I Chronicles 15
David prepared for the proper coming of Arkverses 1-2
And David made him houses in the city of David
and prepared a place for the ark of God
and pitched for it a tent
Then David said
None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites
for them has the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God
and to minister unto him for ever
David called all Israel and Levites togetherverses 3-10
And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem
to bring up the ark of the LORD to his place
which he had prepared for it
And David assembled the children of Aaron – and the Levites
Of the sons of Kohath = Uriel the chief
and his brethren an hundred and twenty
Of the sons of Merari = Asaiah the chief
and his brethren two hundred and twenty
Of the sons of Gershom = Joel the chief
and his brethren an hundred and thirty
Of the sons of Elizaphan = Shemaiah the chief
and his brethren two hundred
Of the sons of Hebron = Eliel the chief
and his brethren fourscore
Of the sons of Uzziel = Amminadab the chief
and his brethren an hundred and twelve
David had priest and Levites purify themselvesverses 11-14
And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests
and for the Levites for Uriel – Asaiah – Joel
Shemaiah – Eliel – Amminadab
And said to them
You are the chief of the fathers of the Levites
SANCTIFY yourselves – both you and your brethren
that you may bring up
the ark of the LORD God of Israel
to the place that I have
prepared for it
For because you did it not at the first
the LORD our God made a breach upon us
for that we sought HIM not after the due order
So the priests and the Levites SANCTIFIED themselves
to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel
Levites carried Ark on their shouldersverse 15
And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God
on their shoulders with the staves thereon
as Moses commanded
according to the word of the LORD
David had Levites chose singersverses 16-18
And David spake to the chief of the Levites
to appoint their brethren
to be the singers with instruments of music
psalteries – harps – cymbals – sounding
by lifting up the voice with joy
So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel
and of his brethren
Asaph the son of Berechiah – and of the sons of Merari
their brethren Ethan the son of Kushaiah
And with them their brethren of the second degree
Zechariah – Ben – Jaaziel – Shemiramoth – Jehiel
Unni – Eliab – Benaiah – Maaseiah – Mattithiah
Elipheleh – Mikneiah – Obed-edom
Jeiel = the porters
David had instruments designatedverses 19-22
So the singers Heman – Asaph – Ethan
were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass
Zechariah – Aziel – Shemiramoth – Jehiel – Unni – Eliab
Maasiah – Benaiah with psalteries on Alamoth
Mattithiah – Elipheleh – Mikneiah – Obed-edom
Jeiel – Azaziah with harps on the Sheminith to excel
Chenaniah – chief of the Levites – was for song
he instructed about the song
because he was skilful
David had guards for the Ark chosenverses 23-24
Berechiah – Elkanah = were doorkeepers for the ark
Shebaniah – Jehoshaphat – Nethaneel – Amasai
Zechariah – Benaiah – Eliezer – the priests
did blow with the trumpets
before the ark of God
Obed-edom
Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark
People all went to house of Obed- edomverses 25-26
So David – and the elders of Israel – and the captains over thousands
went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD
out of the house of Obed-edom with joy
And it came to pass – when God helped the Levites that bare the
ark of the covenant of the LORD
that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams
All Israel brought Ark to Jerusalemverses 27-28
And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen
and all the Levites that bare the ark – and the singers
and Chenaniah the master of the song
with the singers
David also had upon him an ephod of linen
Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD
with shouting – sound of the cornet – trumpets – cymbals
making a noise with psalteries and harps
Michal observed David with contemptverse 29
And it came to pass – as the ark of the covenant of the LORD
came to the city of David – that Michal
the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw
king David dancing and playing
and she despised him in her heart
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them has the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister to HIM forever. (8334 “minister” [sharath] means to serve a deity by doing various commanded religious practices, serve, be an attendant to, wait on, be in service, or attend to the service of God)
DEVOTION: David learned his lesson. He went to the “book” to find out what was right in the area of properly moving the Ark of the Covenant. He studied to show himself approved of God. He learned from his mistake or sin. He stopped being angry at God for the death of Uzzah.
