Worship service 7/27/25.
Greetings and call to worship.
Greetings and good morning, saints, beloved brethren and fellow Christians. Grace, mercy and peace be multiplied to you through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath by His death and resurrection purchased for us all good things and doth apply them to our present and eternal benefit by His Spirit. Let us come before the LORD therefore and worship, inclining our ears, bowing our heads and submitting our steps to the rule of His word. Psalm 95:6 says, O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”
To worship is to bow down, and to bow down is not merely in the inclination of the body earthward, showing reverence and submission, but in the frame of mind and heart of the whole life, to believe God, to hear His word, to love and fear Him and devote ourselves willingly to His service. Let us therefore worship and bow down, calling upon Him in all our troubles.
Prayer unto the public reading of the Holy Scripture:
Our holy and righteous Father,
Eternal, immutable, and full of all glory justice and righteousness,
Merciful, compassionate, and faithful—The God who will by no means clear the guilty, Yet showing mercy to thousands that love thee with the whole heart and keep thy commandments:
We come before thee solemnly and sincerely, as those whom thou hast redeemed and purchased by the precious blood of thy Son, called out of darkness and into the marvellous light of the gospel and the kingdom of Jesus Christ. According to thy word, we are bid and commanded to draw near to thee humbly, with a single heart and upright affections; and therefore we ask thee to grant it unto us, that it may be even so—Acknowledging that thou art incomprehensibly great, holy, and excellent, Glorious in power, fearful in praises, doing wonders. We are therefore careful to approach thy altar, knowing the severity of thy law, the holy requirements of the gospel, as well as our own vileness and unworthiness to draw so near unto thee.
We freely confess, O Lord, that apart from the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are justly denied entrance into thy glory, and must be cast from thy presence as an abominable thing. For we are guilty and polluted, unable of ourselves to repent or return, and altogether unfit to render thee any service that is not defiled by sin. Yet we believe that thou art our God, and the rewarder of them that diligently seek thy face. Therefore, we boldly cry unto thee for the free gift of thy grace: For pardoning mercy to cover our iniquities, And sanctifying mercy to make us meet for thy presence. Hear our prayers, deliver us from all trouble, cleanse us, we pray, by the blood of Christ. Assist us by the power of thy Spirit. Defend us from all evil, Strengthen our faith, subdue the lusts of the flesh that swell within us, And enable us to perform this holy service, Not in our own strength, But in the virtue which thou dost supply of thine own free goodness. And now, O Lord, as we come to the reading of thy holy word, we pray for a special blessing upon this portion of Scripture, that it may be effectual to build up thy holy church, which thou hast called thy special possession, and thy little flock. Open our hearts to receive it with meekness; Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to worship thee by it; And may the same Spirit who spake unto the fathers, apostles and prophets, the reformers and Puritans, so guide our whole lives, That we may grow up in Him in all things, even He who is the Bridegroom and Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, our Prophet, Priest and King. All this we ask in his most worthy name,
Amen.
Devotional and doctrinal exposition on the Psalms:
Psalm 26 [5] (Verse 4,5): 1 David oppressed with many injuries, finding no help in the world, calleth for aid from God: and assured of his integrity towards Saul, desireth God to be his judge, and to defend his innocence. 6 Finally he maketh mention of his sacrifice, which he will offer for his deliverance, and desireth to be in the company of the faithful in the Congregation of God, whence he was banished by Saul, promising integrity of life, and open praises and thanksgiving.
A Psalm of David.
1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:
7 That I may declare with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
8 O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
10 In whose hands is wickedness, and their right hand is full of bribes.
11 But I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.
Exposition:
We saw previously the meaning of setting the lovingkindness of the Lord before our eyes, and walking in His truth (Ps. 26:3). Now, it must be noted that these are not two paths, but one: for to set God’s grace before us is to walk according to His truth, and to walk in His truth is to keep His grace ever in view. He that has the grace of God lifted before him as a banner, like Israel’s standard in the wilderness (Num. 2:2), will certainly apply himself to moral virtue and godliness.
As it is written, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:11–12). And again: “Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). And yet again: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1).
These are not only doctrinal connections—between justification and sanctification—but experimental: in the soul. That is, the true believer, being inwardly persuaded that he is saved by grace alone, does not take grace as an excuse to sin, but is stirred thereby to please God and live in repentance, humility, and obedience. The tree is known by its fruit, the faith that does not lead to holiness is counterfeit (Jam. 2:20).
