Text:
1Chronicles 15:24:
And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nathaneal, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
2Samuel 6:9-11:
9: And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
10: So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
11: And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.
Theme:
Being God’s Servant
Introduction:
- Our texts are both found in the Old Testament. Each documenting a period of time during the reign of King David over the people of Israel.
- The scripture in 1Chronicles, although later in order of the books of the Bible, occurred about three years before the scripture in 2Samuel.
- The Ark of the Covenant had just been regained by the people of Israel and was being taken from its previous captivity in Phillistia. While traveling with the Ark, Uzzah had just stricken dead after having touched the Ark when he thought that it was about to tumble over. This left David in fear. So, David left the ark at the house of Obed-edom until her could figure out how to get the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem.
- Obed-edom was a Gittite Levite
- Obed-Edom means “Servant of Edom” – Obed-edom was a servant of God.
- So let us look at BEING GOD’S SERVANT!
Body:
- Obed-edom had the responsibility of being a doorkeeper for the Ark of the Covenant.
- 1Chronicles 15:24 – “Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark”
- Obed-edom had seemingly menial, insignificant responsibility
- A Levite was a doorkeeper – God’s service is everyone’s responsibility from the pulpit to the pew.
- It’s alright because the Old folks always said that they would rather be a “doorkeeper” in the Kingdom than to have mansions in this world.
- Obed-edom had to be a man of great integrity, humility, and perseverance to proudly hold the lineage of a Levite while “only” being a doorkeeper.
- The scripture in Chronicles shows how other Levites had the socially prestigious responsibility of being priests while Obed-edom and Jehiah were simply doorkeepers.
- Those of the family of Aaron within the tribe of Levi were able to be priests by the order of Melchezidek.
- The scripture in Chronicles shows how other Levites had the socially prestigious responsibility of being priests while Obed-edom and Jehiah were simply doorkeepers.
- Different people have different callings:
- Ephesians 4:11, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”
- Obed-edom had totally submitted himself to God in the responsibility of being a doorkeeper
- Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
- A Levite was a doorkeeper – God’s service is everyone’s responsibility from the pulpit to the pew.
- Then, Jesus explained the Value of being an “Obed-edom”
- Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
- Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
- Matthew 19:30 says, “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”
- In Matthew 25:23, the parable of the talents tells those who worked to multiply their talents, “… Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
- However, in Judaic society the doorkeeper was yet an important position in its own right.
- None could go behind the veil where the Ark of the Covenant sat except the priest at certain times to carry the petitions of the people to God.
- The Doorkeeper protected the presence of God in the Ark of the Covenant.
On Being God’s Servant
- 2Samuel 6:10 says, “David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite”
- While David pondered in fear as to how the Ark would be brought to Jerusalem, in the meantime David took it to the home of Obed-edom, the Levite doorkeeper.
- God can use whomever He wants…even a doorkeeper.
- God has no respect of persons
- God will reward you based on how you handle the seemingly little things
- God can use whomever He wants…even a doorkeeper.
- 2Samuel 6:11a says, “And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months:”
- Obed-edom opened his heart and his home to God’s presence
- Oh if we would open our hearts to God’s presence. The contemporary song says,
- Obed-edom opened his heart and his home to God’s presence
- While David pondered in fear as to how the Ark would be brought to Jerusalem, in the meantime David took it to the home of Obed-edom, the Levite doorkeeper.
“Speak to my heart Holy Spirit. Give me the words that can bring new life”
- Not to my family, sometimes they turn on me
- Not to my friends, they may get mad at me and not tell me
- Not to the body, it is dying every day
- Not to the mind, it may forget
- Speak to my heart!!!!!!!
But, Obed-edom also opened his home to God’s presence.
- Once again, we must give God ALL!
- All of our Self
- All of our Resources
Conclusion:
- On Being God’s Servant
- Then 2Samuel 6:11b says, “and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household”
- Obed-edom got the blessing of God’s Presence in the Ark of the Covenant.
- His Presence gives you a three-fold blessing
- Power
- Protection
- Provision
- Don’t you want your HOUSEHOLD to be blessed!
- Don’t YOU want to be blessed
- Don’t you want your HUSBAND or WIFE to be blessed
- Don’t you want your CHILDREN to be blessed
- Don’t you want THOSE WHO COME TO YOUR HOUSE to be blessed
- That’s what happens when you are God’s Servant!
- When God’s Servant’s household is blessed:
- Romans 8:28 teaches us that
“And we know that… ALL THINGS … WORK TOGETHER… FOR GOOD …to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
- That’s BEING GOD’S SERVANT!!!
#89
