1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Let us pray. As the ark of the Lord came 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: into the city of David. Michael, Saul's daughter looked through 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. Second 5 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: Samuel six, sixteen, Dear God, as the story of David 6 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: in Second Samuel six and First Chronicles thirteen fifteen seventeen 7 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: falls on my ears, I will pick up where David 8 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: left off. Then praise you God, whenever I get the chance. 9 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 1: I refuse to treat your presence as common and ordinary. Instead, 10 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: I will honor each moment I get to stand in 11 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: your presence in my prayer time. I will make sure 12 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: that I am uninterrupted and that you get all of 13 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: my attention as I pursue you and your heart. Lord. 14 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: When I worship, I am serving all opposing forces. Notice 15 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: that the present of God is with me and before me. 16 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 1: Like David, I will be unashamed to worship and praise 17 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: you for who you are and all that you've done. 18 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: I will not be like Michael, who was worried more 19 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: about image than authenticity. I declare that I will not 20 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: focus on appearance more than substance. I will remain a 21 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: worshiper because the one I praise has done great things 22 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 1: and is worthy of it all. In Jesus name, Amen, 23 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: thank you for praying with me today. Continue listening for 24 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: an incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in 25 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: a Year dot. 26 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: Com bringing the r Home. 27 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 3: In our last story, we met the Mighty Men of David. 28 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 3: Their character, skill, and devotion separated them from the rest 29 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 3: of the soldiers of Israel, and David relied on them 30 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 3: as he took back Israel from the Philistines. 31 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 2: Now we see David's. 32 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 3: Mission to successfully carry the Ark of the Covenant back 33 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 3: into Israel, which proves to be a daunting task since 34 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 3: the holiness of God is not to be handled. Lightly 35 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 3: inspired by the Book of Second Samuel, Hello. 36 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 4: I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible 37 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 4: in a Year podcast. In yesterday's story, we heard about 38 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 4: David's Mighty Men, how they mirrored his own devotion, bravery, courage, 39 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 4: and commitment. These men strengthened David and helped him to 40 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 4: win many victories in the name of the Lord God. 41 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 4: Israel was on a winning streak, defeating Philistine's left and right, 42 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 4: but David still knew something needed to be set right. 43 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 4: The Ark of the Covenant was not in Israel, where 44 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 4: it belonged, and in today's story we'll see how David 45 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 4: sets this difficult task of moving the arc. It is 46 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 4: no simple task or a safe one. The ark was 47 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 4: representative of God's glory on earth, and as David and 48 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 4: the people will learn, God's holiness is not something to 49 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 4: be approached casually. So let's listen to today's reading. 50 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 3: Now, the battle against the Philistines had been won, the 51 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 3: dust of war and strife had begun to settle, and 52 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: it was time for the Ark of the Covenant to 53 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 3: come home to the people. David knew this took precision 54 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 3: and a great deal of tact. Many stories had been 55 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 3: told of men and women dying in attempts to handle 56 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 3: the Ark, and David had no intention of losing lives 57 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 3: in the attempt of something holy. David arose early in 58 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 3: the morning with thirty thousand hand picked men. A holy 59 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 3: and fierce procession of warriors trailed the Ark of the 60 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 3: Covenant as priests began to carry it. Uzar and Ohio, 61 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 3: two of the priests, carried the cart on an oxen 62 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 3: carriage with great trepidation. David brought out his lyre and 63 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 3: many members of the group began to play behind them. 64 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 3: As the group grew more comfortable, all the men and 65 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 3: women surrounding the ark broke out into song. Flutes, harps, liars, 66 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 3: and drums played into the air. David led the congregation 67 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 3: and worship, and they sung praises to God for his 68 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 3: great faithfulness. David was elated to lead his people in 69 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 3: this way. David would often forget that before he was 70 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 3: a warrior or king, he was a musician and worship leader. 71 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 3: His heart was warmed by the opportunity to lead the 72 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 3: people in song. The celebration continued as Uza and Ohio 73 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 3: drove the cart into the city. As they were on 74 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 3: their way, a bump in the road lifted the carriage 75 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 3: and the ark began to slide off. Uzar reacted quickly 76 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 3: and kept the ark from crashing to the g David 77 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: stopped playing as he watched Uzzah holding the ark. Hussar 78 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 3: turned to David with a grave look in his eye. 79 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 3: Before David could say a word, Huzzar fell to the 80 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 3: floor and died. David rushed to Uzzah, his lifeless body 81 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 3: lay in his arms. David was filled with anger and confusion. 82 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 3: How could the Lord kill a man trying to save 83 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,799 Speaker 3: the ark from falling, David thought to himself. He looked 84 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 3: behind him to see the people weeping over Uzzah's death. 