Tag Archives: Levites

Hi, my name is Door. Door Keeper. Part 4.

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Today we are looking at Part 4 of our Mini-Series on The Door Keeper. You can catch up by clicking on each link for Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Uzzah, Obed-Edom and Jim.

My very first recollections of a Door Keeper take me back to the early 1970’s. This church is where I met The Sweetheart, where we dated, grew up, were married and even dedicated our firstborn. It was a good church with a great pastor who loved people and loved God. The Church was known for having some of the friendliest people in our town and the best cooks anywhere.
We also had a Door Keeper. This is before greeters became a big deal in The Church, before organized and structured welcoming staff were trained and taught that first impressions help to grow your church.

Let me introduce you to Jim.

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He was ahead of his time. Jim wasn’t a boy like Jacob that you met earlier. Jim was a grown man with a wife and two sons. He was a student of the Word. He sat on the second row every single service with a large notepad and pen. He took notes the entire service. I always assumed he was writing about the kids, the young people or troublemakers. I thought he was taking attendance and would report to the pastor later on who was there and who was just skipping out. We would joke and dare each other to swipe the book so we could read it and see if our names were in there. He never missed church at all that I remember unless he was very, very sick.
Back in the day, in this country church, we had service on Saturday night, Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. (I know, right?!) Jim was always there, just inside the door with a smile, (always a smile) a welcome, a very firm handshake for one hand and a songbook to put in the other. He wasn’t just dependable, he was constant; he was faithful to God and to his church family.
Jim was just as serious about his service in other areas of the Church as he was at the door to the house of God. He didn’t think he was too good to dig ditches, spread mulch, clean a bathroom, run a vacuum or wash dishes, if need be. Jim was our Sunday School Superintendent for years but didn’t suggest someone else go out and knock doors on Saturday or drive the bus on Sunday. Jim did both. Many weeks he did this all by himself.
I always thought of Jim as someone who guarded the Church, literally and figuratively. He wouldn’t have allowed anyone to disrupt the service or to hurt the man of God. He would have stepped in and protected both in an instant. Yet, in all of his serving he didn’t miss out on worship. He sang with every ounce of his being, hands raised in adoration to the King of Kings, the Word of God right beside him. It reminded me of Nehemiah building the wall, he did the work with one hand and had a weapon in the other.

He didn’t bring glory to Jim; he pointed others to Jesus Christ.

Hi my name is Door. Door Keeper. Part 4
There was another man in the Old Testament who was a doorkeeper for the Presence of God. He didn’t ask to be, that we can tell; greatness was just thrust upon him.

“So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.” 2 Samuel 6:10.

 Obed-Edom. Why was he chosen to house the Ark of the Covenant that contained the Ten Commandments? (Aaron’s rod that budded and manna were also inside the Ark.)
King David had decided to bring the Ark (the presence of God) back to Jerusalem. Remember, the Ark was all but forgotten during the reign of King Saul, which sounds unbelievable for something of this magnitude of importance. Yet, the Ark was in the house of Abinadab and had been there a long time, seventy years! David just takes the bull by the horns, so to speak, and sets off to bring it home. It seems he didn’t put much thought into the proper procedures and along the way, Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, was struck dead just for reaching out to steady the Ark!
I have always wondered about Uzzah. If he was Abinadab’s son, wouldn’t he have known how to take care of the Ark? Were they so complacent, so used to having it just sitting around but not being cared for, or used, that they didn’t realize its significance any longer? Treating the supernatural as something common and ordinary? Do we do the same today?
So after this unfortunate occurrence, David was afraid and realized that he must reassess his plan to bring the presence of God back home so he sends the Ark to the house of Obed-Edom for three solid months. Now, Obed-Edom was of the tribe of Levi and we have seen already that the Levites were in charge of the temple and its care. They were also doorkeepers!
It is likely that Obed-Edom was a simple man, probably not wealthy or famous but he had a home that he willingly offered for the presence of Almighty God to dwell in. The Bible says that for the entire time the Ark was in the house of Obed-Edom that they were blessed. “Now King David was told, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.’” 2 Samuel 6:12 NIV.
This same Ark toppled Dagon and killed Uzzah but it blessed Obed-Edom because of his willingness and sacrifice and he was changed forever. He was a doorkeeper of the Ark of the Covenant, just as we are doorkeepers today of the house of God and the Presence of God! David knew that if he could get it back to its rightful place where it belonged then the entire city would benefit.

1 Corinthians 16:13, 14 ESV. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”

Today we stand guard of the house of the Lord, of the Church, the Body, we are all Door Keepers. We don’t need uniforms like hotel bellmen for others to recognize us as such. We do need humility of heart and the love of God to shine forth in our actions and words because we are protectors of the Church…

Keepers of the Door.

Join us tomorrow for Part 5 in our Mini-Series on The Door Keeper. You won’t want to miss meeting the last Door Keeper. Be blessed and feel free to share with us your recollections of Door Keepers in your life.

 

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Hi, my name is Door. Door Keeper. Part 3

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This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you purchase something after clicking on one of my links. Thanks for supporting this ministry!

