David and the Ark, Part 2

We read about God's nonnegotiable instruction on obedience and the specific ways he commanded his people to follow and worship these precise details given to the Israelites, we discover powerful lessons for life in 2022 as well today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll presents another message in his biographical series on David, a man of passion and destiny. This time will be talking about a sacred container that held the stone tablets of God's covenant. Chuck titled today's message David and the I want to understand several things to begin with second son. First of all, the place where we are is Jerusalem second the King is David and he's a new King Saul is is gone. He died of suicide, and in the latter part of his 40 year reign.

He compromised that he fiddled around with all other things besides his job and he neglected the things of God. He was a mediocre King to put it best not understand. In the days of David, the central place of worship was not the believer, but the tabernacle and under Saul's reign, the tabernacle sort of drifted the enemy took the ark of the covenant.

There was no worship of Jehovah in Jerusalem now. When David took over the throne he realized there is no central place of worship. The people of Israel are are spread out their walk is mediocre. Their heart is hot after God in order for me to pull some of this together on the ark of the covenant back in his right place.

His heart was after God's even to the point of getting little pieces of furniture and putting it in a certain place within the parameters of God's will and God's precepts, so chapter 6 is how he got the ark of the covenant back in Jerusalem read some of these things and see the time David gathered all the chosen men of Israel 30,000 David arose and went with all the people who were with him to bail Judah to bring up from there. The ark of God, which is called by the name the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim explained that in a few moments. They placed the ark of God on a new card that they might bring up from the house of a better dad verse four so they brought it with the ark of God from the house from from the house a bit of that which was on the hill and I heal was walking ahead of the ark.

Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord hears David over here rejoicing and celebrating having the greatest delightful time knowing that the ark of the covenant was coming back home where it belonged in Zion's even tells us about his his band, the instruments made of wood with liars and parts of tambourines and castanets in and symbols as I heard the recorder's play tonight.

It occurred to me that maybe some of the sounds it came from those little pipes were something like the sounds of team from these little these little instruments mentioned in verse five. There was a sound of music and there was a delight of obedience beating in the heart of David. The ark is coming back is he David is an expedient kind of man he's a pragmatist. David is the king he's a decision-maker and he knows that in order for the people to worship. They need the ark of the covenant in order to get the ark of the covenant from the Hill the Homo Bennett Avenue down here to this place. The best way to do it is on a cart verse three. So I got a new card that was nice but put the card underneath this chess set the chest on got a couple of three men that were available as Jerusalem bring this thing down on the car to bring it on the way and something happens.

Suddenly there's a death in the in the chain gang this thing down. You notice it. Verse seven the anger of the Lord burned against using God's truck and therefore is irreverence.the ark of God.

Verse six when they came to the threshing floor make on user reached out toward the ark of God took hold of it for the oxen nearly upset. It is all he did.

I mean after all it's the practical thing to do if you're going to be if it's going to drop you go to grab it while it wouldn't have ever dropped if they had done it right what's right what's right.

The Levites, in fact, the sons of Koheleth were the ones to carry the ark. The polls were to be put through the little ringlets at the bottom of the chest and the polls were to be put up on the shoulders of these specially chosen men and they were to balance this thing as they carried it from one place to another. David didn't do that. He took a convenient route and he changes the details to fit the expediency of them of the hour. It's like I heard said some time ago. It doesn't matter what you do do something even if it's wrong. That's the most stupid counsel I've ever heard. Do nothing until it's right then do it with all your mind. That's wise counsel, but David said down here cares about how to get it here. God does David and to prove it to use. It is uses live with his name, user took his life hears David starting alongside Clark's and he got mad. Verse eight he became angry because of the Lord's outburst against user when a minute we got the cart before the horse. No pun intended. We got David standing here mad at the Lord when in fact the Lord was angry at David said he was a man after God's heart. I did that mean he's perfect, it does not having a heart for God doesn't mean you're perfect.

It means your sensitive, it means every detail is important, and when you see you wrong.

You see your face you own.

You come to terms with it. Verse nine it says David was afraid of the Lord that day, said how can the ark of the Lord come to me not understand. David hasn't done his homework. We often get into trouble when we don't do our homework.

