The REST...

This morning, I was having a "great experience" reading the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 4! This rather dry section of scripture is illuminated by the couple verses (v.9-10) that so many people have been focused on in the past couple years...where God blessed Jabez and answered his prayer.

Although I noticed these verses, and although they were a challenge to me to live honorably, it was the last verse in this dry chapter that really grabbed me. Here's what verses 42-43 say, "And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day."

The words that jumped out at me were "THE REST". Apparently years earlier when the people of Israel were instructed to wipe out their enemies, the Amalekites, they didn't do a thorough job, and some escaped. No doubt these "rest" ended up causing serious problems to them, so one day a group of God's people decided to finish the job. (good for them!)

Let's say that the Amalekites represents sin in your life. God told you to wipe it out of your life, and you did...uh, kinda! Now it's time to finish the job and take care of THE REST!