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.