1 Chronicles 23-25 – Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Well, as expected, I love seeing the importance of musicians in the temple worship of God. Not only that, but the fact that they were “trained” and “skillful” (1 Chronicles 25:7). (I use this scripture when somebody wants to play tambourine in the audience but doesn’t want to come to rehearsal, haha!)

 

But what I really want to bring attention to is this verse: 25:3 …six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.

 

The phrase “prophesied in giving thanks” gave me pause.

 

Definition and translation for “prophesied”:

Naba - speak or sing by inspiration (e-Sword)

Naba - to flow, pour out, gush forth, spring, bubble up, emit, belch forth (Bible Study Tools Lexicon)

 

This is how “naba” is used in other scriptures in the Old Testament:

 

Psalm 119:171 Let my lips utter (naba) praise, For You teach me Your statutes.

Psalm 59:7 Behold, they belch forth (naba) with their mouth; Swords are in their lips…

Proverbs 15:28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

      But the mouth of the wicked pours out (naba) evil things.

Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

    The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling (naba) brook.

 

It seems that many Christians (myself included) had, at some point, a misconstrued understanding of the word “prophecy”. Because according to Proverbs 15:28, even the wicked prophecy (naba).

 

But it does seem to be an almost uncontrollable urge to proclaim something from our depths that can only originate from the supernatural.

 

I like how Vine’s Expository explains prophecy from the New Testament word “propheteia”: “Though much of Old Testament prophecy was purely predictive, … prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily fore-telling. It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means, Matthew 26:68, it is the forth-telling of the will of God, whether that be past, present or future”.

 

Now let’s reapply that word in this verse 1 Chronicle 25:3.

Their musicians prophesied with thanks and praise to the Lord!

So, the next time you are in your praise and worship service, recognize when your musicians begin to prophesy the wonders of our God and join them and the angels of heaven in unified worship.