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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 2 November 2025:
Psalm 96:1-2 — Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
The psalm begins with a universal call to worship, not just Israel, but “all the earth.” God’s glory and salvation are not confined to one nation; they are meant to be proclaimed daily to every tribe and tongue. Worship and evangelism are inseparable: as we exalt God, we are compelled to declare His salvation to others. Each day we are given is another opportunity to “tell of His salvation.”
Psalm 96:3-4 — Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.
True worship overflows into witness. The “marvelous works” of God, His creation, redemption, and providence, must be declared publicly. Evangelism is an act of worship because it magnifies His greatness before others. There are no true rivals to God; every other “god” is a false invention of human fear and pride. Our awe of the Lord compels us to share Him boldly.
Will you declare the glory of God today?
Psalm 96:5-6 — For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
The contrast is absolute: idols are “worthless,” but the Lord is Creator. The Hebrew word for “worthless idols” (elilim) literally means “nothings.” In contrast, God’s sanctuary is filled with “splendor,” “majesty,” “strength,” and “beauty.” To behold Him is to see the perfection of power and grace intertwined and to be changed.
Psalm 96:7-9 — Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
God wants you to worship as a family.
Three times the psalm says “ascribe” — give God what He is due. Worship is not performance; it is recognition of His worth. “Families of the peoples” points to the inclusiveness of God’s kingdom, every nation, every lineage, every culture. We worship Him in holiness and humility, not with pride or empty ritual.
Psalm 96:10, 11 — Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it. Let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.”
God is merciful, but He is also just. Only God understands how to rightfully apply justice, mercy, and grace; how He does this is beyond our comprehension. We all seem to want God to administer justice to those who hurt us, but we want God to show us mercy when we hurt others. We suffer the injustices of the world, but we know that only God’s mercy creates the opportunity for injustice to even occur, since He hasn’t already condemned us in his wrath.
Ultimately, God will bring justice, and all of creation will rejoice in His justice. But today, we rejoice in and proclaim His mercy and grace, while we hope (trust) in the final revelation of His justice. As instruments of God’s mercy and grace, we have been called to a ministry of suffering while we serve as ambassadors to an unjust world. And Peter warns us to not lose perspective and to have both patience as well as a sense of urgency, understanding that the Lord delays in His coming for the sake of sinners, but His return is imminent:
- 2 Peter 3:9-12 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
Be gratefully patient in your suffering but be ardent in your evangelism.
The good news is that the Lord reigns. The Gospel is not merely an invitation but a declaration of God’s sovereign rule. The call to “say among the nations” is the missionary heart of the psalm. The unshakable stability of creation reflects the unchanging justice of its Creator, a justice ultimately fulfilled in Christ (Acts 17:31).
Psalm 96:11-13 — Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
All creation rejoices because its Redeemer comes. The second coming of Christ will bring both judgment and restoration — the world will be set right. God’s righteousness and faithfulness guarantee that His justice will not destroy His mercy. Our message to the nations must carry this same balance — truth and grace, justice and salvation.
1 Chronicles 9:1-2 — So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith. Now the first to dwell again in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the temple servants.
This chapter marks a turning point: from genealogical record to restoration. The exile had ended; God’s people began to return. Even after judgment, mercy triumphed. The “breach of faith” led to exile, but God’s covenant faithfulness led to return. The presence of priests and Levites among the first to return shows that worship was central to national restoration — God first, then everything else.
“And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith.” Faithlessness and sin rob you of the abundant, victorious life God desires for you. The abundant life is a life in Him, not a life of materialism. Too often people replace the love of God with the love of money, things, even life itself — “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” (Psalm 63:3)
1 Chronicles 9:2 — Now the first to dwell again in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the temple servants.”
Priests should lead the way in dedication and closeness to God. Christians are all called to be “priests.” The leader in any room is the one closest to Jesus who is committed to drawing those around him closer to Jesus. Leaders know the way and show the way. Jesus is, “The Way, The Truth, and The Life.” If you are not leading others closer to Jesus, you are leading them astray.
1 Chronicles 9:10-13 — Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, and Azariah the son of Hilkiah… chief officer of the house of God; and their kinsmen, heads of fathers’ houses, 1,760, very able men for the work of the service of the house of God.
God knows everyone of His servants by name and also recognizes them by their family. God also knows the strengths and weaknesses of every individual. God deals with you personally, but He also deals with you through your relationships, particularly through your family. Family is a vital part of God’s plan for people. God gives very specific responsibilities to spouses and parents, and He also tells children to honor their fathers and mothers as a path to His blessings. Jesus obeyed His mother as an example to us.
The restoration of Israel began with restoring worship. The mention of “able men” underscores that spiritual service requires strength, diligence, and faithfulness. They were not warriors on the battlefield but guardians of the sanctuary. Their calling was to maintain holiness and order in the house of God — a reminder that every act of service, whether visible or hidden, is sacred when done unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).
1 Chronicles 9:13 — …heads of their fathers’ houses…
God expects fathers to lead their families and to raise up leaders who will keep the faith for generations.
