Journey's End - Our Everlasting God

Worshiping the God who is from everlasting to everlasting

(1 Chronicles 16, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, January 14, 2018)

[1] And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. [2] And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD [3] and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

[4] Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel. [5] Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, [6] and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. [7] Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the LORD by Asaph and his brothers.

[8] Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

[9] Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wondrous works!

[10] Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

[11] Seek the LORD and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

[12] Remember the wondrous works that he has done,

his miracles and the judgments he uttered,

[13] O offspring of Israel his servant,

children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

[14] He is the LORD our God;

his judgments are in all the earth.

[15] Remember his covenant forever,

the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

[16] the covenant that he made with Abraham,

his sworn promise to Isaac,

[17] which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

[18] saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,

as your portion for an inheritance.”

[19] When you were few in number,

of little account, and sojourners in it,

[20] wandering from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another people,

[21] he allowed no one to oppress them;

he rebuked kings on their account,

[22] saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,

do my prophets no harm!”

[23] Sing to the LORD, all the earth!

Tell of his salvation from day to day.

[24] Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!

[25] For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,

and he is to be feared above all gods.

[26] For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,

but the LORD made the heavens.

[27] Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and joy are in his place.

[28] Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!

[29] Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

bring an offering and come before him!

Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;

[30] tremble before him, all the earth;

yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

[31] Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,

and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

[32] Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it!

[33] Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.

[34] Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

[35] Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation,

and gather and deliver us from among the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name

and glory in your praise.

[36] Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD.

[37] So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, [38] and also Obed-edom and his sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. [39] And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon [40] to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the LORD that he commanded Israel. [41] With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever. [42] Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

[43] Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.

The king and His people worship

There can be no meaning to the life of Israel as the covenant people without Yahweh. The same can certainly be said about the Christian church. We are a society that was created by God for worship. We are on a journey to Him, and He is leading the way.

Every detail concerning life under David when Israel reached journey's end with the ark safely in Jerusalem has meaning for our life as worshipers of David's God today. Our King, Jesus, leads us forward in life and death to the God for whom we were made. United with the God/Man, we can draw near the Ark of God. We are the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit, for our God who is in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). We are already marked with the destination that God has prepared for us, for we have the earnest of heaven in the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the offering through whom we have peace with God. He is our High Priest and King who gives us a powerful benediction. We are named with His Name and we eat together at His table.

It is our privilege to serve Him as “ministers” who lift up our voices in praise to Him together with those who play their instruments and make a joyful noise to the Lord. We are already participants in heavenly worship, but one day the trumpet will sound and we will see Him as He is. And we will be so thankful forever.

The God of their song

Why do we sing? We are people who believe in God. Who is the God of Israel's song?

He is the God who invites and commands His covenant people into the joy of His worship (8-13). He reminds us of His covenant promises (14-18), The Lord knows our weakness (19-22), but He also knows His unstoppable plan that all the earth should sing to Him and His own unfathomable worthiness (23-27). So, “worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before Him all the earth,” He is our Creator, our Sovereign Ruler, our Savior. He is and forever shall be the King of glory (28-34). Now “save us, O God of our salvation,” for you are God “from everlasting to everlasting” (35-36). “Then all the people said, 'Amen!' and praised the Lord.

We can understand why some people think that all this is over the top, but there comes a moment when every knee will bow and every tongue confess. (Hawaii illustration) And what hope would we have if the propositions in the song of 1 Chronicles 16 were false? What then? But our hope will not put us to shame (Romans 5:1-11).

The glory that will not be contained

So the worship of Israel's God continued again in the days of David, because their hope was real. David left people there before the ark to keep hope alive through continuous worship. But only God keeps hope alive. God's hope will not be contained in one little ark. Our God is so great! May His glory fill every corner of our lives and overcome darkness all over the earth.

Our role today is to keep the worship of God alive in a world that may find that worship tolerable, but can't fathom the fact that it is delightful. Like the messengers from John the Baptist, the Lord sends us out with words of hope, and we go as those who believe, though we need help with our unbelief. But when we give thanks to the Lord, we remember that “His steadfast love endures forever.”

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 39 – My hope is in you

Gospel Reading—Matthew 11:1-19 – Messengers from John the Baptist