In Matthew 1, we contemplate the unique and dysfunctional family trees that we are born into…and that Jesus Himself was born into as well. His own family tree underscores the truth that Christ came to redeem our dysfunctions and make us part of His forever tree – the family of God.

Celebration and Thanksgiving – after David’s and Israel’s abundant freewill offerings to supply the building materials needed for the temple/house of the LORD in Jerusalem (a successful capital campaign), David tells the people to “Bless YHWH your God.” The entire assembly bows in homage and blesses Yahweh.

The Christian churches in Macedonia were in the midst of a special collection to bless famished Christians in Jerusalem. Under Titus’s leadership, Paul gives them three truths to encourage them to complete the collection. Truth #1 - those who sow generously will reap a generous yield (and visa-versa). Truth #2 - give from the heart without reluctance, for God loves cheerful givers. Truth #3 - God stands ready with all His grace to supply us with everything that we need to live generously. In fact, in verse 8 all is emphasized 5x! As we look to our faithful future, God will see that we have ample provision in every way to carry forth His good work in our community and beyond.

Joshua and the Israelites have reached a pivotal moment in redemptive history. Moses – their leader for the previous 40 years – is dead, and they stand on the cusp of Canaan, God’s long awaited promise to the patriarchs. The LORD speaks assurance to Joshua: He is giving them this land; He will be with you as with Moses; He will not leave nor drop you – only hold firmly to hear and practice His Word. With the LORD, God’s people always have a faithful future – here in time, and there for eternity.

In our pilgrimage with Jesus, we stand on the work and shoulders of many saints who have gone before us (i.e., “the cloud of witnesses that surrounds us”). Our confession approves giving threefold honor to the saints and their legacy. The first is thanksgiving: we ought to give thanks to God because He has given examples of His mercy…and because He has given teachers and others gifts to the church. Since these are the greatest gifts, they ought to be extolled very highly, and we ought to celebrate the saints themselves for faithfully using these gifts just as Christ praises faithful managers [Matt. 25:21, 23]. The second kind of veneration is the strengthening of our faith. When we see Peter forgiven after his denial, we, too, are encouraged to believe that grace truly superabounds much more over sin [Rom. 5:20]. Moreover, our faith is strengthened when we consider previous hardships saints have endured yet persevered in Jesus. The third honor is imitation: first of their faith, then of their virtues, which people should imitate according to their callings. [Apology: Article XXI, par. 4-7]

Through the cross and blood of Jesus Christ, we who were once far off have been brought near to God and to each other. Hence, Paul likens us and our new lives in Christ to a building, an impressive structure, a holy temple, in which Jesus is our cornerstone - the chief and critical stone in the corner of a foundation that bonds the entire structure together and it is both square and stable.

When Nehemiah - cupbearer to King Artaxerxes - hears that the Jewish resettlers in Jerusalem “are in great evil/distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates burned with fire,” he prays for God to give him success and compassion before the king. The king grants Nehemiah to go and rebuild Jerusalem, for “the good hand of God was upon” Nehemiah (2:8). While in Jerusalem for 3 days, Nehemiah secretly examines the walls and gates by night. He then summons the officials, the priests, the nobles, and the Jews “to arise and build” (2:18).

After several decades in Babylonian exile, YHWH stirred the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to build Him a house in Jerusalem. Cyrus decreed by voice and letter throughout his kingdom, “Whoever there is among you of all His people…let him go up to Jerusalem…and build the house of YHWH…. And everyone who is remaining, from every place where he is sojourning there, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, with the freewill offering for the house of God.” The heads of the people (including the priests and Levites) whose spirit God had stirred to go up and build the house of YHWH arose, and all those who were surrounding them made strong their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with choice-gifts, besides all that was freely offered. Furthermore, the heads of the fathers when they came to the house of YHWH freely offered for the house of God to cause it to stand on its foundation. According to their strength, they gave to the treasury…gold, silver and priestly tunics.

With God’s people graciously settled in Canaan, the second capital campaign in the Bible is the Jerusalem temple, a “permanent” structure where God would continue to dwell with His people. King David leads the campaign. His personal, above-and-beyond offering for the LORD’s house flows from his profound understanding of both who and whose.

The building of the tabernacle is the first capital campaign in the Bible. God longs to physically dwell among His people, and He will do so through a holy tent on their way from Egypt to Canaan.