Lesson 4 - 2 Sam. 6:1-5, 12-19 - MOVING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
INTRODUCTION: Two weeks ago, in 2 Sam. 5:1-10, we covered two important events in the story of David: First, in the interval after David became king of the southern kingdom of Judah, Saul's son, Ish-bosheth, was appointed as king of the northern kingdom of Israel by Abner, Saul's leading general. After a decisive victory over the armies of Israel and the defection of Abner to David's side, the elders of Israel asked David to be their king, and he was anointed as king over a unified Israel. As an afterthought, Joab, David's general, killed Abner in a blood feud. Second, David gathered his army to assault the Jebusites who were still holding Jerusalem as a Canaanite (non-Jewish) territory. After infiltrating the city through its water system, David defeated the Jebusites and took the city and named it the City of David. David then moved his household into the city and declared to be the new capitol of Israel. He also made improvements to the fortifications around the city to protect it against future attacks. There were two points of application: (1) The elders of Israel confirmed their kinship with David-that they were all related by the blood of their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the same way, all Christian believers have kinship with one another through the blood of Jesus Christ as our king (Rom. 6:23). And (2) The elders of Israel submitted to the Word of God when they accepted David as God's choice to be their king. As modern Christians, we are submitting to the Word of God when we accept Jesus Christ as our king and Lord of our lives (John 18:36).
In today's text, 2 Sam. 6:1-5, 12-19, we come back into the story of David right after two successful skirmishes against the Philistines as he is in the process of moving the Ark of the Covenant, Israel's most holy relic, from the place where it had been stored for 20 years at Kiriath-Jearim (9 miles NW) to Jerusalem (see map). Since Kiriath-Jearim, was nearer to Philistine territory, scholars suggest that David was concerned for its security (you might recall that the Philistines previously captured the Ark in a battle and returned it in 1 Sam. 4-6.) Moving the Ark to Jerusalem is at the top of David's agenda because it was the focal point of the worship of YHWH in the tabernacle; and to give it the honor it was due, it needed to be located in Jerusalem as the capitol of the unified people of God. It also signified that it was the LORD, not David, who was setting the course for David's kingdom.
Read 2 Sam. 6:1-5 - PERIL IN MOVING THE ARK
1 Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David departed from Baale-Judah, with all the people who were with him, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the LORD of armies who is enthroned above the cherubim. 3 They had mounted the ark of God on a new cart and moved it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart. 4 So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark. 5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of juniper wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
v. 1: "Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand." - the phrase "David again" suggests that these were men, all young and fit, assembled from those in David's most recent foray against the Philistines, who were "chosen" as representatives of the 12 tribes of Israel. Also, it almost certainly included elders as well as respected men from each of the 12 tribes. By moving the Ark of the Covenant, he undoubtedly wanted to instill in them the idea that they were now one nation under God, with the capitol in Jerusalem symbolizing unity among all the tribes of Israel. nation under God. The Ark is a chest made of acacia wood overlaid with gold that measured a 48" by 30" square. Inside are the stone tablets of Moses, Aarons' staff, and a golden urn filled with manna.
v. 2a: "And David departed from Baale-judah, with all the people who were with him," - "Baale-judah" (Heb. ba-uh-LAY yeh-hoo-DA [lit. lords of Judah]) was another name for Kiriath-Jearim.
v. 2b: "to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the LORD of armies who is enthroned above the cherubim." - David fully recognized the great significance of the Ark as the earthly throne of Israel's God. As a true theocratic king, he wanted to acknowledge the Lord's kingship and rule over both himself as their king and the people by restoring the Ark to its proper place of prominence in the nation. In the OT, "cherubim" are angelic beings who guard the 'mercy seat" on top of the Ark, which is God's throne.
