1The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. 2The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 3The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar…
33Here are the men who served, together with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel…47the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. 1 Chronicles 6, excerpts
True confession time here — you didn’t read it, did you? Eighty verses; mostly names. “I can go ahead on to our New Testament reading for today, John 14:1-24.” That’s all right; you’re in good company. Not to point out anyone specific here, but I know someone pretty well who may have done that a time or two.
When reading the New Testament, do you skip over Matthew 1? Luke 3?
Let’s step back a minute. I know you believe as I do, that “all scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). Surely you don’t believe God inspired prophets, apostles, and other writers to pen words that were unimportant. I don’t believe that. So what possible importance could a simple list of names have to us?
I suggest that’s the wrong question. I further suggest a better question is this: what possible importance could a simple list of names have to God? I can’t answer that, but I know two things. One, that Mahli and Mushi, Amram and Izhar, Heman the musician, and the tribe of Reuben were all just as precious to the Father as was Moses, Abraham, and Isaiah, and so are Bob and Randy, Powell and Matt, Scott and Charles…
He knows our names! (Matthew 10:29-30)
Two, He knows their works of service. “Here are the men who served”, we are told (1 Chronicles 6:33). Many times, people who perform works of service for the Lord or for His church are named. We know Bezalel’s craftsmanship was responsible for the Ark (Exodus 37:1), and two chapters earlier, Oholiab is also named as an artisan. But in Exodus chapter 36 alone, mentioned 27 times, the unnamed congregation of “they” performed the numerous other works of service toward building the tabernacle. How many people today perform works of service for the Lord that only they and the Lord know about?
And yet He knows your name.