Jerusalem was electric when the Ark of the Covenant was being carried into the city. King David, along with the people, were dancing in the streets, playing musical instruments. David had wanted the Ark to be in the capital city, and he had prepared a special tent for it to sit. It had been a slow train coming but finally that special day had arrived. The celebration wasn’t without drama. David’s wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, despised her husband for his jumping and singing without the royal clothes and cavorting with the commoners. This whole story, celebration and drama, is found in two places in the Old Testament. II Samuel 6 and I Chronicles 16 share this moment us. My focus for today is the celebration of “thanks” led by David. He began by offering God burnt offerings and peace offerings. A burnt offering was an offering that ascended, to go up in smoke, toward heaven. Peace offerings were offered on at least three occasions. One, it was a free-will offering as a way to say thank you to the Lord. Two, it was an offering given after fulfilling a vow. It was a way of saying, “I am holding nothing back from the Lord,” and fulfilling the vow was a blessing also. Three, it was a way to say thanks for deliverance from an enemy or in time of great need. As David made these offerings, he blessed the people with gifts in the name of the Lord. During this celebration, he gave every person in Israel a loaf of bread, probably some type of raisin cake, a good-sized piece of meat, and a flagon, a skin, with wine in it. He wanted all the people to enjoy this wonderful day not just his family and royal advisors. All of God’s people ought to be involved in worship of God. I Chronicles 16 lists several things I want to share with you. David sets the tone for the worship by giving Asaph, the music and choir director (just like Bro. Keith), a Psalm to play and sing to start. Afterward, there is a list of commands in 16:8-12. The whole chapter instructs us, but we’ll only take these few verses.
Thanksgiving should be in our hearts and on our lips continually. (V.8). I stopped at the pharmacy yesterday and met one of our great ladies. We began talking and all she could talk about was the goodness of God in her life. My thought was, “She sure is making Jesus look good today.”
Sing unto Him. V.9. Sing the Psalms and talk about His wonderous works.
Glory in His holy name. V.10. Don’t you just love being a Christian? I glory in the name of Jesus.
Seek the Lord. V.11. We walk and talk with the Lord constantly.
Remember His marvelous works. V.12. Think about the wonders such as salvation. Think about the wonders of answered prayers. Think about the joy in the heart that is in tune with this great Lord. Think about the judgments, the directions, and the discernment that comes from the Lord.
David led his people to follow what was in his heart. This day was a celebration day for the whole nation not just a select few. Thanksgiving should be for all of us. Some may have more than others, but we all have the same wonderful, marvelous, Lord. You can make this holiday special by taking these five little things and using them as offerings to God the same way that David did with his burnt offerings and peace offerings.