Now he was moving the Ark according to the law of Moses. He was making sure that there were sacrifices offered as they moved the Ark. He had the priest sanctify themselves or cleanse themselves before they carried the Ark. There was genuine worship in the Biblical way this time.
Each group was doing what the LORD had chosen them to do. This has to happen in our worship services as well. We need to have men in leadership who are chosen of God to be elders in the local church. We have to singers who have voices that honor the LORD leading the singing. We need doorkeepers who are properly called to be ushers of our churches. We need to make sure all of our worship services have the preaching of the Word of God. We have to make sure that we tell those outside of Christ that just saying a prayer doesn’t mean they are saved if there is no fruit to show their action was genuine.
Chosen leaders need to lead chosen children of God into a genuine worship service of praise and thanksgiving each Sunday. Each believer is to use their gift in the local church in honor of the LORD.
Children need to be taught what the gifts of the Holy Spirit are and encouraged to find out their gift while they are growing up in the church and uses in the area of their giftedness. It shouldn’t always be adults that are using their gifts even in children’s ministry. If children have the gift of singing, they can lead singing in children’s church. If they have the gift of speaking, they can be used to teach Bible lessons at an early age.
CHALLENGE: What has the LORD gifted you to do in the local church to bring glory to HIS name? Pew sitting in not a gift of the Holy Spirit!!!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 12 And said to them, You are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place that I have prepared for it. (6942 “sanctify” [qadash] means to be holy, removed from common us, subject to special treatment, to render holy or set apart by means of religious rites)
DEVOTION: It was the responsibility of those who served the LORD in the temple to prepare themselves for service. This included making sure they were ceremonially clean and that their clothes were ceremonially clean. They had to be prepared properly before they could come into the presence of the LORD.
If they were not clean during their service to the LORD HE could kill them for improper preparation. It was not something to be taken lightly by anyone who entered into the service of the LORD.
This is true even today. Those who are to minister to the people of the church needed to prepare themselves for service. It was not to be entered into lightly. There was to be confession of sin. There was taking the time to prepare a message that the LORD had laid on their hearts to speak to the people of the congregation.
If the pastor was not prepared before they entered the pulpit the message would not be coming from God but from the individual. The power of the Holy Spirit would not be present in the message to touch the hearts of those who were in the congregation.
If there was someone in the congregation that needed to become a believer it would not happen without a proper message and the working of the Holy Spirit.
Too often people can come and go from a worship service without a message from the Holy Spirit in their hearts that would change their service for the LORD.
God wants each Sunday to be a time of refreshment and challenge for those who attend. There should be a message that would cause believers to grow and unbelievers to want to accept Christ as their Savior.
Is this happening in your church each Sunday? Is it because the minister was not prepared or because the believers had not prepared themselves and prayed for their pastor’s message?
CHALLENGE: It is the believers and the pastor that need to be prepared to reach those who don’t know the LORD.
: 13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. (4941 “due order” [mishpat] means verdict, a sentence, divine law, custom, determination, manner, ordinance, or right)
DEVOTION: One of the requirements of a new king of Israel was that they were to write out a personal copy of the books of the law. If they all had done this, they would have known the commandments of the LORD.
David would have known how to move the ark of the LORD. If the Levites had been the teachers they were supposed to be, they would have told David that he had tried to move the ark in a wrong manner.
While they moved the ark in the wrong manner the cart went over a bump in the road and a man tried to steady it. He was killed by the LORD.
The king and priests not knowing what the LORD expected of them caused his death. Now David had asked the LORD how to bring the ark to Jerusalem and he did it in the right manner.
Even though David brought the ark in the right manner, his wife didn’t like what she saw. She didn’t want him to worship with joy before all the common people.
We need to remember that even when we do things the way the LORD wants us to do them, there will be some that will not like what we are doing. We are not people pleasers but we are here to glorify the LORD. We need to depend on the LORD and HIS word to tell us how to do things right.
In studying this procedure we find that the right way to worship the LORD included: sanctifying ourselves before worship, having an order of service to follow, having singers and musical instruments played, worship leader, and an offering to the LORD.
Are we following HIS instructions? Are we listening to HIS voice? “He that has ears to hear, let him hear the LORD” is a phrase the Word of God uses to warn us to listen.
