What I Noticed Today (1 Chronicles 26-29; Psalm 127)
1 Chronicles 26
The gatekeepers played an important role in protecting both the temple of God and also the storehouses.
In verses 1-3, the gatekeepers came from the tribes of Kohath and Merari.
Note: The Asaph mentioned in 1 Chronicles 26:1 is not the same Asaph, who was a musician. This “Asaph” probably “Ebiasaph” (see 1 Chronicles 9:19).
In verses 12-18, the gatekeepers were assigned not based on shifts, but on which gates they were assigned to guard.
- Lots were cast to assign families to each of the four gates into the temple.
- Shelemiah guarded the east gate.
- Zechariah guarded the north gate.
- Obed-edom guarded the south gate and the storehouses.
- Shuppim and Hosah guarded the west gate and the Shalleketh.
In verses 20-32, treasurers and other Levitical officers were assigned:
- Ahijah, a Levite, was assigned responsibility for guarding the temple treasuries. Ahijah supervised the Gershonites, who were assigned to guard the temple treasury.
- The final group to be assigned was the judges and officers who would enforce God’s law in Israel.
- Men were assigned west of the Jordan, but it was not until 40 years later, toward the end of David’s reign, that men were assigned east of the Jordan for the half-tribe of Manasseh, the Reubenites, and the Gadites.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- David crafted an organization of leaders who were responsible for every aspect of service to the temple before the temple was even built. Each family head knew exactly what their responsibilities were. David had supplied the materials needed to build the temple, and now he had established an organizational structure that ensured the smooth operation of temple worship.
1 Chronicles 27
In 1 Chronicles 27, David established secular positions overseeing the military and political structure of the Israelite government.
In verses 1-15, having organized the Levites for their service in the temple of God, David now turned his attention to the army.
- David organized the army into 12 divisions of 24,000 soldiers each.
- Each division would serve for one month during times of peace.
- Several of the 30 mighty men are mentioned in the list of commanders.
In verses 16-22, David also established leaders for each of the tribes (these men were like governors of states).
In verses 23-24, the Chronicler again notes (1 Chronicles 21:2-5) David’s census of military-aged (over 20-years old) men.
In verses 25-34, David also established men who oversaw a variety of important roles in caring for his personal property. These included men over the king’s treasuries, farmers, vineyards, wine, trees, olive oil, herds, camels, donkeys, and flocks.
1 Chronicles 28
In 1 Chronicles 28, David commissioned his son, Solomon, to build the temple of the Lord.
In verses 1-21, David then assembled all these leaders together in Jerusalem and gave them his vision for building the temple, God’s covenant with the people, and announced Solomon, his son, would be the next king responsible for building the temple.
- David instructed his son to serve the Lord with a whole heart and warned him not to forsake the Lord.
- He encouraged Solomon to be faithful in building the Lord’s house and gave him all the detailed plans for its construction.
- He further encouraged Solomon by reminding him that the Lord would be with him and never forsake him.
1 Chronicles 29
In 1 Chronicles 29, David provided for the building of the temple and prayed to the Lord before the people.
In verses 1-9, David led the people by making significant offerings of gold, silver, precious stones, and other materials for the building of the temple.
- He then challenged the people to follow his lead and give generously.
In verses 10-21, as the offering for the building of the temple was completed, David offered a prayer of thanksgiving on behalf of the people.
- In this prayer, David speaks of God’s greatness (v. 11), His glory (v. 13), the recognition that everything comes from God (v. 14), and that we are just on this earth for a short time (v. 15).
- Following the prayer, the people offered thousands of sacrifices to the Lord and ate and drank with great gladness (vv. 21-22).
In verses 22b-25, for the second time, the people followed David’s instructions by anointing Solomon as king. The Lord was with Solomon and made him greater than any king before him (v. 25).
In verses 26-30, the chapter concludes with a record of David’s death after reigning as king of Israel for a total of 40 years.
- He reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for 33 years.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- David’s organizational skills are apparent in these final chapters of 1 Chronicles. He was never sullen over not being allowed to build the temple himself. Rather, he did everything he could to provide for the building of the temple and set his son Solomon up for success as king. He brought the people together with a common purpose and gave everyone specific roles that contributed to the success of the nation.
All the notes for the book of 1 Chronicles have been compiled into a single pdf document. You can download it by clicking here.
Psalm 127
Psalm 127 was written by Solomon and focuses on the futility of building or laboring without God.
In verses 1-2, Solomon says a builder builds, and a watchman watches in vain without God.
In verses 3-5, Solomon refers to children as a reward and a blessing from the Lord.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
