S.M.A.S.H

PRAISE & WORSHIP

What is Praise?

Praise is boasting and glorifying God’s marvelous attributes.

Praising God is Expressing approval, admiration, accreditation  and respect 

to his deity 

affirming and declaring God's characteristics 

and boasting of his awesome attributes.

Praise Tells extravagantly of God.

Worship Tells Him of His extravagance.

PRAISE GLORIFIES AND BOAST’S GOD’S ATTRIBUTES.

Praise tells expansively of and about God’s doings and abilities.

E.g. God is awesomely amazing.

Prov 19:21

What is the 

Purpose, 

Power and 

Presence 

of Praise?

Purpose is everything. 

It’s the seatbed of all life.

Outside of purpose you don’t truly exist 

extending energy beyond this discovery 

is totally insane and futile. 

Unless the Lord builds the house 

the laborer’s efforts are all in vain.

The imperative is Let’s Praise.

“Through Him, therefore, 

let us 

at all times 

offer up to God 

a sacrifice of praise, 

which is the fruit 

of lips 

that thankfully acknowledge 

and confess 

and glorify His name.”

‭‭HEBREWS‬ ‭13:15‬ ‭AMP‬‬

To approach God 

appropriately 

(Accessing)

Praise is here surpassing sacrifice 

arriving into the affective domain.

“Then I will go 

to the altar of God, 

To God, my exceeding joy; 

With the lyre 

I will praise You, 

O God, my God!”

‭‭PSALM‬ ‭43:4‬ ‭AMP‬‬

'Praise Is What I Am’

William Murphy wrote a familiar song.

‘Praise is what I do’

When I want to be close to You

I lift my hands in praise

‘Praise is who I am’

I will praise You while I can

I'll bless You at all times

I vow to praise You

Through the good and the bad

I'll praise You

Whether happy or sad

I'll praise You

In all that I go through

Because praise is what I do

'Cause I owe it all to You

Praise is what I do

Even when I'm going through

I've learned to worship You

Though my circumstance doesn't even stand a chance

My praise outweighs the bad

I vow to praise You

Through the good and the bad

I'll praise…

A Believer’s garment 

over heaviness. 

(Overcoming)

My very presence or existence 

makes me 

an expression of praise 

It’s an it’s  so.

“To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: 

To give them a turban 

instead of dust [on their heads, 

a sign of mourning], 

• The oil of joy instead of mourning, 

The garment [expressive] of praise 

instead of a disheartened spirit. 

So they will be called …  

the trees of righteousness 

[strong and magnificent, 

distinguished for integrity, 

justice, and right standing with God],... 

For God’s eternal Glory (Glorifying)

… The planting of the LORD, 

that He may be glorified.”

‭‭ISAIAH‬ ‭61:3‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Praise is awesomely interesting.

It’s the balanced response 

or expression 

any and all creation 

inherently exhibits.

In other words 

you are already, 

as a masterpiece 

of God’s manifest skills, 

a thing of praise.

Accreditation Goes 

to Only One

He is 

the Only 

One True God.

Praise exists, 

precedes or goes before 

or ahead of 

The ‘

You utter

Trees do

Rocks too.

(Everything that has Breath) 

Those without Breath 

do so constantly praise God. 

Those with breath 

has something extra 

for which and with which 

to engage and exult 

the attributes of God.

That utterance 

is just the acknowledgment 

culmination 

of its own reality.

If you are not careful 

you will or will not praise 

everyday. 

You live as ingrates 

or You live gratuitously.

Living gratuitously 

is reflected 

in audible responses or praise. 

God requires it.

Its purpose is two fold: 

to set the records of accreditation 

in order 

and to keep you 

by your choice 

at your optimal power 

in God.

Jesus warned, that 

if you and I 

- animate objects- 

do not audibly Praise Him, 

The rocks will cry his praise.

Point to note; ie- that they do 

inherently praise God

- but they lack breath

Let everything that has breathe 

praise the Lord.

It’s naturalness of ooze 

is the essence 

of the deceit exposed 

in inappropriate praise.

It is right to say

 that a quietly blooming tree

or rose bush 

is loudly screaming 

proclaiming praise 

and that 

that praise 

is a true reflection 

and projection 

of its true and only source. 

Its existence is 

a testimony 

to an origin 

but while it silently acknowledges so 

sealing source laudably 

confirms true origin. 

That’s praise. 