A group of believers who want to honor the LORD must follow HIS instructions. Some church services don’t honor the LORD. Some honor the music. Some honor the preacher. Some don’t honor anyone or anything.
CHALLENGE: When we enter a place of worship we need to be prepared to honor the LORD. Look to HIM for guidance from HIS word. Enjoy the music as it honors the LORD. Leave ready to serve the LORD with joy!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams. (5826 “helped” [‘azar] means to give help or assistance, be of service, come to the aid of, succor, or support)
DEVOTION: Extra strength is needed at times for those serving the LORD. Here we find the priests offering sacrifices every six paces that the Ark was moved. David watched to see if anyone died in this movement of the Ark. He made sure that there was continual worship going on before the LORD.
The priests were part of the tribe of Levite. They had the function of moving the Ark from one place to the other. It was their responsibility but they needed the help of the LORD to be able to carry such a heavy object from one place to the other.
Some positions in the church carry heavier responsibilities than others. We are all judge by the use of our gift that the LORD has given us in our local church. If we don’t use our gift then the LORD has to chasten us until we use our gift for HIS honor and glory. If we are using our gift, HE continually challenges us to improve on our use of our gift. HE doesn’t want HIS servants to be lazy in the use of their giftedness.
Extra strength is needed during times of extra effort to improve our worship of the LORD. This takes time and effort to improve what is happening in our local body. There are times of prayer and fasting that are necessary to see what the LORD wants to see what should happen in our church. This might mean full nights of prayer by the congregation during certain seasons in the church history.
Improvement never comes easy but it is necessary. When we do something wrong first it always takes more effort to do it right in the future. David was able to do this and we should realize that we can too.
The testimony of the church is at stake. The community needed to know when there is a willingness to admit when we did something wrong. You don’t have to tell them it is communicated through the membership into the community very well.
CHALLENGE: What are you communicating to the community you are living in?
: 29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart. (959 “despised” [bazah] means hold in contempt, disdained, looked down on, think lightly, hold as a vile person or despicable)
DEVOTION: There are movies that seem to make despicable a good thing. Here we find a wife looking at her husband thinking that he was despicable for honoring the LORD with his worship. She thought he was acting below him instead of above him. HE was honoring the LORD who had anointed him king. HE was honoring the LORD who gave him victory throughout his wandering from Saul.
He was honoring the LORD with his worship because the first time he moved the Ark he had done it in the wrong manner and this time he was doing it right. All the people were there worshiping as well. He had the priests and Levites doing their proper responsibilities in the worship of the LORD the spiritual leaders of the nation.
Now we have to look at our spiritual leaders to see if they are doing worship right or wrong in the eyes of the LORD. Many in our world have the eyes of Michal instead of the eyes of the LORD as their focus. Michal thought he was overdoing his worship. She thought it should be more dignified. She thought he should act as a king instead of a regular worshiper. Her spiritual life was at the bottom rather than the top or she would have been with him in attitude toward the LORD. She was not.
When we worship the LORD are our thoughts only on how we can bring HIM glory during our time of worship or our public appearance before the other members of the congregation? Do we have to be dancing in the aisles of the church to truly worship the LORD? Can we worship in spirit and in truth with it showing on our face and in our singing praises to the LORD? When people look at us during a service do they see something that is genuine? Sometimes I say to the congregation that they look like they are sucking sour lemons while they are supposedly singing praises to the LORD.
It should not be forced our worship of the LORD. It should be genuine. We should be willing to do it even at home or while walking or while with friends.
CHALLENGE: Worship is part of our genuine characteristic as a follower of Jesus Christ. Does our face and actions show that we enjoy worshiping the LORD?
