After God's Heart

David, the man after God's own heart, started night and day worship in a tent, called the tabernacle, that changed the land of Israel in a profound way. Night and day worship and prayer seems like an odd thing to try and create. It is expensive, and time consuming. Certainly many in David's day thought it was a waste of time and resources.


David hired 4,000 singers and musicians, and 24,000 support staff just to maintain the night and day worship:


1 Chronicles 23:4-5 Then David said, “From all the Levites, 24,000 will supervise the work at the Temple of the Lord. Another 6,000 will serve as officials and judges. Another 4,000 will work as gatekeepers, and 4,000 will praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have made.”


Can you imagine even 1,000 people working full time to make night and day worship happen in SW Michigan? Imagine 30,000!!


The king was committed to this idea. Most would say "what a waste! Don't sit around praying and worshiping, go DO something!" But David knew some things that no one else knew...this is why HE got to be called the "man after God's heart." He took much trouble to build, maintain, and strengthen the tabernacle worship order, which would eventually occur in a permanent location, called the temple:


I Chronicles 22:14 Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them.


David did all this for a very specific reason. It wasn't an accident. God told Him exactly what to do to build night and worship. You see, David knew that God was his strength, that the nation was heading into a time of trouble, and there was only One Person who could change things: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One passage sums up best the entire reason David "took much trouble" to build night and day worship in Israel:


Psalms 27:4-6 One thing I have desired of the Lord , That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord , And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord .


When David wrote this, there was no temple on earth. David said he wanted to hang out in the temple, but where was this temple?! David was basically saying this: "God, there is only one thing I want, and it is to be with You where you are. Everything else, can happen around me, but my desire is You. Bring me to where you are! You are the safe place in a time of trouble!"


When David's heart declared this to God, God responded: "David, I feel the same way about you! This is what I want you to do..." You see, the night and day worship thing wasn't David's idea, it was God's:


I Chronicles 28:19 “All this, ” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans.”


God gave David the blueprints for David's worship to agree with the worship that has happened night and day in heaven since the day the Seraphim (living creatures) were allowed the first glimpse of their Creator:


Revelation 4:8-11 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”


The seraphim aren't forced to worship day and night, they are allowed to. Once they saw who God really is, infinite beauty, night and day worship was the only thing they could ever imagine! Night and day worship has been happening in heaven for a LONG time...even right now, God is giving each Seraphim new glimpses of His strength, power, beauty, love...the fullness of His goodness is red-lining the capacity of each Seraphim to take in, they cover their eyes with their wings and cry out a new revelation. Then, everyone in the room responds, falling to ground in worship and wonder...night and day...day and night...


When earth agrees with heaven, a corridor of glory is created that pierces the veil between the supernatural and the natural. Because of David's obedience, taking much trouble to agree with God, Israel flourished under his leadership. Gold was "as common as silver", and silver "as plentiful as stone." But even more importantly, for a minute, heaven and earth were joined in one accord worshiping the One who is worthy of it happening forever. Someday earth will fully agree with heaven, and heaven will come to earth.


A time of trouble like no other is chugging towards us at a speed few could fathom. Jesus is going to shake everything that can be shaken. God is still the safe place in a time of trouble. Before that intensity comes, many communities will "take much trouble" to rebuild David's blueprint for agreeing with heaven so that they can be set on a rock and made secure before the waves of Tribulation wash over the land:


Amos 9:1-6 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and He said: “Strike the doorposts, that the thresholds may shake, And break them on the heads of them all. I will slay the last of them with the sword. He who flees from them shall not get away, And he who escapes from them shall not be delivered. “Though they dig into hell, From there My hand shall take them; Though they climb up to heaven, From there I will bring them down; And though they hide themselves on top of Carmel, From there I will search and take them; Though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea, From there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them; Though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I will command the sword, And it shall slay them. I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good.” The Lord God of hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts, And all who dwell there mourn; All of it shall swell like the River, And subside like the River of Egypt. He who builds His layers in the sky, And has founded His strata in the earth; Who calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out on the face of the earth— The Lord is His name.

11 “On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old;