1 & 2 Samuel Going After God
Reading: 2 Samuel 6:1-19
Preacher: Ed Hilder
When we last left David, he was secure in his position as King of Israel. The nation had gathered themselves around him and anointed him to be their king. While David was certainly grateful for the peace that existed in Israel in those days; he knew that Israel was still far away from the Lord. During the days of Saul, Israel had lost sight of their relationship with the Lord. David wanted to make that situation right. He wanted to bring his people back to God.
Our passage opens with David leading a massive army to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant from the house of a man named Abinadab. To do this, David knew that he would have to lead the nation to go after God. David knew that Israel would never be where they needed to be with the Lord until the Ark was restored as the centrepiece of Israelite worship and everyday life.
First, a little background: What is the ark?
• When Israel left Egypt God told them to construct a big, wooden box and overlay it with gold inside and out and that was going to be the place where His presence would dwell.
• On top there were two golden angels facing each other, over a thing called the mercy seat.
• It was placed in the tabernacle in a place called the Holy of Holies, where it was the only piece of furniture there. 1 priest could go in 1 time each year, and he would take the blood of a sacrifice and sprinkle it in “the mercy seat” between the cherubim, signifying that God would one day provide a sacrifice for their sin.
• Inside of the Ark were 3 things: a jar of manna (signifying God’s provision); the 2 tablets of the Ten Commandments (God’s law); Aaron’s rod which had miraculously budded, like a walking stick that suddenly grew apples (God’s miraculous power).
Second, where is David getting it back from?
• 1 Samuel 5… the people had been disobedient to God and so when they went out to battle against the Philistines, they lost, but instead of repenting of their sin, they said, “We know… let’s go get the Ark and take it into battle; that will guarantee our victory.” It was like their rabbit’s foot; 4-leaf clover.
• Well, it didn’t work, because God’s not into being manipulated—not only did Israel lose the battle, they lost the Ark itself.
• The Philistines captured it. So they took it like a trophy to the city of Ashdod and put it in the temple of their god of war, who was called “Dagon.” Put it there like, “Look how strong our god is.”
• Well, the next morning, when the priests come into the temple, the statue of Dagon is now lying face down in front of the Ark. God had done that in the middle of the night. (Which, you’ve got to admit is kind of funny. It’s like God pulled a prank or something).
• So, the priests set Dagon back up (which should have told them something, because, fyi, you should never have to “set your god back up.”) Well, the next morning they come in, same thing, except this time Dagon’s head and hands have disappeared. They are like, “This is weird.”
• And then, that afternoon, all the people got smitten with tumors and the city gets overrun with mice and a bunch of people die.
• They’re like, “You know… call me superstitious, but it might have something to do with that Ark.” So they send the Ark to another Philistine city, Gath. (That’s right: they re-gifted the Ark of the Covenant). Well, the people of Gath are all excited, they unwrap it and are like, “What? Why are you giving this to us?” And the people are like, “Enjoy!”
• Same thing happens there. Everyone gets tumors, the city is overrun with mice, and so they re-gift it to another city called Ekron. Same thing happens there.
• So, by this time, the Philistines are saying, “Hmm. We’re thinking the Ark is just not the best fit for us… doesn’t really match our other furniture. We should probably send it back to Israel. Right away.”
• So the Philistine rulers call for their priests and they’re like, “What do we do with this thing?” The priests, in a truly fascinating conversation in 1 Samuel 5, say, “Well, you do have to send it back, but you can’t just send it back emptyhanded. You have to include an ‘I’m sorry’ gift to God.” And, one of them is like, “An ‘I’m sorry’ gift? Like flowers?” They say “Yeah, but not flowers. You should make golden images of the tumors
• So, they make golden images of tumors and mice and they put it with the Ark on a cart hooked up to some cows.
• And, they are like, “Who is going to drive this thing back into enemy territory?” And, as they are talking, the cows turn themselves toward Israel and walk straight there. The Philistines are like, “Jehovah Jireh…glad that thing is gone.”
• Well, the cows lumber across the border and go the house of a guy in Israel named “Shemesh;” he recognizes what it is, and takes the cows, offers them as an offering, and tears apart the cart and uses it as the wood for the offering, and then puts the ark in his house.
• Well, some of the people in his house get curious and look inside the ark, and they die. So Shemesh says, “I don’t want this thing,” and he sends for some Israelite priests from the next city over and they come, get the ark, and take it to the house of a guy named Abinadab. Abindab put it in like a guest room in his tent where it sits undisturbed for 20 years. Visitors were like, “What’s in that room?” and he’s like, “I wouldn’t go in there.” That’s 1 Samuel 5.
20 years later, David says, “I want the Ark” back at the capital. Saul never wanted it. David did. David says, I want God’s presence back. Boooom there is the background done…
So, at the start of our passage today David is about to take Israel and lead them to go after God.
