THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

The Books Of The Chronicles: God's Preservation Of His Davidic And Levitical Covenants

IX. Practical Biblical Stabilization

(1 Chronicles 16:1-43)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

We believers in Christ live in an unstable world today, so we stand in need of practical Biblical stabilization:

(1) Instability affects the political realm: "Gary L. Rose, a professor of political science at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield," Connecticut, claims, "'At one time, (people in politics) were viewed as noble public servants, but a lot of that is changing . . . The polarization we're finding in national politics has seeped into state and local politics'" to where "capable people" are being repelled from running for office, weakening our democracy. ("Voters' choices diminishing," Republican-American, October 28, 2019, p. 8A)

(2) Instability affects the business world: "(I)nvestigators found plenty of blame to go around for a Boeing 737 Max crash that killed 189 people a year ago. They faulted design decisions . . . U. S. safety regulators who certified the plane" and "one of their country's own airlines, Lion Air, for inadequate pilot training and maintenance lapses." In all, "a combination of nine main factors doomed the brand-new Boeing jet . . ." ("Report on Air Lion crash blames Boeing, FFA," Ibid., October 26, 2019, p. 7A) So, how settled can passengers be flying in new jets today?

(3) Instability affects society in general: last Monday I heard a radio talk show host who lives in San Francisco rant about how environmentalists in the California state government had caused the state's wild fires and electrical outages by Pacific Gas & Electric by forbidding the clearing of underbrush to preserve alleged endangered species.

Others might blame PG&E for using some improper equipment, still others might blame those homebuilders who keep on constructing homes in fire-prone areas, but instability certainly affects California's society.

(4) Instability affects the Christian community: after our worship service last Sunday with its sermon on problems in historically reputable, conservative seminaries and even local Bible teaching churches, three couples told me how instability affects believers they know. One asked me how our children would cope with it in their futures!

Need: So, we ask, "What should we do for our practical Biblical stabilization in a world marked by instability?!"

I. Ezra wrote the books of Chronicles to help stabilize fellow post-exilic Hebrews who had returned to the land of Israel to find their country a dismantled nation, Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 591.

II. Ezra thus explained in 1 Chronicles 16:1-43 what David did to stabilize the nation of Israel in his day following the long civil conflict that occurred between Saul's and David's followers, 2 Samuel 1:1-6:23.

III. 1 Chronicles 16:1-43 thus offers a TIMELESS MODEL of STABILIZING GOD'S PEOPLE:

A. Ezra told how David provided a stabilizing celebratory event for God's people in 1 Chronicles 16:1-3, 43:

1. After moving the ark, David sacrificed to God and gave the people of Israel festive gifts, 1 Chron. 16:1-3.

2. The people then went back to their homes and David returned to his home to bless it, 1 Chronicles 16:43.

B. Ezra told how David provided a stabilizing ministry for God's people in 1 Chronicles 16:4-6, 37-42:

1. David appointed some Levites to conduct regular worship services before the ark, 1 Chron. 16:4-6, 37-38.

2. He also arranged for more Levites to conduct regular sacrifices and worship services at the high place in Gibeon where the rest of the tabernacle and its furnishings were located, 1 Chronicles 16:39-42.

C. Ezra told how David provided a stabilizing Bible exposition for God's people in 1 Chronicles 16:7-36:

1. For the Levites who ministered in worship at these places, David took parts of Psalms 105, 96 and 106 and combined them into a single model psalm for use by the ministry leaders, 1 Chron. 16:7-36; Ibid., p. 607.

2. That model psalm teaches three edifying Bible truths that STABILIZE God's people (as follows):

a. In 1 Chronicles 16:7-22, David used Psalm 105:1-15 (Ibid.) to teach resting in God's faithfulness: after an (i) introductory exaltation of the Lord (1 Chron. 16:7-10), (ii) the psalmist urged God's people to look to the Lord (v. 11) for stability due to His great faithfulness in fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant. (v. 12-22) That fulfillment involved (a) God's making promises to the fathers (v. 12-16), (b) His keeping those promises by giving Israel the Promised Land (v. 17-18) (c) and guarding Abraham's seed from destruction by Gentile foes in the group's formative years until they as a nation could conquer Canaan. (v. 19-22)

b. In 1 Chronicles 16:23-33, David used Psalm 96:1b-13a (Ibid.) to teach glorying in God's sovereignty: after (i) calling the people to worship the Lord (v. 23), (ii) the psalmist urged Israel to exalt God for His supremacy over all false gods as the Creator of the universe (v. 24-27) and (iii) to call all Gentiles to join Israel in exalting God as sovereign over all, and Who will rule the world in His Kingdom, v. 28-33a,b.

