Context No. 2901 of 4322 · 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 9:10-16: in context

10Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11and Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of God’s house; 12and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah; and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13and their brothers, heads of their fathers’ houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty; they were very able men for the work of the service of God’s house. 14Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph, 16and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

This is a roster of the priests and Levites who came back from exile and settled in Jerusalem, listed by family. Among them are seventeen hundred and sixty men described in a single telling phrase: very able men for the work of the service of God's house.

It is another list to skip past, but hold on to that phrase, able men for the work of the service. These were not celebrities or heroes. They were the people who did the daily, unglamorous labor of the temple, the gatekeepers, the singers, the ones who kept the lamps burning and prepared the bread. Chronicles takes the trouble to name them because the ongoing worship of God depends on ordinary, capable, faithful people showing up to do their assigned part. God's house runs on the named and able who serve steadily out of the spotlight.

Am I content to be one of the "able men for the work," faithful in an assigned, unnoticed service that keeps God's house running?

Sources

1 Chronicles 9:13: "They were very able men for the work of the service of God's house."
1 Corinthians 12:22: "Those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary."
Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men."