We seek the Lord's will, and we we reach out on a lark, you were going to do that and so in expediency or inconvenience are in a hurry. We make that decision in the Lord's is what I've written a lot of things in my book about that decision you just made and I want you to take counsel for me. That's why it's not working and you want to have a heart for me. Then you check my word and you find either preceptor principal and you go.

According to that and make you happy like you can't believe if you don't I will make you miserable. In fact, in David's case, the Lord said, I'll even take some lines we see use of taken because he touched an article of furniture that was not to be touched, especially by a non-Levite who cares about Levites God's workers got a little ringlets and little golden polls that go through ringlets and shoulders rather than waste God does.

If he didn't carry wooden decided the point of the whole message when we begin to care about the things God cares about one or were on our way to real real freedom and real happiness. Well David was afraid he said how can the ark of the Lord come to me. David was unwilling to move the ark of the Lord into the city of David with you better believe it.

The last time he tried to cost the life of a man so David said leave it in the put it in the home of the man named Obed Edom three months pass no ark in Jerusalem. Obed Edom is having the time of his life is getting all the blessing and David is wondering what in the world is happening as his stomach is churning. I want the ark of the Lord here and nobody them has their what's wrong what you see a change. Verse 12 David said as he was told David. The Lord has blessed the house of Obed Edom and all that belongs to him on account of the ark of God.

David Winton brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed Edom into the city of David with gladness will wait a minute I thought it said that he didn't touch but it says here that he brought it up.

Why is it that he a few verses earlier wouldn't touch it had a few verses later he's saying bring an end and they brought it in and it was great to show you first Chronicles chapter 15 tells us in a parallel passage. What happened behind the scenes. This is so neat when I stumbled over this study of one of those moments where you say Gloria, but nobody understands so you just write it down. Keep working first Chronicles 15 verse 12 verse 11, David call for Sadock and Abby a are the priests and for the Levites. What happened well. One of David's counselors. No doubt, or the Lord himself came to David and said no my friend, you know the word specifically states that before the ark or any furniture can be moved. It's gotta be moved a certain way about certain group of people. David was hot after God responded really I yeah David, it's gotta be done his way, what's his way, will. Are these little ringlets and you gotta put holes in them and got up at the polls upon the shoulders and you got let the Levites sense go have carried this thing. If you do that, David, your home free. What it says verse 12 David said to them you the heads of the father's household.

The Levites he done his homework. See consecrate yourselves both you and your relatives that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel, to the place I prepared for it because you did not carry that the first the Lord our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek him. According to the ordinance that said seek the Lord just sort of flashed out there to get the job done.

That's when you get burned and testimony time is in it. How many of us could come to the front and admit with a great deal of embarrassment whole the judge about the time I did that by coming he could say our member back when I made that decision about marriage, and I thought well if I just Mary and Molly to Christ didn't work did the Lord let her stay because he's got a Gracie doesn't really mean those things specifically and I can go ahead and read develop this business because he's got the brains, even though it is know the Lord and I got to walk with the Lord now leading to Christ we go to partnership. But the Lord said don't go to partnership Christian with a non-Christian will. David said the Lord did that because we didn't seek verse 14. So the priests of the leave in the Levites, consecrate themselves to bring the ark of God of Israel and the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the polls as Moses had commanded, according to the word of the Lord. Now you're talking David beautiful. So what's the big deal about the whole message on polls and ringlets and in our old what's the message. The message is our life. You see it as though it is the pole. It is the ringlets it is the detail that drives us crazy in our carnal life.

When we go to the trouble of getting the polls want to go to the trouble put the polls upon her shoulders. It's a lot easier to have cards that drawled America is a pretty pretty pragmatic, person and Lord to be that concerned about details. Let me tell you something. If the Lord cared enough to write it in cared enough to preserve it.

He cares enough about the details that had he pulled it off his way. Well, that's what David did. I love that second single chapter 6 says he brought it down and verse, verse 13.

This is this is cool so it was then that when the bearers of the ark of the Lord had gone six paces. He sacrificed an oxidant family 123456. Paul gotta match bring in the Hawks bring in the family put fire to it.