1 Chronicles 9:17-19 — The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their kinsmen… Shallum was the chief. These were previously in the king’s gate on the east side as the gatekeepers for the camps of the Levites. Shallum the son of Kore… was keeper of the threshold of the tent, as his fathers had been keepers of the entrance to the camp of the Lord.
The gatekeepers served a vital role: protecting the sanctity of God’s dwelling place. They guarded access to the presence of God, symbolizing vigilance and purity. In the New Covenant, believers are now the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16–17). We are called to guard our hearts, the new sanctuary, with the same diligence, keeping out what defiles and maintaining what honors the Lord (Proverbs 4:23).
1 Chronicles 19:20 – And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the chief officer over them in time past; the Lord was with him.
Of Phinehas, the Bible specifically says that the Lord was with him. Is that what people say about you? More importantly, is that what God says about you?
1 Chronicles 9:28 – Some of them had charge of the utensils of service, for they were required to count them when they were brought in and taken out.
Management can be an act of worship, vital to the work of the ministry. Your God-given abilities were provided not that you could build your own kingdom on earth but rather that you could serve the Kingdom of God.
1 Chronicles 9:33-34 — Now these, the singers, the heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites, were in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were on duty day and night. These were heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites, according to their generations, leaders. These lived in Jerusalem.
The singers were devoted entirely to worship, day and night. Their ceaseless praise symbolized continual communion with God — the ultimate goal of redemption. Worship is both duty and delight, and delight makes the demand of duty irrelevant. These men lived in Jerusalem, near the temple, illustrating that closeness to God comes through a life centered on worship and obedience. Music was considered so vital to worship that the singers had no other responsibilities and were on duty continually.
In a world in constant need of practical labor and material provision, artistic expressions of worship can appear secondary or even unnecessary. Yet in God’s economy, these expressions are indispensable, for they engage the heart and soul in glorifying Him. God Himself delights in beauty and creativity because both reflect His own nature as Creator. Worship through music, art, architecture, poetry, and dance is not ornamental to the faith — it is integral to it. Humanity was created in the image of a creative God, and thus artistic expression is an act of divine reflection.
Scripture consistently reveals that God not only values but also ordains artistic skill for His glory. When He commanded the building of the tabernacle, He specifically filled Bezalel and Oholiab “with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship” (Exodus 31:1–5) to design artistic works for His dwelling. God uniquely equipped them to make beauty that reflected His holiness. In 1 Chronicles 15:16, David commanded the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers “to raise sounds of joy with musical instruments, harps and lyres and cymbals.” These musicians were not entertainers but ministers whose work brought the people into the presence of God through praise. Similarly, in 2 Chronicles 5:13-14, when the trumpeters and singers made music “in unison” and “the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud,” the glory of God visibly descended — demonstrating that sincere artistic worship can usher God’s manifest presence among His people. Even dance was commanded as a joyful expression of worship: “Let them praise His name with dancing, making melody to Him with tambourine and lyre” (Psalm 149:3), and again, “Praise Him with tambourine and dance” (Psalm 150:4). David himself, the warrior-king and psalmist, danced “before the Lord with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14), unashamed of such exuberant adoration. These diverse forms of artistic worship — music, architecture, craftsmanship, dance, and song — all work together to glorify the God who made all things beautiful in their time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
However, Scripture also warns that all gifts, whether artistic or practical, must function in unity and humility. The same Spirit who empowered builders and singers also appointed teachers, shepherds, and servants, that “the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow” (Ephesians 4:16). Work without worship becomes joyless, prideful striving; worship without work becomes hollow, fruitless sentimentality. In the kingdom of God, each calling is vital, and no gift is greater than another – all are essential, none alone are sufficient. The builders, guards, priests, scribes, and singers all served the same holy purpose. Therefore, musicians must never replace praise with performance, and teachers must never mistake their pulpits for pedestals. When any ministry becomes self-exalting, it ceases to honor God and begins to glorify the self. The Church thrives only when every member, from the unseen servant to the public leader, lives and labors in humble harmony before God — Semper Fidelis Coram Deo, always faithful before the face of God.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 2 November 2025: Let your worship and worshipful work become your witness. As Psalm 96 calls, “Declare His glory among the nations,” so 1 Chronicles 9 shows restored worship as the foundation for restored purpose. You are a living temple, a gatekeeper of God’s presence, and a herald of His reign. Live with the joy and reverence of one who knows the King personally, proclaiming His salvation daily and doing all things to His glory. Remember that every soul is of eternal worth — more valuable than the whole world (Mark 8:36). Carry Christ’s heart for the lost and use every opportunity to make Him known. Serve others as Jesus would while praising His Name, taking all attention away from self.
Pray: “Lord, You reign over all the earth, and Your name is worthy to be praised. Thank You for restoring what sin destroys and for calling us to be both worshipers and witnesses. Fill our hearts with the song of salvation and our mouths with boldness to proclaim it to every soul. Let us see people as You see them — infinitely precious, worth the cross You bore. May our lives, words, work, and worship be used by you to bring others into Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 