1 Chronicles 25:1-31  Click here for Bible Verses

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 25:1-31.  Let’s go!

1 Chronicles 25:1 (NIV) 
1  David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:

On verse 1:  What is the ministry of prophesying?  People often think of prophesying as telling the future.  But prophesying in the Bible has a broader meaning and purpose.  Prophesying is the ability to sense when the Holy Spirit is giving a message to strengthen, encourage and comfort other people and to communicate that message effectively.  Sometimes that message may speak about future events.  Sometimes that message may speak about how God sees a person or situation in the present.  The fact that the Chronicler gives attention to the ministry of prophesying shows that prophesying had an important place in the Israelites’ worship of the Lord.

Here are a few other details I noticed from this verse:

  • The fact that David would work with his army commanders to choose certain young men (the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun) to prophesy (v1), the fact that the sons of Asaph prophesied under Asaph’s supervision (v2), the fact that Asaph himself prophesied under the king’s supervision (v2), the fact that the sons of Jeduthun prophesied under Jeduthun’s supervision (v3), and the fact that all of them prophesied under their fathers’ supervision (v6) – all of this suggests that great care was, and should be, exercised in selecting, training and releasing people to prophesy.
  • The fact that David works together with the commanders of the army to select people to prophesy reminds me that prophesy is a form of spiritual warfare.  God uses the ministry of prophecy to help God’s people break new ground and advance against the enemy.
  • The fact that those who prophesied were accompanied by music shows the importance that music plays in creating an atmosphere of faith, worship and expectation in the people.  This, coupled with the fact that Jeduthun prophesied while playing a musical instrument (v3b), shows that there is a special connection between worship, music and prophecy.  So if you are in the music or multimedia ministry in your church, know that you are not just producing music or media, but your ministry has a prophetic element to it – through your ministry you are in one direction giving worship to God and in another direction you are helping the people tap into God’s heart and vision for them.

1 Chronicles 25:6-7 (NIV) 
6  All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.
7  Along with their relatives–all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD–they numbered 288.

On verses 6-7:  All these musical prophets served at the house of God under the supervision of a more senior leader.  In fact, the word “supervision” comes up five times in verses 1-6.  This suggests that young leaders need to be encouraged, trained, and mentored by those more senior than them.  Who is someone who gives oversight and mentoring to your ministry?  Are you teachable in your relationship with your mentor?  Do you actively seek to be trained and mentored?  Coming under the supervision, leadership and coaching of a more senior leader is a running theme in 1 Chronicles and a crucial part of growing as a servant and leader in God’s kingdom.

1 Chronicles 25:8 (NIV) 
8  Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots for their duties.

On verses 8-31:  Here we see how young and old musical prophets all cast lots for their duties.  This reminds us that God’s people should be organized and mobilized in a manner that is fair and impartial so that there may be maximum peace and joy as people serve God together.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the ways You have used and want to use the ministry of prophesying in our lives.  May we as Your church be effective, wise, careful, courageous and united in the way we train and release people to prophesy and receive prophesy for the edification of Your people and for Your glory.  I pray that I and everyone who serves in my church would be teachable, accountable, and responsible to someone more senior than them in the faith, so that we would grow into the people and the church You made us to be.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!