Why does God 

through the instrument of Praise, 

the language anyone 

or anything can naturally 

or unconsciously speak, 

still requires of all 

a conscious acknowledged response?

The HEAVENS declare 

the Glory of God 

and the earth shows 

His handiwork.

“Praise the LORD! 

For it is good to sing praises 

to our [gracious and majestic] God; 

Praise is becoming and appropriate.”

‭‭PSALM‬ ‭147:1‬ ‭AMP‬‬

The purpose of praise 

is for introducing and affirming God 

the Creator as first and only cause. 

The power of Praise 

is its ability 

to recreate.

Praise packs a double whammy 

Listen to this-

“Again she conceived 

and gave birth to a [fourth] son, 

and she said, 

“Now I will praise the LORD.” 

So she named him Judah; 

then [for a time] 

she stopped bearing [children].”

‭‭  GENESIS‬ ‭29:35‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Did Leah praise the Lord before Judah, 

son number four was born? 

What do you think? 

Better still, 

weren’t her sons 

number one, 

number two, and 

number three, 

praise particulars of God?

Like the earth or firmament 

God’s handiwork 

automatically they (sons) scream 

Jehovah God Creator. Author.

What’s the power in - 

‘This Time I will Praise’ 

in the already done, 

known, and affirmed act’s 

source of her son.

It takes faith to praise.  

There is power there.

You cannot praise lightly 

and not believe- 

non- believer or Believer.

It changes you in that moment. 

The 

Praise in its demonstration 

set us up 

it exposes us 

our idiosyncrasies 

our frails but also our architect 

of the masterpiece 

we are; who we are 

and whose we are.

Don’t get Jelous of him he is truly deserving what extent he went for you to be here today

Praise is comly

Praise is apostolic it defines and create’

I feel guilty if my emotions are not connected to my words as I sing during worship.

TRUE / FALSE

How relevant is this in my worship or my connectedness with God?

If you don’t feel emotionally charged as you consciously sing truth or revelations are you falling  short and not entering in into God's presence?

Is any of the above, any of this necessary for true worship?

We pursue experiences that excites or activates our emotional response. It’s more about feeling it,  sensing it, feeling melancholic, sad, excited, jubilated, and or joyous for God to have been engaged.

The word incarnated is powerfully crucial for your personal worship, your assimilation and revitalization of your redefinition of the word. 

Truth aligned with Spirit.

Rev. Grantley R. A. Cadogan Tuesday 2018-02-20

Introduction:

Much goes on today under the guise of true worship of God. Man, for ages now, has sought to introduce the new, the novel, into what he defines as contemporary worship. But not all that is new and novel are truth spiritually keen and approved by God.

There are clear indications worldwide that there is an upsurge of worship interests within the body of Christ. Never before as now in the History of the modern church has the speculations been so greatly focused on worship. 

Various worship forms like the dance have been reclaimed and reintroduced into the worship expressions arena regardless of pass severe ecclesiastical oppositions and fuss. The so-called more learned and knowledgeable parts of the Body of Christ have always sought in its attempt to preserve unwittingly hindered change.

Had Saul of Tarsus turned Apostle Paul had his way the Kingdom of God would not have advanced beyond Jerusalem.

Today the dance, drama, musical instruments, forms such as, kneeling shouting, laughter, comedy have become acceptable parts of our worship. This as not always been the case. However, some of us are threading carefully as we are unsure of what is termed the new move in worship. Men are afraid to be classed outcasted.

It is within such a uncertain church climate comes the search for The Apostolic in Worship’. This is a bold attempt at an informative symposium geared to remove both congregational and individual ignorance and fear as how to express worship of God.

Definitions of Terms: 

The definite article ‘the’ herein, denotes the specific or particular delineation, it’s a one of a kind, precision. 

Apostolic: This divine concept denotes a pioneering or commissioning break ground and renewal approach towards an initiation. The mark of an apostolic direction is both a releasing and an empowering one.  

The assumption here is that intrinsic to creative and passionate worship of God there exist apostolic concerns and constructs that must be rediscovered and ardently pursued towards being implicitly implemented for true worship in the beauty of holiness.

Worshipping is Caressing God as the core of any and every expression. (quote)

Definitions of Worship:

Worship is the occupation of the heart, not with its needs, or even with its blessings, but with God Himself. A.P Gibbs.

Worship is man’s response to God’s revelation of Himself. David K. Blomgren.

Worship is an act, a spiritual activity; the worshipper involves God in a spiritual activity.

