1 Chronicles 16

The Petty Plans of Man

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37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, 38 and also Obed-edom and his sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. 39 And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

43 Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.

1 Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” 2 And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’” – 1 Chronicles 16:37-17:7 ESV

The day of celebration and sacrifice came to an end with the Ark of the Covenant safely ensconced in its new home within the walls of the city of Jerusalem. This entire scenario raises some interesting questions regarding David’s actions. Why did he remove the Ark of the Covenant from its place within the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle at Gibeon? Had God instructed him to do so? What did he hope to gain from separating the ark from the Tabernacle and the other sacred furnishings that were instrumental in the sacrificial system God had established?

When David moved the ark into Jerusalem, he placed it within a tent he had erected (1 Chronicles 16:1), but God had ordained that the ark be kept within the Holy of Holies.

“For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. Hang this curtain on gold hooks attached to four posts of acacia wood. Overlay the posts with gold, and set them in four silver bases. Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

“Then put the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of the Ark of the Covenant inside the Most Holy Place.” – Exodus 26:31-34 NLT

The entire Tabernacle complex was designed as a holistic, interdependent structure in which every piece of furniture and architectural element served a purpose. Elaborately designed and painstakingly constructed, the Tabernacle served as the central worship center for the people of Israel. It was there that they gathered once a year on the Day of Atonement so that the high priest could offer the prescribed sacrifices that purify the people of their sins and restore them to a right relationship with God.

“Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord. After he has slaughtered the bull as a sin offering, he will fill an incense burner with burning coals from the altar that stands before the Lord. Then he will take two handfuls of fragrant powdered incense and will carry the burner and the incense behind the inner curtain. There in the Lord’s presence he will put the incense on the burning coals so that a cloud of incense will rise over the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. If he follows these instructions, he will not die. Then he must take some of the blood of the bull, dip his finger in it, and sprinkle it on the east side of the atonement cover. He must sprinkle blood seven times with his finger in front of the atonement cover.

“Then Aaron must slaughter the first goat as a sin offering for the people and carry its blood behind the inner curtain. There he will sprinkle the goat’s blood over the atonement cover and in front of it, just as he did with the bull’s blood. Through this process, he will purify the Most Holy Place, and he will do the same for the entire Tabernacle, because of the defiling sin and rebellion of the Israelites. No one else is allowed inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters it for the purification ceremony in the Most Holy Place. No one may enter until he comes out again after purifying himself, his family, and all the congregation of Israel, making them right with the Lord.” – Leviticus 16:11-17 NLT

For this sanctifying ceremony to take place, the ark needed to be in close proximity to the bronze altar and the rest of the furnishings of the Tabernacle. By removing the ark from its place within the Holy of Holies, David complicated the process of atonement for the people. As the annual Day of Atonement approached, was his plan to move the ark back to the Tabernacle in Gibeon? Did he somehow expect the high priest to offer the atoning sacrifices in Gibeon and then transport the blood of the animals to Jerusalem where he could sprinkle it on the ark? None of these details are provided in the narrative but we do know that David had plans for the ark as long as it remained in Jerusalem, and it would appear that those plans were permanent in nature.

David arranged for Asaph and his fellow Levites to serve regularly before the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, doing whatever needed to be done each day. – 1 Chronicles 16:37 NLT

David established a permanent team of Levitical priests to care for the ark and to offer regular sacrifices within the new temporary “tabernacle” he had established in Jerusalem. David didn’t attempt to abandon or replace the Tabernacle in Gibeon, but instead, he established another set of priests to maintain the various daily sacrifices ordained by God.

David stationed Zadok the priest and his fellow priests at the Tabernacle of the Lord at the place of worship in Gibeon, where they continued to minister before the Lord. They sacrificed the regular burnt offerings to the Lord each morning and evening on the altar set aside for that purpose, obeying everything written in the Law of the Lord, as he had commanded Israel. – 1 Chronicles 16;39-40 NLT

The chronicler doesn’t reveal how long this bifurcated arrangement was in place, but he does state that David soon realized the need for a permanent structure to replace the Tabernacle in Gibeon. David began dreaming of a day when he could build a temple worthy of his God.

When David was settled in his palace, he summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant is out there under a tent!” – 1 Chronicles 17:1 NLT

Chapter 15 opens with the report that “David built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it” (1 Chronicles 15:1 NLT). One of those “houses” was “a beautiful cedar palace” that was made possible through the generosity of a neighboring king.

Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber, and stonemasons and carpenters to build him a palace. – 1 Chronicles 14:1 NLT

But as David enjoyed the splendor of his new, cost-free palace, he realized that the ark was still housed in a far-from-luxurious structure made of animal skins. David was living in regal splendor while the Ark of the Covenant, upon which the shekinah glory of God was supposed to reside, was relegated to a bedouin tent.

