Talents and service

This afternoon I thoroughly enjoyed reading First Chronicles chapters 10 to the end in The Living Bible online at BibleGateway.com. I am left with the three questions Bible teacher Madelon Maupin of BibleRoads.com has taught many of us to ask:

What does it say? What does it mean? What does it mean to me?

Well, the text says quite a lot (haha) and a slower re-reading is yielding fresh information and meaning. Here’s some of the story.

After the death of Saul, David is singled out to be the next king: “You shall be the Shepherd of my people Israel. You shall be their king” (I Chron. 11: 2).

The newly nominated king proceeds to amass an enormous and well-structured army (12:22), with The Top Three and The Thirty heading up warriors who are "expert archers and slingers" and who  "could use their left hands as readily as their right"!!, along with those proficient with "shield and spear" and "swift as deer" (12:2, 8 etc).

David's army was faithful, not only to their commander but to God. When some new recruits turned up and David queries their allegiance, there is a remarkable response (I Chron. 12: 18): “Then the Holy Spirit came upon them, and Amasai, a leader of The Thirty, replied,

"We are yours, David;

We are on your side, son of Jesse.

Peace, peace be unto you,

And peace to all who aid you;

For your God is with you."”

Having just finished reading Peter Fitzsimons harrowing recounting of The Battle of Long Tan, I am acutely aware of the expertise, courage, comradeship split-second timing and critical decision-making skills required in times of conflict, skills acquired through gruelling training and actual combat.

While most of us probably won’t be joining the armed forces soon, we will be needing to advance our skills and expand our talents. We may be reminded of Jesus parable of the fellows with the talents and how the one who buried his in the ground was left with nothing (Matthew 25). In both the Hebrew (Old Testament) and the Greek (New Testament) Bible, a talent was an ancient unit of weight or this weight in gold, silver etc (a large round coin says Strong’s Bible Dictionary), but “a capacity for achievement or success” (Macquarie Dictionary) works just as well in the following passage:

... And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD? ¶ Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.
(I Chronicles 29:5–7 3rd And)

Ah – it’s all about service.

Julie Swannell