I was reading this morning in the book of Chronicles and
came across an interesting concept that I think we often forget or simply don’t
apply in our Christian walk in the world today. It has to do with the fact that
in the church each and every one of us has a specific job to do. As we look at
this passage of scripture I want you to see that certain people were appointed
or called to do certain things.
22 In all, there were 212 gatekeepers in
those days, and they were listed according to the genealogies in their
villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed their ancestors because they
were reliable men.23 These gatekeepers and their descendants, by
their divisions, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the house of the
Lord when that house was a tent.24 The gatekeepers were stationed
on all four sides—east, west, north, and south.25 Their relatives
in the villages came regularly to share their duties for seven-day periods.26 The
four chief gatekeepers, all Levites, were trusted officials, for they were
responsible for the rooms and treasuries at the house of God.27 They
would spend the night around the house of God, since it was their duty to guard
it and to open the gates every morning.28 Some of the gatekeepers
were assigned to care for the various articles used in worship. They checked
them in and out to avoid any loss.29 Others were responsible for
the furnishings, the items in the sanctuary, and the supplies, such as choice
flour, wine, olive oil, frankincense, and spices.30 But it was the
priests who blended the spices.31 Mattithiah, a Levite and the
oldest son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread used in
the offerings.32 And some members of the clan of Kohath were in
charge of preparing the bread to be set on the table each Sabbath day.33 The
musicians, all prominent Levites, lived at the Temple. They were exempt from
other responsibilities since they were on duty at all hours.
1 Chronicles 9:22-33
(NLT)
I know that is a lot of scripture but you see that it lays
out what I was describing about specific jobs. While each of these 212
individuals was by title a gatekeeper they each had additional duties that they
were required to perform in order for the worship to be given. I think often we
fail to recognize this in the church today. We become sedate in our title or
position and believe all there is for us to do is show up on Sunday morning and
enjoy the worship service hoping God pours His Holy Spirit out on us. When in reality
there have been gatekeepers hard at work preparing for worship. Every church
has a group of gatekeepers often serving in positions with very little
acknowledgement about whom they are or what they do. What is done is not for their
glory but because they are called to it by God. the verses that struck me in
this passage were 31-32;
31 and Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the
firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with making the flat cakes. 32 Also
some of their kinsmen of the Kohathites had charge of the showbread, to prepare
it every Sabbath.
1 Chronicles 9:30-32 (ESV)
The showbread was baked by a specific person and then others
were responsible for the arrangement and placement of the show bread on the
table. Literally translated this showbread means presence bread and was required to be replaced every Sabbath. If
the one who was responsible for baking or the one who was responsible for the
placing was not fulfilling their responsibilities; worship would not occur.
Today are you a gatekeeper? Do you know what your responsibility is in the
church you attend? I promise you it’s more than just sitting on the pew every
week enjoying the worship others have prepared for. You might even be the one
who is hindering God’s presence as because you have allowed the showbread to
become stale. Have a blessed day as you walk in the light of God’s word.
