1 Chronicles 21:1-30 - Fear of the Lord’s Sword?

1 Chronicles 21:1-30

The Census of Israel and Judah (2 Samuel 24:1–25)

1 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.”

3 And Joab answered, “May the LORD make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?”

4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem. 5 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword. 6 But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.

7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel. 8 So David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

9 Then the LORD spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10 “Go and tell David, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.”’”

11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Choose for yourself, 12 either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the LORD—the plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

13 And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

14 So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell. 15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. As he was destroying, the LORD looked and relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who was destroying, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

16 Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17 And David said to God, “Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.”

18 Therefore, the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at the word of Gad, which he had spoken in the name of the LORD. 20 Now Ornan turned and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves, but Ornan continued threshing wheat. 21 So David came to Ornan, and Ornan looked and saw David. And he went out from the threshing floor, and bowed before David with his face to the ground. 22 Then David said to Ornan, “Grant me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it to the LORD. You shall grant it to me at the full price, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

23 But Ornan said to David, “Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all.”

24 Then King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.” 25 So David gave Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place. 26 And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD; and He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering.

27 So the LORD commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath.

28 At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. 29 For the tabernacle of the LORD and the altar of the burnt offering, which Moses had made in the wilderness, were at that time at the high place in Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

King David listened to satan to take a census of God’s people to determine their strength for himself instead of trusting God’s strength to increase their number and to trust it was enough for every battle since He fought for them.  It was not the strength or number of the army that mattered, and David listened to the deceiver to lose that trust in this act with dire consequences to teach him and us that the battles belong to the LORD and not our ability to gain the victory, still ever so true in the war for the souls of people for deliverance from the adversary and sin through the gospel work of Christ Jesus and not our efforts to drag or force them into the kingdom of God.  David faced a choice of consequences for his sinful and doubting actions that affected the people, even though he pleaded to take the punishment himself and spare the sheep.  The choices were: three years of starvation, three months of defeat with the sword of their enemies overtaking them, or three days of the sword of the LORD (a plague) to cut their numbers down.  He chose to fall into the hand of the LORD in His mercies over the hand of men who were merciless.  The plague killed many until David saw the angel of the LORD standing over Jerusalem, his city, with the sword of the LORD drawn ready to destroy them there.  He and the people humbled themselves in repentance and the sword was withdrawn.  He built an altar on a threshing floor there to worship with sacrifices to appease God, a picture of Jesus Christ threshing His people (Isaiah 27:12, 58:8, Luke 3:17) with forgiveness through repentance and faith in His deliverance from the sword of the final judgment we all face for not trusting and obeying His word by grace.  The LORD then withdrew His sword from destruction just as He will for all who take Him at His word of the gospel by faith through repentance and deliverance for the eternal consequences of trying to save ourselves in our own strength and actions against the sin initially brought to us all through our adversary in Eden’s Garden.  We now daily continue to sacrifice our very lives (Romans 12:2) on the threshing floor of grace based on His work that numbers us as His own and not in our (Romans 3:23, 6:23) efforts which always fall short of the intended perfection only the Son of God and man can do.  Do we have fear of the Lord’s sword?  We should only be afraid of the sword of the Lord if we refuse to believe and receive (John 1:12, 5:24) this good news of deliverance while standing on the threshing floor of salvation for deliverance from the consequences of sin inherited from Adam and continued daily in our lives now.  May we offer the sacrifice of praise (Psalm 107:22, Jonah 2:9, Hebrews 13:15) along with our very lives in return for our deliverance from that which cost us nothing by His good grace! 

1 Chronicles 20:1-8 - Do not Shy Back from Battle!

1 Chronicles 20:1-8

Rabbah Is Conquered (2 Samuel 11:1; 12:26–31)

1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the armed forces and ravaged the country of the people of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And Joab defeated Rabbah and overthrew it. 2 Then David took their king’s crown from his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance. 3 And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. So David did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Philistine Giants Destroyed (2 Samuel 21:15–22)

4 Now it happened afterward that war broke out at Gezer with the Philistines, at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Sippai, who was one of the sons of the giant. And they were subdued.

