September 9 Daily Discovery - Read 2 Chronicles Chapter 5

This passage below is from the King James Version (ekjv.org).  

Remarks from the Berean Fellowship follow the passage below.

[1] Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.
[2] Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
[3] Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.
[4] And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.
[5] And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
[6] Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
[7] And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
[8] For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
[9] And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.
[10] There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
[11] And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
[12] Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
[13] It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
[14] So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

The Presence of God Fills his House

In the Old Covenant sometimes the presence of God was manifest above the ark of the covenant. During the day it was a cloudy pillar and during the night it was a firey pillar. 

The tabernacle in the wilderness and later the temple in jerusalem both had an outer court, a holy place and then an in most chamber referred to as the holiest of holies. The holy of holies was where god would dwell. This sacred place was off-limits to everyone except the high priest one day a year. The holy of holies was always God's personal residence even though He was not always manifest visibly.

The Grand Celebration

Solomon assembled all of the heads of all of the tribes of israel for a great feast. All the levites and priests were called as well. Animal sacrifices without number were offered to god and they brought the ark of the covenant up from the city of david and brought it into the temple. There was one offering called the whole burn offering where the entire carcass was burned on the altar, but most offerings were divided and the priests and the Levites along with the other worshipers participated in consuming them. This was a grand barbecue! Apologies to vegetarians and vegans.

Time to Praise God in the Place

The levites were responsible for the worship of god including all of the things related to the service of the tabernacle and later the temple. Among them were also singers and musicians playing all kinds of musical instruments and percussion instruments.
There is a grand orchestra and choir and all together they begin to praise God!

[12] Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
[13] It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
[14] So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

The sacrifices that they had offered to God and then finally their praise brought down God's presence to them.

An Old Covenant Shadow, A New Covenant Reality

A shadow is only a dark shape that is cast by something that is real.

Col. 2:16-17

[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
[17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Heb. 9:1-14

[1] Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
[2] For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
[3] And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
[4] Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
[5] And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
[6] Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
[7] But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
[8] The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
[9] Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
[10] Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
[11] But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
[12] Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
[13] For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
[14] How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The reality of the new covenant was in Jesus Christ the Son of God. In Him dwelled the fullness of the godhead bodily and He was among them (the jews). The divine presence was seeking them and offering them the kingdom. However Israel was now in bed with Rome. They are referred to as the great harlot in the book of revelation. The whore (Israel) was riding the beast (Rome).

And those of us that are believers in Jesus Christ are considered to be in Christ and Christ is in each one of us. Each of our bodies are now temples of the Holy Spirit of God. This is the New Covenant Reality that the Old Covenant Shadow came from!

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See: Berean Fellowship Bible Study Method