As Henry Bullinger aptly writes in his Decades:
“Now, none is so blind as not to see that to stir us up to repentance, the preaching or doctrine of the truth is needful and requisite—to teach us what God is, to whom we must be turned; what goodness and holiness are, to which we must be turned; who the devil is, and what the evil and wickedness are, from which we must be turned.”
And again:
“Faith in God and the merit of Christ is most especially needful for penitents… I do not deny that some have made faith a part of repentance. Yet St. Paul distinguishes them when he says, ‘Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Acts 20:21). True faith and true repentance are knit together, undivided yet distinct, just as we distinguish faith from works without separating them.”
Indeed, the Reformers were unified in teaching that grace is necessary both objectively—as the cause by which men are turned to God—and subjectively—in that all who repent do so by the Spirit’s gift, and acknowledge they have received mercy, not earned it. “God hath also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). Repentance is not self-generated, nor partial—it is the fruit of grace, and it bears holiness.
But we must now press forward to the next passage, which is no less weighty. For if we have been saved by grace, and delivered from the idols of this world, then we are called to a life of separation.
As it is written, “Ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9), and again, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God…” (Acts 26:18). If this be so, then we must no longer partake in the idolatry and vanity that enslaves the world. “Flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14). “Come out from among them, and be ye separate… and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:17–18). “The whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19).
Peter writes in holy sobriety:
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he hence forward should live (as much time as remaineth in the flesh) not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God. For it is sufficient for us that we have spent the time past of our life, after the lust of the Gentiles walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in gluttony, banquetings, and in abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you who shall give account…” (1 Pet. 4:1–4).
Therefore, we ought to think it no strange thing that the world hates us when we willingly and consciously separate from their company.
Here we must clarify: many in the world depart from others, but not as Christians do. Some sever friendships rashly, driven by pride or sudden offense. It is not hatred for sin, but the absence of reconciliation—for forgiveness is foreign to the world, and so alienation becomes permanent. Others depart circumstantially: a quarrel arises, they drift apart, but may rejoin again when tempers cool. Some are barred from friendship by providence—distance, schedule, opportunity—and would gladly renew their fellowship if circumstances permitted. Still others, though unworthy of trust, desire companions, yet remain isolated because of their own character. As the Proverb witnesseth “He that hath friends must shew himself friendly” (Prov. 18:24).
But the Christian’s separation is of another order. Ours is deliberate, voluntary, conscious, active, and principled:
Deliberate, for he departs not from everyone, nor for every cause, but as one escaping a swarm of bees—knowing the danger, not merely the irritation.
Voluntary, for no outward force compels him. He bids farewell to old company gladly, like Christian in The Pilgrim’s Progress, who lost his burden at the cross and would not carry it again.
Conscious, for he knows who he is—redeemed, sanctified, chosen. And he knows who they are—of the world, enemies of the cross, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Tim. 3:4). He does not sever ties in ignorance but with spiritual discernment.
Active, because the Christian does not merely flee the world—he pursues that which the world despises, and he does so religiously, with intent and constancy. “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments” (Ps. 119:60). While the world mocks, he marches on. He reads, he prays, he meditates. He communes with God and cultivates hatred of sin. “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil” (Ps. 97:10). He hates the world not with carnal malice, but with holy grief and spiritual rejection—seeing its filth, its vanity, and its enmity against God. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15).
Moreover, his separation is not occasional or symbolic, but continual and habitual. He guards his steps daily, lest his walk be defiled by worldly influence. Like the priest who must not go near what is unclean (Lev. 21:1), or the watchman who cannot sleep while the city is endangered (Isa. 62:6), the believer keeps himself unspotted from the world (James 1:27), knowing that small compromises open wide the gates of ruin.
For it shall assuredly be asked of us on the last day who our companions were, and with whom we walked. “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (Ps. 119:63). And if we are found to have made peace with the enemies of God, to have dwelt in ease among the profane, or to have counted scoffers as friends, it shall not be well with us.
“Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished” (Prov. 11:21). “Depart from me, ye cursed” (Matt. 25:41)—these will be the words spoken not only to fornicators and idolaters, but to all who delighted in their company and refused to separate from them. For “he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 11). Let every believer take heed, then, not only to his doctrine, but to his associations, for they declare what we value, whom we fear, and whose side we are on.
Principled, for he has a holy reason—God’s Word. God sanctifies him inwardly by washing his soul, and outwardly by removing the corrupting influences of ungodly men. “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver” (Mal. 3:3).
