Have you heard the happy sound of children playing on the school playground? Or maybe the sound of crowds cheering at a game? Wherever you get a crowd together, you’ll have a noisy, jumbled sound of many voices.
Did you ever hear the Bible story of a whole group of people where nobody was quiet, but all together they made one, beautiful, happy sound? Here is the story.
When God’s people were walking across the wilderness, God gave them careful instructions on how to make a tabernacle where they could worship Him. And to a man named Bezaleel, He gave special skill to make a beautiful golden box called “the ark of the Lord.” When they reached the land that God had promised them, David was God’s chosen king, and he brought the beautiful ark to God’s chosen city, Jerusalem, and it was temporarily placed in a special tent.
Now King David had a son named Solomon. It was God’s plan that Solomon should build a temple—a beautiful building of stone covered with gold and decorated with sparkling jewels. And Solomon built the temple, following God’s exact instructions.
Then four Levites carried the beautiful golden ark in a procession to the finished temple, and God chose how the ark should be carried. There were rings on the sides of the ark, with carrying poles through the rings. This was so the Levites could carry the ark high on their shoulders, and it would rise above their heads as they walked. It was covered with a blue cloth. I don’t think anyone heard the Levites’ footsteps as they walked, and here’s the reason why: They had a wonderful orchestra to play music as the procession walked to the temple.
Asaph was the orchestra leader, and he played the cymbals, which were two round plates of brass that he would crash together to keep the rhythm of the music. Maybe you think that is not very musical, but he was the most important man of all, because he kept the rhythm perfect.
Then there were harp players whose busy fingers were careful not to miss a note. Next there were trumpeters, and there were also stringed instruments. After that there were singers who knew the words perfectly and whose voices praised the Lord.
The Bible tells us that playing the different instruments and singing all together, they made one beautiful sound in praising and thanking the Lord. And God responded by filling the temple with a bright cloud, and the priests could not stand up to do their service because of the cloud. The glory of the Lord had filled the house of God! This wonderful display was something that never happened again.
Did we miss it? Have we lost the opportunity forever? Not really. The music of heaven will be like that, only much more beautiful. Each one who is there will be filled with praises for the One who is King of kings and Lord of lords. Will you be there to join in making that beautiful music to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ? You can be if you will put your trust in the Saviour who died for you.
But we don’t have to wait until we are in heaven to sing praises unto our Lord and Saviour. Ephesians 5:1919Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (Ephesians 5:19) says we can begin right now: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” And we don’t even have to be able to play a musical instrument. Just sing from your heart!
You may read this story for yourself in 2 Chronicles, chapter 5.
ML-01/11/2015