Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 9) - Almost the Last Word

When the Ark was at Obed-Edom's we read that he was greatly blessed, and his household, and all that he had.

And then Obed-Edom learned a great principle. As God had blessed Obed-Edom's house, so he should then bless God's house.

Obed-Edom was faithful in applying that principle to his life. He accompanied the Ark when David came to remove it and take it to Jerusalem. He played his harp in the great procession that paraded the Ark up to the dwelling place David had prepared for it in the Holy City.

Then he was appointed gatekeeper in the house of God. What did gatekeepers do? He helped collect offerings (2 Kings 22:4). He guarded the entrance to the tabernacle (l Chronicles 9:19),and he probably welcomed and greeted worshippers as they came in.
Many of the same duties our deacons or ushers have today. Many of the same tasks my father did at our church when I was a child.

~~~~If We Are Willing...~~~~

If we are willing to be used by God, there is always a place for us. We must have, as Obed-Edom had, a servant's heart.

In some places and in some traditions, there is a line of demarcation between "professional clergy" and "laity."

I don't find that anywhere in the Bible. We are all called to "minister."

Sometimes "ministry" means opening the windows, picking up trash, serving food, removing loose bulletins in the pews to prepare for the next service. It might mean taking the offering, preaching, teaching Sunday School. It doesn't matter -- it is all to be done as servants of Christ, ministering with a humble heart and listening for His voice.....Well done, my good and faithful servant.

[Don't most congregations have a great need for members to visit in the hospitals, fix hot dogs for the kids, recruit prayer support for the pastor and other staff, send letters to college and military youth?]

When Obed-Edom was serving as gatekeeper he probably heard the priests singing, and maybe sang himself, maybe playing on his harp, many of the Psalms we have recorded in God's Word. What about Psalm 84:1 - How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! And probably he also sang Better is a day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10) --- my father's favorite verse.

And In thy presence is fullness of joy? (Psalm 16:11)

Is this a lesson Obed-Edom learned? One that God wants us all to learn?

He was called into ministry. But he was created to worship. What we are is worshipers.
What we do is ministry. Does God want us to be a worshiper before we serve Him? Is His first goal for us to make us worshipers? (God seeks those to worship Him in spirit and truth).


He wants us to be something before we do something. What ministry we do in His family should flow out naturally from who we are, which starts with our being in His presence -- continually and conspicuously.

Yes, I think Obed-Edom experienced that flow.


~~~~Obed-Edom Gets Promoted....~~~~


Obed-Edom was a faithful servant. And later we see that he is promoted. King David himself appointed Obed-Edom to minister before the Ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel (1 Chronicles 16:4).

So Obed-Edom was right where he wanted to be -- as close to the Ark as he could get. Because that's where God was!

And on that glorious day when the Ark was actually placed in the tabernacle, Obed- Edom would have heard David's heart-felt prayer in 1 Chronicles 16 (much of which is included also in Psalm 105).

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known to the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him, tell of all his wonderful acts. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Glory in his holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Hundred of years later, the Son of David, said Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Obed-Edom eagerly sought God's righteous holy presence and so we know he was filled with God's joy and peace.

Then in 1 Chronicles 16:38 we see that Obed-Edom had 68 associates to minister with him. He had become a leader. But he still served and led with a servant's heart.

Jesus said, The greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11). In Mark we read even more. James and John were interested in being promoted. Jesus told them,whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all (Mark 10:43-44.

So what is the last of the Obed-Edom story? Look in 1 Chronicles 26. There the genealogies of the gatekeepers is listed. In verse 4 we read about Obed-Edom's descendants. Verses 4 and 5 list 8 sons (For God had blessed Obed-Edom the record says)that were born to him.

[There is an old Jewish legend that says all 8 of Obed-Edom's sons were born during the 3 months the Ark was at his house. Some variations of the story say that all 8 were born at once! That story is not in the Bible, but for hundreds of years it has been included in the whispers of tradition.]

And then the names of his grandsons are listed.
And these notes: leaders in their father's family because they were very capable men...and...capable men with strength to do the work....

~~~Now for the Rest of the Story~~~~

The last reference we have to Obed-Edom is in 2 Chronicles 25:24.

The events in this chapter took place over a hundred years after King David's death.
It was very troubled times for Israel and Judah, years after their civil war and the division of the tribes into 2 separate countries.

The historical account is that Israel and Judah were at war with each other. Amaziah, King of Judah, would not listen to God and so Jehoash, King of Israel, defeated Judah in battle. Judah was routed by Israel and every man fled to his home (2 Chronicles 25:22). Jehoash came into Jerusalem and broke down part of the city wall, a section about 600 feet long. Johoash knew exactly where to go -- to the great Temple. And there he collected all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God, that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages and returned to Samaria (2 Chronicles 25:23-24). [Samaria was his capital city.]

David had turned over all the temple treasures, as he collected them, to Obed-Edom for safe-keeping. When Solomon completed the great Temple, all those treasures were placed where they belonged - right in God's house, where David had intended them to go. It would have been a very high honor to any man to take charge of these treasures. Certainly a great show of confidence and personal trust in someone's honesty and ability.

Or maybe the writer is referring to a descendant of Obed-Edom, maybe a grandson, who is listed in the genealogy, who cared for the treasures during the later years after the Kingdom divided.

But probably not. Probably the Obed-Edom referred to here in 2 Chronicles is the original humble/servant/enemy of God who had become the humble/servant/friend of God when David was King. Probably the same one who had picked up his harp, left his farm and helped transport the Ark of God's covenant to God's house in Jerusalem because he wanted to spend his life near the holy presence of God.

In either case, the Obed-Edom guarding the King's Temple Treasury was a man who realized that we are always stewards, not owners of God's wealth.

When God puts wealth in our hands it is to be used for the furthering on His Work.



These accounts of Obed-Edom reminds me of my mother often saying, "Glorya, don't you get out of my sight!"

Obed-Edom could not let the Ark get "out of his sight."

We don't know when Obed-Edom died. But we do know that whenever it happened it was not the end of his story.

For him, to paraphrase C. S. Lewis, It was only the beginning of the real story. All his life in this world, and all his adventures and all his devotion to God's presence, had been the cover and title page of the book of his life. Now at last he would begin Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read. Which goes on forever. In which every chapter is better than the one before.

And that's the rest of his story.

If we decide to look for Obed-Edom when we get "over yonder" I will know exactly where to look first -- as close as he can get to God Himself. And that's exactly where I want to be too!