2 Samuel 6 part 4

 

Now as we begin in Chapter 6 we need understand that all of Israel is kind of disarray after everything that has happened previously. For instance right now there were 2 high priest. There was David’s priest Abiathar and Zadok of Gibeon. So David not only being a great warrior was also doing his best to be good statesman. He would have to resolve these problems and one thing he was going to do was to bring the ark to Jerusalem as he worked on unifying all of Israel. Now in this lesson tonight I will be go back and forth from 2 Sam to 1 Chron. Because there are many gaps that are filled by 1Chron. Which gives us a fuller picture of what is going on in 6. In fact we are going to start in,

 

1 Chronicles 13:1 Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.  2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us;  3 "and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul."  4 Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.  5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor (sigh-ho-er) in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim. (kir-jath Jee-uh-rim)  6 And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, to Kirjath Jearim, (kir-jath Jee-uh-rim) which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed.

 

Here we learn that David has meeting with his people and they decided that it would be a great ideal to gather the people together and bring the ark to Jerusalem. Now I want point that David was not being his usual self because normal he would inquire of God what he should do but this time he just was going by his thoughts the people thoughts. Now we get few more details from 2 Sam,

 

2 Samuel 6:3 So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.  4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark.  5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.

 

Here we learn that the ark had been in the house of Abinadab and in 1Sam. 7:2 we learn that the ark had been there prior to Saul being made king and was under the care of Abinadab’s son Eleazar. A few more details I want to point out is that Abinadab was from the tribe of Judah and so his boys were not levites yet we see that they loaded up the ark on a new cart to transport it. This within itself was a violation of God’s law. Now you might remember that the Philistines had transported the ark this way when they had in their possession but it made them sick wherever the ark went and perhaps these boys thought it would be ok if they transported it on a new cart as opposed to an old one. What they should have done was to look to the word of God and how he wanted done. He clearly shows how the ark was to be transported in, (Exo. 25:12-15; 37:1-5; Num. 7:9).

 

In the passages he talks about how poles are to be inserted into the rings of the ark and it is to be carried on their shoulders. We learn so more details on the procedure from,

 

Numbers 4:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:  2 "Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' house,  3 "from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.  4 " This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things:  5 "When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.  6 "Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles.  

 

Not only is the ark to be carried on the shoulders only the tribe of Levi are the ones that are suppose to carry the holy items such as the ark an it was to be covered by the veil, badger skin and then a blue cloth. Then on top of this notice these finally instructions in verse,

 

Numbers 4:15 "And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

 

Notice not even the Levites were to touch the holy things, not just the ark but any of those items found within the Holy place. This is important for us to understand Gods law on this as we look at what happens next. Now David and his men were really getting after it playing musical instruments and celebrating because they thought the ark of the Lord was on its way. But watch what happens next.

 

2 Samuel 6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.  7 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.  8 And David became angry because of the LORD's outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day.  9 David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?"  10 So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

 

The great lesson we learn from these verses in the severity o f God and how he expects his commands to be followed. We just learned what God law said on transporting the ark and these 2 boys violating that law and then when Uzzah touched the ark even done out of good intentions was an act forbidden by the Levites. I believe that God used Uzzah as a example to his people especially during this critical time where the people were starting to get back in unity to worship God. It wouldn’t serve much of purpose if the people got together and started worshiping God their own way instead of God’s way. So Uzzah would become a great example of God justice and demand for unity based upon his will. It also serves as a example to us today that good intentions doesn’t mean that God will pleased with especially when good intention violate God’s law. It also teaches us to have great respect to what God says in his word and he wants things done and we should be very careful of trying to do things our way because God’s is the only way.

 

Now we see that David gets angry at the Lord for this and then becomes afraid of God and so he decides to leave the ark at the house of Obed-Edom. This more common than you think. People have tendency to get angry at God for various reason because at first they can’t understand why their child had died or why they are going through such a difficult time in their life. Now after some time goes by most of these people will find peace with God and learn to accept what has happened and they allow God to comfort them.

 

However in David’s case he know that Uzzah was killed by God and at first he was angry at him but I believe after he had time to think about what happened he probable became angry at himself because he should have know that he was violating God’s law in the way he was having it transported and even admits to that fact in 1 Chron 15. Now before we read in 1 Chron 15 I want to keep things in order so let read the few verses in 2 Sam 6 which occur before 1 Chorn 15

 

2 Samuel 6:11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.  12 Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness.  13 And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.

 

So we see that while the ark remained at the house of Obed-Edom which most scholars believe was a Levite his household was blessed for 3 months. This was encouraging to David and so he prepares once again to bring the ark to Jerusalem and we see the first set of sacrifices that he makes. Now in 1 Chron. 15 we are going to learn more details about the transporting of the ark.

 

1 Chronicles 15:1 David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it.  2 Then David said, "No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever."  3 And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it. 

 

Did you see what David just said? Here recognizes the fact that only Levites could carry the ark. Now as the verses continue out it simply names the various names of the Levites groups that David summons and then he says this.

