Sunday Morning Bible Study

March 24, 2002

Intimacy with God

When we get to 2Samuel 6, David has become king not just of the tribe of Judah, but of all Israel. One of the first things he will set out to do is to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, his new capitol.

the ark of God – this is the Ark of the Covenant, the gold covered box built by Moses to house the two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments written on them.

The lid of the box was called the “Mercy Seat”. The lid was made of solid gold, with two winged angelic beings molded on the lid, called cherubim.

God had told Moses:

(Exo 25:22 KJV) And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

The Ark and its Mercy Seat were to be a picture of God’s throne in heaven. God “dwells” in the presence of the heavenly angels.  It was the place where God met with man, and David wants to be close to God. It is the place of God’s throne, and David wants God to rule in Israel, he wants God enthroned in David’s capitol.

:1-2 David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel

chosen – bachar – to choose, elect, decide for.  These are the leaders of the people. The writer in Chronicles records that David consulted with the leaders of the people in this matter of bringing the ark to Jerusalem (1Chr. 13:1-5).

When David gathers the people, he gives them his reason for wanting to move the Ark:

(1 Chr 13:3 KJV) And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.

This is the nation of God’s chosen people, yet under Saul they had not taken advantage of the things that God had given to them. They had not cultivated a close relationship with the Lord.

:2 from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God

Baale of Judah – “the lords of Judah”. A place in Judah named for the Baalim, also known as Kirjath-jearim. The ark has been at Kirjath-jearim for several years now.

:3 the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah

Abinadab – ‘Abiynadab – “my father is noble” or “my father is willing”

Gibeah – Gib‘ah – “hill”

or, “the hillside home of Abinadab” (NLT)

:3 and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

Uzzah – ‘Uzza’ – “strength”

Ahio – ‘Achyow – “brotherly” or “fraternal”

There’s a problem here.

They are moving the Ark in the wrong way.

God designed the Ark to be carried on the shoulders of the priests (Num. 7:6-9), not placed on an ox cart.

Numbers 7:6-9 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.  Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:  And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.  But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them [was that] they should bear upon their shoulders.

The idea of transporting the Ark on an oxcart came from the Philistines.

About fifty years earlier, the Philistines had fought against Israel and had captured the Ark of the Covenant in battle. When they found out that they really didn’t like what happened to them when the Ark was in Philistine hands, they decided to return the Ark back to Israel. They returned it by putting it on an oxcart (1Sam. 6:7).

Lesson

God cares about how we do things

Sometimes we can get to thinking that all God cares about is that things get done, that perhaps He doesn’t really care about how we do things.  Not so.

Illustration

Doing the wash

One day a housework-challenged husband decided to wash his sweatshirt. Seconds after he stepped into the laundry room, he shouted to his wife, “What setting do I use on the washing machine?” “It depends,” she replied. “What does it say on your shirt?” He yelled back, “Just do it!!”

I’ve learned the hard way.  If you don’t pay attention to how you do the laundry, you’re going to get pink underwear and a big mess.

Sharing Jesus. 

I think we are aware that God wants us to tell people about Jesus. He wants us to “preach the gospel”. And sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that God doesn’t care “how” as long as it gets done.  Sometimes we can think that as long as we talk to someone about Jesus, we no longer have to feel guilty about not sharing with them. But He does care.  He wants people to find Jesus.  God wants people to go to heaven. People may still be offended with the truth, but I think it would be nice if they aren’t offended because we’re being offensive.

Coming to God.

I think that some people have made a huge mistake in how they come to God in the first place.  Many people think that if they want to get close to God, they need to start living better lives.  Some think they can get closer to God is they meditate and chant a mantra.  But God has specific instructions on how we are to come to Him.  We are to come to God through Jesus Christ.

(John 14:6 KJV)  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

If you want to come to God, you need to open your heart to Jesus.

:5 played before the LORD on all manner of instruments

(NLT) lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

(1 Chr 13:8 KJV) And David and all Israel played before God with all their might…

:6 the oxen shook it.

The writer of Chronicles says that the oxen stumbled (1Chr. 13:9)

:7 God smote him there for his error

For the simple act of touch the Ark to try and keep it from falling off the cart, God puts Uzzah to death.  If you want to get close to God, you need to understand …

Lesson

God’s holiness

Holiness is that quality about God describing His absolute purity, glory, power, and absence of sin.  It’s like a whole different world than the one we live in.

Imagine being invited to a dinner party. You enter the party to see every body dressed extremely formally. You think you’re at a fashion show. Then you look at yourself and realize that you haven’t changed out of your dirty overalls and are covered with grease and dirt from changing your car’s oil that afternoon, you’re filthy, slimy, and you stink.

Walking into God’s true presence would be like walking outside your space ship without your space suit on. Instant death.

God has provided for us to approach Him through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

The only way we can approach a Holy God is if we do something about our sin.  We can’t clean ourselves up, but Jesus can.

(2 Cor 5:21 KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

David almost missed it.  He almost missed out on God’s presence because he didn’t understand God’s holiness.