 

Welcome back for Part 3 of our Door Keeper Mini-Series on Hope in the Healing! If you are just now joining us, you may catch up by reading Part One here and Jacob’s story, Part Two, here. Today we are looking at a different Door Keeper that we discover in the New Testament. Stay with me…

I do not mean to be taking liberties here with the scripture but let me explain how I think Barnabas, an apostle of Jesus Christ, was a Door Keeper.
In Acts 4:36, Luke introduces Barnabas as the Son of Consolation, or Son of Encouragement. The Greek word was paraklesis, meaning encouragement, consolation, comfort, exhortation, etc. We are assuming that the apostles, who renamed Joses as Barnabas, actively saw the qualities of an encourager in their friend Barnabas. The Bible calls encouraging a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8, NKV).
“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
Barnabas gave the profit from his land to the apostles to help spread the Gospel. To own property in Cyprus at that time probably meant Barnabas was at least somewhat wealthy. He didn’t hold back, he realized it didn’t belong to him anyway.
But there was more to Barnabas. 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3NIV tells us, “We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.” It is speaking of Timothy here but it wasn’t just about Timothy. Ministers of the Gospel are to establish, comfort, strengthen and encourage the saints in their faith (and I love this next part) so that no one would be unsettled by their trials! And there are many examples in the New Testament scriptures where Barnabas did just that; he encouraged the saints in their faith. (Acts 11:23)
Also, you may recall that a doorkeeper prefers others before himself. He points them to Christ. He gets out of the way. This is how Barnabas enters the picture.

Doorkeeper 3

Saul (later renamed Paul) was a persecutor of the Early Church. After his conversion on the road to Damascus he attempts to join the other apostles in Jerusalem but they were literally afraid of this one who had thrown so many into prison. Saul had also stood by and held the coats of those that stoned their fellow laborer, Stephen, and did his very best to make sure Christians were punished for their faith. The other apostles were having a difficult time believing this man had been converted.
“But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.” Acts 9:27.
But Barnabas took him. Barnabas stood in the gap, Barnabas wasn’t afraid of Saul and he wasn’t afraid to tell the others that this man had met Jesus too! He was risking his life and his reputation but stepped out in faith and assurance that what Saul had seen on that Damascus road had literally changed his life just as the other faithful apostles had been changed. It is good to know that the Greek word for comforter or counselor means one who is called to stand next to! 
Sometime after that, the Council tells Barnabas to head to Antioch, in Syria, to see if there was truth to the report that Jews and Gentiles were worshipping together. The Jews that had fled Jerusalem because of persecution had settled in Antioch and some shared their faith with their new neighbors, the Greeks:
“When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.” Acts 11:22-24.
 
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and full of faith. Many people came to God because of him! He pointed them away from himself and to Jesus. It was here, at Antioch, that they were first called Christians. Some historians say that was not a compliment, nor just a religious designation or affiliation. In Antioch, by calling them Christians, they were mocking them, similar to Christians today being labeled right-wing extremists. So these new babes in Christ were already being persecuted for their faith. Enter Barnabas, the Encourager! Barnabas helped the newest believers become established in the faith and in relationship with Jesus Christ. And the Church grew.
Even though the people of Antioch may have been mocking these spirit-filled believers, they didn’t realize they were truly complimenting them anyway. Because of people like Barnabas, unassuming, not as loud or commanding as Paul, so influential with his servant attitude, his willingness to get out of the way and give all he had that they named him and those that followed him, Christ-like.
Just as he stood in the gap for Saul, he again had decisions to make. Some followers of Jesus were sure this message was only for the Jews, God’s chosen people, but Barnabas “saw the grace of God, he rejoiced”!

But, you ask, where do I get that he was a Door Keeper?

Barnabas was a Levite. (Acts 4:36) Do you remember from our first post in this series about the Levites? The Levites were in charge of the care and daily running of the Temple. One of their duties was that of a Door Keeper. They came in every seven days to fulfill their responsibilities and even lived in the temple on the third floor!
In the New Testament it is not clear that Door Keepers still performed the same duties as they did hundreds of years before in the temple. But that didn’t change the fact that Barnabas was a Levite, raised to serve, and he exemplified this character trait in his role as apostle.
Barnabas and Saul go on to co-pastor the church in Antioch. Barnabas went so far as to go and get Saul to come back and help him in this work. He knew Saul was more dynamic but he wasn’t afraid of being overshadowed by this great preacher. He also knew he couldn’t do this alone and was willing, again, to do his own work, what God had called him to do and to realize when he couldn’t handle it by himself to seek out Godly men to help him.

Door Keepers, then and now, invite others IN.

Door Keepers guard the Church, the Body of Christ.

Door Keepers prefer others before themselves.

Door Keepers point the lost and weary to an able God.