5 Again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

6 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, with twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot; and he also was born to the giant. 7 So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

8 These were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

The mistake began to be made by king David was to listen to some advisors to stay home out of the battles that they did not risk losing him as their leader after a close call before.  He should have been out in the fray, leading the forever as kings do by example and to direct the efforts.  Instead, general Joab led the army to victory over Ammon and put that king’s crown on David along with all the riches of the spoils gained.  The people of Ammon were put to forced labor as spoils of war as well.  We see the results of David’s idleness in 2 Samuel 11:2 where he saw a beautiful woman bathing on her rooftop next door and the consequences (2 Samuel 11:4-5, 26, 12:9, 10, 13-14) that led to with his mind unoccupied with war strategies.  The battles raged on against the enemies of the LORD and His people such as with the Philistines mentioned here, with giants falling by the hands of him and his men that were accredited to him as their king.  His shying back from the battle for safety (Proverbs 29:25, Hebrews 10:38, 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Peter 3:14) is an example for us to avoid, choosing to stand firm in the Lord for the battles of souls and hearts in proclaiming the gospel (Ephesians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 16:13, Ephesians 6:10-11, Colossians 1:10-11) instead.  Do not shy back from the battles, dear brothers and sisters!  The warning is clear: we are to engage and be strong in the Lord in the power of His might as our King of kings and Lord of lords instead of drawing (Hebrews 10:39) back and allowing an entrance to sin through idleness like king David.

1 Chronicles 19:1-19 - Dishonor, Shame, and Consequences

1 Chronicles 19:1-19

The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated (2 Samuel 10:1–19)

1 It happened after this that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.

3 And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”

4 Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 Then some went and told David about the men; and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

6 When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Syrian Maacah, and from Zobah. 7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. Also the people of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.

8 Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 9 Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array before the gate of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

10 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the people of Ammon. 12 Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 15 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and entered the city. So Joab went to Jerusalem.

16 Now when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought the Syrians who were beyond the River, and Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan and came upon them, and set up in battle array against them. So when David had set up in battle array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians, and killed Shophach the commander of the army. 19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants. So the Syrians were not willing to help the people of Ammon anymore.

When king David wanted to show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, king of Ammon, the son of the deceased king listened to the leaders of the people of Ammon instead of David’s messengers bringing condolences from good will.  They stirred up a conspiracy of spying and ill-will, and then shamed the messengers in a most disgusting way and sent them away.  The people of Ammon realized they had angered David and his mighty kingdom under God and hired help from the Syrians and other armies like mercenaries to help defend themselves from the dishonor and shame they had inflicted on the messengers of good news who had been so badly treated for their message which they had disbelieved and discarded.  They face dire consequences for those actions when David sent general Joab to attack Ammon.  The battle turned and the Syrians fled after godly wisdom gave good and effective tactics against them.  David’s army soundly routed the Syrians and they made a peace treaty as a consequence of their defeat for siding with sinful Ammon which they promised never to do again.  There is a parallel to the army of God in Christ here.  The ones disbelieving the gospel who shame the messengers bringing hope and good will will be held accountable (Revelation 6:10, 11:18) in the day of judgment for their rejection of the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17) and shaming of His children (Luke 21:12, Acts 7:51-52, Romans 1:16, 1 Peter 2:20-21) who bring the good news of reconciliation to the King of Kings and entrance into the eternal kingdom to them.  This account of dishonor, shame, and consequences teaches us to listen to the gospel and not the lies of conspiracies against the truth, and to turn from sin and its consequences to the King who calls us to peace (Romans 5:1) with Him through the message preached in seeming (1 Corinthians 1:21, 27, 28-29) foolishness.  Who do we believe and follow?  Do we honor God by believing His Son’s message of reconciliation or allow the shame of the world to keep us from peace with God? 

1 Chronicles 18:1-17 - Perseverance through God’s Preservation

1 Chronicles 18:1-17

David’s Further Conquests (2 Samuel 8:1–14)

1 After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines. 2 Then he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute.

3 And David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his power by the River Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.

5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So the LORD preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Tibhath and from Chun, cities of Hadadezer, David brought a large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze Sea, the pillars, and the articles of bronze.

9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent Hadoram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou); and Hadoram brought with him all kinds of articles of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold that he had brought from all these nations—from Edom, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 He also put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went.

David’s Administration (2 Samuel 8:15–18)

14 So David reigned over all Israel, and administered judgment and justice to all his people. 15 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Shavsha was the scribe; 17 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers at the king’s side.

King David found God’s preservation of him through the victorious battles and thus persevered through it all.  He was used to defeat the enemies of the people of God because the battle belonged to the LORD (2 Chronicles 20:15, Proverbs 21:31) and not to him.  He was preserved to reign victoriously and “administered judgment and justice to all his people.”  We who are in Christ are likewise preserved as we persevere in the knowledge that we are delivered forever from the enemy by His victory over sin and death.  This is the perseverance of the saints as we fight the good fight and rely on His victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) in the battles (Ephesians 6:10-11, 12, 13, 18) we face with the Lord wielding the sword of victory in His word (Hebrews 4:12, Romans 8:38-39) of the gospel that frees His people from eternal bondage (Hebrews 2:14-15) of sin and its consequences.  We experience preservation from God for salvation that cannot be lost and persevere to the end in this certain hope. 

