2 Crônicas 35

2 Crônicas 35

Spurgeon: Cheer up, my comrades The first thing is to get every man into his proper place; the next thing is for every man to have a good spirit in his present place so as to occupy it worthily. At this time it shall not be my business to arrange you, but assuming that it is well for you to keep where you are, my object shall be to encourage you to do your work for the Lord without being cast down. I will speak-- I. To those who think they can do nothing. II. To workers who are laid aside. III. To those who are much discouraged because they have but small talent. IV. To workers who are under great difficulties. V. To those who are not appreciated. VI. To those who are discouraged because they have had so little success. C H Spurgeon - Cheer up, my comrades ‘And Josiah set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD.’ 2 Chronicles 35:2 The smallest slight chafes those who are over-sensitive. They murmur, ‘I do my best, and nobody thanks me.’ You think yourself a martyr and complain that you are misrepresented. Be it so; that was your Master’s lot and it is the lot of all his servants. This is a cross we must all carry, or we shall never wear the crown. Do you fancy that this is a new experience? Look at Joseph. His brethren could not bear him, and yet it was he that saved the family and fed them in time of famine. Look at David. His brothers asked why he had left the charge of the sheep to come down to the battle, suspecting that the pride of his heart had brought him among the soldiers and standards. Yet nobody could bring back Goliath’s head but that young David. Take a lesson from the ruddy hero; take no notice of what your brethren say about you. Go and bring back the giant’s head. A good adventure is the best answer to evil accusations. If you are serving the Master let their scandal stir you up to more self-consecration. If they cry out against you as too forward, serve the Lord with more vigour, and you will antidote the venom of their tongues. Did you enter into Christ’s work in order to be honoured among men? Then retire from it, for you came with a bad motive. But if you enlisted purely to bring honour to him and to win his smile, what more do you want? Be not disheartened because you are not applauded; to be kept in the rear rank is often necessary to future eminence. If you take a man, put him in front, pat him on the back and say, ‘What a great man he is’, he will make a false step before long, and there will be an end of your hero; but when a man is brought forward by God, he is often one whom everybody criticises, finds fault with and declaims as an impostor, but the banter he is exposed to serves as ballast for his mind. When he has success he will not be spoiled with conceit, for the grace of God will make him bow with gratitude. 2 Chronicles 35:3 He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. the Levites: 2Ch 17:8,9 30:22 De 33:10 Ne 8:7,8 Mal 2:7 Put: 2Ch 8:11 34:14 in the house: 2Ch 5:7 not be: Nu 4:15-49 1Ch 23:26 serve: Nu 8:19 16:9,10 2Co 4:5 Related Passages: 1 Chronicles 23:26 “Also, the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its utensils for its service.” HOLY LEVITE TEACHERS AND ARK IN THE TEMPLE This is the first of 7 commands Josiah gives to the Levites in order to prepare for the Passover. He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel - This identifies a specific group within the Levites who were not just Temple workers, but teachers of the Law. Their role was to instruct the people in God’s Word, preserve doctrinal truth and guide spiritual life of the nation. And who were holy (qāḏôšh; LXX - hagios) to the LORD - In addition these Levites were holy meaning they were set apart and consecrated to Yahwe and for His service. Their separation from defilement was especially important after the period of idolatrous priests. 🙏 THOUGHT - One practical point (that applies to all us teachers) is that you cannot rightly teach others unless you are set apart yourself. I think of a recent famous national teacher who was having an adulterous affair for 3+ years and yet was speaking nationally and on the internet during that time. His sin was eventualy exposed. If you are a pastor/teacher and at the same time trying to hide your sin, "you may be sure that your sin will find you out." (Nu 32:23+). Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built What does this imply? The Ark of the Covenant had been removed or displaced. While we cannot be sure, this might have occurred during Manasseh’s idolatrous reign (2Ch 33) or simply be due to either desecration or neglect of the Temple. Therefore Josiah commanded that the Ark be returned to its rightful place in the Holy of holies. McConville suggests another possible reason - "The likeliest interpretation, therefore, is that Josiah deliberately re-enacted the placing of the ark in the temple as a symbolic gesture ... as a declaration that Judah was ready to start again". (I and II Chronicles) As an aside, this is the last historical reference to the ark in Scripture. Fereday writes "But the ark spoke to God of Christ, and Josiah very properly spoke of it as 'the holy ark'. It was the most expressive of all the types of the Levitical economy: our Lord's incorruptible humanity is set forth in the shittim wood; His deity in the gold which covered it, and His accomplished sacrifice is suggested in the blood on the Mercy Seat (or propitiatory) upon which the golden cherubim looked down ... Christ is God's true centre, and this must be made clear (at least in type) before the Passover could be acceptable to Jehovah" it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. This explanaton refers back to the wilderness system where the Levites (Kohathites) were to carry the Ark on poles (Nu 7:9) in order to keep the Ark mobile. But now the Temple is permanent and the Ark has a fixed resting place Moody Bible Commentary (p635) on a burden on your shoulders no longer - may suggest that, for some undisclosed reason, the ark was being carried in and out of the temple (according to the law, cf. Ex 25:14, 15) but would once again find a permanent home in the restored temple. Another possibility is that this was a symbolic act of removing the ark and returning it as a symbol of the temple’s reconsecration Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel - Notice the order to the LORD (worship Him, offer sacrifices, obey Him) and then to the people (teaching, leading worship). It is difficult to serve the people with integrity if one is not serving the LORD first. 2 Chronicles 35:4 “Prepare yourselves by your fathers’ households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon. households: 1Ch 9:10-34 Ne 11:10-20 in your divisions: 1Ch 23:1-26:32 and according: 2Ch 8:14 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 8:14+ Now according to the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their duties of praise and ministering before the priests according to the daily rule, and the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate; for David the man of God had so commanded. 1 Corinthians 14:33; 40+ for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints....40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner. ORDER IN THE PASSOVER WORSHIP Josiah’s continues his detailed instructions to the Levites as he prepares the nation for the Passover. In so doing Josiah shows that true spiritual reformaton is not random but is carefully ordered according to God’s revealed pattern. Prepare yourselves - Josiah issues a command to the Levites to intentional readiness, not casual participation. He wants them spiritually prepared (cleansed, consecrated). Worship that honors God requires deliberate preparation, not spontaneity alone or a "hurry up or we will be late for church" approach! (Convicted?) By your fathers’ households - Fathers’ households refers to family/clan groupings within the tribe of Levi. The Levites were organized by ancestral divisions (houses of their fathers), this structure having been recorded in Numbers 3–4 (Levite families: Kohathites, Gershonites, Merarites) and 1 Chronicles 23–24 (David’s later organization). In your divisions - Divisions refers to ordered courses or rotations of service by the Levites and reflects a well-structured system of ministry. Josiah's approach is in keep with the truth that God values order, structure, and clarity in worship (cf. 1Co 14:40). According to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon - The regulations formed by David (1 Chronicles 23 = Levites Organized; 1 Chronicles 24 = Priestly Divisions; 1 Chronicles 25 = Musicians - organized worship leaders Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun; 1 Chronicles 26 = Gatekeepers & Treasurers) 1 Chronicles 28:19 records “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.” So this was not merely David’s idea but was God-directed order. F B