1 CHRONICLES 6 AND 9 (NOTES OF A READING)

1 CHRONICLES 6 AND 9 (NOTES OF A READING)

1 Chronicles 6:31,32; 1 Chronicles 6:48,49; 1 Chronicles 9:24 - 34

CAC My thought in suggesting these verses was that, as we were seeing last time, there are three tribes selected to bring out certain divine thoughts. The third one, which we left, is this one, Levi.

Ques Would you say a word as to the great importance of the priestly family?

CAC It has to do always with the service of God, and we find that David set Levites “over the service of song in the house of Jehovah after that the ark was in rest”. I suppose that David here is a type of Christ as Head, providing for the service of song at a particular time, and I believe a time which answers particularly to the present time, for the ark was at rest and the house of Jehovah not yet built, and the service was carried on before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. I think that gives it a particular application to the present time.

Ques Why does the service of song come before the services in verses 48 and 49?

CAC I suppose the most elevated form of service comes first, but verses 48 and 49 show that the service as inaugurated by Moses had ceased, but was carried on according to all that Moses had begun, so that David did not supersede, but added to the service.

Rem The service of song was introduced by David.

CAC That was a great addition, was it not? Moses instituted what is called the sacrificial system.

Rem There had been songs, but no service of song.

CAC It was a very great addition, because it evidenced spiritual elements that did not connect with the sacrificial service. The great point of time is that the ark is at rest and the house of Jehovah not yet built. It is in tabernacle conditions that the service of song goes on; so really two services were going on, services of song, one at the tabernacle at Gibeon, and one before the ark in Jerusalem. The ark was not at Gibeon, yet the service of song goes on there, showing that though God had disowned the tabernacle of Shiloh, He still owned that at Gibeon. I think it is representative of the service carried on at the time of public failure. The tabernacle system God had forsaken, and had no intention of restoring, yet He was pleased, in the place of failure, for it to go on in a wonderful way.

Rem The tabernacle service seems in shadow here, while the singers come into prominence.

CAC David specially inaugurated the service of song. This is all interesting because it is written for remnant times. This is a very beautiful suggestion that in the presence of failure the service of song should go on under the headship of Christ.

Ques How would the service of song go on at the present time?

CAC It would be what is expressed vocally in the assembly, and would apply to hymns and utterances of praise.

Ques Would the singing of the hymn on the mount of Olives, and Paul and Silas praising God, be illustrations of vocal conditions?

CAC Yes, and therefore the headship of Christ would be evident on all those occasions, and if only two saints were left to walk together, Christ could be owned as Head, and under His headship they could still carry on the service of God. It is comforting, that.

Rem The two in prison at Philippi could.

CAC Yes, and so in the present time, which none could call exhilarating, it can be. To those two men Christ was Head. It cheers us, does it not?

The different elements alluded to in the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles intimate most important matters to be attended to in remnant times; for it was written by Ezra expressly for remnant times.

Ques Do you think that verses 33 - 36 give a kind of clue to what really animates the service of song? Heman (faithful) was of the descendants of Korah. He was the chief singer; then there were Asaph and Ethan.

CAC You have the sons of Korah leading in the songs of God. “His mercy endureth for ever” is in one of their songs. They owed all to sovereign mercy, and are the ones to voice the singing. They came in on the ground of mercy. I do not feel that I can come in on any other ground! Whether it be conversion, or the light of separation, or a good meeting; it is all mercy! “His mercy endureth for ever” — it touches every point.

The ark has reached its place of rest now, but the house built by Solomon looks forward to perfect conditions, when “there is neither adversary nor evil event” (1 Kings 5:4). That is the key to those wonderful chapters of John from 13 to 17, when the ark was about to enter into its rest. “Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end”. The ark was about to enter into its rest, but the saints are to be left down here in the wilderness to carry on the service. At the present time tabernacle conditions continue, wilderness conditions. We can never gather without being reminded that we are in the place of assembly failure, just a handful instead of all the saints being here. It is a peculiar delight to God — the perfect service that David ordered. If the service of praise is ordered under the headship of Christ, it is perfect. I doubt whether we ever have a meeting where everything is under the headship of Christ. We need to be exercised as to it. Yet in spite of feebleness and ignorance God brings out the fulness of His mind. Think of having such a book as Chronicles written in a time of breakdown. It is very fine!

Rem I suppose the sacrificial service goes on when we eat the Lord’s supper? I suppose that is the great basis.

CAC I thought the loaf and the cup were sacrificial and connected with the lordship of Christ (like Moses), not with His headship. It is the Lord’s supper, and if we addressed God, He would not be pleased, it is not His supper. There is the thought of death as coming upon the Lord, that He suffered the whole weight of death, and He gave His body. It is not so much what He removed, but the wonderful way He removed it. That beautiful, holy life ended in death. How it takes away everything that we are. It would clear the ground and nothing would be left but Christ.

It is only in the life of Christ that we could come under His headship, that is, He is not the life for a company of sinners.

Ques “I will not drink at all of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God come”. Is that not the Lord severing His link with the earth, and then on the mount of Olives His link is with heaven? He can only be known thus. Does not the eating of the bread and drinking of the cup prepare us for that position?

Ques Not only intelligently but affectionately too?

CAC What a thought Mary must have had that He was going into death — such a Person! This thought would cut us free from the world and every other man to be free for Him to use, as Head. It is the way we know divine love; apart from what is sacrificial I do not know that there is any disclosure of it otherwise, but it is liberating from ourselves. A christian lives in the holy life of the Man who died for him in love. Then we should worship Him as Head: I do not think He would give us the good of headship before we worship Him as Head.

When together we should know His headship after the breaking of bread. We worship Him in wifely affection. These are great realities to be touched. I pray to enter into them more. Then having worshipped Him in wifely affection we should come under His headship for service. There would not be any discordant notes after that! The tendency is to pass too quickly from the Supper to the Father as if we could go collectively to the Father without the Head.

Rem God would have a greater place if we went on these lines.

CAC I think so. These were all intelligent men; you cannot imagine the tune breaking down there. These things do not happen there.

The unfailing and inexpressible character of His love is brought before us; He has given up His life sacrificially for us. We think of the love in which He did it — what a spring for worship! It prepares us to accord Him supremacy as Head, and that would prepare us for Him to lead as Head. And we cannot do without the Lord. When we come to this side of things we want His support and indication how to move. We do not recognise how we need Him in the service of God.

Ques I wondered if resurrection was the only sphere in which the Lord can move among His own. Are we not in danger of passing directly to ascension?

CAC In John 12 they made a supper for Him. It is on resurrection footing. A man sits at the table who had come out of death. He is a sample of those people, they are all risen with Christ. If He comes to us it is after the order, according to the condition, in which He is. He says, ‘It is for you’, that is, it is to convey His love, an inexpressible love.

Rem F.E.R. has said that the Lord takes no part in His remembrance.

CAC In Luke 24 it is quite different. It is the life in resurrection that He made known and His breaking of bread there shows it is by death. I wonder sometimes how we should feel if the Lord actually came in.

Rem It says He stood in the midst of them.

CAC And it says they were frightened. I think what has been said as to not passing over resurrection is very important. We must go by way of the resurrection position.

Rem We shall never reach the service of song otherwise.