A Message from God through David for the 21st Century Church

By Tom Gilbreath

Both as shepherd and as king, David was a man of music. As a boy, he sang to soothe King Saul’s troubled soul. Music flowed from deep within his being. Some of the greatest words in the greatest book ever written come from inspired songs of David. In 1 Chronicles 16:7-36, he delivered a song of praise, joy, and worship to be sung by the choirs of Israel. The song also contains a warning to any who would question God’s honesty by denying His promises to His people.

It was a great day in Israel. Bands played, and people danced. They seemed to sense God’s smile upon them. It was the day David finally succeeded in bringing the ark of the covenant to Israel’s new capital city of Jerusalem. 1 Chronicles 16:7 (NKJV) says, “On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord.”

Among other things, the song admonishes evangelism. Verses 8 & 9 say, “Make known His deeds among the peoples! … Talk of all His wondrous works!” Verse 23 says, “Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.”

Verse 13 addresses the children of Israel like this. “O seed of Israel His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!” That nation’s status as “chosen” does not in any way diminish your relationship with God, Jew or not. But it is another scriptural reminder that God chose the people of Israel for special purposes — to put forth His written word into the world, and through whom to give us Jesus, God the Son.

Like so many passages in the Bible, verses 15-18 remind us of the irrevocable nature of God’s choice of Israel and of His promises to it. “Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant, Saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance.’”

The Jews remaining a distinct people for thousands of years despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, stands as a miracle of stunning proportions. Why didn’t they just dissolve into the cultures of the nations to which they were dispersed? That’s what happened to other nations pushed out of their homelands. But God miraculously kept the Jews distinct! Then, 77 years ago, they were reborn as a nation in the land God gave them. It happened just as God said it would happen in prophecy after prophecy. 

These facts of history confirm the reliability of God and the Bible. Yet much of the Church turns a blind eye. It doesn’t want to talk about things deemed politically controversial. God doesn’t expect us to agree with every decision of the Israeli government. They have proven their ability to make mistakes. As a people, they have returned to the land, but not yet returned to the Lord who gave it to them. (That’s the way God said it would happen! See the order in Ezekiel 36:24-25 — they return first, and later He cleanses them.) The fact of Israel is breathtakingly clear. We should point at that miracle and say, “See! God is alive! He’s still in control! And He fulfills His promises… including the promise to receive all who come to Him!”

This is one of God’s great gifts to those who want to “…always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). The song in 1 Chronicles 16 combines God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises with worship and a call to evangelism. Verse 20 reminds us, “He is coming to judge the earth.” Verses 24-25 say, “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised.” Verse 36 concludes the song. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting!”