1 Chronicles 23 Explained - 5 Minute Bible Study
1 Chronicles 23 Short Summary:
In 1 Chronicles 23, David and Solomon took a census of the Levites who were 30 years old and older. The total number came to 38,000. These Levites were divided by family and assigned special jobs in the temple, which was set to be built in Jerusalem. The Levites played a supporting role to the priests. The priests were descendants of Aaron who oversaw the sacrificial offerings.
What is 1 Chronicles 23 About?
WHEN:
The Book of 1 Chronicles was written several hundred years after King David’s reign.
David became king of Judah in approximately 1055 B.C, the year Saul died. David’s reign spanned approximately 40 years (1055-1015 B.C.). He reigned over Judah for 7 years and 6 months, before becoming king over all Israel. His reign over all Judah and Israel lasted 33 years.
CHARACTERS:
David – The second king over all Israel and Judah.
Solomon – David’s son with Bethsheba. Solomon became the 3rd king of Israel and Judah.
Levites – The descendants of Jacob’s son Levi. They were a special tribe dedicated to the service of the Lord. All the priests came from the tribe of Levi.
Aaron – The brother of Moses. His family was assigned to offer sacrifices in the Tabernacle/Temple. Aaron was the first High Priest, and he was succeeded by his sons.
WHERE:
David and Solomon were planning to build a temple to the Lord in Jerusalem.
OUTLINE:
THE LEVITES AND THEIR ASSIGNED WORK IN THE FUTURE TEMPLE (23:1-5):
When David was old, he made Solomon king over Israel.
They assembled the leaders of Israel and counted the Levites, all the men 30 years old and older. The total came to 38,000 men.
David divided the Levites and assigned them roles in the new temple.
24,000 were to work in the house of the Lord.
6,000 were to be officers and judges.
4,000 were to be gatekeepers.
4,000 were to offer praises to God with instruments.
A RECORD OF LEVI’S FAMILY (23:6-24):
David organized the Levites into divisions based on which of Levi’s sons they descended from, either Gershon, Kohath, or Merari.
A short genealogy of Levi’s sons is recorded in verses 7-23.
Moses and Aaron are named in the genealogy because they were grandsons of Kohath.
MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE LEVITES’ WORK IN THE TEMPLE (23:25-32):
David ordered all the Levites who were 20 years old and older to participate in the work at the Temple.
They were to play a supporting role to the priests as they offered sacrifices to God. They were to care for the courts and chambers of the temple, and they were tasked with cleansing the holy items.
They helped with various elements of temple worship: the holy bread, the flour for grain offerings, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offerings, and offerings mixed with oil. They were responsible for measuring and counting all the elements. Every morning and evening,
they were to offer thanksgiving and praise to God.
They were to do the same thing when burnt offerings were offered on Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days.
APPLICATION:
Roles in religious life aren’t a bad thing, in fact they are a God ordained thing.
The Levites didn’t protest the role God gave them. They weren’t walking around saying, “I can offer sacrifices better than Aaron’s sons, I don’t want to prep the holy bread anymore, I want to be a priest.
They didn’t have that right, because God restricted who could fill the priestly roles.
But what about equality? Shouldn’t everyone have had equal opportunity to become a priest?
No!
God assigned certain people certain roles. God wasn’t interested in equality of opportunity.
Unfortunately, many families and churches have elevated the virtue of equality above God’s word, assigning people to roles God restricts them from taking.
Equality has never been God’s chief aim. The roles God has assigned to His creation are for the good of creation. The roles God has assigned to His Church are for the good of the Church.
We should only pursue equality so far as God’s roles and laws permit.