Burdened by the disparity between his housing and that of God, David came up with a plan to rectify the problem. When he ran his idea by Nathan, the prophet gave his hearty seal of approval.

“Do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.” – 1 Chronicles 17:2 NLT

It seems that Nathan spoke too soon. He obviously didn’t check with God before giving his response to David because, that night, he received a message from the Lord that revealed a completely different plan.

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in. I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. My home has always been a tent, moving from one place to another in a Tabernacle. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s leaders, the shepherds of my people. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’” – 1 Chronicles 17:4-6 NLT

David’s heart was in the right place, but he was operating outside the will of God. He had not approached Nathan the prophet in the hopes of getting a word from the Lord. He had already made a decision and was only seeking the prophet’s approval. But as God makes clear, He had not asked David to build Him a house. In fact, it had been God’s idea to dwell in a temporary Tabernacle of His own design.

The prophet Isaiah provides a powerful message from the Lord that exposes the folly of trying to construct an earthly house that would live up to His holy and righteous standards.

This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?
    Could you build me such a resting place?
My hands have made both heaven and earth;
    they and everything in them are mine.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!

“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
    who tremble at my word.” – Isaiah 66:1-2 NLT

But David had not read these words and he had a desire to honor God by constructing a house worthy of His glory. His heart was in the right place, but his will was not in line with the Lord’s. The Proverbs make it clear that man’s plan, even though well-intended, can never trump the will of God.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. – Proverbs 19:21 ESV

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. – Proverbs 16:9 ESV

David’s dream of building a palace for God was put on hold because God had other plans. God wasn’t fully rejecting David’s idea; He simply wanted David to understand that He didn’t need David’s help or advice. God was not dependent upon David to build Him a house. He didn’t need David to accomplish great feats on His behalf or to increase the borders of the nation of Israel. As David would soon discover, he was a vessel in the hands of God Almighty and ordained to play an important role in God’s grand scheme of redemption. David could reunite the tribes of Israel, establish a royal capital, build palaces, sire heirs, and even relocate the Ark of the Covenant, but none of it mattered if God was not behind it. He had plans that David and even Nathan the prophet knew nothing about. David dreamed of building a grand temple for the Lord that would be the envy of the nations. But God had plans to build a “house” for David that would have would bring salvation to the world.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lord Reigns

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1 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
10 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
11 Seek the Lord and his strength;
    seek his presence continually!
12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
    his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
13 O offspring of Israel his servant,
    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

14 He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant that he made with Abraham,
    his sworn promise to Isaac,
17 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
18 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,
    as your portion for an inheritance.”

19 When you were few in number,
    of little account, and sojourners in it,
20 wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people,
21 he allowed no one to oppress them;
    he rebuked kings on their account,
22 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
    do my prophets no harm!”

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
    Tell of his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his place.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
30     tremble before him, all the earth;
    yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
    and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it!
33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

35 Say also:

“Save us, O God of our salvation,
    and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.
36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. – 1 Chronicles 16:1-36 ESV

This passage provides evidence for why God considered David to be a man after His own heart. Despite his flaws, David was deeply committed to God and fully aware of his dependence upon the Lord’s love, mercy, and grace. Since his anointing by Samuel as a young boy, David had learned to rely upon the presence and power of God in his life. His journey from the sheepfold to the palace had not been an easy one, but God had been with him all along the way. He had experienced periods of extreme difficulty and moments of exhilarating victory. He had been able to survive the former and rejoice in the latter because of the sovereign hand of God.

As he celebrated his consolidated kingship and the successful placement of the Ark of the Covenant within the walls of Jerusalem, David expressed his immense gratitude to God for all He had done. By transferring the ark to his newly established capital city, David was reminding the people of Israel that God was going to be at the center of his reign. In fact, he wanted every Israelite to understand that it was God who was their true King.

“Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!'” ­– 1 Chronicles 16:31 NLT

This entire ceremony was intended to elevate Yahweh among the people by making Him the center of attention. The ark was nothing more than a symbol of God’s abiding presence. It possessed no magical powers and, on its own, could provide no benefits to the people of Israel. But it had been designed by God and deemed the seat on which His glory would descend and rest. When God gave Moses the plans for constructing the Tabernacle, He included the specifications for the ark and the Mercy Seat that served as its cover or lid.

