Levites – Be Still…

1 Chronicles 24:1-31 – What Priests Do

Read 1 Chronicles 24:1-31

David continues to make an impact for future generations by instituting more details regarding worship and who does what. I remember the days in ministry when we would create job descriptions for each of our positions. That’s exactly what David is doing here, but he’s taking it a step further. David is identifying the players who will be the first to follow these precepts.

Have you ever been part of a ministry team at your church? Then you can appreciate David’s mission. He is taking away any question about expectations. A ministry team will always be more efficient if the goals and intentions are clear. It appears David remains strong and confident despite the fact his reign is coming to an end. He is bound and determined to set Solomon up for success.

1 Chronicles 23:1-32 – What Levites Do

Read 1 Chronicles 23:1-32

If you’ve ever wondered who the Levites were and what they do, this is the text for you! Even though David wasn’t the one chosen to build the temple, he wanted to do as much as he could to help the process. It had been his idea in the first place, so I’m sure he had lots of plans going through his head. By putting all of this in motion, he could feel like he had made a difference in more than just his military victories.

The Chronicler doesn’t go into all the details surrounding Solomon’s coronation here. Suffice it to say there was drama surrounding who would become king! You can read more about that in 1 Kings 1-2.

Nehemiah 9:4-37 – Prayer of Confession

Read Nehemiah 9:4-37

What a prayer! One of the elements we often forget in our prayer time is to give adoration to God. We do this when we tell him how great he is. The Levite leaders are showing us a fine example of this as their prayer begins! Brilliantly, they recount God’s hand at work in the lives of their ancestors.

At times, I felt like I was reading a sermon and not a prayer of confession. God knows history better than anyone, but it was a good reminder for the people to hear who were praying this prayer with the Levite leaders. They need to hear how their ancestors messed up, mistreated God, and how that all turned around. You never know who in the crowd may not have heard all of the stories passed down from generations or been exposed to God’s words before. We are wise when we can learn from the mistakes of others, namely our ancestors.

Nehemiah 7:73-8:12 – Hearing God’s Word

Read Nehemiah 7:73-8:12

Don’t be distracted, the next three chapters will seem a bit out of place. Whatever the context, meaning, or intention, they do stand out. In this passage, we see Ezra gathering the people to continue his mission of making sure they were grounded by following God and abiding by the laws of Moses. I liked how the people even “asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.” What did the people do when they saw Ezra open the book? They stood to their feet in a grand display of reverence!

The people living in Jerusalem had been given a “do-over.” Ezra’s mission was to make sure they didn’t fall away from God’s teachings like their ancestors taken into exile had done. The Levites read from the law and offered clear explanation so the people would understand.

Deuteronomy 18:1-8 – Take Care of Your Priests

Read Deuteronomy 18:1-8

I wonder why God chose the Levites to be tribe appointed as priests. Levi wasn’t the first born of Jacob but the third to Leah. And interesting that the Levites received no land as the other descendants did. Instead, their inheritance was much richer. “The Lord himself is their special possession, just as he promised them.” That is a precious inheritance to be sure. God’s hand of protection was upon them.

I wonder if that’s why some churches moved to having parsonages for pastors. That is, a home provided by the church. It makes perfect sense to me. If those men of God are leading the church, similar to the Levites they would be cared for by the people. Having lived in a parsonage, I know the honor I felt for having that provided for us.