v. 3a: "They had mounted the ark of God on a new cart" - This is David's first mistake. The Philistines had used a cart to transport the captured Ark back to the tabernacle at Shiloh (1 Sam. 6:7). OT Law, however, required the Ark to be carried on foot by the sons of Kohath (Num. 3:30-31), using poles inserted through rings along the sides of the Ark (Ex. 25:12-15). Thus, David was improperly doing the work of God by using the methods of the world. We don't know why David did it this way other than to say that in the 20-year hiatus the Ark had resided at Kiriath-Jearim, the Israelites had apparently forgotten or overlooked how to handle the Ark in accordance with Torah Law.
v. 3b: "and moved it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart." -Earlier, when the Philistines returned the Ark, the Israelites placed it in the "house of Abinadad," and sanctified Abinadab's' son, Eleazar, to be the caretaker (1 Sam. 7:1). While the text doesn't reveal whether they were Kohathites, it does imply they were Levites of the priestly tribe.
v. 4: "So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark." - This tells us that Ahio stationed himself in front of Ark to lead the oxen drawing the cart, while his brother Uzzah walked behind to keep an eye on the Ark.
v. 5: "Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of juniper wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals´ - This, with all these musical accoutrements, we might call it the Israelite equivalent of a marching band. It was like a joyful parade-a spiritual parade-to celebrate taking the Ark to the new capitol of the nation. It was a very festive event and some like majorettes, were dancing in front of the cart.
Synopsis of vv. 6-11: As the oxen drew near a threshing floor, they either saw or scented the grain there and abruptly bolted toward it, nearly overturning the cart (v. 6). Uzzah, reacting, reached out and took hold of the Ark. However, Torah Law prohibited any touching the Ark (Num. 4:15), so right afterward, "the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the Ark of God" (v. 7). Uzza's motive for taking hold of the Ark isn't in question; it might even have been an involuntary reflex. However, if David had sought expert priestly (Levite) counsel on how the Ark should be moved, the incident never would have happened. This would be a sobering reminder to all present that God's holiness can never be compromised, even when it seems practical. After this tragedy, David became fearful about taking the Ark on into Jerusalem. So, they took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite and left it there (v. 10). Though not mentioned here, Obed-edom is listed as a Levite from the line of Kohath who was born in one of the Levitical cities of Dan. (1 Chron. 15:17-25).
Read 2 Samuel 6:12-15 - THE ARK IS BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM
12 Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God." David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.
v. 12a: "Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God." - In the interval, Obed-edom had been an obedient and devoted servant of God while the Ark was under his care. In return ""The LORD...blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him." The blessings that came to him and his family were apparently both spiritual and material, as implied by "all that belongs to him."
v. 12b: "David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.' - Having learned a lesson the hard way, David was encouraged by the news of the blessings received by Obed-edom for his excellent stewardship of the Ark. Also, there's no doubt that David used this interval to learn precisely what Torah Law required in relation to the Ark. We don't know how many people were in the procession from Obed-edom's house to Jerusalem, but we can assume it was similar to the original gathering reported earlier in vv. 1-2-30,000 chosen men representing all 12 of the tribes with the musical accompaniment. In the same way that God had blessed Obed-edom, David's "gladness" was based upon the hope that the presence of Ark would bless his kingdom.
v. 13: "And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling." -David wanted to be double sure that the trip with the Ark would be approved by God. Here, the Ark is being carried on foot by Levite bearers, and a sacrifice was offered after six paces. A "fatling" is a young animal fattened before slaughter (cf. Isa. 11:6). From the wording of the verse, scholars think it's possible that David offered sacrifices every six paces, which would have amounted to approximately 3,000 sacrifices between Kiriath-Jearim and Jerusalem. We don't know this for sure, but its' within the realm of possibility.
v. 14: "And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod." - The Hebrews, like ancient and modern people, had expressive ways of showing their joy as they praised God. David was so overcome that he expressed his joy in an energetic form of dancing. By wearing a "linen ephod" (a type of sleeveless robe), David was assuming the role of both king and priest. Psalm 110:4 later reflects that God made David "a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek," which preceded the priestly order of Aaron (Gen: 14:17-20).
v. 15: "So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet." -The "house of Israel" would have included all the elders of Israel, plus the captains over thousands. As David and his throng entered the City, they were greeted with "shouting" (cheering) by the common people, accompanied by the blasting of trumpets appointed for that purpose. All of this joyful exuberance expressed happiness at the Ark and therefore, their worship of the One True God (YHWH) coming to pass in the nation's capitol. It reminds me of Joshua crossing the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant to enter the Promised Land (Joshua 4:18ff).
