FEATURES OF THE SERVICE OF GOD (FROM CAC'S NOTES)
FEATURES OF THE SERVICE OF GOD (FROM CAC’S [p. 252] NOTES)
1 Chronicles 23; 1 Chronicles 24; 1 Chronicles 25; 1 Chronicles 26; 1 Chronicles 27
A General Survey of the Whole of Chapters 23 to 27 These chapters are instructive as to service and are to be pondered by all believers as affording light as to how God is to be served. The doorkeepers have an important place in this service; every gate was to be watched. This would be a perpetual service. It is a continual watchfulness from the point of view of what is suitable to God. Hebrews, chapters 12 and 13 show the doorkeepers on duty. This charge applies to the care meeting and to each one of us individually. There is no assembly of God without this oversight.
We see in chapter 23, too, how the levitical blends with the priestly in the service of the house of Jehovah. The ministry of the word is always to help priestly service; that is in the mind of every levite, whatever part of the truth he may present. The prophets and teachers in the assembly at Antioch were ministering to the Lord (Acts 13: 2). Paul served in his spirit and carried on his gospel work as a sacrificial service (Romans 15: 16).
The courses of the sons of Aaron are seen in chapter 24. We have the principle of “head-men”, “the princes of the sanctuary” and “the princes of God”. It suggests that there are those who are prominent by reason of what they are personally in relation to the service of God. The service requires the very best. J.B.S. used to say that every meeting [p. 253] was characterised by the most spiritual person in it. But then each one has to remember that he is one of twenty-four. There must be no dropping out of line. Twenty-four would suggest the universality of the priestly service, “with all the saints”. There is the thought that the service goes round so that each one has his half month. The thought of courses has dropped out in the religious world, but the Lord has revived it in measure and given liberty to take it up practically. A reduction in the size of a meeting is to give more place to the thought of courses; all the holy priesthood are to have their turn. The casting of lots means that there is no self-pleasing; each one must be content to drop into his assigned place in the order. “The chief fathers just as the youngest of their brethren” is said of the Levites and in principle it applies to the priesthood.
The service of song as taken up in chapter 25 is ordered by David and the captains of the host, indicating that the assembly in its militant character has this in view. Every conflict that has to be gone through directly re-acts on the service, for example, the Reformation, the evangelical revival, the truth of the assembly, the matter of the Lord’s sonship and so on. Contending earnestly for the faith really has in view the service of song.
It is to be noted that prophesying is made prominent. There is a bringing out of the mind of God even in the musical part of the service. In the most spiritual parts of the service it is not only for divine Persons but the element of understanding comes in for the good of the assembly — “speaking to yourselves”, Ephesians 5: 19.
The harp would be the most refined and comprehensive instrument; the lutes and cymbals have a lower grade of harmony; the youngest believer can enter into some hymns; others call for spiritual maturity.
Direction has a great place here. I do not think it is exactly headship, but rather that all is under control.
Christ is Son over God’s house, One who is faithful to God as Son over God’s house. As Head He is on our side and as Priest, but He is “Son over”. It is more a Solomonic character. I think there is direction from the Lord in the mediatorial sense as introducing to us what is suitable to God and particularly with reference to the prophetic side of the service.
“To give thanks and to praise Jehovah” is mentioned in verse 3 of chapter 25. Sometimes the Lord has to direct us so that we may harmonise with Him and then He can take His place as Head. I think He is directing them at the end of Mark but He is seen as Head in John 20.
In chapter 25, verse 5, Heman is called “The king’s seer in the words of God, to exalt his power”. That is, as I understand, words which make much of God and exalt His power. That is Ephesian ground.
We have two hundred and eighty-eight men instructed in the songs of Jehovah, all of them skilful; they represent those of the assembly in their highest privilege.
The care of the treasures is another important part of the service. “The treasures of the house of God” are to be distinguished from the holy vessels which give us the revelation side. I understand the treasures are what has been made good in the saints by the work of God. The utterances of the saints, as divinely taught, express what they know of God and of His Christ. The gospels and the epistles were written by men who had the substance of things in their souls. All have become the treasures of the house.
The dedicated things speak of devotedness to the house. They are the result of spiritual wars. The thought is that all that has been dedicated is to be conserved and preserved. What the servants of the Lord have brought in as the results of battles for the truth is to be carefully looked after and handed down unimpaired. The divine thought is [p. 255] that the treasures can be added to. There is no reason why any of us should fail to add. There is no addition on the revelation side, but on the side of appreciation and response there is no limit to what may be added. It is part of the levitical service to see that the treasures are not taken away or diminished. We cannot afford to be indifferent to what God has wrought in the souls of those who have served Him.
We find one reason why David was wrong in numbering Israel in chapter 27, verse 23. God would not have any limit set to the multiplying of His people. Spiritually it speaks of unlimited expansion.
Then we get storehouses in every locality and everything is provided for in connection with “the substance which was king David’s”. Every department was under control. It reminds one of the distinctiveness of services and the same Lord. It is good to see that Paul speaks of things as in God’s mind; he corrects what was disorderly by speaking of what was divine order.
In chapter 27 the service is more general. It is that of the King (verse 1) so that it corresponds more with the services spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12.