These guys then there was this thing go up and David is very careful you don't want to fiddle around with something that God got specific about me and why do you say that because he's a man after God's heart. He cares about what God cares about, and when he heard the truth. He wanted do it just like God said six paces, battling six paces finally got it in Jerusalem look at what David's doing next verse because of biblical say why you live like that you're so bound up in rigid will only excuse David rigid verse 14 he was dancing before the Lord with all his might. David was wearing a linen e-file. This thing was flying all around and he's dancing and if that's not bad enough, look at the next verse, David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark was shouting and the sound of the trumpet remotest Robin David's day is nowhere in it all sound togetherness doesn't bring this art can you picture that world would get so excited because different could you obey your free when you disobey your in bondage and I can name 1/2 dozen illustrations right now if I had the courage of individuals I know who are bound in bondage because they're in sin and they talk about it is freedom free.

The God dancing is free because he stuck: arraignment because he put the phone on the shoulders of the right man.

David's free that is so good. Would God showing us tonight. The world system says don't worry about the little details.

God's bigger little golden ringlets.

No he's not because he sees the whole scene he puts our obedience to the test and just little things like a pool and a shoulder well I want you to know that when you're really free the people who are not so free are going to have trouble with you illustration David's wife. Verse 16. Now here's her husband down there doing his number with the linen e-file and sing and shout in the tropics blowing.

Here's Michael up there in the second floor flat looking down on her husband. It happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David Michael, daughter Saul looked out the window and saw King David leaping, dancing before the Lord.

She despised him in her heart.

Think it brought the ark of the Lord said in the place inside the tent, which David pitchfork David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, mayonnaise, offered burnt offerings all over the place. Many hands out little sandwiches look at what he does every offered the burnt offerings and peace offerings. Verse 18, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts is a great time 19 says he distributed all the people, both men and women a cake of bread dates and raisins night. You know look like I got on peanuts at a ballgame. It's doing it all out. A great moment hello what a fantastic spring soap on the on the heels of that, he goes home looks upstairs opens the door hi honey, here's Michael verse 20 we returned to bless his house.

O'Leary walks in with Hans Fuller raisins and dates in red is going to double Alyssa Michael daughter said the king of Israel distinguished himself today. He uncovered himself today in the eyes the services maids is one of the foolish was shamelessly uncovers himself sarcasm. Sarcasm Sarkis, Chad J tell you they did not have good chemistry.

They should never have married.

Frankly, they should never merit is like a love story. Churchill, the lady asked her what I was no love lost between them and one-time Lady Astor said Churchill if I were your wife. I put arsenic in your tea and he said about her husband a drink sometime you got that kind of bad chemistry. You know, between husband and wife and and she said she had to the big chain down there dancing all over the place and I want to notice how he took the bull by the horns or the cow by the horns. Notice verse 21. David said Michael what talk about having confidence it was before the Lord chose me above your daddy twist with and above all his house to point B, ruler of the people of the Lord over Israel. I will celebrate before the Lord. I will be more likely esteem than this you think this is stuff tomorrow I will tumble my I will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids, of whom you spoke, and I will still be distinguished. Michael daughter Saul had no child of the day every day. I don't know exactly why. Perhaps he was never again intimate with her. Whatever was the reason she was barren until the day of her desk to get the day of her death. That was the greatest statement, a Jewish woman could bear to be barren to things I learned from this, along with a whole host of other things in this whole matter of focus.

Notice one was horizontal one was vertical. David's eyes on the Lord, her eyes on the maids here. The lessons number one. The better you know where you stand with the Lord, the freer you can be when I do the homework and I find out where I stand with my Lord.

I am free and I might add, there will be many that one understand you will be seen in the eyes of some, is detestable to be misunderstood like David with his own wife. You know you will care about public opinion either you care very much about the Lord's opinion that you know where you stand, the freer you can beat. Second, the freer you are before the Lord, the more confident you will become, you know where you stand. That is, that is real security and I never know exactly why God puts together a series of thoughts on a particular evening.