Meanings:

Shachah {shaw-khaw}

Worship , bow , bow down, obeisance, reverence, fall down themselves, stoop  crouch, to bow down (Qal) to bow down  (Hiphil) to depress (fig) (Hithpael)  to bow down, prostrate oneself) before superior in homage) before God in worship.

Proskuneo {pros-koo-neh'-o}

From and a probable derivative of meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand) worship.

To kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence) in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication) used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank ) to the Jewish high priests) to God) to Christ) to heavenly beings 3) to demons.

It is about bowing to God as king. It is reverencing, kissing, fawning and adoring God in a spiritually sensitive way devoid of all superfluity or cheap theatrical acts. For one can depress ones knees without bowing the spirit.

Words of commitment can flow easily off our lips and have no bearing on the reality as exist in our hearts. This is in fact the act deceiving one self.

Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their 

mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear 

toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Worship is a love act that consumes the all of heart, body [strength] mind, and spirit. Some one said, Worship cannot be of the body, though it involves the body, because God is not physical body. Also, it cannot be of the soul though the soul is involved. God is not soul.

Worship is an expression of the spirit.  and it is here, at this point, our spirit responds positively in worship to God. God is Spirit and any response to him must be connected spiritually truthfully.

The Apostolic in Worship:

The Apostolic in worship is the commissioned essential essence or divine ingredient, the technology of our core worship, directly introduced and reinstituted by God through divine intrigues, dialogues and profound revelations on how to Worship Him. He is God. He can do that. It’s his prerogative.

The apostolic in worship seeks to Discover, Define and reinstitutes the profound display of adoring expressions towards God exactly as revealed and practiced in revelatory scriptures.

For Twenty-first century Worshippers of God be apostolic, thus must survive present painful practices, defeat the kingdom of darkness and expressed veneration of God in spirit and truth. Biblical apostolic approaches to worship also must again be rediscovered, redefined, declared, and displayed in our worship practices. As contemporary worshippers of God, by what we do we are creating many breaches in our daily worship of God.

For a true revival of worship standards to breakfree, we must simply tell the truth, act the truth and, live the truth. In point is Ernest Gentle’s critique: “One worship mistake that is commonly made is the way in which the book of Psalm is handled. Many people associate Sunday morning worship and the reading of the psalms. In our church we read for instance. “Oh clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with a voice of triumph” (Psalm 47:1). But do we do what it says?

We live in times of the images and the theatrics. A hand lifted in worship and praise has become a meaningless gesture. We can say or sing “We bow before your throne, Oh Lord” and honestly are surprised when someone points out to us that the reciprocal physical posture of bowing demanded of our body has not taken place. We still argue strongly we are worshipping and do not see the truth in what was said. Bowing, one would think, is in sync with the present utterance in song and that further it is in keeping with the intellectual signals sent out that demanded reciprocated posture Change. You fall or you bow, something.

Our spiritual Cerebral Cortex has become so seared by our frequent choices it is crippled and hence the cerebellum (gyroscope) practicing worship art is rendered incapable of sending the correct messages to the main frame for expected or correct responses. We are either fooling ourselves or lying to ourselves.

Consequently, and not surprisingly so, our physical body can only respond in our present reality or truth. And that is how it is rewarded

God cannot respond to such lies and bless it. You have created your own departure and downfall.

The lyrical signals may demand a shout, a bow display yet what the mouth may pompously declare as truth is not manifested by any corresponding heart or truth response.

There exists no true or real spiritual attachment to the truth attempted or declared. The result is an exposure of our true devotional allegiances; an obvious departure from truth. We lie to ourselves and is seemingly oblivious or unaware of it. 

(11Tim. 3:7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Principles of the Apostolic 

Two orders of worship coexisted at one time.

• The Mosaic and

• The Davidic.

David instituted the new worship order which included music with singers, dancers and musicians.

Leadership is at the Core of Change

This is apostolic. A divine revealed initiative. A bold break ground experience.

1. David built a new Tabernacle on Mt Zion different from the Tabernacle of Moses. Too few are aware that after the ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines in the Days of Eli, On its return to Israel it was not replaced in the Holies of Holies in the Tabernacle of Moses at Shiloh where it originally belong. 

2. David prepared another place for it in the City of David, Zion.

(1Chron.15:1: 2Chron 5:2)

For apostolic worship to be effective today visionaries, leaders you must take lead from the front. 