He shakes off their company like a man shakes water from his cloak. For ungodly companions are not weights to carry, but chains to be broken. They do not aid, but hinder. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20).
Therefore the Christian, purified inwardly and set apart outwardly, is made free. The cords that once bound him to sin and its company are loosed. His separation is not social but spiritual, not isolation, but consecration.
Now, much more can and must be said, but we shall take it up in due season, if the Lord will. Meanwhile, let us hold fast this sacred principle: that the lovingkindness of God before our eyes, and the truth of His Word in our hearts, must lead us to walk uprightly, and apart from this world, until we are brought blameless before Him at His coming (1 Thess. 5:23).
Let us say with David, “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.”
Matthew Henry,
He had no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, nor with the workers of those works, Psalms 26:4,5. By this it appeared he was truly loyal to his prince that he never associated with those that were disaffected to his government, with any of those sons of Belial that despised him,1 Samuel 10:27. He was in none of their cabals, nor joined with them in any of their intrigues; he cursed not the king, no, not in his heart. And this also was an evidence of his faithfulness to his God, that he never associated with those who he had any reason to think were disaffected to religion, or were open enemies, or false friends, to its interests. Note, Great care to avoid bad company is both a good evidence of our integrity and a good means to preserve us in it. Now observe here,
(1.) That this part of his protestation looks both backward upon the care he had hitherto taken in this matter, and forward upon the care he would still take: “I have not sat with them, and I will not go in with them.” Note, Our good practices hitherto are then evidence of our integrity when they are accompanied with resolutions, in God’s strength, to persevere in them to the end, and not to draw back; and our good resolutions for the future we may then take the comfort of when they are the continuation of our good practices hitherto.
(2.) That David shunned the company, not only of wicked persons, but of vain persons, that were wholly addicted to mirth and gaiety and had nothing solid or serious in them. The company of such may perhaps be the more pernicious of the two to a good man because he will not be so ready to stand upon his guard against the contagion of vanity as against that of downright wickedness.
(3.) That the company of dissemblers is as dangerous company as any, and as much to be shunned, in prudence as well as piety. Evil-doers pretend friendship to those whom they would decoy into their snares, but they dissemble. When they speak fair, believe them not.
(4.) Though sometimes he could not avoid being in the company of bad people, yet he would not go in with them, he would not choose such for his companions nor seek an opportunity of acquaintance and converse with them. He might fall in with them, but he would not, by appointment and assignation, go in with them. Or, if he happened to be with them, he would not sit with them, he would not continue with them; he would be in their company no longer than his business made it necessary: he would not concur with them, not say as they said, nor do as they did, as those that sit in the seat of the scornful,Psalms 1:1. He would not sit in counsel with them upon ways and means to do mischief, nor sit in judgment with them to condemn the generation of the righteous.
(5.) We must not only in our practice avoid bad company, but in our principles and affections we must have an aversion to it. David here says, not only “I have shunned it,” but, “I have hated it,” Psalms 139:21.
(6.) The congregation of evil-doers, the club, the confederacy of them, is in a special manner hateful to good people. I have hated ecclesiam malignantium–the church of the malignant; so the vulgar Latin reads its. As good men, in concert, make one another better, and are enabled to do so much the more good, so bad men, in combination, make one another worse, and do so much the more mischief. In all this David was a type of Christ, who, though he received sinners and ate with them, to instruct them and do them good, yet, otherwise, was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, particularly from the Pharisees, those dissemblers. He was also an example to Christians, when they join themselves to Christ, to save themselves from this untoward generation, Acts 2:40.
Opening Prayer.
O Lord our God and Father,
Holy and eternal, just and true,
The King of ages, whose judgments are righteous altogether—
Thou art great, and greatly to be praised.
Mighty in power, glorious in holiness,
Merciful to all who call upon thee in truth.
As thou didst hear thy people in the days of old,
When they cast their idols from before them—
So now hear us in our affliction,
For we turn to thee with our whole heart.
Even as the sun answers the voice of the morning,
So do we look for thee at the break of day.
For thy compassions fail not; they are new every morning.
O Lord, in the morning will we direct our prayer unto thee,
And will look up.
Give ear, we beseech thee, to the cry of thy people;
Consider the sighing of thy Church,
Dispersed, diminished, and despised.
We dwell in a land not our own.
The walls are fallen. Strangers fill the inheritance.
The wicked multiply, and truth faileth in the streets.
