Our Daily Bread

A Blessing to all Israel

I Chron. 16:1-11

“After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.” (2)

The ark of God finally arrived in Jerusalem and was set in the tent that David had prepared for it. This has deep symbolic meaning to all the Israelites. It meant that God was at the very heart of the nation. They were God’s chosen people, his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:6). The ark returning to its rightful place meant that David and all Israel wanted to be God’s people who worship God alone. They presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. No one can approach the holy God without a sacrifice. These offerings point to Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away our sin and brings us into the presence of God.

“After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.” (2) David blessed the people in the name of the LORD and gave each one a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins. God’s servant should bless others. David blessed the people in the name of the LORD.  The gift of bread, dates and raisins were a token of God’s abundant provision of grace that flows through his covenant of love. As we come to God through Jesus, we are experiencing the bread of life (Jn 6:35).

Then David appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to extol,^[a] thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel (4). One might call them prayer servants and praise leaders. They were ministers before the ark of the LORD. They led the people in prayer and praise. Worship is a celebration of our life with God. We as the church are meant to be a royal priesthood who declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Pe 2:9). 

Then David committed to them a psalm of thanks to the LORD.

“⁸Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done.
⁹ Sing to him, sing praise to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
¹⁰ Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
¹¹ Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always.”

As God’s people, we are called to worship God and make His name glorious. We glory in His name and tell of all His wonderful acts. 

Through this passage, I realized that the role of God’s servant is to bless others. God called Abraham to bless him and to make him blessing (Ge 12:2-3). Peter tells us that as Christians we are a royal priesthood and a holy nation to declare the praise of God who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Pe 2:9). Wherever I am, I should be a blessing to others.

Our Daily Bread

Obedience and Joy

1Chron. 15:1-29
“So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.” (28)

First, worship is coming to God in God’s way (1-15). This time David brought the ark of God in accordance with God’s word. The first time he attempted to bring the ark, he did not inquire of the Lord. The Levites were not in charge of carrying the ark so it turned into disaster (13). But this time David must have studied the Bible more carefully to see how to bring the ark of God. He prepared room for the ark and pitched a tent for it. We also must prepare room in our hearts for God’s word. When our minds are busy, we cannot hear God’s voice. “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more” (Mk 4:24). We must consider carefully what we hear. With the measure we listen, it will be measured to us. I believe that to the extent we make room in our hearts God’s word will be measured to us.  

Then he assigned the Levites to carry it and to minister before God. He called together all the descendants of Aaron and the Levites (listed in vs. 5-10). He spoke with the heads of the Levitical families and commanded them to consecrate themselves. He reminded them of the failure the first time. He said, “We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” We cannot come to God in our own way. This is equivalent to idolatry. We must come to God in the prescribed way. How do we come to God today? We come to the Father through the Son and by the Spirit. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” (Jn 14:6).There is no relationship with God apart from Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Jesus is the only name by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus is our Great High Priest who mediates for us.

The Levites then consecrated themselves to the Lord and they carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord (14-15). This is true worship because it was based on the word of God. Obedience to God’s word should be at the heart of our worship and of our whole Christian life.

Second, worship with joy (16-29). David also instructed the Levites “to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.” Music is very important in worship. We should make a joyful sound to the Lord. Even if we cannot sing well, we must still sing to the Lord. I noticed at a recent wedding one missionary who sang boldly from his heart as a gift to the couple. He did not have the greatest voice but he sang from his heart. This made it very beautiful. This is the kind of worship God is seeking. God is looking for true worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth. He is not seeking legalistic worship but joyful worship that comes from the heart. 

The musicians included singers, harpists, lyrists, cymbalists and trumpeters (17-24). Among them was even Obed-Edom who had kept the ark of God at his home. He had a double duty as a harpist and a doorkeeper. We must be ready to serve God by serving in various ways. 

As they brought up the ark of God, they sang with all their might. They were all clothed in linen. Even David was wearing a linen ephod and dancing before the Lord. His wife Michal, daughter of Saul, despised him as she saw him dancing before the Lord half naked. When we worship with joy and singing, there will always be those who do not understand what we are doing. Should we stop? Not at all. David continued even though he was a king. He was right there with the priests and Levites celebrating the return of the ark of the Lord. Praise God for such a man of God as David who loved God with all his heart and soul and strength. 

