Dear friends,
2 Chronicles 5 is about the dedication of the 1st Temple of Israel situated in Jerusalem. What can we learn from this chapter with regards to praising and worshipping God?
Last week we learned 3 things: 1. The leaders of the church must be an example of all the believers. 2. As Christians we have to make sacrifices. 3. The study of the Word of God must be the primary focus of the church.
Fourth, we have to prepare ourselves when we go to church.
2 Chronicles 5:11 says, “All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.”
The primary purpose in going to church is to praise and worship the Lord. We do it through the whole liturgy. Singing, praying, preaching and meditating. But we have to prepare ourselves.
During Biblical times, the consecration involves water purification and other rituals. These rituals remind the Israelites that God is holy and must be approached in holiness.
What about us? How do we prepare ourselves before going to church? Do we ready ourselves to praise and worship God?
Fifth, music is an integral part in praising and worshipping God.
2 Chronicles 5:12 says, All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.
These verses show to us that music plays a vital role in the Temple worship. It adds meaning to the worship experience.
The content of their song is very short yet very profound. 2 Chronicles 5:12 says, “… the singers raised their praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.”
Because of that, God was pleased. What is the proof? The proof is found in 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 – “Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.”
Let us pray that every time we go to church the presence of the Lord can be felt in our midst. Let us also go to church with the consciousness to praise and worship the Lord, and that nothing hinders it.
Sincerely,
Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on