You Can't Undress In Front of Everybody

to Ekron it caused trouble there too
• They sent the Ark back to the people it belonged too
• It’s only a Blessing if it has your Name on it
• The Ark was out of Place
• David said we must bring the Ark of God back where it belongs

David is now King of Israel – all twelve tribes. He has lived through his wilderness education, He is back in touch with God and finally accepting his exonerated role. He is thirty years old, perhaps out of his boyhood experiences when he freely talked about God and His power, when he felt the need of his nation to rediscover God. But, how does he bring God back into the center of his country?
• He may have remembered it, or heard about it
• But he wanted to find and return the only physical symbol of God’s presence to his nation
• The Ark of the Covenant
• Faith in God, reinforced by the Ark, would unify his people and give them a central faith to withstand the idolatry of the neighboring nations

So King David sets out with 30,000 chosen men on their way to bring the ark of God back to the city of David. We have to be mindful that during the reign of Saul, very little is mentioned about the Ark. During Saul’s time the ark appeared to be in obscurity. And now that David is in charge, it is his desire to bring the Ark of God back into the midst of God’s chosen people.

So David gathers the religious leaders and the Priests and they secure the Ark and prepare to march it back to the Holy City. What joy they must have felt.
• The priest’s two sons would work the cart
• The band would play
• The king would lead and a new day would come to the nation of Israel

However, during the process of marching to return home with the Ark – the SCRIPTURE SHINES LIGHT ON A DRAMATIC EVENT. The scripture says the oxen stumbled, the Ark seemed to be falling and the son, Uzzah - reached out to steady the load. When he touched the Ark, he immediately died.
• Let me tell you, if there’s anything that will ruin a parade, that will
• They had not read the owner’s manual, saying no one but the high priest could touch the Ark
• The young king was confused and frustrated and abandoned the trip

The Ark was left in a home nearby, where it continued to bring remarkable blessings to that family. For three months David would LISTEN and LEARN - PRACTICE and PLAN to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. Let me tell you, no matter what our TITLE, we are not above Learning. We don’t have all the answers – we still need God. Heard someone say, THEY NEED GOD UNTIL THE DIE. Let me tell you I really need God after I leave this Old World. Need God to Remember Me - Need God to Clean My Slate – Need God to Say WELL DONE.
• He learned there was a very special way to treat God’s things
• Wouldn’t it be good for all of us to read the “owner’s guidebook,” the Bible, to learn how God wants us to actually begin to practice His way for us to live?
• If we just went to Owners Manuel – Bible – Country would not be in shape it is in

Although David thought he was ready to return with the Ark of the Lord and move the congregation to another level of Praise, God knew there were still a few things that David had to learn.