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Ark of Godverses 1, 24
Levites carry Ark of Godverses 2, 27
Levites minister to LORDverse 2
Children of Aaronverses 4-10
Son of Kohath – 120
Sons of Merari – 220
Sons of Gershom – 130
Sons of Elizaphan – 200
Sons of Hebron – 80
Sons of Uzziel – 112
Zadok and Abiathar – priestsverse 11
Priestsverses 11, 14
Sanctified servants neededverses 12, 14
Ark of the LORD God of Israelverses 12, 14
Children of Levites bare ark of Godverse 15
On shoulders with staves
Proper procedureverse 15
Chief of Levitesverse 16
Singersverses 16, 17, 19, 27
Instruments playedverse 16–21, 24, 28
Psalteries
Harps
Cymbals
Lifting up the voice with joy
Brethren of the second degree – portersverse 18
Doorkeepersverses 23, 24
Ark of the Covenant of the LORDverses 25, 29
Ark taken out of the house of Obed-edomverse 25
Givingverse 26
Chenaniah the master of the songverse 27
Shouting and musical instrumentsverse 28
Brought to the city of Davidverse 29
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Moses commandedverse 15
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator)verses 1, 2, 12-15, 24, 26
Ark of Godverses 1, 2, 15, 24
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 2, 3, 12, 13-15, 26, 28, 29
Ark of the LORDverse 3
Ark of the LORD God of Israelverses 12, 14
LORD our Godverse 13
Made a breach
Word of the LORDverse 15
Ark of the covenant of the LORDverses 26, 28, 29
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Breachverse 13
Not sanctifying selfverse 13
Not seeking LORDverse 13
Despisedverse 29
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for oursins)
Chosenverse 2
Ministerverse 2
Sanctify selfverses 12, 14
Due orderverse 13
Joyverses 16, 25
Covenantverses 25, 26, 28
Sacrificeverse 26
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Davidverses 1-29
Set Ark of God in order
Gathered all Israel to worship in Jerusalem
Set up worship and movement of ark
Clothed with a robe of fine linen
Had ephod of linen
Despised his wife Michal
Prepared place for Arkverses 1, 3, 12
Levites carried the Arkverses 2, 15
Children of Aaron and Levitesverses 4-24, 26-28
Moses commandedverse 15
Elders of Israelverse 25
All Israel gathered to worshipverse 28
Michal – daughter of Saulverse 29
Despised David for dancing and playing
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
15:29 The Chronicler’s perspective on Michal is slightly different than that of the longer account in 2 Sam 6:16, 20, 23. There it might appear that Michal’s reaction to David’s behavior was motivated by jealousy and by a misinterpretation of David’s motive. But here it is clear that like her father, Saul, Michal had no appreciation for the things of God. (Thompson, J. A. (1994). 1, 2 Chronicles (Vol. 9, p. 138). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)
The reference to Michal (v. 29), much briefer than in 2 Samuel 6:16, 20–23, should therefore also be understood corporately. Not only did she despise David, but also, uniquely in Israel, she was out of sympathy with the great joy and concern over the ark. ‘Typical of unfaith’ (Ackroyd), the isolation of Saul’s daughter was a further demonstration of the unfitness of Saul’s house to lead the people of God. (Selman, M. J. (1994). 1 Chronicles: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 10, p. 173). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)
The ephod was a surplice, or cape, worn in worship (Exod 28:6; 1 Sam 2:18). Beneath it David wore a robe of white linen—as did also the Levites—but in his enthusiastic devotion, dancing and celebrating with all his might before the Lord (v.29; 13:8, for the Chronicler was not trying to conceal a scandal, Keil, pp. 206–8; 2 Sam 6:14), he seems to have removed an outer garment and uncovered himself in a way that his wife Michal considered “unkingly” (2 Sam 6:20). David’s uninhibited love for God stands in stark contrast to the rigid, unsympathetic attitude of this daughter of Saul (cf. 2 Sam 6:21–23).
