Lots of Trust

I Chronicles 27:25 Over the king's treasuries was Azmaveth the son of Adiel; and over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers, was Jonathan the son of Uzziah; 26 and over those who did the work of the field for tilling the soil was Ezri the son of Chelub; 27 and over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite; and over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. 28 Over the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah was Baal-hanan the Gederite; and over the stores of oil was Joash. 29 Over the herds that pastured in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite; over the herds in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai. 30 Over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite; and over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite. 31 Over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. All these were stewards of King David's property.

Military leaders were trusted by David to oversee the safety of the land.  Spiritual leaders were given new, up-to-date roles in temple worship. Now, we find stewards were entrusted with the economic resources of the kingdom. To be a steward is a great responsibility, indicating a lot of trust. The chapter closes by listing his cabinet members, who informed him when big decisions were to be made. We will find later that one of them betrayed him when his son Absalom rebelled.  What has God entrusted to you? Are you a good steward?

Let There Be Music!

I Chronicles 25:5 All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer, according to the promise of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 They were all under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king. 7 The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the Lord, all who were skillful, was 288. 8 And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.

Besides reorganizing the priests and Levites for service in the Tabernacle (temple that would be built), David organized the musicians.  We know that David himself had deep musical interest, but even more so, he saw music as a big part in worship.  He wrote it, participated himself, and here arranged to it to be an ongoing part of worship in Jerusalem.  But like the other roles above, he saw it as a privilege and calling to serve, not make a name for oneself.  The focus was (and still should be) for all who come to worship God to want to, feel free to, and joyfully worship God together. Do you?

New Methods; Same God

 I Chronicles 23:25 For David said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. 26 And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service.” 27 For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered from twenty years old and upward. 28 For their duty was to assist the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God. 

Scripture is real and practical. When David was arranging for the building of the temple, he realized that things had changed. Since the people were finally being permanently established, they no longer would be traveling with the Tabernacle. The jobs of the Levites were changing, but their calling was the same. They would be keeping the temple clean and functioning well. In a sense there were even more jobs to be done. The same is true for us individually and for the church.  Methods change; responsibilities adjust, but the worship of God remains. He is Holy, as always.

Getting off Track...

I Chronicles 21:21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground. 22 And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.” 23 Then Ornan said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.” 24 But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 25 So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. 26 And David built there an altar to the Lord and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. 27 Then the Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

Between the passage above and what we looked at yesterday, there are some brief descriptions of the many battles and wars David won.  Of more importance to the historian is what happened in this chapter. David held a census - not because God told him to, but because he was getting too self-confident.  The fall-out was horrible, with thousands dying by "the sword of the Lord." David had less men for his census. This was a lesson for David, his people, and us.  God needed to be put back on the throne. Who is your life all about?

Who Am I?

 I Chronicles 17:23 And now, O Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as you have spoken, 24 and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 25 For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. 26 And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O Lord, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

As David and Israel celebrated the return of the Ark and the renewed consecration of the Tabernacle at Jerusalem, they also commemorated the Covenant God was renewing with His people and their leader. In response to God's Covenant, David responds with a prayer that begins in verse 16: "Who am I, Lord, that you would do this?" Included in that was the sentiment that it was not because of how wonderful David was or his people were that all this was happening. It was because, and only because, of God being so great and merciful.  May we start the day with that same perspective and stay that way. "It's you, Lord." 

Someone to Sing about!

 I Kings 16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
    Tell of his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his place.

As we saw yesterday, one of David's first orders of business was to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the Tabernacle in Jerusalem. When he did so, there was a great celebration. There was a cause to sing! Being the great songwriter he was, David wrote and sang this song. Above is only one of the verses, but it gives a glimpse of the theme: God is worthy to be praised by all men - especially His people. He is the real, true, and living God, who does great things.  We should not be able to keep ourselves from singing.  What holds you back from singing? Nothing should, no matter what kind of singing voice you have. Sing to the Lord!

First Orders of Business.

 I Chronicles 15:25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.

Once David was established as king in Jerusalem, his first order of business was to rid Israel of the constant threat by the Philistines (see chapter 14). The first order of domestic business was to return the Ark of the Covenant to Israel, and in particular, to the capital.  All of Israel and her surrounding nations needed to see and know that the only way the kingdom would work was if God was center and foremost in the kingdom.  When this happened there was a wonderful worship celebration. Some were not as excited as David (see the following paragraph in the passage), but David and other true Jews knew that's the way it needed to be. Have we made God front and center in our lives?