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Barnabas was such a man. He was honored by those who served with him because he was humble and knew when to step out of the way. He also wasn’t afraid to stand up for something when he knew it was right, such as with Saul’s conversion. He stood in the gap!
How about you? Are you a Door Keeper? Do you exemplify Christ in all that you do? Do you point others to the One who gave His very life for each one of us? Are you a game-changer?
I want to be a Door Keeper. I want to be IN the Church, IN the Body and doing my own work that God has called me to do!

I would love to hear YOUR thoughts on the Door Keeper and join me tomorrow for Part 4 in this series! 

Hi, my name is Door. Door Keeper.

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This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you purchase something after clicking on one of my links. Thanks for supporting this ministry!

Today we are beginning a short series on Doorkeepers. We will introduce them in this first post, explain their duties and responsibilities and why we would want to be one. Tomorrow, you will meet an actual doorkeeper and hear his true story. I promise you will be blessed by Jacob. And the third installment will be related to…well…let’s just keep that a secret until Wednesday! Be blessed and feel free to share your thoughts!

Doorkeepers. dor’-kep-er (sho`er):

Going way back to the Old Testament I have discovered that Doorkeepers had a variety of duties. Most of us are familiar with the verse in Psalm 84:10 that mentions preferring to be a doorkeeper as opposed to living in tents of wickedness but it seems there was so much more to keeping the door!
“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

In Hebrew it is translated more closely to “I would choose rather to sit at the threshold.”

The writer could also be alluding to the servant that desired to stay with his master instead of being set free. To serve him forever, he was brought to the door post and had his ears pierced, or bored completely through with an awl! Exodus 21:5. As Gill’s Exposition of the Bible explains, “Such a willing servant was the psalmist; ….which renders it, “I have chosen to cleave to the house of the sanctuary of God.” 
Barnes Notes on the Bible explain it in this fashion: “…it would seem to mean here to stand on the threshold; to be at the door or the entrance, even without the privilege of entering the house…The verb here used occurs nowhere else in the Scriptures. The exact idea is not, as would seem from our translation, to keep the door, as in the capacity of a sexton or servant, but that of occupying the sill – the threshold – the privilege of standing there, and looking in, even if he was not permitted to enter. It would be an honor and a privilege to be anywhere about the place of public worship, rather than to be the occupant of a dwelling-place of sin.”
The gates of the city and the temple courts were so similar that the same Hebrew word was used for doorkeeper and gatekeeper. Their duties also very closely resembled the Keeper of the Threshold or Porters of the Threshold found in 1 Chronicles 9:19, 22, 23:4-5 and 31:14.
“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest that he may count the money brought in to the house of the LORD which the doorkeepers have gathered from the people.” – 2 Kings 22:4.

Here we see that the doorkeepers were ushers of sort; they collected money from the people. They were Levites and came in from the villages every seventh day to take their turn.

 “…and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper.” Jeremiah 35:4,
In this verse in the Book of Jeremiah we see that the doorkeepers even lived in the house of God. They surely had a variety of responsibilities. Some of their duties included making sure the doors were locked at night and unlocked in the morning and they also cared for the sacred vessels. It was an honorable position, ranking up there with the singers, but after the priests. (Ezra 2:42, 1 Chronicles 15:18.)
The doorkeepers obviously had a wide variety of duties that kept them busy since they even lived in the temple when they took their obligated turn. They took it seriously, reverently and fulfilled their mission with humble modesty.
But they preferred their lowly position over any other day in any other place! To them, to the Psalmist, it was better to sit on that threshold than to be partying with his friends (my rendition).
Do we feel that way today about the house of God?

Are we so overwhelmed with the privilege of being able to enter the Holy of Holies that we would think it an honor just to stand on the threshold and look in….even if we weren’t allowed to step inside?

Think of the excuses we make to NOT be in our church services. We are too tired, too busy, too educated and too important. Sure, we don’t say those last two reasons out loud but we are saying it by our attitudes when we think we don’t need God or need to worship with others of “like precious faith”.
Of course God is IN us today. The Levites had to enter the temple and the Priest was the only one who could actually enter God’s presence. We have the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, sent to be IN us, alive, moving, working and guiding us 24/7. But being in a Spirit-filled church is a privilege and a responsibility we shouldn’t take lightly. Our attendance is important and necessary for the Body of Christ to thrive and the Church to grow!
We do not limit our gift of service or worship to the church building.
The Church is a BODY that just happens to MEET in a building!

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Our biggest job is outside the four walls of the assembly, ministering, helping, loving, giving, showing Christ at every single opportunity; even when we think no one is watching.
But worship together, in a corporate setting, is so vital, so strengthening, so uplifting that we should participate and support the work of God. Hearing the Word is how people are saved! “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Romans 10:14 ESV.
Again, yes we know our biggest ministry is outside of the four walls. But if we are truly busy in our mission field telling others about Jesus, and our brothers and sisters are doing the same, even inviting the sinner to visit the Church…

Shouldn’t someone be there to welcome them in?

Tomorrow I will introduce you to this young man.

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His name is Door. Door Keeper. You won’t want to miss his unique, true story and see why we call him Door…instead of Jacob. Bring the tissues as we continue our series on the Doorkeeper.

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