“Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth” (1 Chronicles 16:8-14, NIV).
Have you liked so much something that you could not just stop saying good things about it, but also promoting it in every opportunity that would come to you?
Perhaps, it’s a good book, an ideal place, an exotic food, or a very entertaining movie. You may have other things in mind.
But, why do you say good things about it and even promote it? Because you are so attracted to it. You really enjoyed it. You experienced its benefit. And you want others also to enjoy its goodness and be benefited by it.
How about God?
What do we know about Him that we find Him so attractive and we are motivated to declare His Goodness?
So, this time, let’s focus on what should propel us to PROCLAIM GOD’S NAME, as we deal with our text (1 Chronicles 16:8-15).
So, why should we praise and proclaim God’s Name?
Our text is a part of the psalm that was made after the ark of God was brought in it’s place in Jerusalem.
The ark was a chest containing the tables of the law. It was made of wood and gold. Poles were used for carrying it. The Israelites took it with them on their journey in the wilderness. But, it happened that it had been captured by the Philistines (1 Sam. 4:11) and remained with them for 7 months (1 Sam. 6:1). Then, it was sent back to Israel and was at Kiriath-jearim for 20 years (1 Sam. 7:2).
When David intended to bring the ark to Jerusalem, the procession was interrupted because of the death of Uzzah (1 Chronicles 13:10) for his impulsive gesture to touch the ark. It was just taken to the house of Obed-edom.
After three months at his house (1 Chronicles 13:14), the ark was finally brought into Jerusalem in the midst of rejoicing. For not only it was now in the right place, but for the Israelites it symbolized the Presence of God.
“Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the LORD by Asaph and his brothers” (16:7, ESV).
And in the early verses, we could point out at least 2 reasons why we need to praise and proclaim God.
So, what are those?
First, BECAUSE HE IS HOLY (verses 8-12).
We read in verses 8-12, “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced…”
Notice the words, “…proclaim His name; make known among the nations what he has done… tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name…”
It is translated in the New Living Translation this way, “… proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name…”
In the early part, we read in the NIV: “proclaim His name”; but in the NLT, it says: “proclaim his greatness.”
The Psalmist did not tell the people to proclaim the “sound” or how the name of God be pronounced. In the Bible, the name refers to the identity of the person. It shows what makes him different or distinct from the other persons.
So, the Israelites understood that to proclaim the name of God would mean to proclaim His reputation, His fame, His greatness.
And the Psalmist even raised or lifted up this distinctiveness of God – elevated more God’s great reputation -- by saying further that His Name is not just “lovely,” not just “mighty,” not just “faithful” – but “Holy.” That makes Him so different from His creation. That makes His every action, not only good but wonderful. That makes Him the only Being you can righteously glorify, exult, or brag. That makes us truly rejoice in His Presence for there is no any trace of infirmity or defect in Him, only purity and strength. That enables Him to render not only supernatural favor, but also righteous judgement against the evil doers.
Today, there are those who emphasized the lovingkindness of God. They even try to argue that since He is love, it would be against His nature to torment or punish someone for eternity.
But, believers, today, should not neglect the Holiness of God. It defines better His other characteristics.
It is noteworthy that when Jesus prayed in John 17, He did not address God the Father as the Loving Father, or Merciful Father, or Faithful Father, or Almighty Father, or whatever.
But in verse 11, He called His Father as “Holy Father.” Though in verse 25, He called His Father, “Righteous,” the Greek word for it could also be translated in English as “Holy.”
So, every child of God ought to declare and broadcast His Creator. For He is Holy. And all His actions are Holy – wonderful. Not only we ought to praise Him, but also to elicit our glory in Him. As David also declared in Psalm 3:3, “But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.”
Also, a child of God ought to proclaim His Holiness not only in words, but also in behavior. How? By seeking His Holy Presence for joy and strength – prayer, in corporate worship, and in the reading, studying, listening to His Word. From Him alone great favors and even fair and true justice could be expected. For He alone is Holy.
How about us here in the church – do we really admire God for His Holiness?
Do we recognize also the Holiness of Jesus?
Well, even demons do so. When Jesus was in the synagogue, there was a man possessed by a demon. In Luke 4:33-34, we read: “…He cried out at the top of his voice, ‘Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!’”
But, did the demons celebrate with praise and joy the Holiness of Christ? Did they love to praise and proclaim His Holiness? No, they didn’t. They were fearful of His Holiness. For they knew that a day is coming when they would suffer the fury of His judgment.
Saints, in our case, we don’t have to fear His judgement. In His Holiness, we enjoyed His wonderful favor. He died for our sins, but He rose from the dead that through Him we received not just the grace of faith, but also to have the power to live in obedience or life of holiness.
Let us, then, proclaim Jesus and His wonderful acts to others. He is the Holy One of God.
What is another reason why we need to proclaim the Holy God?
Next, BECAUSE HE IS OUR GOD (verse 13-14).
We read verses 13-14, “…you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.”
Note the first part of verse 14, “He is the Lord our God…”
For the Israelites, this Holy God was their God. He was different from gods of other nations on earth. This God chose them to be His people. What great privilege indeed! Their God was Holy, who performed wonderful acts – in fact, miraculous acts, unrivaled by the other gods worshipped by other peoples.
There were other nations around them, yet this Holy God chose them to receive wonderful favors. They could rejoice in Him. They could enjoy in His strength. While other peoples could just expect for His judgment.
Because this God was the God of the Israelites, His Holy Presence was in them.
Believers, today, should also realize that the True God – the Creator and Owner of all things is their God. Their God is not just an idol made by human hands. Their God is not just the false gods “carved” in the minds of men, or portrayed by their imaginations or the product of human ideas.
The God of the true believers God is not just Love. Also, He is Holy. Therefore, they should consider not only His lovingkindness, but also His sternness.
Their God does not just save. He also destroys.
And their Holy God does not dwell today in buildings, temples, or cathedrals. But, as Paul told the believers in Corinth: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Cor. 3:16).
Every believer should really rejoice, praise, boast, proclaim in their God, who will never leave or forsake them. Their God whom they could always enjoy His Presence.
Church, is this Holy God our God?
Is He our God, because we just choose Him? Did we initiate the choice to choose Him, who is Holy, to become our God?
The Israelites were not the ones who chose the Holy God. Our text declared that the Israelites were called “His chosen ones” – meaning God was the One who chose them. Moses told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 7:6-8:
“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
In the New Testament, Jesus told His followers: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last—…” (John 15:16.)
Saints, so, is our belief in Christ contingent in the might of the so-called freedom of the human choice? No! It depends on the mercy of God. It depends on His Sovereign choice.
God the Father becomes our Father, not because we chose Him to become our Father; but, He chose us to become His children. We did not believe and follow Christ, because we just chose to have faith and live holy lives. We believe, because God gave us to Christ – drawing us to His Son who gave us God’s Word, we comprehend the Truth and we believe, so we go and bear the fruit of holiness.
We did not choose to belong to Christ. He called us to belong to Him. For us, Jesus Christ is not just the Savior of the world. But, He is our Saviour.
Let’s proclaim to others His Holiness and the wonderful deeds He had done in our lives.
As we close, let’s read again these words of Moses to the Israelites in Deut. 7:6, “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”
In the Old Testament, the Holy God of the heavens chose a people, “a people holy” to Him. Now, in the New Testament, Peter wrote to the believers, as we read in the ESV:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
So, if we consider ourselves the chosen ones of God, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people specially owned by God for we are purchased by the blood of Christ, we will be so motivate to proclaim the “excellencies” – the glory – the Holiness – of the One who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
