War -- Worship -- Advance

One Year Bible
Old Testament passage for Monday, July 8, 2013:  I Chronicles 5:18-6:81

31 Now these are the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark came to rest. 32 They were ministering with music before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they served in their office according to their order.  I Chronicles 6:31-32 (NKJV)

When David rose to become king of all Israel, he brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.  There he "pitched a tent" (II Chronicles 1:4) which we call the Tabernacle of David in which to house the ark.  This Tabernacle was a reproduction of the Tabernacle which Moses built in the wilderness as Israel journeyed toward Canaan.  

All of these Old Testament things such as the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the ark of the covenant are symbolic of New Testament realities.  They are TYPES and SHADOWS that point toward Jesus and the ministry that He brings us.  

The books of I and II Chronicles cover the same period of the history of Israel as I and II Kings.  The difference is that Chronicles is written from the perspective of the Levitical priesthood while  Kings, as its name indicates, is written from the perspective of the kings -- the throne.  Therefore, a theme of I and II Kings is WAR, while the unifying theme of I and II Chronicles is WORSHIP.  

David was not only a man of WAR, he was a man of WORSHIP.  Therefore, as he made preparations for a permanent "house of the Lord", he set music and song and worship all around the process of construction.  The ark of the covenant moved from a tent (tabernacle) to a temple.  Worshippers and singers were APPOINTED by David to surround this transition -- this advance.

All significant advance in the Kingdom of God is surrounded and supported by heart-felt worship and praise.  David mandated it.  This Old Testament practice is a pattern for New Testament living.  

So, how is your WORSHIP LIFE?  Are you surrounded by the songs of the Lord?  David commanded that the singers were to minister in song until the Temple was fully built.  We may have many jobs and many responsibilities these days, but the greatest aid to our advance is the sound of heaven filling our hearts.  Our mouths full of praise are our greatest weapons in the WAR.