Priestly Praise

 

Human nature has not changed since the Garden.  Technology has, culture has but human nature has not.  The enemy of our souls has not changed.  His devices have, his tools have but his goal and desire have not.  

Our Creator and Father has not changed.  His nature has not changed, His plan and timeline have not changed and most importantly, His Word has not changed.  If for no other reason, this should cause us to live a life that is devoted to unending worship, love and obedience to Him. 

But we are susceptible to our own carnality and satan’s temptations, even when that leads to our destruction and loss of reward.  As children of Elohim, sojourners  on the Way, we are priests set apart to fellowship with and minister to Him, but also each other.  (I Peter 2:9)  And here’s the clincher, as musicians is our primary focus on Him or each other?

During the Babylonian exile Ezekiel was shown the third temple in minute detail.  Ezekiel 44 deals with who may and who may not enter the temple and the stringent requirements for the Levitical priesthood.  Keep in mind that this vision is at the end of days but the division of the priests related to the beginning of the nation of Israel, millennia previous.  The short span of our lives means that it’s extremely difficult to comprehend a living time frame that extends generations let alone millennia, which also contributes to our tendency to stray from the Way so quickly.  

Ezekiel 44:10-16 outlines the separation of the sons of Zadok to minister to YHVH alone, while the rest of the Levitical priesthood would serve and minister in the outer court.  This setting apart of the sons of Zadok was a result of the righteousness of father Zadok and his loyalty to David during the uprisings of Absalom and Adonijah.  (2 Sam 15:24  1Kings 1:8)  Zadok did not succumb to fear or the pressure of man.  He was steadfast in his service to YHVH and in return YHVH blessed his descendants, providing an example and visual lesson for all of Messiah’s body.

When we come together for fellowship and worship musicians and singers are privileged to serve and minister but let’s take to heart what it will mean to be a son of Zadok.  Is our heart desire to minister to our Creator and King, or are we desiring the affirmation, applause and recognition that ministering in the outer court can bring? 

When we read how David established singers and musicians to serve in the tabernacle in Jerusalem, were they doing so for an audience of fellow Israelites?  No, they were ministering in song, prayer and prophecy for an audience of One.  When David left Zadok, singers and musicians at Gibeon to offer sacrifices and minister to YHVH,  he was doing so to honour YHVH, not himself and not the priests .  (1 Chron 16)  Yes, I think the people would have heard, enjoyed and been encouraged and blessed, but they weren’t the focus.  Their sacrifices were facilitated, but they weren’t the focus and this is the principle that we should always keep central.  We facilitate offerings of praise and adoration to the King, but if we allow the focus to be on ourselves we have robbed YHVH and succumbed to our own carnality and the temptations of the enemy of our soul. 

YHVH sees and judges the intent of the heart, and we have been told that the heart can be deceitful above all things, so we need to continually submit ourselves into His hand and allow His Spirit to set us apart.  Too many musicians, singers and worship leaders have slowly but surely been drawn back to the outer court where the attention and accolades of the masses have become their focus.

In future posts I want to address this fine line between facilitating the sacrifice and worship of the congregation, or fellow worshippers, and ministering to YHVH.  Some would call that ‘balance’, however I think the word ‘compromise’ is far more applicable in most cases. 

May our eyes be fixed on the Day that is yet to come and be set apart for Him alone, and what little we have to place on the altar be a delight and blessing.