Tag Archive | worship

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 128

May7

    Day 128—We are in our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   Are you loving God more each day? Are you reciting, praying, and singing the Psalms we’ve been reading?  Share in the comments section.

    Day 128 – Psalms 25, 29, 33. 36. 39. – (Psalms of praise, worship, and commitment  by David and others.)

In Psalm 25, David pleads for a go,dly life: “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust…”   “Make me to know your ways, O LORD. Teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me…”   “Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love.”

In Psalm 29, David seeds to glorify and magnify God. “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.”  Then David writes a series of metaphors from creation that show God’s power with gentleness.

In Psalm 33, the psalmist encourages God’s people to shout for joy, give thanks to the LORD, make melody to him on instruments, and sing new songs to him.  He describes the power in God’s Word and what happens whenever He speaks.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as his heritage!  The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man; from where He sits enthroned, He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.”     “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death…”

Psalm 36 begins by describing the heart of the wicked but soon turns to the love and mercy of God. “How precious is your steadfast love, O God!”    “Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know You, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!”

David is introspective in Psalm 39.  First, he pledges, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle so long as the wicked are in my presence.”   Next, he shows his vulnerability.  “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!”

“Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!

Surely a man goes about as a shadow!

Surely, for nothing, they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!”

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(If you feel like reading more along this vein, turn to Psalm 90:4-16, James 4:13-15, and Luke 12:16-21.)

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And David finishes with, “And now, O LORD, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.”

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 126 & 127

May6

    Day 126 & 127—We have begun our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   What insights have you gained about God and yourself through reading so far?  Share in the comments section.

(Note: SUNDAY’s and MONDAY’s readings are combined.)

    Day 126 – Psalms 89, 96, 100, 101, 105, 132 (Psalms of Ethan, David, and others).

.Psalm 89 is written by Ethan, one of the three leaders of music that David appointed in 1 Chronicles 6:42. It is a song of the Steadfast Love of the LORD.

“I will sing of the steadfast love (mercy) of the LORD, forever; with my mouth will I make know your faithfulness to all generations.”  “Who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?  Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD.”   “Who is mighty as you are, O LORD..?”   “Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.”

Psalm 96 is a psalm of Worship.  “Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised…”    “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.  Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!'”  

These are admonitions that all of us who love the LORD should be doing.

Psalm 100 is another psalm that many who have attended church from an early age have memorized.

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

Serve the LORD with gladness!

Know that the LORD, He is God!

It is He who made us, and we are his

We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise!

Give thanks to Him; bless His name!

For the LORD is good;

His steadfast love endures forever,

and His faithfulness to all generations.”

In Psalm 101,  David praises the LORD and pledges his integrity to Him.  “I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.”    “A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.”

It’s too bad David did not remember these vows in a few years when “his eyes” watched Bathsheba bathing and he perversely lusted for her and, in the end, killed her husband.  But, alas, but for the grace of God, “there go I.”

Psalm 105, another song telling about God’s wonderful works, relates the history of Israel from Abraham until they reached Mt. Sinai, escaping Egypt.

“O, offspring of Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones….”  “Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those who see the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that He has done….”

Again, words of admonition for us – how our hearts should always be toward God.

Psalm 132 calls the congregation to remember how David’s heart was for building a dwelling place, a resting place for the Ark, a house of worship for the LORD.  God took notice of his heart’s desires. God told him Zion was where He desired to dwell among His people, bringing them salvation and joy.  And for David’s heart desire, God would bless the house of David forever.

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Day 127 – 2 Samuel 6-7. 1 Chronicles 17 – (The Ark to Zion, God’s covenant with David)

2 Samuel 6 is a repeat of 1 Chronicles 15, when King David brought the Ark of God into Jerusalem correctly, with the Levites carrying it on their shoulders.

This passage elaborates more on his wife, Michal’s attitude towards him as he rejoiced and celebrated the Ark’s arrival. “How the king of Israel “honored” himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants, female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself.”  (King David was wearing a linen robe and ephod, so he was not exposed. Perhaps she thought he should have dressed in kingly robes as her father had.)

King David’s answer was terse. “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD – and I will make merry before the LORD.”

The final sentence says, “And Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death.”

2 Samuel 7 reveals King David’s heart for the LORD: “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the Ark of God dwells in a tent.” He wanted to build a temple to glorify his God, but the LORD had other plans.  But God was pleased with his heart and made a covenant with him.