c. In 1 Chronicles 16:34-36, David used Psalm 106:1b-c, 47-48 (Ibid.) to teach calling on God for help: after (i) urging God's people to thank the Lord (v. 34), (ii) the psalmist told them to call on Him to save them from Gentile foes (v. 35a,b) (iii) that they might praise, thank and glorify God forever. (v. 35c-36a)

3. When this model psalm was performed, the edified people said "Amen," and praised the Lord, v. 36b.

Lesson: David gave timeless, practical STABILITY to God's people by providing a stabilizing celebration, a stabilizing ministry and a stabilizing Bible exposition on the three important themes of resting in God's faithfulness, glorying in God's sovereignty and calling on God for help.

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ for salvation, John 3:16. (2) For practical spiritual stability, (a) may we utilize a "stabilizing celebration," which today involves regular church attendance (Hebrews 10:25), (b) may we get involved in a "stabilizing ministry," which today involves using our spiritual gift to serve the Lord in the local church (1 Peter 4:10-11) and (c) may we heed expositions of Scripture that call us to (i) rest in God's faithfulness, (ii) glory in His sovereignty and (iii) call on God for help.

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message . . . )

Assuming we are committed to a stabilizing regular church attendance and involvement in a church ministry, here are some stabilizing Bible verses that address concerns we may have over our children's future spiritual welfare:

(1) Regarding God's faithfulness, (a) in Matthew 28:19-20 ESV, Jesus promised, "I am with you always, to the end of the age," the Church age. Christ will be with every generation of believers even up to the rapture.

(b) Jesus promised in John 13:16-18 that He would not leave believers "orphaned" (orphanos, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 586-587), that is, without the indwelling Holy Spirit as his Divine Parent. Every believer in Church History will have God the Holy Spirit as his Divine Parent dwelling within him!

(c) Also, we can rely on God's Word to be both true and relevant for believers until the end of Church History. As we have learned in past sermons, over 1,900 years ago, Christ led the Apostle John to predict what we have shown in past sermons to be our era, the Laodicean era of Church History (Revelation 3:14-22). In Revelation 3:21, Christ contrasts His Father's heavenly throne with His earthly, Davidic throne, countering "Progressive Dispensationalism" that equates the Father's heavenly throne with Christ's earthly one. This error was formed in the 1980s and has spread to various schools! If Scripture so clearly countered this error so long before it was formed in our era, that Word of God can be trusted to be relevant until the very last generation of Christians like 2 Timothy 4:1-2 teaches!

(d) 2 Timothy 1:13-14 directs that believers can preserve sound theology by relying on the indwelling Holy Spirit. All believers throughout Church History will thus be able to hold to true beliefs if they rely on the Holy Spirit.

(2) Regarding God's sovereignty, (a) Matthew 16:18 promises that Christ will build His Church, and that the gates or ruling authorities of Hades, i. e., Satan, will not prevail against it! We can trust the Lord to keep building His Church in every generation right up to the end of Church History regardless what spiritual obstacles arise against it.

(b) In our past sermon series on Revelation 2-3, we have noted the great accuracy of the predictions of those chapters on the seven consecutive eras of Church History. We can thus rest in the oversight of Christ to fulfill His promises to us now in our unsettled time like he fulfilled His promises to other believers in past eras of the Church!

(3) Regarding God's help, (a) if our children after our era face burdens of the heart that they are unable to bear, Christ in Matthew 12:28-30 claims that they can "(c)ome unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Our children will be able take their burdens to God.

(b) If our children after our era ever become unsure of the right spiritual direction to go, (i) 2 Timothy 3:14 calls them to heed what they will have become convinced was true as was taught to them by good teachers. (ii) Yet ultimately, Psalm 119:105 claims God's Word will be "a lamp unto" their "feet and a light unto" their "path" in their spiritually dark world. (iii) Also, John 16:13 claims, "(W)hen he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth," so our children after our era will have the Holy Spirit to guide them into all the truth that they will need.

(c) If we wonder if Scripture will be sufficient for our children's future spiritual needs, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV claims, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Then, 2 Timothy 4:1-2 directs that this Scripture is to be preached in view of man's accountability to heed it at Christ's coming, meaning Scripture will be sufficient to help our children until Christ returns when we all give an account to Him for heeding His Word.

May we trust in Christ for salvation. May we be stabilized in our Christian walk by regular attendance in local church services, by using our spiritual gifts in local church ministries and by heeding Bible exposition.