1 Chronicles 23
As we open today’s chapter, we are introduced to another remarkable grace in the life of David that we can tap into……
So when David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.(I Chronicles 23:1-2).
David was old, yet he worked until he could do no more physically on something he would never see completed. He meticulously made preparations for the temple physically, going the extra mile in organising how the administration and worship services would run and he also did not forget to document same. This speaks a lot about David’s character as a selfless leader. His energy and concerns were not just on things that affected his reign, but even those things which will happen long after he was gone.
It is instructive to note that after years in exile in Babylon, as the first set of Jews returned to Judah to rebuild the ruins of the temple, Ezra relied on what was documented by David on how the temple will run.
Think on this- What godly legacies are we leaving behind for the next generation?
Chapter 23- chapter 27 of the book of 1 Chronicles, is a record of how David organised the religious and civil leaders of his administration. The Levites had cared for the Tabernacle of Moses, and now they would maintain the temple.
Based on Numbers 4:1-3, Levites service began at the age of 30. And so in 1 Chronicles 23: 3, this was the case. But as we progress in the chapter, we notice that in verses 24- 26, David not only changed the duties of the Levites, but also reduced the age limit for service to 20 years. Why?
One reason he did this was because the new temple would require more workers, and he wanted to keep the Levites busy. The fact at this time is that Levite duties had suffered from long-standing neglect, building the Temple therefore implies that the burden of temple service will increase, even though their occasional duty of transporting the ark will now be abolished as it would now come to a place of permanent rest.
The Levites who once had the responsibility to manage and move the mobile structure could now become the helpers of the priests, the sons of Aaron in addition to their previous roles
