My personal prayer time always includes this prayer, “Please make the presence of Christ real to me and my congregation.”
Our scriptural text for the sermon today is taken from Wednesday’s reading of 2nd Samuel chapter 6 where King David decides to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Israel’s new capitol of Jerusalem.
So, before we read the text, let me give you some background on the Ark. In Hebrew the work for “ark” is ’aron, the common name for a "chest".
This chest was called the "ark of the covenant", because in it were deposited the two tablets of stone upon which were written the Ten Commandments, the terms of God’s covenant with Israel. It was also called "the ark of the testimony" because it contained the commandments that were God’s testimony to His own holiness, and the people’s sin. In 1 Samuel it is called "the ark of God" because it is the throne of the divine presence.
The ark of the Covenant represented the power and presence of God.
As the symbol of the Lord’s presence, it was carried by the priests ahead of the Israelites as they traveled. At its presence the waters of the Jordan separated; The Ark was carried about Jericho at the time of its downfall. Very naturally, the neighboring nations, ignorant of spiritual worship, looked upon the Ark as the actual god of Israel (1 Sam 4:6-7).
The Ark was placed at the town of Shiloh until the time of Eli the High Priest, when it was carried along with the army, in the hope that it would secure victory for the Israelites against the Philistines. The Philistines not only defeated the Israelites, but also captured the Ark (1 Sam 4:3-11). When the ark was taken the Bible says, the "glory" was departed (1 Sam 4:21-22).
The Philistines were glad to return it after seven months of physical affliction, misfortune and calamity and so they sent it back to Israel (1 Sam 6).
The presence of God in your life will work against you if you are not right with God. If your life is surrendered to God and you handle the things of God properly, then you will prosper, but if you aren’t right with God – watch out!
The ark was taken to the town of Kiriath-jearim, where it remained until the time of David.
The Ark of the Covenant was a box 45 inches long by 27 inches high and 27 inches wide. It was covered with gold inside and out. It is significant to note that the ark as not made of oak or cedar, the best woods of the Holy Land, but of acacia, the wood of the wilderness.
It was out of the wilderness experience that God spoke to us giving us the first five books of the Bible. It was out of the wilderness experience that God demonstrated his power and might and his awesome holiness and splendor.
And so the Ark of the Covenant was constructed of simple wood, wilderness wood and it contained the two stone tablets that represented the covenant between God and Man.
It was on a cross of simple wood, that God established the new covenant between himself and man. It was there on the cross where the blood of Christ was sprinkled making atonement for our sins – on a cross of simple wood came salvation.
The mercy-seat was not merely regarded as the lid of the ark, but as the most important feature in the holiest place (Ex 25:17; 26:34; Lev 16:2), the only meeting place between God and man. It was the kaporeth or covering, not merely of the ark, but it also became the covering or Israel’s sins when it was sprinkled with sacrificial blood once a year on the great day of atonement. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) the mercy seat lid of the Ark of the Covenant is called "the atonement or propitiation."
It is no coincidence that Christ, our true mercy-seat and place of meeting between the holy God and guilty man, is called the very same thing in (Rom 3:25).
Let me read Romans 3:21-26 to help you get a better grasp on the concept that Jesus is our atonement for sin:
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement (the same word used to describe the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant), through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Listen, if you don’t have faith in Jesus Christ, you’re in danger. You’re in danger because your sins have not been forgiven. The blood of Christ shed on the cross has no effect in your life. You might wear a fancy gold cross, you might even have a plastic cross glued on your dashboard, but if you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, you’re in danger of dying and going to hell!
People all over the world treat Jesus like the Israelites treated the Ark of the Covenant when they carried it into battle against the Philistines. The Israelites thought that if they brought the Ark of the Covenant – that God would have to show up – that God would be forced to protect them. Oh how they were surprised.
This is a problem today. People have a plastic Jesus on their dashboard, they think that just because they were baptized as babies in a certain church, that God has to protect them. They think that if they just go to church on Easter and Christmas and put a dollar in the offering plate that they’re covered. They think that if they watch an occasional Christian TV program, that they’ve done God a big favor! If that’s you, then I’ve got some bad news. You’re dead! (pause) You are the walking dead! Because until you have Christ in your life and you are serving him on a daily basis in faith, you are dead in your sins and on death row.
Now, just because the Israelites were defeated and the Ark captured, did that mean that the Ark wasn’t an authentic representation of the presence of God? Absolutely not. In fact when the Philistines placed the Ark in their temple honoring their false god Dagon, the statute of Dagon fell before the Ark. They thought it was a fluke, so they set it up again and the next day not only had the Dagon statue fallen again, but this time it was decapitated and it’s hands had broken off. Oh, the Ark was authentic alright – it’s just that God was not going to let it be worshiped and wrongly used by his people.
What ever happened to the Ark? I can assure you of this, it is not in a dusty warehouse somewhere in Washington D.C.
The ark was missing when they rebuilt the second temple. It is believed to have been destroyed by fire when the first temple was burned by the Bablyonians (2 Chron 36:19). During the time of Jesus, there was no Ark in the temple in Jerusalem.
There was a substitute for it, on which to sprinkle the blood, in the holiest, on the great day of atonement; the Jews mention an altar of stone, slightly raised from the floor of the Holy of Holies which served this purpose.