Father, I come to you by your Son Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let my worship life be according to your word. Help me to be a joyful Christian and sing and dance because of your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word: Come to God in His way and be joyful in His presence.

The Lord Prospers David the Prayer Warrior

I Chron. 14:1-17

“So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him” (17).

Lord, turn my eyes from worthless things; renew my life according to your word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Already, we have been studying how God built up David’s kingdom moving the hearts of so many mighty warriors to come to his side. There was great joy as the people celebrated David’s kingship. Although there was one tragedy as they brought the ark back. But overall David was seeking God at every turn. Today’s passage is about God who blessed David the prayer warrior.

First, Hiram the king of Tyre supported David’s kingship. Hiram was a good friend to David. As a gesture of good will, he sent cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to help build a palace for him. What a gesture of support! This was one more sign that God was pleased with having David king over Israel. David knew that the Lord had done this. He was mindful of God’s hand in all these events and that this was for the sake of his people Israel (2). He knew that the Lord wanted him to be a shepherd for his people, not an egomaniac like Saul. David is quite different from Saul in this regard. When we are victorious and blessed it is time to thank God. It is important to acknowledge God in all my ways and give thanks to him (Prov. 3:5,6; 1 Thess. 5:16-18). Also, it is important to see God’s blessing is given so that I may be a blessing. All the more, I must learn to be a giving person in the time of success. Why is God blessing me? It is to be a shepherd and a servant for his people. Ultimately, it is to be a world mission coworker.

(Note: In vs. 3-5, David took more wives and had more sons and daughters. Taking more wives may or may not have been a good idea but we know that having many sons and daughters means sibling rivalry. Later, this eventually resulted in tragedy when Amnon raped his sister and Absalom killed him. Perhaps, taking more wives represents sowing to please the flesh. One might say that David was sowing seeds that would bear bad fruit later on.) 

Second, David’s spiritual battles. “When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them” (8). The Philistines could see that David was going to be a great threat to them. They were stirred up and went to look for him. But behind the Philistines is the work of Satan. Satan is always jealous of the work of God and stirs up trouble when God works. What did David do? He did not sit back. He went out to meet them. He confronted his enemies head on. He went on the offensive. It is said that the best defense is a good offense. David is a wise general. But more than this, David was a spiritual general. He inquired of the Lord before confronting the Philistines. 

Each time he faced a battle, David inquired of the Lord and God gave him victory (10, 14). This shows me that David was much more than a warrior; he was a prayer warrior. Prayer is the real clout of God’s people. Prayer is our weapon against the devil. Prayer is dependence on God for victory. When we pray, we are saying to God, “God, I can’t do this alone. I need your help.” God is pleased as we depend on Him. David knew that he could not depend on his previous battle experience. He depended on God for victory. Then God gave David strategies for victory when he prayed. He is a spiritual warrior.

“So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him” (17). David’s fame spread and the Lord was glorified in his victories. God was working to make an environment for the kingdom. God is also working as we pray but our prayers should be aimed at expanding God’s kingdom not our own small kingdom. Then God will also give success in our personal lives and ministries. I am reminded of the Lord ’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come.” I must stay focused on expanding the territory of God’s kingdom in my heart, my family and my ministry. I must keep the focus on the kingdom of God, not merely my success. This is the secret to all success: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…” (Mt 6:33).

Lord, help me to depend on you for victory in every area of life. May your kingdom come and your will be done in my life. Help me to gain the victory in leading my family, doing the work you have given me in HQ and in ministering to others. Help me to be a prayer warrior who is focused on your kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word:  Victory comes from God!

Our Daily Bread

Live in the Presence of God

1 Chron. 13:1-14

David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name. (6)

David had a holy desire to bring back the ark of God to the City of David. It had been neglected during the reign of Saul. What does the ark of God symbolize? The ark symbolizes God’s presence with his people. The ark became the place of atonement, meeting and revelation between God and Israel. Blood was sprinkled on the cover of the ark to make atonement for the people. It is said that there above the mercy seat between the cherubim God met with his people. Inside the ark were the two stone tablets (the Ten Commandments), a jar of manna and Aaron’s rod that had blossomed and budded. We meet God through hearing his word as the Ten Commandments suggest. David bringing back the ark represents a return to God and restoring the covenant relationship with God, for the ark was also known as the ark of the covenant.

