Worship Scripture Commentary - Sunday, June 2

 

Sunday, June 2 – Music Sunday

II Chronicles 5:11-14

In our Old Testament reading, King Solomon of Israel has the Ark of the Covenant placed in the Temple in Jerusalem. To celebrate the occasion, several singers and instrumentalists offered music in praise of the Lord.

Verse 13 - The music played at this special dedication of the Ark of the Covenant is similar to the psalms that were used when David brought the Ark into Jerusalem.

(I Chronicles 16:34)

Music is an important part of worship. How does music help you worship and praise the Lord?

Revelation 22:1-5

Book of Revelation – Written by John (not sure which John this might be) on the island of Patmos because he was in exile for his faith. He is encouraging the churches in Asia Minor to continue to hold fast in their faith. He is letting them know what is happening in heaven in the present moment. All the saints are worshipping and praising God!

The author of Revelation is also pointing to the future when heaven and earth will be made new. This is the ultimate glorious hope of the Christian faith.

This book has been widely misinterpreted as a book that is prophesying about events that will happen in the 20^th and 21^st century as if the historical context of the author’s time of writing was unimportant. We need to understand the historical context in which the author was writing (such as the church was facing persecutions by the mighty Roman Empire) and then ask the question, “what do these passages of scriptures mean for us today?)

We also tend to use a concrete understandings of the symbols and images found in this book of the Bible when many of these are metaphors to help describe the presence of evil in our world and the significant ways God is overcoming (and will overcome!) evil.

Key verse (Verse 5) – “The one who sat on the throne said, “Look, I am making all things new.” Where do you see the Lord making all things new in our community and world?  When you see how God is at work in making things new, is your response to worship and praise the Lord?