Turn to 2nd Samuel 6:1-5
David has recently become King of all Israel and has established Jerusalem as the Capitol of Israel – and so we read:
6:1 David again brought together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all. 2 He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
What’s wrong with this picture?
1st They are breaking God’s law by not properly handling the Ark. The ark is supposed to be carried by priests on poles, not transported on an ox cart.
2nd They are celebrating before the Lord. But what’s wrong with that Pastor, I thought we were supposed to celebrate before the Lord. That’s right, we are, but what was happening here was a party parade and not a worship celebration – there is a difference!
Is God happy about all this? Let’s read on:
2 Sam 6:6-10
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
8 Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
9 David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, "How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?" 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
What was your reaction when you read this the first time? (Pause)
Most people are perplexed at why God would kill Uzzah – after all, he was just helping God out by keeping the Ark from being damaged.
Alright turn back to 1 Sam 6:19 and lets read:
19 But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them, 20 and the men of Beth Shemesh asked, "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?"
21 Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to your place."
7:1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD.
Uzzah knew full well that the Ark was not to be touched by human hands. God put 70 men to death for just looking into the Ark – Uzzah knew this, yet he touched the Ark anyway.
Listen, the holiness of God is not to be trifled with – not then, and not now.
Do not attempt to touch the holy things of God unless you are prepared. To be prepared you must first accept Christ through faith, you must be pure – meaning your sins have been forgiven and you are set apart as holy by the blood of Jesus. You must also be up-to-date with your purity. Just because you are a Christian, doesn’t give you automatic authority to handle the holy things of God. If you have recently sinned, or are currently involved in sin, then you need to repent and get clean before God. If you need to set things straight between yourself and someone else, then do that first before you touch the holy things of God. Just be sure you’re pure!
How does this apply today – Well, don’t take communion if you have unresolved sin in your life for one. And don’t think your prayers will be effective for another. And don’t think God will bless you in your state of sin and unrepentance – He won’t!
If you are a carnal Christian, then you need to get right with God before you lose your salvation completely.
Now look back at verse 11:
11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.
If you are right with God, then you need to know that where the presence of God is there is refreshing and blessing.
As the ark blessed the house of Obed Edom, so Christ is the true source of all blessings. In Acts 3:19-20 Peter is preaching at the Temple and gives an altar call:
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-even Jesus.
When you are right with God, you can remain in His presence. You can have refreshing and blessing. Listen, nothing else matters when you are in the presence of God.
Listen to the words of the old hymn, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
2 Sam 6:12-15
12 Now King David was told, "The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God." So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
Contrast this celebration with the first attempt to bring the Ark to Jerusalem – what’s the difference?
1st They were now transporting the Ark correctly by carrying it on poles.
2nd They were in a proper attitude of worship. They were prepared to worship this time – as indicated by the large number of sacrifices that were made as they progressed towards Jerusalem.
3rd It wasn’t just a party parade, but it was a true worship celebration.
4th This time David not only sang before the Lord, but he “danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly tunic.”
David was willing to lay aside all pretense and even his kingly dignity to dance freely before the Lord in worship and adoration.
What happens when we begin to cut loose and allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us in worship?
We get FREE!
We get BLESSED!
As your pastor, I want you to know that you are free to worship the Lord with exuberance. You are free to dance before the Lord – not for show, but for true authentic worship. You are free to shout, you are free to sing, you are free to laugh and cry – all at the same time – because that’s what frequently happens when the Holy Spirit is moving on people.
But what happens when we stifle our expressions of worship to the Lord? What happens when we allow what other people might think to interfere with our worship?
We become a DEAD church – that’s what happens!
Michal is a perfect example of what has happened in churches. The spirit of Michal is rampant in the American church. Let’s read what happened next:
2 Sam 6:16-7:1
16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.
17 They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD. 18 After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. 19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!"
21 David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel-I will celebrate before the LORD. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."
23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
Michal ridiculed David for his freedom in worship. But instead of cow-towing to the criticism, he said to Michal “I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”
Why was David willing to give up his own dignity and be exposed to public embarrassment for his worship?
I’ll tell you why:
- When he was a boy the Lord delivered the bear and the Lion into his hand.
I’ll tell you why:
- When he was a young man the Lord delivered a giant 9 foot professional killer into his hand.
I’ll tell you why:
- When he was an outcast, hunted like an animal by an unrighteous jealous King Saul – God protected him.
I’ll tell you why:
- When the Philistines overran Israel and destroyed Israel’s army and killed King Saul – God established David as King and drove out the Philistines from Israel.
I’ll tell you why:
- Because David was a man after Gods own heart. He loved God with all his heart, mind and strength.
That’s why David was willing to give up his own dignity and be exposed to public embarrassment for his worship?
What happened to Michael as a result of her anti-worship attitude? “And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.”
That’s a picture of a dead church! A dead church will not have any more children until it’s death! Because she is dead! There is no more life in her!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t intend to be a part of a dead church.
Like David, I WILL CELEBRATE BEFORE THE LORD! Aman?
How about you? Will you be free and celebrate with me?
Let me hear you say it, “I WILL CELEBRATE BEFORE THE LORD!”
