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Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters
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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in First Chronicles, chapter
Speaker 1: twenty three, and we'll be reading from the English Standard version.
Speaker 1: When David was old and full of days, he made
Speaker 1: Solomon his son, king over Israel. David assembled all the
Speaker 1: leaders of Israel, and the priests and the Levites. The
Speaker 1: Levites thirty years old and upward were numbered, and the
Speaker 1: total was thirty eight thousand men. Twenty four thousand of these,
Speaker 1: David said, shall have charge of the work in the
Speaker 1: house of the Lord. Six thousand shall be officers and judges,
Speaker 1: four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand shall offer praises to
Speaker 1: the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise.
Speaker 1: And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons
Speaker 1: of Levi, Geharshan, Cohath, and Marri. The sons of Gehrshan
Speaker 1: were Laidan and Shimai. The sons of Laidan Jaheel the Chief,
Speaker 1: and Zethem and Joel. Three the sons of Shimai, Schelomoth,
Speaker 1: Hazel and Heron. Three. These were the heads of the
Speaker 1: father's houses of Leyden and the sons of Shimai, Jayhath, Zena,
Speaker 1: and Jayush and Biah. These four were the sons of Shimai.
Speaker 1: Jay Haath was the chief and Ziza the second. But
Speaker 1: Jayush and Biah did not have many sons. Therefore they
Speaker 1: became counted as a single father's house. The sons of Cohath, Amram, Ishar, Hebron,
Speaker 1: and Uziel. Four of Amram Aaron and Moses. Aaron was
Speaker 1: set apart to dedicate the most holy things, that he
Speaker 1: and his sons forever should make offerings before the Lord
Speaker 1: and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name forever.
Speaker 1: But the sons of Moses, the man of God, were
Speaker 1: named among the tribe of Levi. The sons of Moses,
Speaker 1: Gersham and Elizar. The sons of Gersham Sheebuel the Chief,
Speaker 1: the sons of Elizar Rahabia the Chief. Elizar had no
Speaker 1: other sons, but the sons of Rahabiya were very many.
Speaker 1: The sons of Ishar, Shelomith the Chief, the sons of Hebron,
Speaker 1: Jeriah the Chief, Amariyah the second, Jahazel the third, and
Speaker 1: Jechamim the fourth. The sons of Uzil, Mikah the Chief
Speaker 1: and Ishiah the second. The sons of Marari, Mali and Mushi.
Speaker 1: The sons of Ali, Elizar and Kish Elizar died, having
Speaker 1: no sons, but only daughters their kinsmen. The sons of
Speaker 1: Kish married them. The sons of Mushi, Mali, Eder and Jeremov. Three.
Speaker 1: These were the sons of Levi by their father's houses.
Speaker 1: The heads of father's houses, as they were listed according
Speaker 1: to the number of the names of the individuals from
Speaker 1: twenty years old and upward, who were to do the
Speaker 1: work for the service of the House of the Lord.
Speaker 1: For David said, the Lord, the God of Israel, has
Speaker 1: given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.
Speaker 1: And so the Levites no longer need to carry the
Speaker 1: tabernacle or any of the things for its service. For
Speaker 1: by the last words of David, the sons of Levi
Speaker 1: were numbered from twenty years old and upward, for their
Speaker 1: duty was to assist the sons of Erin for the
Speaker 1: service of the House of the Lord, having the care
Speaker 1: of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all
Speaker 1: that is holy, and any work for the service of
Speaker 1: the House of God. Their duty was also to assist
Speaker 1: with the show bread, the flower for the grain offering,
Speaker 1: the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering
Speaker 1: mixed with oil, and all measures of quantity or size.
Speaker 1: And they were to stand every morning thanking and praising
Speaker 1: the Lord, and likewise at evening and whenever burnt offerings
Speaker 1: were offered to the Lord on sabbaths, new moons, and
Speaker 1: feast days, according to the number required of them regularly
Speaker 1: before the Lord. Thus they were to keep charge of
Speaker 1: the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and to attend
Speaker 1: the sons of erin their brothers for the service of
Speaker 1: the House of the Lord. Let's pray, Lord, we thank
Speaker 1: you for your word and for the privilege that it
Speaker 1: is to life. Look at it today, and Lord, as
Speaker 1: we look at this portion of scripture, we can see
Speaker 1: that you inspired David to be a man who was
Speaker 1: concerned about you being worshiped properly. And we're thankful, Lord,
Speaker 1: to be able to see the thoughtful preparations that he
Speaker 1: made during the course of his life that you would
Speaker 1: be worshiped and honored by the people of Israel. Lord, Sadly,
Speaker 1: we know that the generations that came after them became
Speaker 1: very careless about these things and began worshiping the false
Speaker 1: gods of the neighboring nations. But during this period of time,
Speaker 1: the culture of Israel was focused on worshiping You, as
Speaker 1: David made a point to make that a priority of
Speaker 1: his kingdom. Lord, we know that that's to be a
Speaker 1: priority of our hearts, as well as men and women
Speaker 1: who have been given new minds and new hearts and
Speaker 1: new lives through faith in your son Jesus Christ. You
Speaker 1: call us to prioritize worshiping You, that everything that we
Speaker 1: do should ultimately come back to being an act of
Speaker 1: worship toward You, That all aspects of our lives should
Speaker 1: be invested in your worship. So, Lord, we pray that
Speaker 1: you would foster that in our lives. We pray that
Speaker 1: you would make that the case and the kind of
Speaker 1: prioritization that we see David making for your worship. We
Speaker 1: pray that that would be the intent of our hearts
Speaker 1: as well. Lord, we love you, We thank you for
Speaker 1: your presence with us today, and we pray this all
Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Amen.