Children oppress, women rule,
And the leaders grope as blind men at noonday.
The fountains of doctrine are polluted,
And none calleth for justice.
Yet thou, O Lord, remainest righteous.
Avenge the honour of thy great name.
Rise and shake terribly the earth.
Let not thy word be forgotten, nor thy covenant despised.
Raise up a people for thyself,
As the morning brings forth light—
A people pure, watchful, and obedient,
Who shall tremble at thy word and magnify thy law.
For the night is far spent, the day is at hand.
Let righteousness arise with healing in its wings.
Lord, we do not yet see our signs.
We behold no prophet,
And the sanctuary mourneth.
But thou hast not changed.
Therefore we wait for thee.
We hope in thy covenant.
Though evil is increased and judgment delayed,
This worketh not in us despair, but faith and hope—
For hope that is seen is not hope.
Therefore, do we wait for that which is not yet revealed,
And look for it patiently.
Revive us in thy truth.
Cleanse us by thy Word.
Feed us with the hidden manna,
And send thy light and thy truth to lead us.
Unite us, O Lord, in sound doctrine and holy love.
Let us not begin the day in vanity,
Nor live as they who rise and call not upon thy name.
Let this morning be unto us a token of the resurrection—
A seal of newness, a pledge of victory,
For thy Son hath risen, and we with Him.
We ask not for a common gift,
But for that grace which cometh from Jesus Christ,
The Righteous One, who dearly loveth His people,
And giveth the Spirit to them that ask in truth.
Therefore, O Lord, prepare us for this morning as for all the days hereafter, for thy worship and service.
Sanctify our hearts, set our steps in order,
And awaken our ears to hear as those who are taught how to live.
For thy word is sure,
Thy promises faithful,
And thy mercies new every morning.
We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ—
The bright and morning star,
Our hope, our righteousness, our peace.
Amen.
Lesson 42. [1.2.17.] The Contents of Holy Scripture: The Histories: 1 Chronicles. Pt. 3.
Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2
Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,
Genesis-2 Kings.. 1 Chronicles…
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
Intro. The deceit of natural man and the unity of Holy Scripture.
1. All heresy is founded on misinterpretation of the text, not opposition to it. “There was never yet any heretic in the Christian world who contradicted that which is literally and syllabically in scripture. The most damnable heretic will offer to subscribe to the scripture instead of a confession of faith, who yet will not subscribe to all truths which necessarily follow from the words of scripture.” Gillespie
2. The unity of scripture is professed by all.
3. The doctrinal content is denied.
4. The natural man attempting to profess the faith stumbles into heresy.
5. He makes many connections regarding scripture, either real and copied, artificial, or superficial.
6. He cannot connect them to the faith, and know what their relationship is to everlasting life.
7. All of Christian doctrine is an unbreakable chain which points to salvation. (Like a golden necklace with a diamond at the center)
Lesson. The Contents of 1 Chronicles. (Part 2)
Introduction to 1 Chronicles 10–29: The Anointed of the Lord and the Pattern of God’s Kingdom.
The second major division of 1 Chronicles begins with the fall of Saul and ends with the coronation of Solomon and the preparation of the Temple. This span—from chapter 10 to 29—marks not merely a shift in rulers, but a deliberate theological record of God’s covenant purpose: to raise up a king after His own heart, to establish a sanctuary for His name, and to foreshadow the reign of Christ, the true Son of David.
Where 1 Samuel recounts the tragic rise and fall of Saul with vivid personal detail, 1 Chronicles 10 presents it briefly, and theologically: “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord… therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David” (1 Chr. 10:13–14). No lament, no funeral procession—but only the just judgment of God. The Chronicler would have us remember Saul not as a king, but as a warning.
From chapter 11 onward, David ascends. He is anointed king (1 Chr. 11:1–3), conquers Zion (v. 4–9), and gathers around him the mighty men of war (chs. 11–12)—a host prepared by God. “Day by day there came to David to help him… a great host, like the host of God” (12:22). But this is no romantic nationalism. The narrative is theological: David does not take the throne, he is given it. “The LORD your God… hath made you king over them” (11:2).
From chapter 13 forward, we witness the reordering of worship. The ark is brought near (chs. 13, 15–16), not with careless enthusiasm, but “after the due order” (15:13). Uzza is slain for touching the ark (13:10); David fears, but submits with reverence. We see here the necessity of godly fear in the handling of divine things. “Our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), and His worship must not be treated as common.
