1 Chronicles 16:1-43

Now that the Ark has arrived in Jerusalem and been placed in the tent that David had prepared for it David sets up the Priest and the Levites to care for this tabernacle, make sacrifices as the Law requires and lead the people in worship.  David also celebrates the occasion by distributing gifts of food to all the people as they complete the journey of transporting the Ark.  This is a momentous occasion that is worthy of great celebration and David wants the entire nation to recognize the significance of this day.  He also ends the day by returning to his home to bless all who are in his household.  David is not only the leader of worship in the nation but also in his own home.  God delights in the praise and worship of His people.  Worship is the purpose for which we were created and we are never so fulfilled as we are when we accomplish that for which we were created.  David, the song writer, composes a song with deep and beautiful words from which we have derived many of our praise songs today.  The song basically calls the people, and us, to do three things.

REMEMBER THE WORKS OF THE LORD: People have a tendency to be forgetful and begin to focus only on the present circumstances.  David calls the people to look back with great thanksgiving on all that the Lord has done.  He encourages the nation to sing praises to the Lord for His greatness and enjoy His presence.  David reminds us of the wonders of creation and the miraculous works that have fallen from His hands.  David points to God’s gracious revelation of the Law to Israel and how He has chosen Israel from among the nations to bless, reveal Himself and establish an everlasting covenant with this nation.  David reminds the people of who they were and then what God did to establish them, provide them with the land on which they lived and gave them victory over all who sought to destroy them.  We must never forget all that God has done for us in Christ.  We celebrate the Lord’s Supper in order to remember the works of Christ, but we must constantly stir our hearts to look back on the Lord’s provision of salvation and the gracious promises He has made to us in Christ.

RECRUIT WORSHIPERS OF THE LORD: The Lord did not bless Israel or us, for that matter, so that we could simply be blessed by His greatness and be moved to worship Him.  This is certainly one of the purposes, but it is not our only job.  We are blessed that we might bless others.  God separated the nation of Israel through which all of the nations of the world were to be blessed.  That was and is being accomplished through Christ who came from the nation of Israel.  However, God’s intention from the beginning was that His blessings on Israel would motivate them to spread the reputation of the Lord throughout the nations of the world.  This continues to be His purpose for us today.  We have experienced the forgiveness of our sin in Christ Jesus but we must not simply rejoice in our salvation, we are called to recruit other worshipers of the Lord from the nations of the world.  His fame and His work on the cross must be told from the great cities of the world to the remotest villages on this planet.  God deserves the worship of all people and it is our job to spread His reputation to those who live in ignorance of the truth.


REJOICE IN THE WONDER OF THE LORD: As we remember His works and then spread His name in the world we are all to join together and rejoice as we consider the greatness of His person.  He is to be the source of our celebration and we must stand ready to praise His name.  The Earth and all that He has created stands as a testimony to His greatness.  The trees, mountains and seas all reveal His power, creativity and majesty.  We must stand in awe of His glory, holiness and grace.  Our salvation, protection and eternity are all in His hands so our rightful place is to be on our face before Him is thanksgiving and worship.  Too often we are so serious and somber in our walk with the Lord.  God delights in our praise and our rejoicing before Him.

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