Too often Leadership-hierarchy operates as though they are the privileged species fawned upon. Exempted from personally involved worship expressions. Often we see Management position taking on an aura of importance seated with folded arms and crossed legs with smug bemused expressions of of accommodation smiling awaiting their time in the program to parade in the most important part of the service. Don’t get me wrong, leaders are to be respected and honored and set apart but not exempted from certain spiritual worship expressions because of titles? The real question here is Who truly sits in the Throne Room? Is it You or God? Who is receiving the present veneration? Is it You or God?

Many Leadership so caught up revolves the worship experiences around themselves and not around God.  When they take control and gave their approval to the fore gone demonstrations  they actually relegate what has gone before defined as worship as of least importance to them. The question is: Were the preludes addressed to God have equal importance before the minister’s direct participation. The presumption is that leaders preachers ministers have more important things to address to God. Hence unwittingly these leaders despise the worship. Do our pastors and reverends; leaders, like David, Dance in abandon to choreographed worship expressions?  

Is it a common practice to see leadership kneeling before God even and straight with their congregation? 

What about following the leadership expression discovered in King David’s psalm: Come let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Isn’t it common practice for worshippers to say defensively “I can worship God in any way I choose? Do we inconvenience ourselves bowing respectfully before our Lord and King? 

I do not have to kneel to worship God. Some may say but for every defense there exist a corresponding offence. Are we as leaders offending God with our lack of intelligent response? I wonder what are the true values at stake here. Is it OUR pride? Or is it true worship? Isn’t it true that God’s ministers can defraud their people through lack of exemplary guidance?

Worship cannot be expressed in a vacuum.  It always demands an object and if God is not the object of our worship then the devil is that object of our worship.  

We as leaders have been so effective in schooling the laity with false leadership worship practices, that we have jointly with our followers created an effective prison from which very few escapes. Whenever  leadership dares to do differently, to escape the set psychological and false boundaries, laity stops worshipping and become distracted spectators.

This pause in itself is not all bad. It is a distress signal. Here congregations ring out with the silent cry for the reintroduction of the apostolic. The silent cry is Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, Director, Leader, Please help us. Lead me to worship God.

Expectations of Contemporaries

In contemporary times there exist amongst us certain expectations that are not according to Gods order of worship. Like David we make the fatal mistake of consulting everybody except God on expectations  and definitions of worship.  

1Ch 13:1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.

1Ch 13:2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be 

of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land 

of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they 

may gather themselves unto us:

1Ch 13:3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.

1Ch 13:4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

Unfortunately too, after consulting God, like David found out, those closest to your bosom will be offended with your obedience to God much to yours and their personal hurt or sacrifice. They become unproductive to the cause.

2Sa 6:13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed 

oxen and fatlings.

2Sa 6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

2Sa 6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the 

sound of the trumpet.

2Sa 6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through 

a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

2Sa 6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that 

David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

2Sa 6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed 

the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

2Sa 6:19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women 

as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed 

every one to his house.

2Sa 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, 

and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of 

his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

There are those who dwell among us and think they know exactly how we must behave in worship to God. But their expectations are not according to God’s and will only leave the conforming worshipper into bareness. 

2Sa 6:21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, 

and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I

 play before the LORD.

David’s Apostolic Response.

2Sa 6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honor.

2Sa 6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

These significant people in your life will despise your apostolic worship approach that dared to honor God rather than their opinions. It is a price we all must expect to pay for changing from formalism and rituals to the revolutionary and the Apostolic. Leader, What price are you willing to pay? The apostolic demands leadership up front.    

Dr. E. Fischer declared reverently, “What a revolutionary act”, he had observed that under the Mosaic law, no one was allowed to approach the ark except the high priest and that once a year. Yet David dared to change some things and was apostolic in introducing a revolutionary approach to God.

David ordained a new order of the Priesthood for his tabernacle in Zion to praise the Lord continually before the ark with instruments and singing.

Hundreds of singers and musicians were ordained in twenty-four rotating shifts or courses to praise and worship the Lord continually before the ark. 1Ch 25:1-31.

1Ch 16:4 And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, 

and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

God allowed this dramatic change of approach to His presence; This is apostolic worship. No longer was the approach based on the ritualistic acts of the mosaic covenant which include lighting of candles, the burning of incense, or the slaughter of animals. God allowed men to approach Him by the simple act of praise and worship. We can “come before his presence with singing”, “enter into His Gates with thanksgiving” and “into His courts with Praise”. (Psalm100). David recognized that we are to offer to God the sacrifice of Praise, not of animals. (Heb 13:15) Ps 50:9,13,14; 51:15,16.

