One Year Bible, July 13

1 CHRONICLES 15:1 - 16:36                                                                                            
BRINGING THE ARK TO ZION:  (the Ark represents the manifested Presence of God) First, there is a prescribed PROTOCOL to handling "holy things". There can be NO FLESH, nothing of the fleshly strength or power involved (as Uzza discovered). Second, those participating must SANCTIFY themselves. These specific Levites were called, chosen, separated, washed, anointed, and placed. Third, this was a time of celebration and joy - no sad faces, no weeping, BUT accompanied by skillful musicians and a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving. Fourth, it was a time of GREAT SACRIFICE. (Last recorded instance of animal sacrifices in David's tabernacle. After this there were only spiritual sacrifices.)

NOTE: The Ark was brought up to "The Tabernacle of David" - which was a single tent that had been prepared on Mt. Zion. There was no veil, but all the priests had complete access to the Ark.   In David's tabernacle, unlike Moses' tabernacle, there was singing, shouting, clapping, lifting hands, instruments, bowing, dancing, thanksgiving and praise.

THE PROCESSION:  It was 8 miles from Obed-edom's house to Mt. Zion. Every 6 paces David sacrificed oxen and fatlings (2Sam 6:13). "And David DANCED (and laughed) before the Lord with all his MIGHT (power, strength, violence)" (2Sam 6:14).  He had abandoned himself in worship before the Presence of the Lord. His wife, Michal, was watching from her window and "despised him in her heart".  Immediately as the Ark was installed, David composed Psalm 96, 105, and 106.  Beforehand, for the procession, He had already written Psalm 132.  "Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy."

The Procession
King David led, clothed as a Levite (in fine linen).
The Elders of Israel.
Captains over thousands
High Priests, Zadok and Abiathar.
Six chiefs and 862 Levites
Seven trumpeters
2 doorkeepers
The Ark of God in the middle.
Two porters, Obed-edom and Jeiel.
Singers, Musicians, and damsels with tambourines
The congregation of Israel.

"On that day David delivered this Psalm to thank the Lord...." (8 stanzas) This is a eulogy of God, His doings, His Covenant, His Kingdom, His reign on the earth. David set Asaph and his brethren before the ark to minister continually.

RESPONSE:   This is a demonstration of Heaven's reception of Jesus when He finished His work on earth and re-entered Heaven! He came to His "Resting place", in more ways than one. Both at the Father's right hand, and in our hearts. There was a joyful "noise". There was dancing and music. People were smiling and laughing. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see praise and thanksgiving like that at church some Sunday? I think we try to look "cool" and not foolish. And yet David said "And I will yet be more vile (undignified, disgraceful) than this, and will be base(lowly, contemptible) in mine own sight:" (2 Sam 6:22)

ROMANS 1:18-32                                                                                                             
WHY is God's wrath "revealed" (unveiled)?  Because of "ungodliness" (a defiant attitude toward God's Person) and because of "unrighteousness" (noncompliance with right order). Man's guilty abandonment of God's glory initiated his progressive moral declension. This downward trend that began with INGRATITUDE, shows human depravity on three levels: body (uncleanness), soul (vile affections) and spirit (reprobate mind). And so "God gave them up".

Romans 1:18-24:  Man has abandoned God's glory for SUBSTITUTES, and for speculation. And so "God gave them up" to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts.

Romans 1:25-27:  As a result, man is degenerated to depravity, exchanging the Truth for "the lie" (lit translation of v.25 is "the lie".) "The lie" is that the universe is man-centered, that God serves us and is made in our image.  I become my own god.   With no glory and no power, this means that the devil is undefeated and the Old Man is still alive!  And so "God gave them up" to vile affections that cause lust to burn in their souls.  Homosexuality is mentioned here because it is the epitome of self-love.

Romans 1:28-32:  Man finally forsook the knowledge of God as not worth knowing. They are willfully ignorant. Man's fallen nature is shown now as utterly corrupt. And so "God gave them up" to a reprobate mind, hardened to Truth.  Man is a castaway.  A "reprobate mind" is one void of judgment or conscience, a heart hardened toward God and toward Truth. God gave them up to the sins they loved.

Rom 1:32 says that Gentiles (pagans, "outsiders") sin even though they know better (Rom 1:19-20). They sin against the light.

RESPONSE:   Man is a sinner by CHOICE, not just by birth (in Adam).  BUT sin puts us at odds with a holy God.  Our substitutes (self-serving) and speculative imaginations cannot satisfy our heart hunger.  We unwittingly become channels for demons and get tangled in a horrible trap. We are lost.  We are helpless, unrighteous, dead, and unbelieving. Our only answer is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The power of the Gospel in v. 16 is the NEW NATURE!

PSALM 10:1-15                                                                                                                
Psalm 9-14 describe the "man of earth" , or the world-spirit of antichrist.   Psalm 9 reveals that they will be caught in their own traps and cast headlong into hell.   Psalm 10 reveals that they are arrogant, rude, boastful, sneaky, perverted, and think they won't get caught.  They have a defiant attitude toward authority.  The Psalms reveal the BEAST to be MAN!  (Just like Romans chapter 1 has done.)  "God is not in all his thoughts"; he has no room for God. He actually believes that he will never have adversity.

PROVERBS 19:6-7                                                                                                            

No one likes a poor man.   No one listens to a poor man either.   Being selfish and self-serving, man looks for relationships that will show a "return" on them!  If you can't do anything FOR me, you can't be my friend!  I think that people believe that if you have anything to offer, you would have money.  They think that if you are poor, it's because you are stupid, lazy, or there is something defective about your character.  That's not the way it should be, Solomon is just pointing out that that is the way it is.

RESPONSE:  You could add that people of the earth (earthlings?) are can't be trusted either. Jesus didn't trust Himself to them.  We shouldn't either.