1 Chronicles 17:1-27 - Established Kingdom of the Messiah

1 Chronicles 17:1-27

God’s Covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:1–29)

1 Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under tent curtains.”

2 Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

3 But it happened that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: “You shall not build Me a house to dwell in. 5 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Israel, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. 6 Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’“‘ 7 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. 8 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 9 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 10 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the LORD will build you a house. 11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.”’”

15 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

16 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 17 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O LORD God. 18 What more can David say to You for the honor of Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 O LORD, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt? 22 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.

23 “And now, O LORD, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said. 24 So let it be established, that Your name may be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 25 For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You. 26 And now, LORD, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant. 27 Now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You have blessed it, O LORD, and it shall be blessed forever.”

God promised the establishment of the kingdom of God through the Messiah to king David, the seed of David as his descendant according to the flesh (2 Samuel 7:12, Isaiah 9:7, Jeremiah 23:5, Romans 1:3-4) and His descendant as the Seed promised to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15) from the beginning.  He made a covenant promise to David that no man could negate or deny, a certain promise made by the LORD who (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:1-2) cannot lie.  David then promised to build a house for God as he had done for himself that the Ark of the Covenant promise of God should be housed in a temple worthy of the One to whom all worship and praise is due.  God told david through the prophet Nathan, however, that he would not do so but his son would after him.  The LORD Himself would build the house and establish the kingdom through the Seed of David to establish and keep His people for His name’s sake.  We know this is speaking of Jesus Christ because He also says, “I will be his Father, and he shall be My son,” as it is written in Matthew 3:17 and described elsewhere.  The Kingdom and throne of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Seed and Messiah, is established eternally by this covenant promise to David and to all God’s people through this One.  This is the gospel preached from the be of time to His people which we who now are in Christ are.  Like David before us, we now cry out, “Who am I, O LORD God?” that He should deliver us from our deserved consequences of sin, both inherited from Adam and daily committed ourselves even now.  We are redeemed by Christ and His work on the cross (Galatians 3:13) and established forever in this eternal kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!  Because He has blessed us as with David, we shall be blessed forever according to our faith in Him and repentance from our sin.  Yes, this is the account showing us the Established Kingdom of the Messiah as promised by an eternal covenant through king David to all who are in Christ according to the New Covenant in His sacrificial lifeblood that seals it for eternity. 

1 Chronicles 16:37-43 - Regular Worship Ministry

1 Chronicles 16:37-43

37 So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly, as every day’s work required; 38 and Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren, including Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers; 39 and Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place that was at Gibeon, 40 to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the Law of the LORD which He commanded Israel; 41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because His mercy endures forever; 42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, to sound aloud with trumpets and cymbals and the musical instruments of God. Now the sons of Jeduthun were gatekeepers.

43 Then all the people departed, every man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.

After king David had wrote the song sung by Asaph and the others, and their praises swear offered to the LORD before the congregation, everyone left to go home and David blessed his own house as well when he returned from this magnificent worship service before the presence of God before the Ark of the Covenant of His presence among His people.  They had worshipped with their whole hearts, minds, and strength with trumpets, symbols, and other “musical instruments of God” played by those assigned to do so, presumably to include the lire and such.  They had spent their worship time in offering sacrifices and living in obedience to God’s word as their pattern of worship.  This is a pattern for our worship today as well.  We are to worship the Lord with all our heart, mind, and strength; this means our hearts should be set in devotion to the Lord in our worship, that our minds sing songs inspired by God as the Psalms or other scripturally accurate spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16) just as His word should be the basis of our singing praise (Psalm 119:54), and that our strength of effort to worship in word and deed should be seen in those chosen to lead worship with the talents given them to play instruments that enhance our corporate worship time and not distract from it.  The focus of worship therefore should be honoring and pleasing our Lord together in devoted, scriptural, wholehearted corporate exaltation of our great God and Savior (Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1), Jesus Christ, in the New Covenant of His lifeblood as we stand and kneel in His presence together.  This is our regular worship ministry to Him. 

1 Chronicles 16:7-36 - Everybody Sing Your Praise to the LORD!

1 Chronicles 16:7-36

David’s Song of Thanksgiving (Psalm 96:1–13; 105:1–15; 106:1, 47, 48)

7 On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the LORD:

8 Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!

10 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
11 Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!