“I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.”   “When your days are fulfilled, and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. HE shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”    “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”

David was so “wowed” by God’s words that he went in and sat before the LORD.  “Who am I, O LORD GOD, and what is my house that you have brought me thus far?  And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD.”    “Because of your promise and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.”

“Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you.”    “And your name will be magnified forever, saying The LORD of hosts is God over Israel.” 

1 Chronicles 17  repeats the LORD’s covenant with David. It is not for the king to build God a house but that the LORD would build David’s “house” forever.  Then, David’s humble prayer of amazement, gratitude, and worship.

(The “Davidic Covenant” reaches far into history, with the lineage of Jesus, the Christ, being traced to this king of Israel. (See Matthew 1:1-17.)  Further, the covenant points to when King Jesus, the Son of David, will reign and rule the whole earth.  (See Revelation 11:15.)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 124

May3

    Day 123—We have begun our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   What insights have you gained about God and yourself through reading so far?  Share in the comments section.

    Day 124 – 1 Chronicles 13 – 16 – (David’s attempts to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.)

(As we read through the history books, some things will seem repeated, but we will get more details of the whole picture.)

Ever since the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and returned it to Israel when God plagued them, the Ark has been sitting in the house of Abinadab (and his two sons, Uzzah and Ahio) in Kiriath-Jearim. Now that David has been crowned king of Israel and captured Jerusalem as his capital city, he wants to bring the “Ark of God” to the City of David.

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1 Chronicles 13. King David consults with all his commanders, the people, and the Levites and priests. All of them agree that it would be a good thing. So, King David and all the people go to the house of Abinadab. They build a new cart for it and hitch it to a team of oxen. Uzzah (and Ahio) walk on either side of the cart, presumably to “protect” it.

And King David, with all the people, rejoice before God with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets as the Ark on the cart makes its way north.  UNTIL IT DOESN’T.

At one point, the oxen stumble (not the cart, not the Ark), and Uzzah puts out his hand to take hold of the Ark!

Uzzah tries to keep THE THRONE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE LIVING ALMIGHTY GOD from falling!!!! As if God depended on him! On any man. At all.  And Uzzah is stricken dead on the spot.

Why, you may ask? Wasn’t he doing a good thing?  What if the Ark had fallen to the ground and gotten dirt on it? What if a piece of the golden border had broken off?  —REALLY???—

Let’s remind ourselves that the God who created Heaven and Earth and all that is in them does not need man for anything.

Also, there is this “small” law in Numbers 4:15.  “And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die.”  These top Levites were to carry the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders by the golden poles that were put through the rings on the bottom four corners of the Ark. THIS is how the Ark of the Covenant should have been transported to Jerusalem.

(Note: besides this setting the things of God apart as holy, carrying the Ark in this way would put the Mercy Seat (the lid) and the golden Cherubim, where the presence of God would dwell, ABOVE the heads of the Levites and all the people. On the cart, the people’s heads would have been higher than the “presence of God.” They would look down on it.)

King David was ANGRY about what God had done.  And he was AFRAID of God that day too.  “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” he cried.  (Go read the law, Davie.  See how it’s supposed to be done.)  And so, the Ark of God is once more housed in a house of an Israelite, Obed-Edom, for three months. And God blessed the man and his household.

1 Chronicles 14 is a repeat of 2 Samuel 5 and 1 Chronicles 3.

1 Chronicles 15 – After King David prepared a place for the Ark of God (the tent of meeting), he decided to again bring the symbol of God’s presence to Jerusalem.  Now, however, he said, “No one but the Levites may carry the Ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark and to minister to Him forever.”  (It seems that our boy has consulted the scriptures!)

Along with the sons of Kohath, he gathered the priests and all the Levites. He told them all to consecrate themselves so that they “may bring up the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel to the place that I prepared for it. Because you did not carry it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we DID NOT SEEK HIM ACCORDING TO THE RULE.”

King David confessed his sin and did it right this time.  The chosen Levites “carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.”

There was more singing and musical instruments playing, to “raise the sounds of joy.”  They sacrificed bulls and rams, and then all Israel brought up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD with shouting to the music of the instruments.

But………. David’s first wife, Michel, the daughter of Saul, “looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and rejoicing, AND SHE DESPISED HIM.”  Whoa! What was that about? Perhaps it was because David had torn her away from the second man her father Saul had given her to, way back when, to spite David. Maybe she LOVED that man and had children with him.  He certainly had cried all the way as she was taken to David and he had begged for her. 2 Samuel 6.

