This week, we shall continue the
study of 1 Chronicles of the Old Testament.
(1) Before bringing the ark of the Lord back to the city of David, why did David feel obliged to confer with his leaders?
(2) What was their decision based on? (vv. 1-4)
(3) What was the significance of the Ark? (v. 6)
(4) Obviously, the return of the ark had to be a very joyous moment, given the love of David for God. However,
a. According to Numbers 4:4-6, 12, 15, and 20, how should the ark be transported and by whom?
b. Whose fault was it that the ark was not transported according to the instructions in Numbers 4?
c. Do you think the oxen stumbled by accident?
d. Do you think the striking of Uzzah (Abinadab was not a priest or Levite and none of his sons were.) was an accident? (See Note below)
e. See 2 Samuel 6:7—What does the Bible describe Uzzah’s action as?
f. Why was David angry at the wrath of God?
g. What important truth was demonstrated by God, even at this supposedly joyous occasion?
(5) Why did David change his mind and send the ark to another place?
(6) How did the Lord help David overcome his misunderstanding toward the ark and the will of God? (v. 14)
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
When the ark was returned to Israel, Kiriath Jearim was chosen, probably because “it was the nearest large town on the road from Beth Shemesh (where God struck down irreverent peepers of the ark) to Shiloh”. However Kiriath Jearim “was neither a priestly nor Levitical city” (K&D, 408); therefore it was unlikely to find any family of Levite origin. The Bible does not mention that Abinadab (Uzzah’s father) was a Levite, and of all the genealogies in I Chronicles concerning the Levites, nowhere were Abinadab and his family listed. So, it was quite unlikely that Abinadab was a priest or Levite.
(1) Now with the people united behind him, what did the act of sending tribute from the king of Tyre (a historically strong and famed nation along the coast), mean to David at a time like this? (v. 2)
(2) No sooner did the Bible mention about the “highly exalted” position of David, than it also mentioned about David taking more wives and bearing more children in Jerusalem (14:3-7). What might be the message the Bible wishes to convey?
(3) What was David’s long time relationship with the Philistines like? (See 1 Sam. 27, 29)
(4) How does this explain the fact that the Philistines now went up “in full force” to search for David? (v. 8)
(5) Now the Philistines gathered to attack David’s newly united kingdom, obviously hoping to prevent it from taking hold. From reading the two successive battles, can you point out their uniqueness in terms of:
a. How David prepared for warfare in both cases? (vv. 10, 14)
b. How God intervened differently in each battle and why?
c. What the results were in terms of the following?
- What David and his army did to the Philistines (vv. 12, 16)
- The impact of these two battles on David and his kingdom (v. 17)
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What does the Chronicler link the timing of this bringing back of the Ark to Zion to? Why? (v. 1)
(2) Why did David have to gather such a large and diverse group of Levites in preparation for the moving of the Ark back to Zion? (vv. 3-10)
(3) What mistakes did David admit to in his previous attempt to bring the Ark back to his city? (vv. 11-15; see Num. 4:4-6)
(4) What preparation did David specifically ask the Levites to do this time? (v. 12) What is the significance of this preparation?
(5) A very elaborate musical celebration was planned by David (vv. 16-24).
a. What does this reflect?
b. Is it really necessary?
c. Do you think the Lord is pleased with this arrangement? Why or why not? (see v. 26)
(6) Why were David and his people not afraid this time? (v. 26 and 13:14)
(7) What lesson(s) had they learned?
(8) How did David prepare himself personally for this celebration? (vv. 27-28)
(9) It is generally agreed that the wearing of an ephod is not precluded from non-priests, but the putting on a “robe of linen” and a “linen ephod” by David did represent “a priestly character” and “distinguished the king as head of a priestly people” (K&D, 510). What is the significance of the way David so dressed himself in this particular occasion?
(10) Why then did Michal despise King David, her husband?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
16:1-6—Sacrifices Made before the Ark
(1) What was the main reason for bringing the ark back to Jerusalem according to 1 Chronicles 13:3?
(2) What was the deeper meaning of sacrificing burnt offerings and fellowship offerings at this point in time with the return of the ark?
(3) How meaningful was David’s blessing of the people in the name of the Lord Almighty before the presence of the ark?
(4) What might be the meaning of giving a small gift (a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and cake of raisins—likely after what was sacrificed on the altar; see Exod. 29:23, Lev. 8:26) to each person in the crowd to bring home?
(5) Specific assignments to the Levites (vv. 4-6): What were the important tasks of the Levites? (v. 4)
16:7-36—The First Psalm Committed to be Sung before the Ark—The contents of this particular psalm appear to be subsequently borrowed to form part of Psalms 105, 96, and 106 respectively. Let’s reflect on the first part today, i.e. vv. 8-13:
(6) Call to worship (vv. 8-13): One of the weaknesses of contemporary worship is the lack of words and thoughts that evoke in us a sense of adoration of the Lord. Let’s learn from David in this “call to worship” remembering that as a psalm, each couplet most likely contains a parallel or adds meaning to the same:
a. “Give thanks” and “call” on His name: While thanksgiving is important, why would David make it parallel to the calling on God’s name?
b. “Make Him known”: To whom should we make God known? What should we make known of Him?
c. “Sing praise to Him”: What is this psalm of praise meant to do?
d. “Glory in His holy name”: What does it mean?
e. “Let the hearts rejoice”: Whose hearts should rejoice and why?
f. “Look to the Lord” and “seek His face”:
- What is meant by looking to the Lord?
- What does David call upon his people to look to the Lord about?
- How different is it to “seek His face” and to “look to the Lord”?
- Why does David call upon us to seek His face always?
g. Remember what God has done:
- What, in particular, does David ask his people to remember in this respect?