Chapters 17–21 reach the spiritual height of David’s reign: the covenant is renewed (ch. 17), enemies subdued (chs. 18–20), and the plague halted by sacrifice (ch. 21). But even here, David sins by numbering the people. “God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel” (21:7). The sword falls, yet mercy follows. David purchases the threshingfloor of Ornan, and there—on the very site where Abraham once raised the knife (Gen. 22)—he offers sacrifice and the Lord answers by fire (21:26). Here begins the preparation for the Temple.
The closing chapters (22–29) are filled with order and exhortation. David, though not permitted to build, lays up gold, silver, wood, and iron; he numbers the Levites, appoints the musicians, gives Solomon the pattern “by the Spirit” (28:12), and charges him: “Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart” (28:9). In all, David acts not only as king, but as prophet, preparing the kingdom for one greater than Solomon.
The difference between Samuel and Chronicles is not contradiction therefore, but complement. Samuel shows the man—his sin, sorrow, and shame. Chronicles shows the mission—God’s providence, order, and faithfulness. One prepares us to understand the sufferings of Christ; the other, the glory that should follow.
Just as the Gospels give us four accounts of one Christ—each with distinct emphasis—so do Kings and Chronicles give us two complementary visions of the monarchy. One shows the ruin of apostasy, the other the hope of reformation. And both are necessary.
The final words of David in this book are not of himself, but of God: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty… for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine… both riches and honour come of thee… and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all” (1 Chr. 29:11–12).
Thus, in this history, we behold the King of kings, the Builder of the house, and the One whose covenant stands sure—Jesus Christ, the Son of David, who shall reign forever.
I. The Fall of Saul and the Rise of David (Ch. 10–12)
a. Chapter 10 – The Death of Saul and the Divine Cause of His Fall. The record of Saul’s death in chapter 10 is presented as the divine conclusion to his kingship. The Chronicler is not concerned with personal details of his life but briefly concludes: “So Saul died for his transgression… and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit… and inquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him” (1 Chr. 10:13–14).
That Saul’s genealogy is traced in chapter 8 before this fall is deliberate. The Chronicler, under inspiration, acknowledges Saul’s heritage as a Benjamite and a rightful descendant of the patriarchs. He was not outside the visible covenant; he was, in fact, one of the most privileged—anointed, raised up, empowered. Yet like Esau, he despised the birthright. He disobeyed the commandment of God, and though he wept and sought blessing (1 Sam. 15:24–25), he found no place for repentance. Compare Jacob and Esau, Saul and David, the Pharisees and Christ.
In this way, Saul stands as a solemn warning. As with Edom, the line of promise brought national blessing but not a spiritual inheritance. Isaac blessed Esau with “the fatness of the earth” (Gen. 27:39), but not with the immutable blessings of the covenant. God had already spoken: “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Mal. 1:2–3; Rom. 9:13). Esau was a profane man, who “for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” (Heb. 12:16–17), and so was Saul—a man of stature, favour, even temporary power, but cast off because he obeyed not the voice of the Lord. Isaac according to his knowledge of the covenant doubtless should have evaluated his sons more closely.
So here in chapter 10, the Chronicler teaches the same truth the apostle later declares: “They are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6). There is a natural lineage, sons of Jacob, and a spiritual, sons of Israel—and they are distinct. The genealogies affirm God’s faithfulness to families and His providence in ordering generations, but also demonstrate that without faith, the birthright may be possessed—and yet the spiritual significance lost.
In the case of Saul, though his family is acknowledged, his name becomes a byword. His fall is not due to human weakness but willful rebellion. His blessing was temporal (of this life); the consequences of his disobedience, eternal. Thus, the Lord removes him and turns the kingdom to David, “a man after His own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14).
b. Chapter 11 – David Anointed King and the Taking of Jerusalem.
David’s anointing as king in chapter 11 and his conquest of Jerusalem are not merely political milestones—they are prophetic acts brimming with divine significance. The city of Jerusalem, long held by the Jebusites, was a reproach upon the tribes who had not fully cleansed the land. Yet now, by the hand of the king appointed by God, it is taken and sanctified.
This moment signifies a remarkable turning point: Jerusalem becomes not only the seat of David’s kingdom, but the place where God would cause His name to dwell—the future site of the Temple, the centre of true worship, and the type of the heavenly Jerusalem (Ps. 132:13–14; Heb. 12:22). In uniting the throne and the sanctuary, David lays the foundation for a kingdom wherein civil and sacred authority meet together under divine rule. “Righteousness and Peace have kissed.”