:8 he called the name of the place Perezuzzah

Perezuzzah – “breach of Uzza”

:9 How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

David is afraid that horrible things might happen if he brings the Ark to Jerusalem.

:10  the house of Obededom the Gittite.

Obededom – ‘Obed ‘Edowm – “servant of Edom”.  Apparently this man had lived at one time in the Philistine city of Gath, hence a “Gittite”.

:11 the ark …continued in the house of Obededom …three months

David didn’t understand what was happening. He thought he was doing a good thing, having the Ark in his capitol. But he didn’t realize that he was doing it the wrong way.

The writer of Chronicles gives us a hint that while the Ark sat at Obededom’s house, somebody must have decided to search the Scriptures to find out what went wrong. Later, David will report to the priests:

 (1 Chr 15:12-13 NLT) He said to them, "You are the leaders of the Levite families. You must purify yourselves and all your fellow Levites, so you can bring the Ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. {13} Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the LORD our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it in the proper way."

: 11 and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

Lesson

Don’t draw back from God in the tough times

Sometimes when a person chooses to serve the Lord, or when they choose to take a stand for the Lord, they can run into some pretty tough times.

Sometimes we are attacked by Satan. He certainly doesn’t want us serving the Lord.

Sometimes God simply allows us to go through tough times because we need to be refined. Maybe we’re carrying the Ark the wrong way.

Either way, don’t be afraid of following the Lord.

You end up losing months of blessings that God wants to put on your life. Perhaps the blessings will go to someone else instead, like Obededom.

Just how did God bless Obededom? How could David tell that God had blessed him?

(1 Chr 26:4-8 KJV) Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, {5} Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him. {6} Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour. {7} The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah. {8} All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.

I hope this isn’t too much of a stretch for you, but I think that Obededom was considered “blessed” because he had a lot of kids.

I wonder if Obededom’s wife (or wives) didn’t become pregnant while the Ark was at his house. I wonder if Obededom’s sons’ wives all became pregnant at the same time.

Lesson

Children are a blessing

(Psa 127 KJV) A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. {2} It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. {3} Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. {4} As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. {5} Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Sometimes if we’re not careful, we can get to thinking that our children are just “in the way”. Children aren’t supposed to be thought of as a “hindrance”, they are a blessing!

:12 David went and brought up the ark of God from …Obededom

Lesson

Do people want what you got?

David can tell that God is doing something at Obededom’s house. And he wants what Obededom’s got.

Can people tell that God is doing something at your house? Do they want Jesus because of what’s going on in your life?

:13-15 he sacrificed oxen and fatlings …David danced …

Lesson

Intimacy through worship

David is doing two things here:

Praise

God is close to those who will praise Him.

(Psa 22:3 KJV)  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

David is praising God with music, with dance, even “shouting”.

Sacrifice

Even though the sacrifices weren’t a part of God’s requirement to move the Ark, David feels he needs to do it.

(Rom 12:1-2 KJV)  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

:16 she despised him in her heart

Michal was David’s first wife. She was the daughter of King Saul. She knew how a king was supposed to behave, and in her eyes, David was making a fool of himself.

:17 in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it:

This is not the “Tabernacle” that Moses had set up to originally house the Ark. David sets up his own tent to be a house for the Ark. Moses’ Tabernacle is still in existence, but it is at Gibeon (1Chr. 16:39; 21:29; 2Chr. 1:3) and would remain there at least through Solomon’s reign.

:20 as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

(2 Sam 6:20 NLT) When David returned home to bless his family, Michal came out to meet him and said in disgust, "How glorious the king of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the servant girls like any indecent person might do!"

:21 It was before the LORD …

David wasn’t dancing to make Michal admire him. He was dancing out of love and worship to His God.

Lesson

Worship with your eyes on the Lord

I think that sometimes we are way too concerned about what others are thinking when we worship at church.

I know that at some churches, people get way out of hand. I’m not advocating that we go cart wheeling down the aisles of the church, waving ribbons and stuff. I do believe that we ought to do all things “decently and in order” (1Cor. 14:40).

But if I were to “evaluate” our times of worship, I would have to say that we tend to err on the side of being too cautious. I think we’re a little too afraid of what Michal thinks.

I think we ought to be more concerned about what God thinks. I think we ought to be a tad more like David.

(Have everybody raise their hands) Is it really all that weird? Not really. And if we all had our eyes on God instead of Michal, who would really be bothered that we’ve got our hands up in the air?

:22 of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

(2 Sam 6:21-22 NLT) David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD. So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the LORD. {22} Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, but I will be held in honor by the girls of whom you have spoken!"

:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child

The implication might be that David and Michal were no longer intimate from that time on. It could be that she was simply unable to have children from this time.

Lesson

Pride blocks the blessing

Michal seems more concerned about what other people think than what God thinks. She is more concerned about maintaining her image as the “Queen” before her servants than she is about being a worshipper of God.

At the house of Obededom, the family was blessed with children because of God’s presence with the Ark. Yet at David’s house, the pride of Michal is going to keep her from receiving God’s blessing in her life.

How do I get close to God?

Come to the Ark.  Come to God’s throne.

(James 4:8 KJV)  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you

(Heb 4:15-16 KJV)  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. {16} Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.