God rejected the Tabernacle of Moses and placed His prophetic presence and glory on the Tabernacle of David in Zion. The prophetic is not ardently pursued when practicing the presence of God. If and when it is accommodated it is expected to arrive from directions approved by men personal preferences . No wonder the prophetic is being destroyed in some assemblies. Men are in the place of God. They now dictate for God.  God is hindered from working.

Warning against the New and Novel.

In David’s day two Tabernacles with two worship services were in operation. One was ritualistic and symbolic; the tabernacle of Moses the other; the tabernacle of David was filled with prophetic songs (gifts of the Spirit) and the manifest presence of God. God rejected the Mosaic order of worship and choose instead the Davidic. Ps. 78:60,68; 87:1,2 Zion became the earthly expression of the Heavenly worship in which God continually dwells. Ps 22:3 132:13,14.

False Apostolic in Worship.

The new or novel, is not necessarily God’s stipulated order. It may not be the apostolic level. We are guilty of the breach of instituting new ideas, new things , new mannerisms at the expense of Gods due order within the worship that is not God approved. 

1Ch 13:7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.

Such insertions are dangerous for the practicing believer. Sincerity also is not sufficient perquisite for apostolic level worship.

1Ch 13:8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

Apostolic worship instituted 

God  instituted apostolic worship through king David at great cost to himself, to king David and to the Israelite  people.  God as sovereign ruler has a plan for apostolic worship. 

Today there is a real move of the apostolic, a move, which is permeating every aspect of the Body life and ministry. Men who are willing to pay its price will ride successfully on its powerful anointing, unleashing. God wants men to choose to worship Him. Men must be willing to meet the demands or the cost of true worship. True worship carries a tremendous cost. What does your worship of God cost you?

Birth of the Apostolic in Worship

God allowed Satan to incite David to do a foolish thing (II Sam. 24:10). King David numbered the children of Israel against God’s expressed forbidden him.11Sam. 24:1. The count was 1, 300, 000  men, 500,000 alone were men of Judah; very significant.  However, David felt remorse afterwards for his selfish act. 

As punishment God gave David three options at retribution for his sins. 11Sam. 24:13: 

• Seven years famine or poverty.

• Flee for three months before your enemies while they pursue to kill him. The wicked flee when … but the righteous is as bold…. Prov. 28:1.

• Three days pestilence in the land.

David chooses to fall into the hands of God, Three days pestilence in the land. A mighty plague broke out and the angel of death murderously killed seventy thousand men. God repented of the act and stayed the death angel’s hand by the Threshing floor  of Araunah the King.

God sent Gad, the prophets, to tell David to go and offer a sacrifice at the threshing floor of Araunah. David approached Araunah and requests the threshing floor for its full price.

2Sa 24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, 

To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed 

from the people.

2Sa 24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good 

unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments 

of the oxen for wood.

2Sa 24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, 

The LORD thy God accept thee.

David refused to take the Threshing floor as a gift. 

David declared emphatically, “I will not offer unto God that which costs me nothing.

1Ch 21:25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

We live in the time of the quick fix. A time when men want to do as little as possible and receive great dividends in return for their impoverished efforts. We do not wish to pay the personal price for personal growth. What price are you prepared to pay for your personal Threshing-floor?

 1Ch 21:15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD 

beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. 

And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

1Ch 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth 

and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. 

Leadership led in abject repentance.

Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

1Ch 21:17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even 

I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, 

I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they 

should be plagued. 

1Ch 21:18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, 

and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

1Ch 21:19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.

1Ch 21:20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. 

Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

The Favor of God 

When the favor of God follows us we can tend to grow legitimately powerful. That power can so blind us in our successful faith that that faith does not bring us the greatest ultimate reward. This is where we can miss the apostolic move of God. In the apostolic God looks for leaders who would voluntarily, on their own cognizance, choose to initiate after Gods revealed truth. King David was aware that Ornan was rightly positioned for a massive extraction and exploitation of favors.

Araunah had watched as God with drawn and threatening sword and with a fresh record of murdering seventy thousand men of his own people now poised to strike. He was a Jebusite. Judgment will begin at the house of the Lord. And if judgement begins at God’s people - When it begins there. Would God spare me a Jebusite? He hid with his sons -his seed of posterity-  Araunah would not wish to mess with such a  God. After all He was not an Israelite - the called out. He had reason to feel intimidated  and hence fall victim to David’s power. BUT note carefully David did not unscrupulously exploited this humbled Heathen and made a slave or stooge of him. I wonder where it will end.

