2 Chronicles 5:11–14

The day was a high day, and what was taking place really concerned all the earth. It was God, the God of Israel — the one living and true God — entering His resting place on earth. This was a foreshadowing of what will take place when the Lord reigns in power and in peace. Until Solomon the Prince of Peace was on the throne, the ark did not enter its final resting place. God will not rest until the true Prince of Peace is made King over all the earth. So the priests were appointed to carry the ark into its final home... And now, about to enter His resting place on earth, priests carried it on their shoulders into its prepared place in the inner sanctuary, never to leave it.

David orders an entirely new arrangement in this respect. The priests were divided into courses, and one course was always to be on the spot in Jerusalem. That arrangement is not referred to at all in the Pentateuch. David not only arranged for a house of God, but houses for the priests.

There were not enough priests to do all the work of skinning the offerings, so the Levites helped them. Some of the priests had not sanctified themselves. They were not as diligent as the Levites in this matter. Does this not remind us that we too often lack willingness to carry out the priestly duties of true worship? We may be more inclined to serve (as Levites) than to worship (as priests).

The passage from verse 11 to 14 of our chapter is missing in the book of Kings... This is the fitting picture of millennial worship, when the "song of triumph and praise" will sound. There the Lord is praised "for He is good, for His loving-kindness endures forever."... All the instruments of music resound, just as in Psalm 150, which describes the same scene.

The whole scene — the white-robed priests glorifying God with one mind and one mouth — was no dim foreshadowing of the glory of a later day. In that day the true Solomon will come to His temple and surround Himself with a righteous and willing-hearted people.

And when this mighty praise went up to Jehovah, when they made but one sound, heaven answered. The house was filled with the cloud... And if Israel had only one thought and made only one sound, how much more should we be of one mind in praising His name! We are His heavenly people, and we enjoy greater riches and a greater nearness than Israel ever had.

So now, if we want the house of God filled with the glory of God, we must keep the lessons taught here. These things are foundation principles. We must have a crucified, risen and glorified Christ. We must have Christ in His own proper place of authority, in gathering and in rule. The hearts of His people must be as one in giving thanks, praise and blessing. Then the glory of the presence of the Lord will be known among us.

The passage from verse 11 to 14 of our chapter is missing in the book of Kings... This is the right picture of worship in the thousand-year reign, when the "song of triumph and praise" will sound. There the Lord is praised: "For He is good, for His loving-kindness endures forever." All the instruments of music ring out, just as in Psalm 150, which describes the same scene.

In 1 Chronicles 25 we have the service of song. "David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals." It is called "prophesying" because it brought God in so directly, and that is the strong meaning of prophesying... There were twenty-four groups of singers. In the tabernacle the marked feature was not song but sacrifice. In the temple, in the day of glory, the song of triumph is the new and fitting feature.

The priests must be clothed in linen garments. No wool was allowed — nothing that would bring out the sweat of nature, for this can have no place in His presence. Linen we know as a symbol of righteousness, and of the righteous deeds of the saints, as in Revelation 19:8. Think of our standing before God, of what we are made in Christ, or of the daily life of the believer: righteousness alone suits the holy presence of God. These are the garments of praise that should always clothe us as a holy priesthood.

Only priests were allowed to blow the sacred trumpets. It takes being in the holy place, in the presence of God, in communion with His mind, to know when to sound the notes of testimony and praise. In the same way, only the sons of Asaph — Levites, "according to the king's order" — were to use the sacred cymbals.

In the symbolic system of the old covenant, the music of praise to God began at the place of Jehovah's name. One hundred and twenty priests sounded their trumpets, and "the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord." So when the new worship was about to begin, after Christ had ascended to heaven, the hundred and twenty were together, and we read, "All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer."... In the assembly of which Christ is the ascended Head today, we read, "There is one body and one Spirit"; and, being "filled with the Spirit," the new musical instruments of God are fitted for making melody to the Lord in the heart.

In the old ritual of praise, unity came from performing the act always in a set way. Today unity comes from the Spirit of God, who fills every mind with the same truth and gives it life... We have not so much as a word as to the formation of a choir to ensure efficient singing. We cannot find a syllable in the writings of the apostles about musical accompaniment of any kind... Not a section or a selection of believers: each one in the assembly is fully qualified as a singer. The work of Christ for him and the work of the Spirit in him make him so.

Solomon's was the time of rest. No enemy was left for him to conquer. He had no more preparing to do through trouble and toil. He sits down full of honour and peace. And his was the time of joy also. Then, for the first time, songs broke out from the middle of the congregation of Israel. Moses long ago had appointed sacrifices, but no songs had been heard in the tabernacle. David had appointed the singers, given them their charge, and settled them in their courses. But all this joy was prepared for Solomon. In the house that he had built, the priests, the trumpeters, and the singers — Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, with their sons and brothers — first awakened the praises of Jehovah in Israel.