“Then make the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold. It must be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. Then make two cherubim from hammered gold, and place them on the two ends of the atonement cover. Mold the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold. The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it. Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.” – Exodus 25:17-22 NLT

In essence, the Mercy Seat served as God’s earthly throne. It was from there that He ruled and reigned over His chosen people during their days of wandering in the wilderness. David wanted his new subjects to understand that their allegiance was to be to God Almighty, not him. David served as a vice-regent under the one true King. It was God who was worthy of worship and reverence. Despite his crowning as king, David knew that his role was still that of a shepherd tasked with shepherding the flock of God. David had been chosen to care for sheep of God’s pasture, but they had proved to be particularly wayward and stubborn.

…he [God] led his own people like a flock of sheep,
    guiding them safely through the wilderness.
He kept them safe so they were not afraid;
    but the sea covered their enemies.
He brought them to the border of his holy land,
    to this land of hills he had won for them.
He drove out the nations before them;
    he gave them their inheritance by lot.
    He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes.

But they kept testing and rebelling against God Most High.
    They did not obey his laws. – Psalm 78:52-56 NLT

Over the years, the Israelites displayed a stubborn rebellious streak that repeatedly tested God’s patience. Their demand for a king had resulted in the appointment of Saul, who proved to be a bitter disappointment. But God graciously provided a replacement who would shepherd His flock well.

He chose his servant David,
    calling him from the sheep pens.
He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
    and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
    God’s own people, Israel.
He cared for them with a true heart
    and led them with skillful hands. – Psalm 78:70-72 NLT

The chronicler knew that his audience of returned exiles longed for the day when God would give them a king like David. They suffered from the-good-old-days syndrome, dreaming of the moment when they would have their own king who would shepherd them with a true heart and lead them with skillful hands. But the chronicler wanted them to understand that God was their King and he still ruled and reigned among them.

By including David’s song of thanksgiving, the chronicler drove home the message that Yahweh sits on His throne ruling over all mankind and accomplishing His divine will as He sees fit. As David began his long-awaited reign as the king of Israel, he reminded his subjects that God was the ultimate king of their nation. David set up the ark in the capital city of Jerusalem to assure his subjects that this kingdom was a theocracy first and a monarchy second. David reigned on God’s behalf and at His bequest. God had put him on the throne and God could just as easily remove him. Both David and the people were obligated to treat God with the dignity, honor, and reverence He deserved.

David led the people in a celebration of God’s goodness and grace. The arrival of the Ark in the city of Jerusalem was a reminder that God was intimately involved in their lives. For that reason, He deserved their praise, worship, allegiance, and thanksgiving. David reminded them of all that God has done on their behalf. He recalled God’s faithfulness and redemptive work in their lives over the years.

Remember the wonders he has performed,
    his miracles, and the rulings he has given… – 1 Chronicles 16:12 NLT

He wanted them to know that their God was good and worthy of praise.

Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
    Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
    Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! – 1 Chronicles 16:23-25 NLT

It was the Israelites’ relationship with God that set them apart from all the other nations. He was the difference maker. It was their status as God’s chosen people that made them unique among all the other people groups that populated the planet at that time. God was real and not an idol. He was powerful and not just a figment of someone’s fertile imagination, and He had been intimately involved in every aspect of their daily lives for generations.

They wandered from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
    He warned kings on their behalf:
“Do not touch my chosen people,
    and do not hurt my prophets.” – 1 Chronicles 16:20-22 NLT

For all that, He is to be worshiped, praised and obeyed.

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
    Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
   Let all the earth tremble before him.
    The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. – 1 Chronicles 16:29-30 NLT

The chronicler used these powerful words of David to remind the remnant of returned exiles that their God was still powerful and fully capable of meeting their needs. He knew that they were demoralized and doubting the goodness and greatness of God. As they surveyed the state of the city of Jerusalem, they saw its broken-down walls, its dilapidated houses, and the hastily restored Temple that was a sad shadow of the grand house that Solomon had built. To make matters worse, the Holy of Holies of this Temple was missing the Ark of the Covenant. The chronicler knew that they were questioning the presence and power of God, so he used this historical moment from the life of David to restore their confidence and trust in their ever-present, all-powerful God.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.
Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
    Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
    and rejoice and praise you.”

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who lives from everlasting to everlasting! – 1 Chronicles 16:34-36 NLT

This passage also serves as a timely reminder to all those who call themselves the people of God. The words of David should convict us of the many times we doubt and become disillusioned with God’s seeming absence or apathy toward our circumstances. Both David and the chronicler would have us recall that our God is just as powerful today as He was then. He is timeless and tireless when it comes to His providential care for His people. He deserves our praise as much as He did theirs. He is worthy of our thanks, praise, honor, and obedience – because He alone is God and it is He alone who is to reign in the lives of His people.

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
    Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. – 1 Chronicles 16:29 NLT

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34 NLT

God is worthy of worship, deserving of praise, and fully owed our thanksgiving and honor for all that He has done for us.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.