(Payne, J. B. (1988). 1, 2 Chronicles. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 388). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House)
15:29 David had married Michal the daughter of Saul at the beginning of his time of service in Saul’s court (1 Sam. 18:27). Their relationship had been stormy, perhaps in part because David had spent at least ten years in flight from her father. In fact, Saul had annulled the marriage and had given Michal to another man (1 Sam. 25:44). One of the conditions of David’s peace agreement with Abner and the reunification of the nation under David’s kingship was that Michal be returned to him (2 Sam. 3:13–16). Michal was one of the few links remaining between David and the dynasty of Saul. For the transfer of government from Saul to David to be complete, it was necessary for Saul’s daughter to be transferred back to David—even against her will. When Michal saw David rejoicing at the return of the ark, she despised him out of loyalty to her father and anger that she had been forced to return. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (1 Ch 15:29). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
15:25–29. Somewhere in the procession, perhaps at its head, David danced (v. 29), clothed in the garments of a priest (a robe of fine linen and a linen ephod, v. 27). Michal, his wife, watching from a window … despised him for she mistook his holy zeal for exhibitionism (cf. comments on 2 Sam. 6:20). (Merrill, E. H. (1985). 1 Chronicles. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 606). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Michal’s Contempt.—Verse 29
“One only incident tarnished its brightness. Michal, his wife, in the proud—we may almost say conservative spirit of the older dynasty, not without a thought of her father’s fallen house (2 Sam. 6:21), poured forth her contemptuous reproach on the king who had descended to the dances and songs of the Levitical procession. He, in reply, vowed an eternal separation, marking the intense solemnity which he attached to the festival” [Stanley]. 1. Springing from pride. She blamed him for exchanging royal robes for sacerdotal dress. He forgot his dignity, mixed with the common people, and put himself on a level with them. “Worldly hearts see nothing in actions of zeal but folly and madness” [Bishop Hall]. She could admire his valour, not his piety—the soldier, not the saint. 2. Punished with barrenness. “Michal had no child until the day of her death” (cf. 2 Sam. 6:20–23). This a dishonour, the deepest humiliation for an oriental woman. She unjustly reproached David, and God put her to perpetual reproach. As we sow, we reap. “God hath still a barren womb for mocking Michal,” says Trapp. (Wolfendale, J. (1892). I & II Chronicles (p. 66). New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)
Ver. 29. And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, &c.] Of the palace, to see the procession, see 2 Sam. 6:16, 20, 21, 22, 23. where not only this circumstance is related, and the inward contempt she had David in, because of his behaviour, but also what she said, and what David returned in answer to it. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 28). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Too many Christians think that because they can’t speak in front of groups or because they don’t have leadership gifts, they aren’t responsible to evangelize. There are a few who, like Andrew, understand the value of befriending just one person and bringing him or her to Christ. (p. 131, From Ordinary to Extraordinary by John MacArthur)
Do we engage with lukewarmness in private devotion? Is the fire of devotion burning dimly in our hearts? Do the chariot wheels drag heavily? If so, let us be alarmed at this sign of decay. Let us go with weeping, and ask for the Spirit of grace and of supplications. Let us set apart special seasons for extraordinary prayer. For if this fire should be smothered beneath the ashes of a worldly conformity, it will dim the fire on the family altar, and lessen our influence both in the Church and in the world. (Spurgeon, C. H. (2006). Morning and evening : Daily readings (Complete and unabridged; New modern edition.). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.)
There can be little doubt that this psalm was in the mind of John as he wrote Revelation 19:6-21. As he looked forward to the marriage of Christ, the Lamb, in heaven, he recalled how the bride clothed herself with acts of righteousness in preparation for Him (Rev. 19:6-8). Then John described the royal groom going forth to battle in righteousness (Rev. 19:11-21). Psalm 45, then, is typological of the greater Davidic King, Jesus Christ. (Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Ps 45:16–17). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
On Being A PASTOR by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg
It is as impossible to understand the Scriptures without the Spirit’s help as it is to read a sundial without the sun. (p. 74)
I try to remember to pray especially for the people who will be on the receiving end of the preaching, remembering their preciousness to God and His desire to feed them. We may become so caught up with our own sense of responsibility that we forget the very people for whom God’s Word is intended, and for whom we have been preparing the whole week. (p. 75)
Before ever we are shepherds and teachers, we are first and foremost sons of God, and our spiritual life demands to be nurtured. (p. 82)
Walking with someone implies being in step with that person and sharing his friendship and fellowship. A preeminent purpose of our devotional life is to keep ourselves in step with God, to check, as every new day opens and closes, that we are in harmony with Him.. (p. 83)
1 Kings 1
The prophet Nathan and Bathsheba join forces to ensure that Solomon replaces David as king.
