of them just HOLLER at little LOUDER.)
 Some PEOPLE have never KNOWN the POWER of God in the FIRST PLACE.
 Some have LOST the POWER of God and don’t even KNOW it. (Samson – didn’t know he’d lost the power of God until he faced his enemies)
 The EVIDENCE of the loss of the POWER of God is in the ABSENCE of VICTORY.
g. For this CAUSE some have REDEFINED “The Power of God.”

III. BRINGING BACK THE ARK OF GOD.
(The Proper Way To Bring The Power of God To The People)

a. The new king David wished Jerusalem to be not only his military and political capital, but the religious center for the nation as well.
b. David determined, therefore, to bring the Ark of the Lord, Israel’s most sacred symbol of the Divine Presence, to the new capital from Kirjath-jearim, where it had been for 70 years.
c. David was basically a good man, but he was not INFALLIBLE.
d. This venture ended in TRAGEDY.
e. There’s a RIGHT WAY and a WRONG WAY to handle the POWER of God.
f. His motive was good, but his method was wrong. He was right in his intentions, but wrong in his implementation.
g. The Wrong Way –
 After the Philistines had CAPTURED the Ark they discovered their God (Dagon) couldn’t stand in the Presence of the Ark of God. (You can’t mix the Power of God with the Idols of the world)
 The Philistines also discovered there was PUNISHMENT (emerods) for the CARELESS HANDLING of Spiritual Things.
 In David’s EXCITEMENT about returning the Ark back to the people of God he allowed his ENTHUSIASM to run away with him.
 David BUILT a New Cart like the Philistines used to move the Ark of God. (His MOTIVE was GOOD, but his METHOD was WRONG). (David’s INTENTIONS was RIGHT but his IMPLEMENTION was WRONG!)
 It was to be a RELIGIOUS SPECTACULAR!
 In fact, there were to be singers and dancers in the grand carnival procession in which the Ark would be transported in triumph. It was to be a real celebration.
 But the JOY was short-lived because as they crossed some ROUGH ROAD the oxen stumbled and shook the Ark and a man named Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark and God struck him dead for his ERROR.
h. The Right Way –
 David realized his way was not God’s way.
 David’s ATTITUDE changed IMMEDIATELY (Death will do this). (David rediscovered the AWESOMENESS of God’s POWER)
 David’s PLANS changed IMMEDIATELY. (He carried the Ark aside into the house of Oabed-edom the Gittite where it remained for 3 months)
 During the 3 months the Ark was at Obed-edom’s house there was great blessings of God on his household.
 When David heard of this he again decided to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem BUT this time he did it differently!

 This time the Ark was carried on the SHOULDERS of the Levites (the ones appointed by God to carry the Ark). The RIGHT people – the RIGHT way.
 As the Ark was carried along they had only gone 6 paces they stopped and SACRIFICED. (You can’t bring the POWER of God to the people without SACRIFICE). (v. 13)
 David DANCED before the Lord – a FORM of RELIGIOUS rejoicing, expressing the JOY of the OCCASION.
 David was DRESSED in a “Linen Ephod” indicating the religious nature of the CELEBRATION.
 There was SHOUTING and the SOUND of the TRUMPET as the Ark was carried along