12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
13 O seed of Israel His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

14 He is the LORD our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
16 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac,
17 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel for an everlasting covenant,
18 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the allotment of your inheritance,”
19 When you were few in number,
Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

20 When they went from one nation to another,
And from one kingdom to another people,
21 He permitted no man to do them wrong;
Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
22 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”

23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
24 Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.

25 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
He is also to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the LORD made the heavens.

27 Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and gladness are in His place.

28 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
Give to the LORD glory and strength.
29 Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

30 Tremble before Him, all the earth.
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be moved.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”

32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.
33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the LORD,
For He is coming to judge the earth.

34 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

35 And say, “Save us, O God of our salvation;
Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.”

36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD.

This song reminds me of the contemporary one based on the Psalms echoing these words, ‘sing your praise to the LORD, everybody, come on and sing hallelujah!’  After David had brought the Ark of God’s Covenant into the place of worship where the priest met with the LORD, he penned this magnificent song of praise which they all sang together under the leadership of Asaph and the singers to thank God and revel in their praise of His glory and presence.  They sang together call on His name and make His wonderful works for them known to all the people of the world who would hear.  As they talked of His wondrous deeds, they were to glory in God’s name from the heart and not just in rote words of a song; they were to pursue knowing Him in this way as they relied solely on God for their strength in fighting the good fight, valiant for the truth of His word to them to reach the world as promised to Abraham (Genesis 22:17, 18) through them as his descendants of faith which we (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:13, 16, 17, Galatians 3:8-9) are also in Christ as His people also now in Christ.  We then also as His children are to remember and speak of His works, His wonders, and judgments throughout time from the beginning of time where the fall of man showed us,our need of redemption and the people of Israel became the channel of our redemption in Christ as the Seed of Abraham by faith.  This is the gospel message from Genesis 3:15 to the last verse of the book (Revelation 22:20) where we anticipate the consummation of our eternal redemption in His presence forever and ever, amen!  The song talks of His righteous judgment on the earth that necessitates our redemption by His work in Christ alone to think about and always dwell on our new covenant foreshadowed to Israel, the covenant in His sacrificial lifeblood on the tree of our curse removed forever (Colossians 2:14, Galatians 2:20, 3:13), our everlasting covenant of God’s grace in His Son in whom we have believed (John 17:3, 1 John 5:11, 20) and entrusted with our lives.  He protected His prophets and people and now looks after we the people made one with them in Jesus Christ that we may daily proclaim this covenant of the faith of Abraham to the world that shows His glory in our salvation so the world may join us in giving glory to our Creator God in awe and wonder of all He has done and will do until the end of time.  We are also to offer ourselves as living sacrifices of worship in the beauty of holiness as we follow Him and His word by grace and commitment to Him.  Our message is a warning that the earth will be shaken but we who are in Him will not (Hebrews 12:28) be moved in the end when the world and heaven are shaken.  Yes, because He is coming to judge all the earth, we desire that all may join us in proclaiming, “the LORD reigns!”  His mercy and grace are immeasurable in saving us from the due wrath to come that He may gain the glory and praise due to Him with triumph in the air all around us in Christ.  Blessed be the LORD God and our Lord Jesus Christ!  Say amen and praise Him together; everybody sing your praise to the Lord for His work of salvation! 

1 Chronicles 16:1-6 - Offerings and Blessings

1 Chronicles 16:1-6

The Ark Placed in the Tabernacle (2 Samuel 6:17–19)

1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3 Then he distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins.

4 And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; 6 Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God.

When David put the Ark of God’s Covenant in the tabernacle, he had the priests make offerings to the LORD for their sins and for peace with God based on His covenant promises to them as His people.  He then blessed the people further by distributing food to every single person there, giving them bread with meat and raisin-cakes to sustain them.  He then appointed Levite priests to serve the LORD before the Ark of His presence and others to sing and play instruments of praise to the LORD with harps, trumpets, and cymbals to enhance the worship and honor God with exuberant joy.  Do we worship our Lord with such feeling of joy for our salvation as we partake of the bread of life from heaven (John 6:32-33, 51) and sacrifice ourselves in worship (Romans 12:1) in His presence together in the congregation (Psalm 22:22, Hebrews 2:12-13) of His people lie we consider the peace we have in our redemption (Romans 5:1) through Jesus Christ our Lord and King?  May we continually offer thanksgiving and praise to our Lord God with lives laid down on the altar as living sacrifices because we have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) and share in His death to sin and live to Him with thankful joy and praise for all His blessings of life with and in Him forevermore (Psalm 133:3) as we stand confident in the New Covenant in His sacrificial lifeblood.  He dwells in our tabernacles of these bodies that we might continually offer the sacrifice of praise (Psalm 107:22, Jonah 2:9, Hebrews 13:15) in living for Him in deserved holiness.  Amen! 