INSIGHT
As Adonijah, David’s oldest living son, takes steps to become king, only Bathsheba and Nathan know of David’s desire that Solomon succeed him.
Circumstances seem grim to Bathsheba. Should Adonijah become king, she and Solomon most probably would lose their lives, being seen as threats to the throne. Yet it is God who establishes kings, and His will is that Solomon reign. Again, God demonstrates that He is in control-in spite of the foreboding circumstances.
As we consider the perplexing nature of circumstances in the world, we are tempted to lose heart, perhaps to question whether God is really in control. We should be reminded from this passage that He is. Whatever comes our way, the hand of God is there to see us through. It is something we must believe. (Quiet Walk)
THE URGENT NEED FOR REVIVAL TODAY
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Mark 9:28-29
The church is so constituted that every member matters, and matters in a very vital sense. So, I call attention to this whole subject [of revival] partly because I sense there is a curious tendency today for members of the Christian Church to feel and to think that they themselves can do very little, and so they tend to look to others to do all that is needed for them. This, of course, is something that is characteristic of the whole of life today. For instance, men and women no longer take exercise in sport as they used to. Instead, people tend to sit in crowds and just watch other people play. There was a time when people provided their own pleasure, but now the radio and television provide their entertainment and pleasure for them. And I fear that the tendency is even manifesting itself in the Christian church. More and more we see evidence that people are just sitting back in crowds while one or two people are expected to do everything.
Now that, of course, is a complete denial of the New Testament doctrine of the Church as the Body of Christ, where every single member has responsibility and has a function and matters, and matters in a most vital sense. You can read the apostle’s great expositions of that doctrine, for example in 1 Corinthians 12, where you find that he says that our less comely parts are as important as the more comely parts, that every part of the body is to function and is to be ready for the Master’s use, and always to be usable.
Unless we as individual Christians are feeling a grave concern about the state of the church and the world today, we are very poor Christians indeed.
A Thought to Ponder: The church is so constituted that every member matters, and matters in a very vital sense. (From Revival, p. 8, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).
The Secret Things
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)
This portion of Scripture follows a lengthy restatement of the covenant of God with His people, Israel. In this chapter, Moses reminded the people of the works that God had wrought on their behalf in their deliverance from Pharaoh, in His provision for them in the wilderness, and in His protection on the battlefield (vv. 2-8).
In this final address, he encouraged them to “keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do” (v. 9), and stated the various blessings that would be theirs if they would do so. Lastly, he described, in graphic and burning words, the results of breaking the covenant and incurring the judgment of God (vv. 18-27). “And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day” (v. 28).
In recognition of the limitations of humankind, Moses wrote in our text that there are certain things known only to God, which He has veiled—things that cannot be understood by the human mind—things that He simply chooses to keep to Himself. But he goes on to say that He has revealed certain things to us, and these things we must obey. Consequently, our text consists of a great principle of life: We must do what we know to do. We don’t know everything, but we must act responsibly and properly on what He has told us, leaving the “secret things” and their consequences to God. Elsewhere, He promises that even the secret things will “work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28) in His sovereign plan. We must obey, doing what we know to do, and leave the results with Him.
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
God of Justice
I trust in your unfailing love. Psalm 13:5
She was perhaps the greatest “scapecow” in history. We don’t know if her name was Daisy, Madeline, or Gwendolyn (each name has been suggested), but Mrs. O’Leary’s cow was blamed for the 1871 Great Chicago Fire that left every third resident of the city homeless. Carried by strong winds through wooden structures, the fire burned for three days and took the lives of nearly three hundred people.
For years, many believed the fire began when the cow knocked over a lantern left burning in a shed. After further investigation—126 years later—the city’s Committee on Police and Fire passed a resolution exonerating the cow and her owners and suggesting the activities of a neighbor warranted scrutiny.
Justice often takes time, and Scripture acknowledges how difficult that can be. The refrain, “How long?” is repeated four times in Psalm 13: “How long, Lord ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (vv. 1–2). But in the middle of his lament, David finds reason for faith and hope: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation” (v. 5).
Even when justice is delayed, God’s love will never fail us. We can trust and rest in Him not just for the moment but for eternity. By James Banks, Our Daily Bread)
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