Scripture: 2 Samuel 6: 1 - 23
Title: “The Raiders of the Lost Ark”
Introduction: For 100 long years the Ark of the Covenant had been separated from the tabernacle and other places of worship. After its capture by the Philistines at Aphek (1 Sam. 4:11) it remained in Philistia for seven months, then briefly at Beth Shemesh, and the rest of the time at Kiriath Jearim. Now David had taken Jerusalem, a neutral place, and made it the political capital of the kingdom. All that remained was to retrieve the ark, place it in the tabernacle he would erect on Mount Zion, and declare Jerusalem the religious center of the nation as well.
I. THE ARK and ITS SIGNIFICANCE.
a. The Ark was the first thing that God had told Moses to build.
b. The ARK was a SMALL BOX 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet deep made of shittim wood (incorruptible), overlaid with Pure Gold. (Only room for ONE person at a TIME).
c. The CONTENTS of the ARK consisted of:
A GOLDEN POT of MANNA (Daily Bread).
The TEN COMMANDMENTS on tablets of Stone (The Law was CONTAINED in Jesus).
Aaron’s Rod that BUDDED (Once DEAD and ALIVE again!).
d. The PURPOSE of the Ark.
To give POWER to those who POSSESSED it.
The Ark was a MEETING PLACE for God and His people.
The Ark was God’s SANCTUARY.
e. The people that CARRIED the Ark were Levites.
f. The DESIGN of the Ark was given by God Himself to Moses.
g. The ARK was REPRESENTIVE of the Lord Jesus Christ.
h. The ARK was ANOINTED with oil. (Ex. 30:25 – 26)
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Over the years there was a sad decline in Israel’s spiritual life. Religion became more of a form than a reality, but the nation hung on to its traditions believing that its outward ceremonies would take the place of a meaningful relationship with God. Of course God, although long-suffering, would have none of it, and allowed the nation’s enemies, the Philistines, to punish them in battle.
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II. THE LOSS OF THE ARK (Power & Presence of God)
a. During a BATTLE Israel was soundly defeated and lost 4,000 men; therefore, some clever general thought he had the answer. “Let’s go get the Ark and take it with us into battle.”
b. The losing of the Ark of the Covenant was one of the SOREST BLOWS that had ever fallen upon the nation of Israel.
c. The CORRUPT state of the PRIESTHOOD was to BLAME for this National Failure & Disgrace.
d. The “Loss of Power” is one of the worst things that can happen to a – PERSON, a CHURCH, a DENOMINAITON, and a NATION.
They wanted the POWER of the ARK but weren’t interested in the God of the Ark.
“God will be FORCED to fight on our side.” – You can’t MANIPULATE God.
Their SCHEME of USING the ARK as a kind of LUCKY CHARM didn’t work and the Ark was captured. (Can you imagine the Power of God being CAPTURED by the Enemy of God?)
e. Can you IMAGINE God’s people being without His power for 100 years?
f. I believe a large portion of the Church world has lost the POWER & PRESENCE of God from their lives.
People have learned how to have CHURCH without POWER.
Christians have learned how to LIVE without the POWER of God.
Preachers have learned how to PREACH without the POWER of God. (Some 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 the way.
CONCLUSION: When the ARK of God came into Jerusalem the town went into a frenzy of Worship and Celebration because they knew the POWER of God was back in their PRESENCE again.
But not everyone was happy. David’s wife Michal saw David (the king) dancing and shouting dressed only in a linen ephod and she DESPISED David in her heart.
Michal never had any children after that. David separated himself from her.
While the whole city of Jerusalem celebrated the wife of the king pouted.
For way too long the Christian community has operated only on human intellect and instincts.
