Renewing Worship; 1 Chron 23

May the mumbling commence!

Getting worship right is what the Chronicler wanted.  The Chronicles books in the Hebrew Bible were written for a group of Israelites who were returning to Jerusalem and Judea after a long exile.  Getting worship right for these people was important.  Most of them were either not alive the last time worship happened in Jerusalem or were too young to remember.  Who better to lead the proper remembrance of worship than David, the former king and psalmist?  Read an excerpt from 1 Chronicles 23:24-32 –

These were the descendants of Levi by their families – the heads of families as they were registered under their names and counted individually, that is, the workers twenty years old or more who served in the temple of the Lord.  For David had said, "Since the Lord, the God of Israel, has granted rest to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever,  the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service."  According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more. 

The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron's descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God.  They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the flour for the grain offerings, the unleavened wafers, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.  They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at appointed feasts. They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them. 

And so the Levites carried out their responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting, for the Holy Place and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the Lord.

Just as the settling of the Israelite nation meant a change for proper worship, the return to Jerusalem and Judea of the exiled Jews meant a change for proper worship.  Worship at a restored Temple was soon to be possible.  They would no longer need to carry the memories of the Temple in their hearts and souls.  The Temple would become a reality once more.  The things of the past are Graying.

The things of the future are sprouting Green with growth.  The Levites were to return to their role as priests.  It would mean purification ceremonies and the performance of the daily duties of relationship with the Lord in the Temple.  David spells out the main duties.  The Levites were to be in charge of the bread on the Table of the Presence.  There were twelve loaves on the table that represented the twelve tribes of Israel.  They were in charge of the flour for the grain offerings, which included the unleavened wafers and the baking and mixing.  And baking is an exact science – they had to get the proper measurements.

But the Levites were much more than bakers.  They were to lead Israel in the praising of the Lord – every morning and every evening.  They were to lead in the praising of the Lord during burnt offerings, on Sabbaths, at New Moon festivals, and at appointed feasts.  They were to do these things with the proper number of priests and in the proper way.  

In Chronicles, more details of worship are to come.  It may seem laborious at times, but it is important to worship the Lord rightly.  We can benefit from an examination of our own worship practices – both on Sunday morning and in between Sundays.  May we faithfully join the priesthood of believers as we practice our function in leading all people in worship of the Lord.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out