This passage has something to say about going after God and seeking is presence and His power. We do not have an Ark like Israel did; but we still need the presence of God just as much as they did. We need God with us and we need His power and His manifest presence in our lives and our worship. Let’s look at some insights contained in this passage as we consider going after God.
THE DESIRE OF DAVID’S HEART
When you think of David, what is your first thought? Do you remember his triumph over the giant Goliath? Do you remember David as the man who committed adultery with Bathsheba? Do you remember his failures as a father? Do you remember Him as a humble shepherd? Or, do you remember David as the “Sweet Singer of Israel?” Do you know how God remembers David?
The answer is given to us in Acts 13:22. There, Paul quotes God and tells us that God look at David as “a man after God’s Own heart!” God remembers David as a man who cared about the things that God cared about; who loved what God loved; hated what God hated; and whose heart beat in time with God’s. This aspect of David’s character is revealed in the desire of David’s heart.
A. David Possessed A Holy Desire – David’s desire is clear and simple. He wants the Ark returned to its place as the centrepiece of worship and devotion in Israel. He wants God placed back in the centre of the national consciousness. David was seeking to unify a formerly divided nation with God as their true King once again. David desired God’s presence, God’s blessing and God’s guidance.
B. David Possessed An Honest Desire – David was motivated by no ulterior motives. He was not after glory or power; David merely wanted to see God restored to His proper place as the Sovereign God of the nation of Israel. He strongly desired that God would be glorified among the people of Israel.
C. David Possessed A Humble Desire – David knew that neither he nor Israel would amount to anything without the presence and power of God. David knew they did not possess the power or the ability to fend for themselves. They needed God. They needed His presence and His power. Therefore, David sat out to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem to restore it to a place of prominence in the eyes of the nation.
Let me just say that we need hearts like that which David possessed. We need a heart that beats for God, His power and His presence. We need to learn the lesson that we can do nothing without God, John 15:5. We must have His presence and His power if we are going to serve Him; worship Him and carry out His will in our lives. Like David and Israel, it is high time the church rose up and went after the Lord! May God grant us hearts that are hungry for him; that will not be satisfied until He comes by in power and glory and transforms us into all we can be for Him. That was David’s desire; may it be ours as well.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF DAVID’S HEART
David’s motives in bringing the Ark to Jerusalem were proper; but his methods were faulty. Instead of being successful; David’s methods for transporting the Ark resulted in the death of a man named Uzzah. This angered David, v. 8 and created fear within David’s heart toward the Lord, v. 9. Let’s take a moment to examine David’s disappointment a little more closely.
A. Created By A Faulty Decision – The Bible says that they “set the Ark of God upon a new cart…” David’s first problem was rooted in the fact that he either forgot or ignored the clear command of God as to how the Ark was to be transported. The Ark was to be lifted using two golden staves which were to be passed through golden rings fashioned on the corners of the Ark. The Ark was then lifted and carried upon the shoulders of a family of Levites known as the Kohathites. David made good plans and good preparations, but he neglected to do it God’s way. He paid a high price for this decision.
Another flaw that mars David’s decision is that he did not seek God before making it. Up to this moment, David has always gone to the Lord for guidance and direction. Time and time again, David asks the Lord for help. Here, he does not seek the Lord, but he just assumes that God will bless him because he is doing a good thing.
Another problem David has is that his methods were the same methods that had been used by the world. When the Philistines had the Ark and wanted to return it to Israel, they had placed it on a new cart as well.
B. Caused By A Foolish Disobedience – For the first two miles of their journey, then the oxen shook the cart and threatened to dump the Ark off the cart. At this point, Uzzah reached out his hand in an effort to steady the Ark and prevent it from falling. This seems like a logical thing to do, but apparently God did not agree. He killed Uzzah on the spot! You see, the Ark was not only supposed to be carried only on the shoulders of the Kohathites; it was never to be touched by human hands. The penalty for touching the Ark was death, as Uzzah and David quickly found out.
If these verses teach us anything, they teach us that God is very interested in the details. We may think that God does not care about the little things in life; but He does! When God gives a command, He expects it to be followed to the letter. A heart that is after God does what God says to do, and it stops doing what God says not to do.
One of my mentors told be years ago “That if we can’t be faithful in the little things, how can we ever be faithful in the big things”
In the Bible, there are precepts and there are principles. A precept is to be obeyed, there is no wiggle room. When God posts a 50 KM/H speed sign, He will not accept 75; 60 or even 53. He expects absolute obedience. Regardless of the time or the circumstances, the speed limit is 50 KM/H. That is a precept. His precepts are to be followed, to the letter, without question.
