Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20061231.htm

1 AND 2 CHRONICLES: GAINING DIRECTION OUT OF THE AIMLESSNESS OF APOSTASY
Part II: Gaining Direction From God's Work In The Reign Of David, 1 Chronicles 10-29
J. Learning To ORGANIZE God's People For Edifying Function In His Service
(1 Chronicles 23:2-27:34)
  1. Introduction
    1. Groups like churches can fail to function well due to problems in how they are organized.
    2. Well, in 1 Chronicles 23:2-27:34, David exemplified how to organize God's people for effective service, and we view the passage to note elements of good organization to implement in our Church (as follows):
  2. Learning To ORGANIZE God's People For Edifying Function In His Service, 1 Chron. 23:2-27:34.
    1. After David crowned Solomon as king in his place, he organized the theocracy under him for smooth functioning, beginning with the religious wing related to the tabernacle (as follows), 1 Chron. 23:2-26:32:
      1. David initially numbered the Levites thirty years of age and older who would be leaders in the work of the tabernacle (and later the temple) and found they were 38,000 in number, 1 Chronicles 23:2-3.
      2. Then, he divided these men according to their various job descriptions, with 24,000 general workers, 6,000 officials and judges of the people, 4,000 gatekeepers and 4,000 musicians for worship, 1 Chron. 23:4-5. Each of these groups was divided into courses that respected family lineage, 1 Chron. 23:6-32.
      3. To provide for fresh priests at the tabernacle, David divided Aaron's descendants, the priests, by lot led by God (24:5 with Prov. 16:33) into 24 groups (24:18b-19) with each group serving two weeks a year, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to 1 Chron. 24:4. This schedule applied to the calendar meant each group's service would gradually move around the calendar seasons for added refreshment! (Ibid.)
      4. David similarly organized the musicians into 24 groups for active service two weeks per year, 25:1-31.
      5. The gatekeepers were stationed by lot as set by God for their respective gates, and 22 of the total 4,000 gatekeepers were on guard at any given time, 1 Chronicles 26:1-19; Bible Know. Com., O. T. , p. 614.
      6. Next, David appointed treasurers to handle Israel's tithes and offerings, 26:20-28; Ibid., p. 614-615.
      7. David also organized the administrators of the religious functions, 1 Chron. 26:29-32; Ibid., p. 615.
    2. David also organized the civil authorities of the theocracy, the men in the military, 1 Chronicles 27:1-34:
      1. To provide for an orderly, effective national defense, David divided up his military of 288,000 men into twelve divisions with each division consisting of 24,000 men, 1 Chronicles 27:1.
      2. Each division then served in active duty on the front lines one month out of the year so that there would always be fresh troops on the nation's front lines, and so the morale of the the soldiers and their families might stay high as they could enjoy life together eleven months per year, 1 Chron. 27:1, 2-15.
      3. David also assigned what were probably quasi-military officials over Israel's twelve tribes (1 Chron. 27:16-24) and supervisors over "various aspects of David's theocracy" such as storehouses, royal assets, farm labor, vintage, olive and fig trees, herds, camels, donkeys, etc., 1 Chron. 27:25-34; Ibid.
    3. In reviewing this activity, we note several issues David considered to produce an efficient theocracy:
      1. David yielded to God's will for each of his subjects, using divine lots to learn which family GOD wanted to guard which gate, 1 Chron. 26:13! (1 Cor. 12:4-11 implies we have the same consideration.)
      2. David considered his subjects' need for rest: he divided the Levites and military into courses of scheduled duty and rest, 1 Chron. 24:18-19; 27:1. (Mark 6:30-31 shows Jesus had the same concern.)
      3. David also respected the family life of his subjects, using family structures as a basis of arranging the courses and divisions of work, 1 Chron. 23:6-13, 14-24. (1 Timothy 3:5; 5:8 reveals the same respect.)
      4. David considered the need of his subjects to focus on their jobs so they could excel in them; he did not mix musicians with soldiers, etc., but kept each group separate from the other so it could focus on its own kind of job activity so as to maximize its productivity! (2 Timothy 2:4 teaches the same idea.)
Lesson: The edifying organization of God's people for service efficiency respects (1) God's will for each one's service assignment, (2) time for rest from duty to perform well, (3) consideration of family order and duties and (4) the need each believer has to focus on his field of service to perform well in it.

Application: May we organize (1) first ourselves and (2) then our whole Church for efficiency in God's service by considering in each person's life (a) God's leading, (b) the need for refreshing rest, (c) family order and duties and (d) the need to focus on our personal calling of God to maximize our productivity!