"The Course Of Abia" in Luke 1:5


"The Course Of Abia"

(or "the priestly division of Abijah" in some translations) mentioned in Luke 1:5 – regarding the birth of John the Baptist refers to a specific group or division of priests in the Temple of Jerusalem during the time of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

In 1 Chronicles 24:10, King David organized the priests into 24 divisions, each responsible for serving in the temple for a set period. One of these divisions was called Abijah (or Abia in some translations).

Historical context:

  • Abijah was one of the descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses, who was the first high priest of Israel.

  • The priestly divisions were responsible for various tasks in the Temple, such as offering sacrifices and maintaining rituals. Each division served in the temple for one week at a time, twice a year.

  • The division of Abijah was the 8th division, and priests from this division would serve during specific periods, with their rotation being essential to the functioning of the Temple.

So, in Luke 1:5, when it says Zechariah "belonged to the priestly division of Abijah," it tells us that Zechariah was a descendant of Aaron and served as a priest in the 8th priestly division. This connection is important because it shows the role Zechariah played in Jewish religious life and gives us a sense of the precise time and order of events related to the birth of John the Baptist.

In 1 Chronicles 24:7-18, King David assigned the priestly duties among 24 divisions, each with a specific time to serve in the Temple. Here are the names of the 24 courses of priests that David established:

  1. Jehoiarib

  2. Jedaiah

  3. Harim

  4. Seorim

  5. Malchijah

  6. Mijamin

  7. Hakkoz

  8. Abijah (Abia)

  9. Jeshua

  10. Shecaniah

  11. Elieashib

  12. Jakim

  13. Huppah

  14. Jeshbeab

  15. Bilgah

  16. Immer

  17. Hezir

  18. Happizzez

  19. Pethahiah

  20. Jehezkel

  21. Jachin

  22. Gamul

  23. Delaiah

  24. Maaziah

Each course served for one week, twice a year, and these divisions helped ensure the proper functioning of temple rituals and duties.




I hope these messages and the artwork bless you. If so, please leave a comment! I look forward to hearing from you. I do not take credit for (most of) the pictures here on the TEACHINGS BLOG part. Those are either AI generated or found on free image sites on the web. However there are a couple that I personally did, and will be marked as such.The ones on the art pages, ARE work that I did myself.

Comments

Post a Comment

Welcome! Thank you for visiting! However, ANY swearing, cursing, condemning OR blasphemy will be deleted

Popular Posts

Fish, Fire, and Forgiveness: A Morning With the Risen Jesus

Image
  The moment when Jesus, risen from the dead, appeared to His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias is one of the most beautiful and fascinating episodes in the Gospel of John ( John 21:1-14 ). This seemingly simple encounter, when the disciples catch 153 fish after a night of catching nothing, holds rich layers of meaning that stretch far beyond the physical miracle itself. In this encounter, Jesus not only reveals His identity and mission but also lays down a profound teaching about the Church, the gathering of souls, and the provision of God to His disciples. Through careful examination of the Hebrew Scriptures , Greek texts , and early Christian understanding, we can uncover the deep spiritual significance behind the number of fish and the details of this miraculous event. Jesus Appears on the Shore The scene begins with Peter and six other disciples—having returned to Galilee after Jesus' resurrection—deciding to return to their former lives as fishermen. After ...
Read more

FORGIVENESS EQUALS FORGIVENESS

Image
Here is a difficult topic for just about everyone I know. I hope it is a blessing to you and helps you to overcome the problems we all face with forgiveness. This is what God gave me as I was going through my life of hurts.  He dealt with me seriously. It is kind of long, so bear with me please! =D   **************  Emotions are strange. But bad emotions are easy to figure out. Emotions, like anger, fear and resentment result from one simple thing - unforgiveness. That's all. Period. But not the end of our discussion. These emotions are caused by unforgiveness of sin that was committed against us, or some sin we have committed against someone else. Sin is sin in God's eyes no matter what it is. If it is against God's commandments, it is sin. Anything that is not of God is sin. We were born into it through the sin of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God's commandment for them not to eat off of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:16-17 And the L...
Read more

The Unseen Battle

Image
Standing Firm in Faith It’s a paradox of the Christian life, isn’t it? To be told to fight an enemy we cannot see, to walk through this life in faith, yet to be told by our flesh, our minds, that the fight is sometimes invisible, and the victory feels just out of reach.   It’s like being in a storm, with no horizon in sight, and no lighthouse guiding us through the fog. The unseen forces pulling at us, pulling around us, making us feel so small, so vulnerable. We don’t always see the bigger picture, and often, we can’t even feel the presence of the One who promises to be with us. There’s a tension between the spiritual truths we know and the emotional, physical, and mental battles we face daily. And if we’re honest, sometimes it feels like we’re fighting blindfolded, with nothing to hold on to. It’s not a new problem either. This goes all the way back to the heart of the garden, to the very beginning. God spoke to Adam and Eve, gave them everything, set them in the Garden of Ed...
Read more