1 Chronicles 15:1-29 - Celebrating the Presence of God

1 Chronicles 15:1-29

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:12–16)

1 David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.” 3 And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4 Then David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and one hundred and twenty of his brethren; 6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and two hundred and twenty of his brethren; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and one hundred and thirty of his brethren; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and two hundred of his brethren; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and eighty of his brethren; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and one hundred and twelve of his brethren.

11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. 13 For because you did not do it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”

14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. 15 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

16 Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren, the sons of Merari, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers; 19 the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound the cymbals of bronze; 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with strings according to Alamoth; 21 Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to direct with harps on the Sheminith; 22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful; 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark; 24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah, doorkeepers for the ark.

25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom with joy. 26 And so it was, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music master with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. 28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps.

29 And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.

King David learned from the previous mistake that only the properly assigned priests could carry the Ark of God’s covenant presence into the place of worship.  He proclaimed God’s word that only the Levites would bring it to the place prepared by him in the tabernacle tent until his son Solomon built a more permanent temple to meet the LORD in and offer acceptable sacrifices there in the presence of the Holy One on the mercy seat of propitiation between (Exodus 25:17, Leviticus 16:2, Hebrews 9:5, Romans 3:25) the angelic cherubim bowing before Him in worship as we now do in the presence of the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ seated on the throne of grace.  They brought the Ark of the Covenant rightly into the place of worship and along the way, king David led the procession with singing instruments and voices of praise, likely the Psalms he and the priests composed under divine guidance.  David celebrated the preserve of God with unreserved joy in playing music on his harp exuberantly.  Unfortunately, his wife Michal had the attitude of her father Saul to despise such worship by her husband and it corrupted her heart.  May we worship decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40), yet with overwhelming and overflowing joy expressed freely to worship in God’s presence in the New Covenant of grace in the sacrificial lifeblood of the slain Lamb of God who is also our eternal High Priest ministering salvation to we His people from the mercy seat in the heavenly places which the earthly was patterned (Hebrews 8:5, 9:23, 24-25, 26, 27-28) after where angels worship night and day where He is seated above.  May we celebrate the presence of God living in these temples (1 Corinthians 6:19, Romans 12:1, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5) which we are who are the called and chosen people of God called to freely and wholeheartedly worship in His very presence! 

1 Chronicles 14:1-17 - Established Kingdom under God

1 Chronicles 14:1-17

David Established at Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:11–16)

1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. 2 So David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.

3 Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters. 4 And these are the names of his children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

The Philistines Defeated (2 Samuel 5:17–25)

8 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”

The LORD said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”

11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

13 Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

King David knew the kingdom was established with him as king over God’s people Israel when he looked around at how the LORD had exalted the nation and brought help and a name in both victorious battles and prosperous expansion.  But it was not for their own prosperity or gain, but for the people of God’s sake and honor in all He did for them to give the glory to His name and not their own.  The king himself prospered with many sons and daughters, though he had wandered from the original design of marriage established between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:27, 2:22, 24, 5:2) in the day of man’s creation.  The LORD then used David to defeat the ungodly who blasphemed God’s name with idolatry and immorality, beginning with the Philistines.  He did not attack them arrogantly but in humility, asking God if he should attack those seeking to kill him and invade Israel.  The LORD told him to do so because He would win the battle, handing them over to David’s hand to defeat in His name and not his own to make it clear that the battle always belongs to the LORD.  They attacked, the Philistines ran away and left their deaf and speechless idols behind for David to burn as to destroy the very idea of worship to false gods (Exodus 20:3, 34:14, Isaiah 44:6, 9, Romans 1:22-23, 1 Corinthians 12:2) of man’s own hands.  God then had David and the army of God listen to and follow His tactics to circle the enemy and wait for God to stir up the wind as a signal to attack the enemy when they were prepared for defeat.  God went before them, just as He does now in the proclamation of the gospel by preparing hearts to either hear or reject and face judgment accordingly.  We do not deliver anyone from the enemy; God as Spirit does the inner work of the battle for men’s souls as Nicodemus (John 3:3, 8, 14-15, 18) was told by the Lord.  Jesus establishes His unseen Kingdom, not an earthly one, in us (Luke 17:21, Colossians 1:27) under God through the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) that He won on the tree of His self-sacrifice and which we receive and participate in by faith as we fight the good fight of the battle for liberty from sin’s eternal consequences.  The battle still belongs to the Lord!