Thus, David is a king after God’s own heart, and moreover a forerunner of Christ, whose rule is likewise centred in holiness and truth. In Christ, the Son of David, the promises meet: the kingly sceptre and the priestly intercession are united in one everlasting covenant. “The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David… Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne” (Ps. 132:11). And again, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4).
Jerusalem, then, is not chosen for its strength, nor its fame, but for its divine appointment. God chose Jerusalem because the worship of God is not to be offered wheresoever man wills, but where God has chosen. The true Church is not scattered in vanity but gathered in the unity of truth, according to the doctrine of Christ our King and Priest.
c. Chapter 12 – David’s Mighty Men and the Gathering of Loyal Soldiers. Chapter 12 records the assembling of David’s mighty men—valiant warriors from every tribe who wisely discerned the times and chose allegiance to God’s anointed, even while Saul yet reigned. These men came out of conviction, “with a perfect heart,” to make David king, “according to the word of the LORD” (1 Chr. 12:38). Their loyalty, unity, and strength foreshadow the willing gathering of Christ’s true Church—those who forsake the world and its vanities to follow the rightful King, not in name only, but in spirit and in truth. For all Christ’s servants are warriors and Kings indeed, doing battle against the lusts of the flesh while the rest of the world lives like slaves.
II. The Ark and the Centrality of God’s Worship (Ch. 13–16).
a. Chapter 13 – The Mishandling of the Ark and Uzza’s Death.
Chapter 13 recounts David’s attempt to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem, a deed noble in intent but careless in execution. He consulted the captains and the people, but not the Lord (1 Chr. 13:1–4). The ark, symbolic of God’s holy presence, was placed upon a cart rather than carried by the Levites as prescribed in the law. When Uzza stretched forth his hand to steady it, he was struck dead by the LORD (1 Chr. 13:10). This was no mere accident—it was a divine rebuke and Uzzah was not chiefly to blame. God will not suffer His holiness to be treated as common, nor His ordinances altered by human convenience or blind zeal. The worship of God must be offered in reverence and fear, not redefined according to the innovations or presumptions of men. God will not abide men tampering with His word. What comes from mishandling the things of God as we have seen in our day, with one mishandling the doctrine of marriage and the behavior of women in the church? (compromising their chastity, and justifying it by his doctrine?) Division in the home, division in the church. True: A believer may fall into sin, but woe be to that man who teaches others how to sin, or says to those that rebuke him, I know it not, or yet worse accuse them instead. As we see in 2 Chronicles 16, Asa the godly king is rebuked by Hanani for a league made with Syria, and puts the prophet in prison. Another text says, “he also oppressed some of the people at that time.” He was not therefore blameless in his life. The scripture says, “his heart was perfect all his days”. And yet we see here a great fall from walking according to the perfect rule of truth. Such is the case of our controversy.
God will not be mocked, and will not permit his house to be used as a place of uncleanness. God’s word remains sure, and it is to our profit and salvation when we confess, “woe is me for I have sinned” in public humiliation, rather than make an attempt to modify scripture to justify ourselves and take hold of this sacred ark, defiling it with our hands, our works, our filthy imaginations. “If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him?”
b. Chapter 14 – David’s Victory and Prosperity under God’s Blessing.
God confirms David’s kingship with military success and domestic blessing. His house is built, his name spreads, and the Philistines are twice defeated—not by might or power, but by divine counsel and aid. David inquires of the Lord (14:10, 14), and victory is given when God goes before him. The lesson is clear: no earthly strength is a substitute for heavenly guidance. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Ps. 127:1).
c. Chapter 15 – The Ark Brought to Jerusalem with Order and Reverence.
This time David brings the ark with careful obedience: the Levites sanctify themselves, the priests carry the ark on poles, and all is done according to the Word (15:2, 13–15). There is joy and music, but governed by reverence . Worship and the things of God therefore must be regulated not by presumption or enthusiasm but by clearly established divine order. “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints” (Ps. 89:7).
David quickly repented of his fault and was restored. Many wait for restoration because they are not repentant. They will languish in obscurity like Nebuchadnezzar til they learn that the Most High rules in Zion. Before honor is humility.
d. Chapter 16 – Worship Appointed and the Psalm of Thanksgiving.
