Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 7

Verses 1-40

Qualification and Duty

I. 'Fit.' We must be fit for whatever the times are fit. Some have lived in controversial times; they have been fit for controversy, strong in argument, defiant in spirit, intrepid and courageous in the last degree. Others have been born in times of suffering, deprivation, persecution, and yet they may, by the mercy and lovingkindness and condescension of God, have been fit; the fight has gone out of them, but the endurance has come into their blood, and endurance is a kind of fighting. Some have had to show their Christian faith in mighty deeds of valour; it has been an action of the arm, muscular, long, felling arms. And others have fought in their own way with quite as much courage, though it was never in the journals, as any soldier in any battle ever displayed. 'Fit to go out for war and battle.' Many have been fit to do that who have not been fit to simply sit down and suffer.

II. Now let us look at the text on the very highest level as expressing a great destiny, as fulfilling obediently, and with a kind of struggling joy, the destiny to which the Spirit of the living God has called us. No man is fitted except by the Spirit of God to do any really beneficent and lasting work in society. All true ministry is a Divine vocation, whatever may be its name or its aspect, whether it is suffering or valour, whether it is writing or merchandise, or preaching or statesmanship; whatever it may be, the power or the qualification of it is in the fact that it is God's doing and God's holy will. What hast thou thou hast not received? Thy qualification is a Divine qualification; therefore do not boast of it. No man who recognizes God as the giver of gifts can ever be vain. If a man has the gift of God in him, that gift displaces the fiend or imp of vanity, and he who can do most of himself thinks least.

III. Now what is the object or purpose of being fitted? What does it all come to? It all comes to service. What is the good of being furnished, fitted out, equipped, or whatsoever it may be called, if there be no definite and concrete end? We do not want ornamental faith or ornamental piety. Can he fight? Yes. Then bring him forward. Can he heroically suffer? Yes. Then produce him, where his influence can be most deeply and divinely felt. Can he exemplify the Christian character either in service or in suffering? He can. Then introduce him, mark him on the register fit fit fit. We have had enough of ornamental piety.

Joseph Parker, City Temple Pulpit, vol. v. p. 109.

References. X. 13. H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit, No. 1884. XI. 7, 8, 9. J. M. Neale, Occasional Sermons, p. 59.