Devotional: The Worship of Church Workers

Church workers, you know, pastors, deacons, elders, ministry staff, administrative assistants, maintenance workers, et al, have a unique perspective on the doings of the church. They see the inner politics, decision making, attitudes and behavior of the saints who lead (which isn’t always so saintly). They are responsible for supporting and leading the worship of the saints and yet may often find they are less than worshipful themselves. It is a common malady. And it no doubt was in ancient Israel.

¹ A Song of Ascents. Come bless Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand to serve in the house of Yahweh by night. ² Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless Yahweh. ³ May Yahweh, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Zion. (Psalm 134)

There were two primary “servants” or workers in the house of Yahweh, the Levites who were descendants of Aaron and were therefore priests, and all the rest of the Levites who were not priests. They couldn’t all work at the same time, there were so many of them, so they were assigned shifts during the year.

^24:1 These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron: The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ² But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. ³ With the help of Zadok a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelek a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering. ⁴ A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than among Ithamar’s, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar’s descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar’s descendants. ⁵ They divided them impartially by casting lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar. (1 Chronicles 24:1-5)

Only the descendants of two sons of Aaron were allowed to serve in the Temple, Eleazar and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu had perished under God’s judgment when they tried to usurp their father’s authority by offering “unauthorized fire” on Yahweh’s altar (Leviticus 10). The only fire allowed was the fire Yahweh had started and that the priests were to keep going daily, 24 hours a day (Leviticus 6:9). Twenty-four shifts of priests served, probably 2-weeks at a time, throughout the year. Those who stood to serve in the house of Yahweh (there was no place to sit) by night were responsible for keeping the fire on the altar going and the lamps inside the holy place (Exodus 27:21), as well, undoubtedly, other maintenance responsibilities. Who was chosen for each shift was determined by Yahweh, with the casting of lots.

The other Levites were responsible for guarding Yahweh’s house:

²³ They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the Lord—the house called the tent of meeting. ²⁴ The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. ²⁵ Their fellow Levites in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. ²⁶ But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. ²⁷ They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning. (1 Chronicles 9:23-27)

Obviously, some priests and Levites had a night shift, and it is of these workers that the psalmist wrote in Psalm 134, a psalm of ascents to be used as believers made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, ascending to her heights for worship at designated festivals.

The pilgrims were coming to worship with great excitement and anticipation. The night workers were perhaps too used to the ceremonies of worship to get as excited as the pilgrims, but the pilgrims urge them to bless Yahweh, to lift up holy hands in worship and bless Him. No one should take for granted the worship of God. All should worship with zeal and humility because we have a great God who has done great things to secure our rescue. Our redemption was purchased at a great cost. Our Savior dwells among us. We are His temple. Night and day we must serve Him.