The long list of names that follows presents a history of God's work in the world from Adam through Zerubbabel. Some of these names reminds us of stories of great faith, and others, of tragic failure.

  About most of the people named, however, we know nothing. But those who died unknow to us are known by God. God will also remember us when we die.   

   David loved the Lord and wanted to build a Temple to replace the Tabernacle, but God denied his request. David's greatest contribution to the Temple would not be the construction but the preparation. We may be unable to see the results of our labors for God in our lifetime, but David's example helps us understand that we serve God so he will see his results, not so we will see ours.