Read 1
Chronicles 6-7 & John
8:21-36
To discover:
As you read consider again why the
Levites are given such prominence.
To ponder:
Alongside the monarchy, Chronicles
has a particular concern with the temple. And so, after the stress on the line
of Judah and so David, we see a stress on the Levites, whose role was to serve
at the temple. Levi is therefore placed at the centre of the tribal
genealogies. And whereas the author makes no comment on Moses, Aaron or the
Exodus (6v3), he notes that Azariah “served as priest in the temple
Solomon built” are highlights the
cessation of the temple’s activities when Jehozadak was deported because the
LORD sent Judah
into exile. This all demonstrates the primacy not just of the rule of God, but
of worshipping him. And both are made possible by Christ’s roles as king – who
governs us by his word and Spirit, and priest – who makes us acceptable to God
by his sacrifice and intercession. As the only perfect and everlasting Son of
God, it is necessary that these roles are combined in him, as only he can
forever ensure a truly righteous kingdom and a truly sufficient atonement.
The Levitical roles at the time of David are
outlined, perhaps looking to the glory days as something to aspire towards, and
as a model of what would be established when the Christ came. It is striking
that after the ark arrived at David’s tabernacle and once Solomon built the
temple, people were “put in charge” of music, overseen by Heman, and assisted
by Asaph and the Merarites (23v30, 25v1). We should not despise the focus on
music and song in church life, nor the ascribing of people to give time to ensuring
it is done well. Just as songs have marked the key lessons in Israel’s history
(Ex 15, Deut 32, Jud 5, 2 Sam 22), so they are a key way in which the gathered
church is to thank and praise God and be taught his word (Eph 5v19-20). Indeed,
the book of Revelation shows singing marks heaven itself.
Other
Levites took on the other activities of looking after the objects of the
tabernacle and temple, whilst Aaron and his descendents were the priests and so
in charge of offerings. The stress here is on the High Priest’s role within the
Most Holy Place, and so
with the day of atonement in particular. The detail about the land allotted to
the Levites stresses they were provided for, no doubt reminding the current
generation to provide for their successors – as we should Christ’s ministers.
Two
things are noticeable about the genealogies of the remaining tribes. First is
the stress on the amount of fighting men each had, with a note of those who
were outstanding (see also 5v18). Judah
would have been so much weaker at the time of writing. So this may also have
been to stress Israel’s
glory days in hope of their future restoration. The second thing to stand out
is the lack of the tribes of Dan or Zebulun. There may be a hint of Dan’s
descendents in the mention of Hushites just before the sons of Naphtali
(7v12-13, see Gen 46v23-24). However, we cannot know why there is just a hint
and nothing on Zebulun. It may simply be that records were lost, stressing how
absolute the exile of the northern kingdom was.
We
should remember Joseph’s line was split into the two tribes of Ephraim and
Mannasseh (7v29), of which the former became the key tribe of the northern
kingdom and the latter split into two half-tribes, settling on the east and
west of the Jordan.
The greatness of Ephraim in particular fulfilled Gen 49v22-26. The promise of
blessing there may explain why the death of two of Ephraim’s sons is mentioned,
as it presented a crisis as to the expansion of that tribe. It may also explain
the recording of where Joseph’s descendents settled, showing God did indeed
bless them with land in the centre of Canaan and containing
key towns. Nothing can hinder the fulfilment of his word.
Praying it home:
Praise God for his provision of
music and song for his glory and our joy and learning. Pray for the development
of musical worship in your church and your appreciation and edification of it.
Thinking further:
None today.
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