If God posts a sign that says “Watch for Children,” that sign is a principle. It will need to be observed more closely in a crowded neighbourhood than it will on a deserted country road. In other words, a principle is to be applied with wisdom. A heart that is going after God will desire to honour both God’s precepts and His principles. God is intensely interested in the little things of life; even the things that we may not think matter at all.
Some other truths that we should take note of here are the following:
· God’s blessings come only through obedience and those who defy His Word and His will are going pay a terribly high price. The best thing a child of God can do is align themselves with the Word of God and walk in humble obedience.
· Trying to carry out God’s business using the methods of the world is a recipe for disaster. We have no business trying to carry the church on the new carts of the world’s wisdom. It is to be carried on the shoulders and in the hearts of the people of God!
C. Culminated In A Fleshly Display – David became angry. Possibly he was angry with the Lord; more likely he was angry with himself and his own foolishness. But, instead of repenting and doing things the Lord’s way, David chose instead to forget the whole business. He dismissed the people and left the Ark where it was. David stopped praising and he started pouting.
We should not be surprised when God refuses to bless us when we step outside the boundaries he has set for us. When we seek to do His business our way, He will not bless it. When we employ worldly methods in an attempt to do His work, He will not bless it. When we fail to seek His will, He will not bless us. When we operate only out of our own power and energy and wilfulness, we will not bless us. When we refuse to obey His precepts and principles, He will not bless us.
THE DEVOTION OF DAVID’S HEART
David was afraid to bring the Ark up, but a man named Obed was glad to have it in his house. He knew that a clean heart and a pure life had nothing to fear from the Lord. When David closed the door to God, Obed opened his door and God blessed him as a result. When David hears about this, he experiences a change in attitude. He returns to the house of Obed with a desire to carry out God’s will God’s way. Something has happened in David’s heart that made him a candidate for what God wanted to do for him. Let’s notice David’s heart as it is revealed in these verses.
A. Manifested In A Change In David’s Attitude – David had forgotten the reasons why he went after the Ark in the first place. He is reminded when he hears of the blessings being heaped upon the house of Obed. David goes after the Ark and brings it home.
B. Manifested In A Change In David’s Approach – Apparently, during the three months that passed between the death of Uzzah and David’s decision to go get the Ark, he had been doing his homework. Either someone told David how the Ark was supposed to be moved, or he read the Law for himself. Either way, he went and got it and brought it home the right way. This time there would be no shortcuts and no disobedience; David would do it the right way. He would do it the Lord’s way! Just to be sure, the Levites stopped after they had gone six steps and they sacrificed to the Lord. When the Lord did not destroy anyone, they were assured of His blessings and they carried the Ark on to Jerusalem.
C. Manifested In A Change In David’s Actions – It seems that David has given up music, v. 5, and has taken up dancing, v. 14. He has also laid the robes of his sovereignty and put on the humble ephod of a seeker. He has laid aside his pouts and replaced them with shouts. David’s heart has been transformed and he is getting what went after. He went after God and he is returning with presence and power of God. David’s life, and the nation of Israel, would never be the same again.
What are the lessons for us here? They are simple! The believer who goes after God with a heart to know Him; and who seeks His face according to His revealed will; is going to receive that which they are after. When we stop trying to get on through worldly shortcuts; and we go after Him by honouring His Word and respecting His holiness, He will bless us with His presence and His power for His glory! Doing things God’s way will put a shout in your heart, a song on your lips and glory in your soul. When we line up with Him and go after God with all our hearts, we will be changed forever! We must learn the truth that there are no shortcuts to holiness and obedience.
You see, walking in obedience to the Lord and His precepts and principles will set you free. Living in disobedience and in the power of the flesh will result in bondage.
David went after God the wrong way and he paid a high price for his disobedience. However, when he started doing things God’s way, his life was revolutionized. He was after God, and God’s presence and power, and he got it all when he did it God’s way.
What about us? Are we seeking God and His power and presence in our life’s? Are we seeking Him His way? Are we walking in obedience to His precepts and principles? If you have been hitting brick walls in your quest for God; let David’s example set you on the right path. Go after God with all you have, but be sure that you go after Him His way.
You see the difference between us now and David back then is, That we have been given the Holy Spirit who leads us and guides us as we worship. We don’t have to do it the way David did because the Spirit directs our hearts
Pauls says this is Romans 8:26 “ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans”
God has taken a step towards us in the form of Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross our choice now is to give our life’s to Jesus fully.
I want to end with the words of Jesus when he was giving the sermon on the mount:
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
We forget that we can ask God to work on our hearts and in our lives in anyway shape or form. So this morning each one of us know in what part of our lives have we been trying to do things our own way and have possibly turned our hearts from God. This morning, right now we can come together at the table of God and ask him to guide us and help us in his ways by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, helping us to strengthen our relationship with Jesus.
Lets pray…