The priests could not stand to do their usual service, for the glory had displaced them. No sacrifices could then be bound to the horns of the altar. Nothing was there but the fruit of praise and joy. Only thanksgiving and the voice of melody were heard. And in this Jehovah rested.

Israel, God's chosen people for earth, needed a way to express their thanksgiving, praise and worship to God. So they quarried minerals from the hills, took wood from the forests, and strings from animals they killed. King David ordered these made into cymbals, cornets, trumpets, psalteries, and harps. They were for the Levite singers and the 120 priests with trumpets, so they could join "as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord." … But this cannot be stressed too strongly — the music of praise was TO GOD, and not for the mere entertainment OF MEN!

In the ancient ritual of praise, unity came from always doing the act in a set way. Today the unity comes from the Spirit of God, who fills every mind with the same truth and gives it life. … We have not so much as a word about the formation of a choir to ensure efficient singing. … Not a section or a selection of believers: every one in the assembly is a fully qualified singer, through the work of Christ for him and the work of the Spirit in him.

This Psalm opens with what may be called the refrain of Israel's national song — at least from the time of Solomon's temple (see 2 Chr. 5:13). The song which proclaims that "His mercy endures for ever" is surely a song for eternity.

This Psalm takes up mercy as enduring for ever, not merely the sense of the present greatness of it — but when they saw how God's truth had held firm in spite of their sin, they see the incomparable patience of God — His own character celebrated in them, as of "mercy for ever."

The trumpeters and singers were "as one." Their harmony was beautiful as the stringed instruments joined in too. So the whole gathering thanked and praised the Lord together, saying, "For He is good, for His mercy endures forever" (v. 13). All this is a picture of the spontaneous great joy that will fill the hearts of Israel at the dawning of the millennial age. The Lord then expressed His own approval by filling the temple with the cloud of His glory.

So now, if we want the house of God filled with the glory of God, we must keep the lessons taught here. These things are foundation principles. A crucified, risen, and glorified Christ. A Christ holding His own proper place of authority, in gathering and rule. The hearts of His people as one in giving thanksgiving, praise, and blessing. Then the glory of the presence of the Lord will be known among us.

The first (2 Chron. 5:11-14) comes before Solomon's prayer. The trumpeters, singers, and all the rest join with one voice, saying or singing, "For He is good, for His mercy endures for ever." Then a cloud filled the house. The cloud appears as an answer to their shout of praise. Jehovah steps down from the heaven of heavens, His dwelling place, to His throne on earth. He comes to receive the praise of His people, and reveals His presence by a cloud.

They were the heavenly veil of the presence of God — His chariot, and the hiding place of His power. It pleased God to show His presence to Israel in a cloud... At the dedication of the temple "the cloud" filled the house. The priests could not minister because of it: "for the glory of Jehovah had filled the house of Jehovah." 1 Kings 8:10-11... This visible symbol of God's glory is often called the SHECHINAH. The word is from the Aramaic shakan, "to rest."

When it came to occupy the house which Solomon built for it, it took its throne there with full delight. "Arise into Your resting-place," said Solomon. "This is My rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it," answered the Lord. It was the good pleasure, the desire of the glory, to fill the place. And so when it does come down... it spreads itself out, if I may put it that way. It stretches out as though it felt at home. It fills the holy place and the most holy place, and its train flows out into the courts, so that neither Moses nor the priests could stand to minister.

Having placed the ark in the holiest of all, the priests came out, and at once the cloud of God's glory filled the house of the Lord. So God was showing His presence, approving the temple as His dwelling place among Israel. At that time the priests could not minister in the temple. The glory of the Lord was paramount, and man's work must then cease.

God dwelt in the midst of the whole of Israel. He did so on the ground of redemption, as we see again when the fire came down in answer to Solomon's prayer and consumed the burnt offering and sacrifices. It was redemption through the value of all that Christ was in His sacrificial work. It had not been possible on any other ground. But because it rested on the foundation of all the sweet savour of Christ in His death, He could dwell among them, despite what the people were in practice.

Like Moses at the setting up of the tabernacle, the priests cannot stay where God's glory dwells. Man under law cannot bear the brightness of God's glory. It is very different now under grace. We can gaze into the glory in the face of Jesus, and His presence will be our dwelling place for ever.

Ezekiel gives us the sorrowful history of the glory departing, when Jehovah felt bound in righteousness to leave His house. Ezek. 9:3; Ezek. 10:4, 18; Ezek. 11:23 describe the stages of its departure, as if God was most reluctant to give up His people.