This chapter mentions David is now old (full of days) and has made Solomon king. It also details the lineage of the Levites and some of their duties in service to the Lord.
“David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was 38,000 men. ‘Twenty-four thousand of these,’ David said, ‘shall have charge of the work in the house of the Lord, 6,000 shall be officers and judges, 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise.’ ” (v2-5)
Ever since construction of the tabernacle began, Levites (descendants of Levi, one of Jacob/Israel’s 12 sons) have been dedicated to God’s service. Moses and Aaron are descendants of this tribe and mentioned in the genealogies in this chapter.
Today, the church is kind of like the Levites – we are all tasked with the work of the Lord. We all have different gifts and abilities and serve in different ways, yet we are all called to serve in some capacity. My gifts fall into the areas of teaching and craftsmanship. Your gifts may vary significantly from mine, but that’s a good thing, because we all play a unique part in the body of Christ.
In my own words, spiritual gifts are supernaturally enhanced abilities that we are called to use to in service of God’s kingdom. There are several passages in scripture that speak about spiritual gifts, and it would be lengthy to quote them all, so I’ll only provide some references (this list may not be exhaustive): Rm 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12:8-10,28-30, Eph 4:11, 1 Pt 4:11.
God has called each of us into His service, so I encourage us to fully embrace God’s calling in our lives. Everyone’s calling will look a little different, and often times these callings are for seasons (a finite period of time), though some callings are life-long commitments. The details of the calling are between you and God, my only suggestion would be to remain open to His leading.
My main takeaway is, just as David did not allow any Levites to opt in/out of their heritage and calling, God does not give His children an opt in/out option on serving Him – service is part of the package deal when we become His followers. Servicing God will build endurance and require personal sacrifice, but it’s worth it to help build the kingdom of God. I encourage us to walk faithfully, serve the Lord, and experience the joy that is available through our obedience.
Father God, our Lord and King, holy, holy, holy is Your name. Father You have blessed us so richly, and the down-payment on our inheritance includes the gifts Your Spirit. Father please help us to discover, grow, and utilize these gifts according to Your purposes. May we partner with You to serve others and build Your kingdom one calling at a time. May we learn the sound of Your voice so we may respond quickly when You call, and may we serve You joyfully and wholeheartedly for our remaining days. In the name of Jesus, Your beloved Son we thank and praise You, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training