Today's treasure: 2 Samuel 6:14
Read 2 Samuel 6:1-11
What did David and thirty thousand men set out to do?
How did they transport the sacred vessel?
What were David and "the whole house of Israel" doing as the ark was being transported?
How did David feel toward God after Uzzah was killed?
Imagine becoming emotionally geared for a great celebration only to greet disaster instead. Shocking under any circumstances, Uzzah's death in the midst of such celebration must have felt like emotionally jumping off a cliff.
David felt anger and fear toward God, yet scripture calls him"a man after God's own heart", maybe because David remained that man was his unwillingness to turn from God, even when he felt negative emotions. David allowed his anger and fear to motivate him to seek more insight into the heart of God.
Attempt to follow David's example by allowing our questions and confusion to motivate us to seek God. At first consideration, the account of Uzzah and the ark is hard to swallow. In times like these, we find out whether we have based our faith on who God is or on what he does. Because His ways are higher than our ways, we cannot always comprehend what God is doing or why He makes certain decisions. When we sift His apparent activity through the standard of who He is, the fog begins to clear. Basing our faith on who God is rather than what He appears to be doing is crucial to our spiritual health.
What is 2 Samuel 6:1-11 trying to tell us about who God is?
God is not trying to tell us He is harsh. He's trying to tell us He is holy
what do you learn about the ark of the covenant from 2 Samuel 6:2?
In the innermost place in this sanctuary, God commanded them to build the ark according to very specific directions. The awesomeness, the holiness, the majesty of God dwelled between the cherubim on that sacred ark. To treat the ark inappropriately was to treat God that way also. Conclusions about what He was doing that day:
God was setting ground rules for a new regime. God was ushering in a new kingdom with a new king. He had chosen to represent His heart. He dealt with the disrespect of man through many judges and the reign of a selfish king. Uzzah's outward act may likely have been an indicator of an inward attitude. God does not look on the outward appearance but on the heart.
God wanted His children to be different from the world. God would not accept attitudes and approaches from His children that were no different from the attitudes and approaches of the godless..some important history is written in 1 Samuel 6, shedding a little light on what went wrong many years later.
Read 1 Samuel 6:7-8 how did the Philistines transport the ark?
Israel copied the methods of the Philistines. How careful we must be not to think that God is less holy because others seem to get away with irreverence!
God wanted His kingdom established on His Word. The Israelites made the mistake of transporting the ark by the same method the Philistines without consulting God's designated commands for transportation. God designed the transportation to literally rest on the shoulders of His reigning priests, not on the backs of beasts.
God was teaching the relationship between blessing and reverence. God revealed the relationship through the effects of the ark on Obed-Edom and his household.
Hard lessons learned well usher in a fresh respect and new freedom. The more we fear God, the more freedom to worship Him.
Why do you think David's attitude changed once he discovered that God had blessed the household of Obed-Edom?
All worship is based on sacrifice. David's approach that day in Jerusalem could only have acceptably followed the shed of blood of sacrifice. David offered a sin offering first. He was acknowledging his sin and asking God to grant him and his people forgiveness based on the blood of sacrifice (Heb 9:22)
Worship with abandon is an intimate experience. We see David almost oblivious to everyone around him, totally liberated in spirit, dancing through the streets.
Completely abandoned worship is often misunderstood. We don't see David practice such outward worship often.
David went home to 'bless his household'; but he was met with ridicule and condemnation. He did not allow Michal to quench his spirit.
We may not be released to fully dance before the Lord until we've learned to wail. When we come to know God and respect Him like David, we will love Him more !!!
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