I said that many times. Tonight Setauket said one thing the one person something altogether different to someone else. Some of you might be bound up in the whole world of of a carnal walk in your thinking a this is really free. That's not free.

That's the worst kind of bondage notice of you might be thinking well if I got so specific about this business of of the Christian life. I must be majoring in the minors no way limited. It's possible but it's important to God, and it ought to be important. God took the time to put it down its preset but I believe 35 miles an army of 30, it never meets 3845 and he means what he says is some of you might be like Michael so occupied with what everybody else is saying all you can do is you people that are genuinely free with jaundiced eyes say they get all the breaks. God sets his heart in favor of those whose hearts are following.

He honors those that honor his he makes them exceedingly. I would like to ask all of us to bow together for just a few moments, please. We learned a little bit about David's life today that we didn't know before that when God gives specific instructions for doing his will, he wants it done exactly that way. Disney and we also learn that God really met business when it instructed only the Levites were to move the ark of the covenant with the polls through those rings on the sides of the ark carried on their shoulders.

That was how God wanted it done and there was no other way and got explained it exactly as he meant it to be handled exactly that way. It was only when David finally obeyed.

Remember that it was done with great joy to say something to all of you who are hearing this message today who have no relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ.

Christ alone is the way to freedom. Christ alone is the way to joy through Christ alone. You will know forgiveness and purpose and definition for the future. He is the only way of redemption that is made possible for us when we accept what Jesus Christ did on the cross on our behalf, though 2000 years ago. All of that occurred that penalty paid for your sins was paid in full and is still effective.

What a wonderful gift God offers the gift of his grace by your receiving Jesus Christ, you can know eternal life he can turn your life around in a remarkable way and give you the freedom and joy. The kind of freedom and joy.

You just heard that occurred in the life of David when he did, God's will. So as I lead in prayer. This would be a great moment for you to pray, inviting Christ to come to live in your life Lord God.

Today we thank you for your word for the truth that lives and abides forever in heaven and earth will pass away, but your words will never pass away. And even though a story comes to us from ancient days. It has a relevant ring to it and how it fills the void of our empty world of our broken hearts today. I pray for those whose lives are marked by emptiness, sadness, and all the things that go with the consequences of sin, pray that you will lead them to a knowledge of your son Jesus Christ and give them no peace until Christ has invaded their life for those who live their lives still bound up, though, in Christ, they come to know the grace and freedom that accompanies obedience. May the grace and freedom marked our lives is your father as we in a winsome manner make donors to a world that's lost its way in the name of Christ by previous your listening to Insight for living with Chuck Swindoll's prayer we conclude another week of studying the Bible together.

He titled today's message David and the ark. To learn more about this ministry.

Visit us online@insideworld.org all that were wrapping up five days of study on this program there still a number of ways to continue learning about David. For instance, we provide interactive study notes for every sermon presented on Insight for living today study on David and the ark has a complete document. You can either view online or download the PDF to print out or send a copy to your small group Bible study.

Be sure to download Chuck's searching the Scriptures. Studies by going online to Insight.org/studies. In addition, Chuck wrote a biography on David that's become quite popular and it's one that will remind you of God's unfailing love, even in our lowest moments. It's a great choice to add to your reading list and we can't recommend it enough to find all the details on the book. David, a man of passion and destiny. When you go to Insight.org/offer these daily programs and resources are made possible in part because people just like you give voluntary donations Insight for living is a nonprofit station that relies on your prayerful support and financial gives good gifts truly do make a difference, but be sure this comment from a grateful friend said Pastor Chuck, I started reading your books 25 years ago. It was a great help in my spiritual growth. Then one day my stubborn and bilious hard string I hid from God for number. I ignored as I was enjoying loving my sins and it was exactly a year ago that I ran back to his.

I thank God once again to get online today go to Insight.org/or if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888. We look forward to hearing from you soon. I bill my inviting you to join us. When Chuck Swindoll continues his biography of David, a man of passion and destiny. That's Monday on Insight for living.

The preceding message David and the ark was copyrighted in 1978, 1988, 1997, 2009 and 2022 and the sound recording was copyrighted 2022 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited