What is the role of ushers in the church?

1 think we ought to be careful today both to build, and to see into what we build. Many evangelists today are what are called "free-lances," they are not at all careful as to the present object of God for the souls who are converted through their ministry; indeed, many do not know where to bring them, everything is so out of order. Still there is a Divine order, and the evangelist, if labouring rightly, should work out from, and in fellowship with, the Assembly. He ought to be a downright backbone churchman, according to God's revelation of what the Church is, and when he has got his stones out of the quarry — the world — he should know where to take them — viz., to God's Assembly. Many a man today does not know where to put them; he tips them on the road like a cart of stones, as it were, and is not exercised as to their being put in their right place in God's building. That is not Divine order. In Scripture all is very simple; the evangelist works and brings souls to the Assembly, where the pastors and teachers attend to them. But the evangelist is very unwise if he introduce his own converts into the Assembly. He should let others do that. He should bring them to those who were in Christ before them, who will need to be satisfied that they really are the children of God. That kind of testing is the porter's work. They keep the door of the house. We read of them in Solomon's days. Their names are given in 1 Chronicles 9:17-18; their numbers, four thousand, in 1 Chronicles 23:5; their courses in 2 Chronicles 8:14; and their service in 2 Chronicles 35:15. Good porters are very valuable; they let in those who should be in the Assembly, and keep out the others.

The Lord said to Simon and Andrew, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19); and what I understand by a fisherman is one who catches fish — not merely a man with a rod, or a net, that goes a-fishing. The work of the evangelist is to bring souls to Christ first of all, and then to the door of the Assembly. My advice to you is, Do not introduce your own converts. Let the porters take them in. We read of the porters in Solomon's days. Their names are given in 1 Chronicles 9:17-18; their number, four thousand, in 1 Chronicles 23:5; their courses in 2 Chronicles 8:14; and their service in 1 Chronicles 35:15. Are you a good porter? A few good porters in the Assembly are of great service, because the porters keep out what ought not to be in, and let in those who have a title to go in. It is a great cheer to a young soul when the porters can say, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord." I like a good warm-hearted porter.

We further read: "And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark" (vers. 23 and 24). Only the priests could blow the trumpets. It takes a priest to give the signal that gathers the Assembly together (see Num. 10:1-10). It was their office and theirs only — not that of the Levites. The Levite cannot do it. And who were the doorkeepers? They took the greatest possible care of the Ark. And surely in connection with the order of the Assembly when gathered for worship, the testimony of the gospel, the ministry of the Word of God, and the admission to His Assembly today, it is of great importance to have the spirit of the doorkeepers here. We are to be very careful with regard to everything relating to Christ and His interests.

The wall of separation having been built and the doors hung in the gates, then appointments consistent with this separation were made (v. 1). Gatekeepers are first mentioned, a seriously responsible occupation, for they must receive in all who should be in and keep out all who should be out. They should therefore be able to discern between those who made deceitful claims and those who were true. ln the Church of God today we surely need such gatekeepers, but the Church has no authority to appoint them. Rather, since the Spirit of God dwells in the Church, He will exercise godly men to willingly do their necessary work without the need of appointment. They have the Word of God to guide them in this, for the Spirit of God always works by means of that Word.

At this same time appointments were made for keeping the rooms of the storehouse, which would call for faithful men to take care of offerings and tithes and to to see that there was proper disbursement to the priests and Levites, for Judah had reason to be thankful to have the priests and Levites ministering in their places (v. 44). Singers and gatekeepers were put in their places too, with David's example to encourage them. Now in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah all Israel contributed to the support of these singers and gatekeepers. Similarly today, we should be thankful to have those among the saints who will devote themselves to encouraging the joy of the people, and those who are concerned as gatekeepers to see that those who ought to be allowed in are welcomed, and that those who should not be in are kept out. This is not the easiest job, but it is important, and we should always back up what is truly done for the Lord.

There were overseers set over the burden bearers also. How good for us if we are burden bearers. But we need instruction as to how to do such good work. Also some of the Levites were scribes, officers and gatekeepers (v. 13). Though there was diversity in the work, yet it was done in unity. Scribes were needed to keep things orderly; gatekeepers were required to see that only that was allowed in which ought to be in. These are all necessities in the Church of God today, though with no such functions and with no one assuming any special place for this.