David sets the ark in a tent, offers sacrifices, appoints Levites to minister, and delivers a psalm of thanksgiving (16:8–36). The chapter models true religion: joy rooted in truth, thanksgiving founded on the covenant, and worship led by those God has appointed. “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name…worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chr. 16:29). This is reformation—piety, order, and joy grounded in God’s covenantal faithfulness. Sin breeds division and chaos. Holiness- unity with God’s people and everlasting joy.
III. The Davidic Covenant and God’s Kingdom (Ch. 17)
a. Chapter 17 – God’s Covenant with David and the Promise of the Messiah.
David desires to build a house for the Lord, but God responds with a greater promise: He will build David a house—a royal lineage that shall endure forever (1 Chr. 17:10–14). This is the Davidic Covenant, wherein the promise of the Messiah is made clear. Though David is not permitted to build the temple, God establishes through him a throne that shall not be removed.
This covenant is fulfilled in Christ, the true Son of David (Luke 1:32–33), whose kingdom is everlasting. David’s response is that of humility: “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?” (v. 16).
Here we learn that even the most devout intentions must submit to the divine will, and that the greatest blessings are those God grants freely, not for our merit, but for His purpose. The spiritual seed shall come, and He shall reign forever and ever.
IV. David’s Military Rule and Just Administration (Ch. 18–21)
a. Chapter 18 – David’s Victories and Expansion of the Kingdom.
b. Chapter 19 – The Ammonite and Aramean Wars.
c. Chapter 20 – Further Conquests and the Giants Slain.
d. Chapter 21 – David’s Sin in Numbering the People and the Plague.
David, moved by pride, commands a census of Israel against wise counsel. Though not unlawful in itself, his intent was to glory in numbers rather than trust in the Lord. The judgment against him is swift: seventy thousand fall by pestilence, until the angel of the Lord stands with drawn sword over Jerusalem. There, the Lord commands the angel of wrath to stay his hand.
This takes place at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, a Gentile, who willingly yields his land to David. It is this place—Mount Moriah—where Abraham had once been commanded to offer Isaac, and where Solomon will later build the Temple of the Lord (2 Chron. 3:1). God had ordained this mount as the place where sacrifice would turn away His wrath from His people. And the blood of animals was a reminder that wrath loomed over them apart from sacrifice.
David, humbled and broken, refuses to offer burnt offerings without cost, and purchases the land and the oxen. He builds an altar and offers sacrifices. Then the Lord answers from heaven by fire upon the altar, and the plague is stayed.
The events here are rich in meaning. The threshing floor—a place where wheat is separated from chaff—becomes the site of mercy. Mount Moriah, meaning “The Lord sees and will provide,” is once again sanctified by a divinely appointed substitute. The angel’s sword is halted not by David’s offering, but by the divinely appointed sacrifice, pointing us forward to Christ, the true offering, for “a body hast thou prepared me”.
Where Isaac was spared, and a ram was given in his stead, so now the people are spared, and oxen offered in their place. But all these were shadows of the one great offering to come. For the wrath of God cannot be satisfied with the blood of beasts, but only by the blood of His own dear Son. Thus the holy place is chosen, the altar prepared, and the path to the cross made abundantly clear.
Moreover it is worthy of note that as David’s sin was pride in numbering the people, so this is a reminder that his might, power and strength is of the Lord’s provision. God provided a ram for the life of Isaac upon this mount. Therefore all our life, and enjoyment, wealth, health and prosperity belong to God. Let us therefore give Him thanks for them and not lift ourselves up and imagine we have got them by our own strength.
V. Preparations for the Temple (Ch. 22–29)
a. Chapter 22 – David’s Commission to Solomon and Provision for the Temple.
b. Chapter 23 – Organization of the Levites and Temple Service.
c. Chapter 24 – The Divisions of the Priests.
d. Chapter 25 – The Divisions of the Musicians.
e. Chapter 26 – Gatekeepers, Treasurers, and Other Officials.
f. Chapter 27 – Military Divisions and Tribal Leaders.
g. Chapter 28 – David’s Final Charge to Solomon and the People.
h. Chapter 29 – The Offering for the Temple and the Death of David.
As the book draws to its close, David—now aged and full of years—gathers all the leaders of Israel. Before the assembly, he solemnly entrusts the kingdom and the work of the temple to his son Solomon, saying: “Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind” (28:9). This charge is not merely political, but spiritual. The king’s strength must lie in his fear of the Lord, and the people’s hope in obedience to His covenant.