Read 2 Samuel 6:16-19 - THEY SET THE ARK IN THE TENT DAVID HAD PITCHED FOR IT
16 Then it happened as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David that 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 So they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.
v. 16: Then it happened as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David that 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." - Michal had been David's first wife until Saul, took her away from him and gave her to another man (1 Sam. 25:44). In v. 20, Michal sharply chastised David for the extroverted joyfulness he displayed in front of all the people when he brought in the Ark, then v. 23. reports that "Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death." The context implies that David never again invited her to his bed. With Saul's sons dead, the fact that Michal had no children brought a complete end to Saul's lineage.
v. 17: "So they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD." - David made a tent for the Ark until a more permanent place for it could be found. This isn't unusual because the Ark had dwelled in a tent from the beginning. Scholars believe that David learned from the priests the precise way the 'tabernacle" should be set up, and he established one that was a virtual duplicate of the tabernacle in the wilderness (Ex. 25-30).
v. 18: "When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts." - Once again, we see David acting in a priestly role. "Burnt offerings" are completely consumed by the fire, while "peace offerings" are divided between those making the offering and the priests (Lev. 3:27-25). And when he concluded, "he blessed the people," foreshadowing what Solomon would do later at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 8:14, 55).
v. 19: "Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house." - In a world where people rarely enjoyed a whole cake (loaf?) of bread, plus delicacies like dates and raisins, this would be a sumptuous banquet-a real royal celebration. But every party must end, and the people, uplifted, depart back to their own homes and ordinary life.
APPLICATION-Meeting With God on His Terms
1. The ark was the symbol of God's meeting with His people on the basis of atonement (i.e., sorrow and repentance of our sins). The Lord told Moses, "And there I will meet with you ..." (Ex. 25:22). It was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. The materials of the Ark, gold and wood, typified the person of Christ as both God and man. The function of the Ark as the mercy-seat typified the work of Christ as the sacrificial lamb of God. When we gather as God's people, we gather unto the Lord Jesus who is in our midst. It is because of His Person, God in human flesh, and His work as the satisfaction of the divine penalty for our sins that we can draw near unto God.
2. Reverence in God's presence should be our response in true corporate worship. Since the Ark was the visible symbol of the presence of God in the midst of His people, you would think that there would have been a uniform response of reverence on the part of all who were in the presence of the ark. But if you go back about 75 years and trace the history of the ark, you find quite different and enlightening responses to its presence. There are churchgoers in our day who attempt to use the church as a good luck charm. They're having problems in their lives, so they think, "I'll go to church and try to rub God the right way and maybe He will solve my problems." But for them, worship is nothing more than a good luck charm to try to get God on their side. They know nothing of God's holy presence.
ENDNOTE: How could it be that the same Ark could be the cause of one man's delight-David-and be the cause of another man's death--Uzza? How could it be one man's pleasure and another man's death warrant? The difference must not lie with the Ark of God's presence, but with the hearts of the people who were in contact with the Ark. If that is so, ask yourself: Where is your heart? Do you come on Sundays expecting to meet with God? One way to answer that question is to ask another question: How carefully do you prepare your heart for that meeting? If you were granted an audience with the president of the United States, would you clean yourself up before you entered his presence, or would you just go into his office in your dirty work clothes? If you're going to meet with the holy God, shouldn't you at least spend a few minutes beforehand preparing your heart to be in His presence? The Hebrews didn't have such a bad idea in beginning to prepare for their Sabbath at sundown on the day before. By doing this, they had prepared their hearts for worship the following day. So, do you think it might be helpful for us to do the same thing: start preparing our hearts on Saturday night to meet God in person on Sunday morning in church?