The wall was built; the doors and their bars were set up; the enemy was disappointed in all his attempts to foil this project and finally gave up his ventures. Now, Nehemiah's first concern is the organization of the service of the Lord. The doorkeepers, the guardians of the house, the singers who led praises, and the Levites to whom is confided the ministry of the word (cf. Neh. 8:7) — for the Levites no longer had the charge of bearing the sacred objects of the tabernacle, as had been the case in the wilderness — all these men are established in their functions.

Moses and Aaron could not deal with this rebellion. The glory of the Lord appeared. Divine judgment falls upon them. Dathan and Abiram, their wives, their sons and their little ones, besides the ringleader Korah, are swallowed up by the earth and went down alive into the pit. (It is also foreshadowing the judgment to come upon the apostates when the Lord appears the second time. See Rev. 19:20.) The two hundred and fifty who had taken presumptuously censers with incense, thereby defying the priesthood, are consumed by fire. It must be noted that the sons of Korah did not perish. A careful reading of verses 27-33 will bring out this fact and chapter 26:11 settles it beyond a doubt, "notwithstanding the children of Korah died not." Sovereign grace saved the sons of Korah from the awful fate of the father. They were saved from the pit. Mercy was remembered in wrath. What grace bestowed upon them may be learned by consulting the following passages: 1 Chronicles 6:54-67; 9:19-32; 26:1-20; 2 Chron. 23:3, 4, 19; 31:14-18. They had the cities of refuge, were keepers of the gates of the tabernacle; were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of the Lord; the instruments of the sanctuary, the wine, oil, etc., were in their charge; they were mighty men of valor; strong men; they were the royal guards. And more than that, the Holy Spirit inspired them to write some of the beautiful Psalms. Read Psalm 84, "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts." What meaning this Psalm has when studied in the light of the story of Korah! They were faithful, devoted in their service because they knew that they had been saved from the pit. And we have the same deliverance and knowledge of it. Should we be less faithful and devoted?

In verses 17-23 we learn what the service, in part, of the Levites was. In these days of restoration they were doorkeepers at the gate of the temple, called "the king's gate." Formerly they had been "keepers of the thresholds of the tent and their fathers, set over the camp of Jehovah, were keepers of the entrance. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them formerly." Of him it was said: "Jehovah was with him" (v. 20), and that says everything. David and Samuel had instituted the doorkeepers in their trust when the temple, called "the house of the tent" in verse 23, had not yet been built. But still more, these Levite doorkeepers were "over the chambers and over the treasuries of the house of God; for they stayed round about the house of God during the night, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them" (vv. 26-27). Finally, "part of them had the charge of the instruments of service, for by number they brought them in and by number they brought them out. Part of them also were appointed over the vessels, and over all the holy instruments, and over the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices" (vv. 28-29). Others were "in trust over the things that were made in the pans. And some of the sons of the Kohathites, their brethren, were over the loaves to be set in rows, to prepare them every sabbath." Finally, there were "the singers" (vv. 31-33).

How many diverse functions these humble servants carried on! Modest functions, yes, but without them the entire order of the Lord's service would have been interrupted, or even discontinued! Let us think of this, and when the Lord confides a service to us, insignificant though it may appear to be, let us carry it out with zeal, reminding ourselves that it is necessary for the order of the house of God. Whatever may be our task, may we know "how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth" (1 Tim. 3: 15)!

In verses 17-23 we learn what the service, in part, of the Levites was. In these days of restoration they were doorkeepers at the gate of the temple, called “the king's gate.” Formerly they had been “keepers of the thresholds of the tent and their fathers, set over the camp of Jehovah, were keepers of the entrance. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them formerly.” Of him it was said: “Jehovah was with him” (v. 20), and that says everything. David and Samuel had instituted the doorkeepers in their trust when the temple, called “the house of the tent” in verse 23, had not yet been built. But still more, these Levite doorkeepers were “over the chambers and over the treasuries of the house of God; for they stayed round about the house of God during the night, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them” (vv. 26-27). Finally, “part of them had the charge of the instruments of service, for by number they brought them in and by number they brought them out. Part of them also were appointed over the vessels, and over all the holy instruments, and over the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices” (vv. 28-29). Others were “in trust over the things that were made in the pans. And some of the sons of the Kohathites, their brethren, were over the loaves to be set in rows, to prepare them every sabbath.” Finally, there were “the singers” (vv. 31-33).

How many diverse functions these humble servants carried on! Modest functions, yes, but without them the entire order of the Lord's service would have been interrupted, or even discontinued! Let us think of this, and when the Lord confides a service to us, insignificant though it may appear to be, let us carry it out with zeal, reminding ourselves that it is necessary for the order of the house of God. Whatever may be our task, may we know “how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15)!