Equality

In 1 Chronicles there are lots of lists of families. Lots of honourable families. I found this verse interesting at the end of 1 Chronicles 24

The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.

This is referring to the casting of lots. That each family had equal opportunity to be pulled for any lot. And whatever lot you got, that was it. It was all equal. You got your shot, now sit in your lot. (though I think the lots were for jobs)

There is another comment about the census in chapter 27:

23 David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less, because the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. Wrath came on Israel on account of this numbering, and the number was not entered in the book of the annals of King David.

So Joab put all that work into the census and they all got punished for it and the work was all in vain, because it wasn't what God wanted them to be doing.

Census

I'm sure this verse gets lots of discussion. After David does a whole bunch of battles and settles down, this happens:

1 Chronicles 21:1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

Now a census doesn't seem like a bad thing, but evidently it is some sort of bad thing as when David tells Joab to do it, Joab is like- what are you doing buddy? Joab knew it was wrong. For what reason it was wrong I don't know. Maybe counting your troops makes you think you can accomplishing things in your own strength so they weren't allowed to count them.
But Joab does the census because David insisted and Israel gets punished, though David takes responsibility, At the end:

1 Chronicles 21:29 The tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the desert, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Because he did something wrong, it caused a block in his relationship with God.

Chronicling

I'm about half way through 1 Chronicles. I thought I had written a post on it earlier but I guess not.
Some things that stuck out
-Tamar, Judah's daughter in law that he slept with when she pretended to be a prostitute is in Jesus' family tree
-Joab, Asahel and Amasa that were in the story of David back a few books, were his (David's) cousins. I don't think I had grasped that before.
-in 1 Chronicles 12 the fighting men come "fully determined to make David king over Israel" (v.38) and they do and they have a party and the result is "joy in Israel" (v. 40). Looks like unity brings joy.

We pray for unity in our Church and homes that we may have the joy You desire us to have in You.