2. David Saul & Doeg

5. David and the (recovered ) Ark

6. 2 Samuel 6
 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel – thirty thousand. 
2 He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. 

7. 2 Samuel 6
 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.
Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart4 with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. 

8. 2 Samuel 6
  5 David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.

9. 6 When they came to the threshing-floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 
7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

10. 8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, ‘How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?’ 

11. Some time later….
2 Now King David was told, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.’
So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 

12. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 
14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

13. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window.
And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

14. 20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said,
‘How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!’

15. 21 David said to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel 
– I will celebrate before the Lord. 
22 I will become even more undignified than this, and
I will be humiliated in my own eyes.

16. Death and the Dancing

17. Death and the Dancing
Alternatives!! ??

18. Death and the Dancing Alternatives!! ??
What is the place of Dancing etc in worship?

19. What is the place of Dancing in worship?
The New testament says nothing of the style of worship
It does says “Let all things be done decently and in order”

20. What is the place of Dancing in worship?
What is clear is:-
That worship should be
Genuine
Not ritualistic
Enthusiastic
It is all about God not us
Individual as well as church more than just singing (or dancing)
Essential part of (everyday) life

21. 21 David said to Michal,  
– I will celebrate before the Lord. 
22 I will become even more undignified than this, and
I will be humiliated in my own eyes.

22. What is my View of Worship?
Worship = Ascribing Worth
God looks on the heart (lesson from David)
Are you worried about others?
Are you worried about what to say?

23. Romans 8
6 The mind governed by (human) flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. .
 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit,

24. the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship
the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ 
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

25. ..the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

26. What is my View of Worship?
Worship = Ascribing Worth
God looks on the heart (lesson from David)
Are you worried about others?
Are you worried about what to say?
Relationship
Learning to speak

27. So, provided I am enthusiastic anything is OK then??

28. 6 When they came to the threshing-floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 
7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

29. Worship is Worship of God Who is love But who is also Holy Balance
I can’t just do what I like

30. Back to the Ark

31. Ark of Covenant What is it? What did it represent?
What had happened to it?
Why was God angry?
What eventually happened to it?

32. “Make an ark of acacia wood 45” long, 27” wide, and 27” high. (1
“Make an ark of acacia wood 45” long, 27” wide, and 27” high. (1.12 x 0.67x 0.67 metres)
Mercy seat

33. Exodus 40 Then the Lord said to Moses:
2 ‘Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month.
3 Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 
4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it.

34. Exodus 40 Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.
5 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

38. Exodus 40
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 
35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle

39. Ark Was where God presence was revealed
Carried by strict regulations priests, distance
Crossing Jordan
Round Jericho

40. What had happened to it? 1 Sam 4
Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines.  2 The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. 

41. What had happened to it?
 3 When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, ‘Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines?
Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.’

42. 4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim.
And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

43. 5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
6 Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, ‘What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?’

44. When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid. ‘A god has come into the camp,’ they said. ‘Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. 
8 We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 
9 Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!’

45. 10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 
11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Death of Eli

46. Enthusiastic? Yes the Israelites were very enthusiastic
5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.

47. Enthusiastic? Yes the Israelites were very enthusiastic
Biggest crowd hymn singing?
Psalm 23 at WBA
Pictures in Taxi
Sign of the Cross
Jewellery
Decorations

49. Probems..
 11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, ‘Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.’ For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it.
12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumours, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

50. When the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory for seven months, 2 the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said,
‘What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.’

51. 7 ‘Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. 
8 Take the ark of the Lord and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering.
Send it on its way,

52. 9 But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the Lord.
The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them. 
20 And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, ‘Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?’

53. 21 Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, ‘The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord.
Come down and take it up to your town.’

54. 1 Samuel 7
 1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord.
They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of theLord. 
2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time – twenty years in all.

55. Fast forward Saul is dead
David is finally accepted as king by everyone
David conquers Jerusalem
David asks his generals (1 Chron 13)
Bring the ark back
“Round everything off”

56. But….
6 When they came to the threshing-floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 
7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

57. Its not fair!
8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

58. So what was wrong?
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.
Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart4 with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it.

59. So what was wrong? David did what the Philistines had done “New Cart”
“I’m king now, I’m very enthusiastic, this is what I think…”
Not what God had commanded
Tough passage…

60. Familiarity In house of Abinadab for a long time
 1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of theLord. 
2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time 

61. Uzzah Grown up with ark “Nothing special” “I can do what I like”
David did not like it – or God!
Lessons

62. What happened to the ark?
Solomon built a great temple God blessed it BUT Israel ignored God Jerusalem sacked by Babylonians in 587BC Ark never heard of again ? Captured ? hidden

63. What happened to the ark?
Jeremiah 3
14 ‘Return, faithless people,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I am your husband.
15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days….declares the Lord, ‘people will no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord

64. What happened to the ark?
It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem “The Throne of the Lord”, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honour the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.

65. Hearts… It is what we believe in our “hearts”
not what we say or do that counts with God
God looks on the heart…

66. Lessons

67. Lessons We must not get familiar with God
We can bask in his love and grace and enjoy His blessings
BUT
WE dare not forget Whom we are dealing with

68. Hint… 2 Samuel 6
 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel – thirty thousand. 
2 He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. 

69. Lessons I cannot approach God on my terms My sin has to be dealt with
God takes sin so seriously

70. Lessons
I cannot approach God on my terms My sin has to be dealt with God takes sin so seriously

71. Lessons NOW

72. Lessons NOW
Matt 27
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

73. Lessons NOW
Hebrews ch 10
19 Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain 
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings..  

74. Lessons NOW
Hebrews ch 10
29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot.. and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?  
31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

75. Lessons NOW
Hebrews ch 10
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

76. BUT David learned a lesson
25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. 
26 Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. 

77. BUT David learned a lesson
Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. 
28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

78. David and the people eventually got the message!
Have we??

79. Heart of worship
When the music fades All is stripped away And I simply come .. I'll bring you more than a song for a song in itself is not what you have required You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You're looking into my heart ….