1 Chronicles 16 tells of the Ark of God being set inside the tent, and of the many burnt offerings and peace offerings they made to God. After that, David distributed to all the people loaves of bread, portions of meat, and cakes of raisins. What a party!!

The next 18 verses tell of David commanding Asaph & his brothers to sing a beautiful psalm of thanksgiving to the LORD. Be sure to re-read this song of worship!!  Bookmark it and read it often. Whenever you want to read the book of Psalms, don’t forget this one. It is marvelous.

King David then left the Levites and priests in charge of the tent and the Ark to “regularly do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that He commanded Israel” and he went home to bless his household.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 118

Apr27

    Day 118—We have been reading the Bible daily for a third of the year.   What have you learned about God? About yourself?

Day 118 – Psalms 81, 88, 92, 93 – (Songs by Asaph and Ethan, and for the Sabbath & praise.)

(As we saw yesterday in 1 Chronicles 6,  David appointed three men among the Priests to be in charge of the “service of song.”  Two are mentioned in today’s reading; Asaph and Ethan.)

From Asaph’s Psalm 81 – (Can you imagine him leading the congregation in song?)

“Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with a harp.”  He tells of promises to Israel from their God, “Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.”   “…..with honey from the rock, I would satisfy you.”

Ethan’s Psalm 88 is a song of lament, and the congregation would sing it together, perhaps in times of gloom and repentance. (Yes, we, too, can pray like this to God.)

“O LORD, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; incline your ear to my cry!  For my soul is full of troubles and my life draws near to Sheol.”    “But I, O LORD, cry to You; in the morning my prayer comes before You. O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do You hide Your face from me?”

In contrast is  Psalm 92, to be sung on the Sabbath.  “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”    “For You, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.”

Asaph sings this sweet promise to “older” believers and worshippers of God. — “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in OLD AGE; they are ever full of sap and green…”

Psalm 93 is another song of praise and worship to God.  “The LORD reigns; He is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.”    “Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore.”

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 46

Feb15

    Day 46 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 46 – Leviticus 8 – 10  (Consecration of Priests, LORD’s acceptance, sin & death)

In chapter 8 God tells Moses to consecrate Aaron and his four sons to serve in the Holy Tabernacle. They are washed and dressed in the specially designed priestly garments with Aaron also receiving the ephod, jeweled breast piece with the Urim and Thummim inside, the hat, and the golden plate or “holy crown” for his head.

The special anointing oil is used, there are sacrifices of a bull and ram with their blood sprinkled on the holy objects as well as the priests. There is fire for sacrifice and for boiling water and cooking meat, and a command to eat. Aaron and his 4 sons are commanded to stay at the entrance of the Tabernacle, day and night for seven days doing everything God told them.

Chapter 9  tells that on the 8th day Aaron was to offer specific burnt offerings, a peace offering, and a grain offering before the LORD with the elders witnessing it all. Aaron performed all the duties completely, including blessing all the people.  And God was pleased. “…and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering. When the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” (9:23b-24)

But after those great and glorious things, there seems to always follow deep sin.  From highs to lows; mountain tops to valleys of shadow. We should be aware of this in our own lives!

Boldly, brazenly, arrogantly, two of Aaron’s four newly consecrated sons took censers, put “fire” on them and laid “incense” on them and offered UNAUTHORIZED fire before the LORD, which He had NOT commanded.

Immediately, fire – HOLY FIRE – came out from the LORD and consumed them. Living to dead in seconds. SHOCK WAVE!

And then the voice of the LORD boomed forth, “AMONG THOSE WHO ARE NEAR ME I WILL BE SANCTIFIED. AND BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE, I WILL BE GLORIFIED.”

Moses called for another Levite to carry out their remains, IN THEIR PRIESTLY COATS (which had just been consecrated) out of the camp. Moses then told Aaron and the two remaining sons NOT TO MOURN the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. They were to continue with their duties, a burnt offering and a grain offering, part of which they were to eat inside the courtyard.

Chapter 10: BUT, Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar could not eat it – disobeying God’s direct LAW (Lev. 6:26).  Moses charged them with this disobedience, but possibly fearing another judgement from God, which would have left no one in succession for the priesthood, he let it go.

What a way to begin their holy service to the LORD. It just proves that they – like we – are sinners, and could easily do far worse than we ever thought possible… given the right nudge.

Praise God for his mercy!