Daily Manna 4 June
KEY VERSE: “All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.” – (1 Chronicles 9:22).
TEXT: 1 Chronicles 9:14-34
14 Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
17 And the gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was the chief. 18 Until then they had been gatekeepers for the camps of the children of Levi at the King’s Gate on the east.
19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, from his father’s house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, [a]gatekeepers of the tabernacle. Their fathers had been keepers of the entrance to the camp of the Lord. 20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar had been the officer over them in time past; the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was [b]keeper of the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
22 All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. They were recorded by their genealogy, in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their trusted office. 23 So they and their children were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, the house of the tabernacle, by assignment. 24 The gatekeepers were assigned to the four directions: the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their brethren in their villages had to come with them from time to time for seven days. 26 For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. And they had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 And they lodged all around the house of God because [c]they had the responsibility, and they were in charge of opening it every morning.
28 Now some of them were in charge of the serving vessels, for they brought them in and took them out by count. 29 Some of them were appointed over the furnishings and over all the implements of the sanctuary, and over the fine flour and the wine and the oil and the incense and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices.
31 Mattithiah of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the trusted office over the things that were baked in the pans. 32 And some of their brethren of the sons of the Kohathites were in charge of preparing the showbread for every Sabbath.
33 These are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lodged in the chambers, and were free from other duties; for they were employed in that work day and night. 34 These heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites were heads throughout their generations. They dwelt at Jerusalem.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
The Book of God contains the names of every one ever born on earth. It is that register that will be called up on the judgment day to distribute rewards. All Israel, was also enrolled by genealogies. No tribe of Israel was left out in the exercise.
Our text chronicles individuals who were selected or “reckoned by their genealogy in their villages.” Some were appointed to have an oversight function of the gates of the house of the Lord;others were appointed as porters and chief porters, and some were also assigned the duty of making the ointment of the spices. In their various duties, no doubt, some excelled more than the others.
For instance, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar who had a track record of manifesting exceptional zeal for the things of God, was made “the ruler over them…and the LORD was with him”. What have you been appointed to do in the house of the Lord? How faithful are you in carrying it out? Or are you looking and desiring other people’s assignments whilst paying no attention to yours? These roles were assigned to ensure that there was coordination and to avoid people working at cross-purposes.
We must be on our beats and give God the best in whatever we do. We must understand that all this organisation is determined by man (leaders) for smooth running of the work of God.
Believers must strive to do great things to receive great commendation like Phinehas. We must not get lost in the crowd. We must determine to tell ourselves, “I’m more than just a number.”
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: When you work to please God, success becomes inevitable.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 30-31
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – Not Just A Number – by Pastor Enoch A.
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Daily Manna 4 June 2021