Tabernacle of David
© 1999, William H. Hopper Table of ContentsNow that we understand the three types of songs that we are instructed to sing, and that we are all to sing and praise Him, let’s look closely at what they did in the Tabernacle of David.
David established round-the-clock praise and worship for 33 years. How do we know this?
2 Sam 5:4-5
4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
(NKJ)
Jerusalem, more specifically Mt. Zion, is where David built the tabernacle. He ruled there for 33 years. 33 is the number of promise.
1 Chr 25:7-31
7 So the number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the LORD, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.
8 And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, the teacher with the student.
9 Now the first lot for Asaph came out for Joseph; the second for Gedaliah, him with his brethren and sons, twelve;
10 the third for Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
11 the fourth for Jizri, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
12 the fifth for Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
13 the sixth for Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
14 the seventh for Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
15 the eighth for Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
16 the ninth for Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
17 the tenth for Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
18 the eleventh for Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
19 the twelfth for Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
20 the thirteenth for Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
21 the fourteenth for Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
22 the fifteenth for Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
23 the sixteenth for Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
24 the seventeenth for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
25 the eighteenth for Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
26 the nineteenth for Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
27 the twentieth for Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
28 the twenty-first for Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
29 the twenty-second for Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
30 the twenty-third for Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve;
31 the twenty-fourth for Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.
(NKJ)
If you do the math and divide the 288 musicians by the 24 shifts, you will see that there were 12 men in each shift as delineated above. Notice here, in verse eight, when the cast lots, there was no respect for rank. All were on even ground when the shifts were selected. Each took their turn to serve, none considering himself more important than another. This reminds me of another scripture:
Phil 2:3
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;
(NAS)
What kind of worship was it?
1 Chr 15:22
22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful;
(NKJ)
Because Chenaniah was skillful, he was selected to teach music. This word music in Hebrew is actually "massa". It means prophetic burden. Chenaniah taught the musicians to prophesy.
1 Chr 25:1
1 Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:
(NKJ)
Take a look here. Prophesy with the harps, stringed instruments etc.? Yes, prophesy. Remember when I talked about the effect that music has on people? We can prophesy on musical instruments. If I as a musician and worship leader yield to God in tehillah, then He is the one that is authoring the words OR THE MUSIC. If I hear a melody and begin to play it, then I am expressing what God has given me. Isn’t that what prophecy is?
If during tehillah or any time for that matter, I feel the heart of God and express it musically, isn’t that prophecy? If the music impacts the listener with the heart of God, hasn’t God indeed prophesied to His people? Music indeed does impart feelings and can induce emotion.
Many people throw up a red flag if you mention emotion. But God Himself has emotions. He is the author of them. It is God that placed them in us. Emotions are not bad. ‘Emotionalism’ is a man term, not a God term. We should not allow our emotions to rule us, but nowhere in scripture does is say that we are to suppress and squelch them.
Many say that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, and therefore we should not display emotions. It is interesting that those same people will allow us to cry in church. If we cry uncontrollably, are we displaying the fruit of the Spirit? Didn’t we just say that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit? Here is the reality: I can get angry. God gets angry, doesn’t He? I must, however, control my anger and direct it appropriately. I can ‘be angry, but do not sin’. I can feel love, but out of control it can do damage and be mistaken for other things that are not wholesome. If all I do is cry, there is obviously something wrong. If I cry at a tender moment or when I am repenting, this is good. Why should I not be allowed to laugh when I feel joy and rejoicing in my bones? The scripture says that the joy of the Lord is our strength!
We have emotions given to us by our Creator. We should embrace those emotions, for it is in His image that we are created. We should not, however, just run rampant. There is a godly laughter and a godly anger. Do not forbid them when you feel them. Laugh or cry or get angry, but do not sin.
Since emotion can be imparted by music, it is easy to see that God is preparing the heart for the Word coming forth. If God wants to express His love to His people, the musicians would play music that is indicative of the feelings of softness, warmth and the emotion of love.
To express love through music, you wouldn’t pound on the drums and release twenty trumpets into clamorous blasting. You would play soft rhythms on drums or none at all. You would most likely play quiet, soothing music on the piano or harp.
Actually, any instrument can impart the heart of love. Imagine as we did earlier in an earlier chapter, that a mother has just been reunited with her son in a movie (maybe use the prodigal son story). Would marching music fit? No. Depending on what is happening, it would either be music that imparts intimacy and tenderness, or rejoicing. What is the mother feeling? Rejoicing, or great love? That would dictate what the musician should play.
It is the same with prophecy on an instrument. Play what correctly conveys the heart of God, the intent and tone of the prophetic Word of God coming forth.