When we come to God’s word in the morning it is like renewing the covenant with God through the blood of Jesus. I need to hear God’s word daily so that I can live in God’s presence. Without God’s word, I am like a fish out of water, lost and directionless. 

Bringing back the ark was a joyful occasion. The people were dancing and singing before the Lord. Our Christian life should characterized by joy. 

But then something happened to interrupt their joy. Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark. When he did this, he was showing irreverence for God. No one was allowed to touch the ark. God is holy. At that moment, God struck Uzzah and he died before God. Suddenly, joy turned to anger and grief because of sin. Here, I am reminded that God is holy and that as sinners we must approach God in God’s way. It is good to be joyful and praise the Lord but we must do so with reverence. We must come to God in God’s way. We come to God through the Son. Jesus is our Mediator and our Great High Priest. No one can see God without the Son. The blood of Jesus is our atonement cover. This is the only way that sinners can approach God. Jesus Christ is central to my relationship with God.

After this event, David was afraid of God. He did not bring the ark to the City of David. Instead, he sent it to the house of Obed-Edom the Giddite. The passage ends with this statement: “The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had” (14).

Although God had broken out against Uzzah for putting his hand on the ark, ultimately God wants to bless his people. God blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he had. The presence of God is awesome and fearful. At the same time, the presence of God means blessing. We should revere God and come to God in God’s way but we must not cower before God like slaves do before a mean master. God is a benevolent and loving God. He wants to bless us. The condition is that we must come to God in His way and revere Him as the holy God.

Lord, help me to come to you through the Son and by the Spirit. Thank you for your word. Help me to live in your presence daily and follow your word. Bless my household and make us a blessing. Restore North America as a godly nation. Be with your church and make us a royal priesthood and a holy nation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word: Come to the Father through the Son and live in God’s presence!

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

JOY IN ISRAEL

1 Chron. 12:23-40

“Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.” (40)

This passage is a continuation of the list of warriors who came to support David’s kingship. We find repeated phrases such as “armed for battle,” “brave young warrior,” “brave warriors,” “experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon,” “fighting men.” These phrases suggest that the men who came to David were all capable fighting men and soldiers who were ready to give their best to establish David’s kingdom.  

Verse 32 tells us, “from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.” This verse suggests that the men who came from Issachar had spiritual discernment to understand their times. They understood that the kingship was passing from Saul to David. They had a sense of timing and knew what to do—they understood that they must transfer all their allegiance to David because he was now God’s anointed. They were not just following David but rather God’s will. We must understand our times. We live in a postmodern and some would say a post-Christian era. But the truth is that we are living in the “last days.” Jesus’ coming is imminent. These are times to stand up for Jesus. These are times to speak boldly for Jesus and the gospel. Christians should be salt and light in the world. 

“All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king” (38).

 All of these fighting men were volunteers. They came to serve. They were not looking for money or positions of power. They just came to offer their talents and service to build up the kingdom. They were fully determined to make David king over Israel. This has a New Testament application. God loves a cheerful giver. God wants us to be good shepherds of his flock not hired hands. We should serve in the church not for money or human recognition. We serve because we have all received the grace of Jesus. We should have one mind to make Jesus King and Lord of all. We should be clear that we are not trying to make our church look good or to promote our name. We are just servants of Jesus. We are here to lift up the name of Jesus and to spread his gospel.

Finally, the author concludes by saying that they spent three days celebrating together with abundant food and drink and there was joy in Israel (40). Our Christian life should be characterized by joy and abundance. If it is not, then something is wrong. Grace is the key word of the Christian life. I see some people who continually wear a sour face. They are very serious. They are legalistic. This is not the joyful and abundant life in Christ. This means that they are not full of grace. Everything begins with grace. We have been given freedom in Christ. My sins are forgiven. I should be dancing before the Lord. We have been so loved so we must love one another (Jn 3:16; 13:34). In a word, our Christian life should be joyful like a wedding banquet. In fact, to be joyful is a command in the Bible. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

Lord, thank you for your grace in my life. Help me to be a joyful warrior of faith. Fill me with rejoicing and intercessory prayer spirit for my times. Bless my church to be joyful and full of grace. Thank you for many warriors of faith around me. At the same time, I see some who are serious and burdened. Help me to lift them up to you continually. Bless our church and our city to be city on a hill. Bless all North America to be a bright city on a hill. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word: Rejoice always!