2 Samuel 6

2 Samuel 6
A right purpose was in David's heart: the ark of God which had been allowed to stay in the house of Abinadab at Kirjath-jearim during all of Saul's forty years' reign, and over twenty years before that (see 1 Samuel 7:1,21And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord. 2And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. (1 Samuel 7:1‑2)), should be brought to the place of honor in the kingdom. But how should it be brought? The Scriptures which David and his people had, plainly told that the sons of Kohath of the tribe of Levi should carry the ark by means of staves passed through rings attached to its sides, but they were not to touch the ark; only the priests could do that (Numbers 1:50,51,53; 3:31; 4:1550But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. (Numbers 1:50‑51)
53But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. (Numbers 1:53)
31And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. (Numbers 3:31)
15And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 4:15)). But the Word of God was neglected, and the pattern for what was done was found in the Philistine priests' "new cart" drawn by cows (1 Samuel 6:77Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them: (1 Samuel 6:7)).
How much of this kind of thing is seen in our own day! At a great sacrifice of the truth and testimony of God, Christians are formed after the model of the men of the world, because they think of themselves, plan for themselves, while seeking to honor God. Is His Word not enough? Note carefully the words of the aged apostle Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:14-1714But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:14‑17)) in view of the "perilous times" of the "last days" in which we unquestionably now are.
Notwithstanding the "new cart," the godly Abinadab's sons going before and driving it, and the great and impressive strains of music with which the journey was begun, was begun with disobedience, and ended in judgment, for the nearer a man is to God, the more solemnly will he be dealt with for departure from His word. But, let it be remembered, His word also says that if judgment "first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 1 Peter 4:17-1817For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1 Peter 4:17‑18).
Something after the way of Joshua, after the defeat of Ai ( Joshua 7:6-96And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 7And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? (Joshua 7:6‑9)) was David's behavior upon the death of Abinadab's son. Pained and alarmed, he left the ark in the house of Obed-edom until the news came to him that God had blessed that family. How slow we are to apprehend the mind of God, to judge in ourselves the cause of some painful dealing! David truly desired God's glory, but he did not understand its greatness, and he had forgotten the majesty of Him with whom we have to do.
God is a blesser, and His loving interest in those who in any measure honor Him is presently shown. Then David, in heart restored, caused the ark to be brought after the divine order (see 1 Chronicles 15:2, 13-15,2Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. (1 Chronicles 15:2)
13For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. 14So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 15:13‑15) etc.). The sneer of his wife Michal did not move him, since he had acted before God. "I will", said he, "yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight." May the same spirit of self-renunciation mark all the children of God, to His praise!