- How important is it for them as a nation?
h. Who we are: As David calls his people to worship God, he also reminds them about who they are before God:
- Who are they before God?
- How important is it?
- Who then are you before God?
i. Write your own “call to worship”:
- As a worship leader, or
- Simply for your own adoration and praise today
- Note how such a call to worship might change your time of worship or prayer.
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
After his “Call to Worship” which ends with reminding himself and his people about who they are — God’s servants and His Chosen ones — David continues his psalm of praise:
16:14-18—Their Faithful God
(1) Is the Lord only the God of Israel? (v. 14)
(2) What was the promise or covenant that God has made with them? (v. 18)
(3) With whom did God make this covenant in the beginning? (v. 16)
(4) How would they know that God will not forget His covenant and indeed would honor it forever? (vv. 15-17)
16:19-22—How God Honored His Covenant
(5) What was the period of their history mentioned here, in light of the number mentioned? (by the time of the Exodus, their number had greatly increased which was part of the problem that led to their ill treatment by the Egyptians; see Exod. 1:9)
(6) What marked their plight during this period of their history? (vv. 19-20)
(7) How did God honor His promise? (vv. 21-22)
(8) What did God call these patriarchs of Israel? (v. 22)
16:23-34—Song of Praise (continued)—this is repeated almost in its entirety in Psalm 96:1-13.
(9) God’s Salvation (or deliverance): As Israel has experienced God honoring His promise by delivering their patriarchs (and themselves too), what does David see as their proper response? (vv. 23-24)
(10) How is God compared to other gods? (vv. 25-27)
a. How fitting is this praise to be sung before the Ark which resides in the City of David now?
b. What was David’s most recent encounter with idols? (14:12)
(11) Calling on all nations to worship God (vv. 28-30)
a. What should the nations ascribe to the Lord?
b. Why should they? (v. 29c and v. 30)
(12) Calling on the heavens and earth to bear witness (vv. 31-33)
a. What should the heavens and the earth proclaim to the nations? (v. 31)
b. Which are the things on earth that David calls upon to sing and praise God?
c. What reason does he give? (v. 33c)
(13) How does he end this segment of his psalm and why? (v. 34)
16:35-36—Petition (see Ps. 106:1, 47-48)
(14) What is the petition that David asks the people to join him in making to God? (v. 35)
(15) Why and what does he see as the ultimate purpose of God’s deliverance? (v. 35)
(16) How does he end his entire psalm? (v. 36)
(17) Can you say “Amen” to this Psalm? Why or why not?
(18) What is the main message to you today, and how may you apply it to your life?
16:37-43—Permanent Staffing at the Tabernacle
(1) The gathering at the Ark marked the beginning of the resumption of permanent worship of the Lord, though at two places:
a. List the main duties assigned by David concerning the ministry before the Ark in Jerusalem and at the Tabernacle in Gibeon (see Note below)
b. As “all the people left, each for their own home”, carrying on with their lives, what was the important function of these priests and Levites?
17:1-15—David Planned to Build a Temple for the Lord
(2) What prompted David to think of building a temple for the Lord?
(3) What was so right and admirable about his desire to build a temple for the Lord?
(4) Would you, if you were David? Why or why not?
(5) What was Nathan’s immediate reaction to David’s request or thought?
(6) What was Nathan’s assumption behind his reply?
(7) What mistake did Nathan make?
(8) Why did God still speak through Nathan, and not directly to David?
(9) God said, “You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.” In essence, God was reminding David that even if he had the desire to build a house for God, not everyone was chosen to do so. What might be the message to us today?
(10) God’s reply to David can be divided into four parts:
a. Vv. 5-6: Why was it not conducive to build anything permanent as a house for God while Israel was roaming in the desert? What does this tell us about the desire and commitment of God to be wherever we are?
b. Vv. 7-8: The Lord described David’s former life as one of “following the flock”—shouldn’t it be the flock which follows David? What did the Lord mean? Does it describe your life as well? What was the significant change God had wrought in David’s life? Is it also true in your life?
c. Vv. 9-10: While God elevated and protected David, what was His ultimate desire?
d. Vv. 11-14 is what is called “the Davidic Covenant":
- Based on the words used to describe this covenant, do you think it points to the Messiah or Solomon?
- How has this covenant been fulfilled?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
It appears that the Chronicler does not intend to list out all the different assignments of the Levites and priests which have been covered in detail in chapter 6; he was only trying to highlight the fact from then onwards, permanent duties had resumed for the Levites and priests as they were charged with the all-important duty of making atonement for Israel (6:49) and offering praise to the Lord on their behalf. Note that there were likely two Obed-Edoms being mentioned: One was the Gittite in whose home the Ark had once stayed and he was a Kohathite (26:4); the other one, the son of Jeduthun, was a Merarite.
David’s response to the words of the Lord through Nathan the prophet:
Vv. 16-19—“Who Am I?”
(2) How did David see himself and his family? (v. 16)
(3) Why was David so overwhelmed by the reply of the Lord through Nathan? (v. 17)
(4) If David knew God was speaking of the Messiah/Savior who would eventually come out of his lineage, what do you think how David would have reacted?
(5) Can you echo in your heart these words of David? Why or why not?
Vv. 20-22—God is Real
(6) What might have caused David to experience the reality of God beyond what he had “heard with (his) own ears”?
(7) How special were the people of Israel (as he now realizes)?
(8) Can you echo in your heart these words of David? Why or why not?
Vv. 23-24—Reasons for God to keep His promise
(9) What were the three reasons he cited for God to keep His promise?
(10) Was the last reason rather self-centered? Why or why not?
Vv. 25-27—God’s promise to build David’s house instead
(11) What was the basis on which he could have such courage to ask? (v. 25)
(12) What did David affirm as the only basis his house would be blessed?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?