 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, 

what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?1 Pet. 4:17)

1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

The apostolic will never birth when it's implementation is for prestige, for personal gain, or is used for deceit.

Too many of us are guilty of the above charges. God will set you up to make a choice within his established order that reflects truth within your heart yet his due order is unbroken.

1Ch 21:21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, 

and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. 1Ch 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.

The Set Up - 

1Ch 21:23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.

The Apostolic Response

1Ch 21:24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take 

that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.

1Ch 21:25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.

1Ch 21:26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, 

and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

1Ch 21:27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

By this action David brought Deliverance not only to himself but also to all his people and the foreigners [the Jebusite] He introduced a new experience of worshipping God differently from the traditional way.

1Ch 21:28 At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan 

the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.

1Ch 21:29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt 

offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.

1Ch 21:30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword 

of the angel of the LORD.

He offered the sacrifice of bulls to God, the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the sacrifice.

The plague was stayed.

1Ch 21:26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, 

and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

Later David chooses this threshing floor as the Temple site. The site for the home of Gods presence was established. It came about at a terrible price, great sacrifice. 

Principles Continued

1.     Musicians were priests of the Most High God El Elon Priests speak of a ministry of service.

2.     It is a high and holy calling, with extraordinary privileges and exciting responsibilities. 

3.     Livitical ministry was defined. 

The order of Musicians in David ‘s Tabernacle.

i.               Chosen and set apart (1Chron. 15:16-28; 16:41; 25:1)

 Levi

Gershon                                 Kohath                                                                       Merari

Chenaniah                             Asaph                                 Heman                             Ethan.

Gershonites                           Kohathites                                                              Merarites

ii.              Musicians were under leadership.

Order of the Priestly Musicians. 

David-                             King / Shepherd                         1Chron   25:6

Chenaniah                       Skillful master of song               1Chron. 15:16,22,27.

Asaph Tthan, Heman     Chief Musicians                         1Chron. 15:16-18

14 2nd Degree                  Singers and Musicians               1Chron 15:18

4-Sons                             Of Chief Musiucians                  1Chron. 25:1-8

8 Singers                         In The Choir                               1Chron. 25:7-31

40 Musicians                   In the Orchestra                         1Chron. 23:5

iii.            Instructed 1Chron. 25:6-7;2 Chron 23:13

iv.            Skilful 1Chr.15:22; 25:7; 2Chr 34:12

v.              Employed day and night in the temple 1Chr 9:33

vi.            Were in Charge of the Song service 1Chr 6:31-32

vii.           Waited in their office according to their places 2 Chr 7:6; 35:15

viii.         Received their portion out of the Lord’s House 2 Chr 10:39; 12:44; 13:10

ix.            Were on duty throughout twenty-four hours 1Chr 25:1-31.

Responsibilities for New Testament Levites

The music ministry is a scriptural ministry commanded by God . Musicians are to bear their ministries very seriously before the Lord! Two points made by Ernest is useful for our meditation: 

First Ernest does not discredit anything Old Testament. 

“I am saying that anything given in the old Testament is appropriate for the New Testament 

Christian unless the New Testament says otherwise” 

Secondly he points out the Holy Spirit as the principal purveyor of the apostolic worship precision:

“The church has every authority to employ and enjoy the Davidic style of worship, quickened by the Holy Spirit. We can worship as David did, but with a new impetus because we can have the power of the Holy Ghost working in us, quickening those truths in our hearts”.

False Apostolic in  Worship

The new or novel, is not necessarily God’s stipulated order. It may not be the apostolic level. We are guilty of the breach of insinuating and instituting new ideas, new things, new mannerisms at the expense of Gods due order within the worship that is not God approved. Such insertions are dangerous for the practicing believer. 

1Ch 13:7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza 

and Ahio drave the cart. 

Sincerity is not  sufficient perquisite for worship

1Ch 13:8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, 

and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

Disobedience at the Threshing-floor

1Ch 13:9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand 

to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

1Ch 13:10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because 

he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

Why was Uzza killed? The Levites can only carry, not touch or see the ark of the presence. This order of God is what was violated. Why did the new and novel work for one Group but for another it created a breach and meant death?