David then presents the detailed pattern of the temple, received by divine inspiration: “All this,” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me” (28:19). As Moses received the pattern of the tabernacle on Sinai, so David receives the pattern for the more permanent dwelling of God in Zion.
In chapter 29, David leads the nation in consecrating their gifts for the temple. The people rejoice, not only in the abundance given, but that “they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord” (29:9). David’s final recorded words are a doxology: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty… both riches and honour come of thee” (29:11–12).
Then Solomon is made king, and David dies—full of days, riches, and honour. The book ends not in sorrow, but with the firm establishment of God’s chosen ruler, the appointed site for His dwelling, and the hopeful anticipation of a future glory. The temple has not yet risen, but the foundations of faith, order, and worship have been laid. A king, a priesthood, and a people—awaiting the promise.
Conclusion.
I. Therefore, as this book so clearly instructs us as the people of God, let us make our calling and election sure—not like Saul, who took his covenantal standing for granted and presumed against God, but like David, who was meek and humble, ever receptive of God’s word all his days. Though he sinned, he did not continue in sin, but like a meek and obedient child submitted to the word of God and the authority of the prophets, namely Nathan. For all such as desire to inherit the kingdom of God must become as little children (Luke 18:17). “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isa. 66:2).
II. Let us handle the things of God’s worship—especially the doctrine of the word of God—with reverence. Not inventing new opinions to justify ourselves in sin, but repenting and ordering the worship of God rightly, with reverence and fear. “Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28–29). For who do we seek to persuade, men or God? If men will be persuaded by abuse of authority and forceful opinions, even to the contempt of the righteous, God will not be mocked. He is ever with the faithful—those pure and clean—even and especially when they are outcast. “And they shall be to me, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day that I shall do this, for a special possession” (Mal. 3:17).
III. Let us worship God with a willing and glad heart. As the Puritans once likened the soul to a house, we ought to rejoice in God with such uprightness, gladness, zeal, and devotion as is like a house prepared for an honored guest—with light, fragrance, order, food, drink, and lawful festivities. If such an honored guest should find the house devoid of spirit and light, full of cobwebs, dust, dirt, and in disarray, would he not be rightly offended? God sees the soul and the innermost depths of our hearts. “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13). Therefore let us not only serve Him, but serve Him willingly and devotedly as David and his servants did. “Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly…with perfect heart” (1 Chron. 29:9). For with such sacrifices God is well pleased (Heb. 13:16).
Closing Prayer.
O Lord our God,
Our faithful and righteous King,
A wise God, just and holy, our Deliverer—
Thou wilt command deliverances for Jacob.
Thou wilt save us from our troubles when we cry unto thee,
And thy people shall answer with boldness,
“Salvation is of the Lord.”
Truly, salvation is hoped for in vain from the hills,
From princes or powers, from horses or chariots,
From towers and strongholds, or any arm of flesh.
The strength of man is vanity.
Princes shall not deliver from destruction.
But we will wait for the Lord our God,
Who alone can save us from sin and from death.
For we were born condemned and polluted,
Guilty before thy throne,
Unable to work righteousness,
And strangers to the covenant.
But thou, O Lord, didst command the light to shine out of darkness.
Not for thy sake—for thou gainest nothing by the praise of men—
But in the purest mercy,
Thou didst rescue a people for thy name.
We may magnify thy name, but cannot increase thy glory.
We may praise thee, but add nothing to thee.
Yet thou didst condescend to save—
Taking death upon thyself,
And plunging it into the depths of the sea.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far hast thou removed the iniquities of them that fear thee.
Thou hast wrought righteousness in the earth,
And granted thy people life,
That we might serve thee in the wilderness.
And we are in the wilderness, O Lord.
We cry to thee from our affliction.
We thirst in a land where no water is,
For this life provides no sustenance.
All things here are vanity—
Like a vapour that appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away.
Men chase wind and shadow,
But we seek thy face.
Turn us from vanity, O Lord,
That our eyes may be fixed on thee.
Purge us from sin,
And cause us to behold thy righteousness.
Then shall we speak only of thee—
When thou hast redeemed us from all iniquity,
And cast our enemies—horse and rider—into the sea.
So command deliverances for Jacob.
Through thee shall we push down our foes.
Through thy name we shall tread them down,
Even those that rise up against us
With flattering speech and false doctrine.
Teach us by thy truth,
For we trust in thee, O God of our righteousness.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ,
Jehovah—our Righteousness and our Peace.
Amen.
Fearless Puritan: 