 

1 Chronicles 15:12 He said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.  13 "For because you did not do it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order."  14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.  15 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

 

Here David admits to him mistake earlier and no doubt understand why God stuck Uzzah dead for touching the ark. The biggest mistake David made was doing things his own way instead of getting directions from God. Just as David said God broke out against us because we did not consult him about the proper order.

 

This is something that  I wish that every person who call themselves a follower of God would come to realize. God has a specific pattern for us to follow after so that things are done in proper order. That why Paul Timothy

 

2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

 

The main reason we have so much religious division today is because so many are not willing to follow after God’s pattern instead they want to follow after their way of doing things and we must be very careful that we don’t allow society or new movements to change Gods perfect pattern. David couldn’t get away with it and neither can we. This one thing I am truly concerned about in the church today. I keep reading about how different congregations that call themselves church of Christ are moving away from the pattern laid out in the Bible. Because of our modern day society they are doing their best to twist the scriptures to cover up some of the most common problems that we face today.

 

They are doing their best to change God says on marriage, divorce and remarriage by trying add additional ways that God’s word does not. I just read where one church has determined that the roles women are to have in the church were just customary back then and so now they are allowing their women to be elders, deacons and preachers. In other words everything the man the women can do also. And of course there is the big unity movement that many are pushing saying its ok tolerate those who choose to use musical instruments as a part of their worship and we should be in full fellowship with them. Just as we say with David if the unity is based upon God pattern then the unity will not be pleasing to God. So we must be careful that don’t get sucked into what looks good or has good intentions if goes against the perfect will of God.

 

You see whenever we compromise the truth it does nothing but cause confusion and as Paul said,

 

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

 

1 Chronicles 15:25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.  26 And so it was, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams.

 

David and his people were excited about the ark coming into Jerusalem and here we learn that a second sacrifice was made in honor of the ark.

 

2 Samuel 6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.  15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn.  16 As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.  17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.  18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts  19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.     

 

Here we see that David was really showing his enthusiasm as he was dancing or literally whirling around with all his might. Now it tells us here that he was wearing a linen ephod. Now this was apron and would not have covered very much and if you remember from our Wednesday night study this was probably made out of flax which would have made it pretty revealing even if it covered his private areas. However notice what,

 

1 Chronicles 15:27  David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah (kin-uh-nye-uh) the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod.  

 

Now in context this was the same time that ark was being brought into the city. Now it possible that not only was David wearing the linen ephod that he was wearing the robe as well. I cant say for sure either way but one thing I do know is that his wife Michal despised his behavior in her heart. Some commentators have said that David was not only carrying out the duties of a king but that he was also carrying out the duties of a priest because you see him wearing an ephod, blessing the people and on occasion the text will say the he made a sacrifice or offered a sacrifice. While this may possible of what happening it also possible that he wasn’t doing priestly duties at all. For instance just because he was wearing linen Ephod doesn’t necessarily mean that it was a priestly one. When the text says he made a sacrifice or offered up a sacrifice it could simply mean that he ordered and provided the animal for the sacrifice. It kind of like when the Bible says the David killed the group of people but he himself didn’t kill them all he had his men killing as well and as far as him casting a blessing upon the people this could simply him offering encouraging words to them.

 

Now one thing I do know is that David was not qualified to be priest and it would not be acceptable for him to be one and the Bible as far as I know never corrects him on this. As far as I know that Bible never refers to David as a priest. So, I personally conclude that David was not doing priestly duties but whatever he was doing was done in acceptable manner to God since he never faces any consequences because of it.

 

2 Samuel 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"  21 So David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD.  22 "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor."  23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.    

 

Now I wish I could tell for sure what Michal motivation was behind her bitterness but we can give some possibilities. First all it possible that Michal thought that David was going overboard on celebrating his kingdom and the return to the ark and Michal thought this was rubbing it in her nose that her farther was no longer king. This is certainly indicated by David response that God had made him ruler instead of Saul. Another possibility that could have motivated her is the fact that she had husband that obviously loved her and she was probably very happy but then she stripped away from him to be joined with David and growing Harem. Of course one last reason could be that she felt ashamed to have her husband who in her mind was suppose to act a certain way and if he was just wearing a linen ephod by itself this went against her way of thinking of what a king should wear in front of his people and she didn’t like the whirling about in front of the either.While I cant pin point for sure why she was bitter these are certainly possible reasons.

 

Now David wanted Michal to know that he wasn’t dancing to try and dishonor himself or to show off in front of his maidservants he was simply humbling himself and praising God and he felt if his maidservant saw him they be honored to see their king doing such a thing for God. Now when he tells her that he will be even more undignified than he right now I believe he is simply saying he is not concerned about the way he looks and he would subdue himself to greater humiliation to show his thankfulness to God.

 

 

Then we end this chapter with  it saying that she had no children to the day of her death. Now there are two things I need point out about this last verse. First of all we don’t know why she had no more children after this point. It could had been God made it that way or because of her bitterness her and David never even tried. The second I must point out that this phrase she had no children must have meant she would have no more children from that point forward because 2 Sam. 21:8 tells us that she had 6 sons. However, some scholars believe that Saul’s other daughter Merab is the one being referred to in that verse. The point is this in either case there isn’t a discrepancy because the Hebrew language will allow either interpretation.