were priests, but Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children (verses 1 and 2). So the priestly families came from Eleazar and Ithamar (verse 2). David, with Zadok and Ahimelech, divided them into twenty-four groups by lot (verses 3 to 5). The text says they were divided impartially (verse 5), so no family was favored. This teaches that God puts His worship in order, and that every family He calls has a place and a turn. It matters because a house of worship with no order would become a place of confusion. It shows God as a God of order, as He commanded Aaron (verse 19). Zechariah served in Abijah's division, the eighth, when his turn came (Luke 1 verses 5 and 8). Priests died, and others took their places, but Jesus lives forever (Hebrews 7 verses 23 and 24).

How does 1 Chronicles 24 show us that God put His priests in order, so that every family had its turn to serve Him?

Eleazar and Ithamar were the priests after Nadab and Abihu died.

Aaron had four sons (verse 1). Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children (verse 2). So Eleazar and Ithamar served in the priest's office (verse 2). Their families grew into the priestly divisions.

David divided the priests into twenty-four groups by lots.

David, with Zadok and Ahimelech, divided the priests according to their service (verse 3). Sixteen heads of families came from Eleazar and eight from Ithamar (verse 4). They were divided impartially by drawing lots (verse 5). Shemaiah the scribe wrote them down before the king (verse 6).

Jesus is the Priest who lives forever.

Each priest in this chapter died in time, and another took his place (Hebrews 7 verse 23). Jesus lives forever, and His priesthood does not change (Hebrews 7 verse 24). He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7 verse 25). He always lives to plead for them.

Memorise

Thus were they divided impartially by drawing lots

1 Chronicles 24:5

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, have I come to God through Jesus, the Priest who lives forever?

The priests in this chapter served “according to the ordinance given to them by Aaron their father.” They took their turns, and each one in time died. Jesus is the great Priest who lives forever (Hebrews 7 verses 24 and 25).

Our sin separates us from God, and no priest on earth could finish the work. Jesus offered Himself once for all. On the cross He bore the punishment for His people's sin, and no other priest is needed. He rose from the dead, and He lives to plead for them.

So come to God through this Priest. Turn from your sin and trust Jesus. Whoever trusts Him is forgiven, and has a Priest who never dies.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God put His priests in order, and that Jesus is the Priest who lives forever. Parents, verse 2 mentions the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, which Leviticus 10 explains, so please read that gently. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He gave His priests an order, and that Jesus is the Priest forever, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 5:6

Father, thank You that You put Your priests in order, and that Jesus lives forever as the great Priest. Please turn each of us from sin to come to You through Him. Help us to praise You this week. Amen.