85 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 3: David remained silent, although his anger towards God ran deep. 86 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 3: He did not understand his ways or why a righteous 87 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 3: man would die needlessly. David drew a deep breath to 88 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 3: calm himself and had the Ark of God brought to 89 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 3: a house nearby. He kept the Ark at the home 90 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 3: of Obediedom, a Levite who lived on the outskirts of Israel. 91 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:55,239 Speaker 3: Thered was kept safe and Obed's household became blessed because 92 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 3: of the Lord's presence. David was told of Obed's household 93 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 3: and how the glow glory of God fell upon them 94 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 3: in a new and exciting way. David's anger subsided, and 95 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 3: he gave in to the confusing nature of God. The 96 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 3: Lord had delivered him time and time again, and he 97 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,799 Speaker 3: was not about to question how to handle the holiness 98 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 3: of God's presence. David brought the Ark back to Jerusalem, 99 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,799 Speaker 3: and the entire city rejoiced in its return. David's joy 100 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 3: could not be contained. He danced and leapt with joy 101 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 3: in the courtyard of his home. David cast off his 102 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 3: royal robes and danced among the people as one of them. 103 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 3: David danced without inhibition, embarrassing his wife, Mihao, who watched 104 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 3: from the window. How could a king make such a 105 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 3: fool of himself, she thought. She despised David's immodesty and 106 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 3: made it very clear to him she was displeased. The 107 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 3: ark made its way through the city. David had pitched 108 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 3: a tenth for the ark, according to the law of Moses. 109 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 3: He brought offerings before the Ark and blessed the people 110 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 3: in the name of the Lord. All of Israel, men, 111 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 3: women and children feasted and danced in celebration. God's presence 112 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 3: had returned. 113 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 2: It marked a new era of. 114 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 3: Peace for the people of Israel. For so long they 115 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 3: had lived under the shadow of Saul. The darkness in 116 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 3: his heart had seeped into the city, and hopelessness filled 117 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 3: the air. But now the Lord's joy was renewed in 118 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 3: their hearts. David looked upon his people as a shepherd 119 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 3: who had just fed his sheep. He was truly content 120 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 3: and blessed to be a part of what God was doing. 121 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 3: The sun began its descent, and the people made their 122 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 3: way back into their homes. David, still humming to the 123 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 3: tune of worship songs, opened the doors of his chambers 124 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 3: and began to undress for bed. David's wife, Mihaw was waiting. 125 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: Up for him. 126 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 3: She sat in the corner of the room, arms folded in, 127 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 3: eyes piercing. David looked at her, confused as to why 128 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 3: she looked so bleak on such a joyous day. 129 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 2: Ah, the mighty. 130 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 3: King of Israel, she said, with sarcasm in her voice. Oh, 131 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 3: how he honored himself today, removing his kingly robes and 132 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 3: dancing like a commoner. David looked at his wife, knowing 133 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 3: she was the daughter of Saul and expected a different 134 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 3: type of king. He gave a slight sigh and said, 135 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 3: for the Lord, I will become as undignified as necessary. 136 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 3: I will celebrate, even if it makes me despised in 137 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 3: your eyes. Mihau's words bothered David, yet he would not 138 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 3: allow them to rob him of joy. He was going 139 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 3: to be a different type of king, a king that worshiped, 140 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 3: a king that would kneel down into the muck and 141 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 3: mud to fight alongside his soldiers, a king that would 142 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 3: strip naked before God, a king that would sing loudly, 143 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:48,959 Speaker 3: raise his hands, and humble himself before the One True God. 144 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 4: We opened today's story with a defeated enemy. The Philistines 145 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 4: had been driven out soundly defeated because God gave David 146 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 4: and his army's many victories. This was no accident. David 147 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 4: consistently sought God and his favor, and God gave him 148 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 4: victory after victory. But David was well aware that the 149 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 4: symbol of God's presence with them, the Ark of the Covenant, 150 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 4: was not where it belonged. It belonged to Israel, but 151 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 4: David knew that moving it would be no simple task. 152 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 4: Mishandling the Ark was spelled death, as it had been 153 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 4: for men and women in the past who handled the 154 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 4: ark incorrectly. David knew he needed to be careful, but 155 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 4: he also was in a hurry to get the ark 156 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 4: back to Israel. So rather than call on the levies 157 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 4: to carry the ark on their shoulders using wooden pulls 158 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 4: as God commanded, David summoned two priests to carry the 159 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 4: ark on an ox pulled cart. He also gathered thirty 160 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 4: thousand warriors to form a procession to protect the Ark 161 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 4: on its journey from the house of Abenna Dab, whose 162 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 4: sons were going to guide the cart to Israel. David 163 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 4: the former musician and went with the people, playing the 164 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 4: harp and leading the people in worship. His intentions were 165 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 4: pure and his heart filled with the joy of the Lord. 166 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 4: But then along the way the oxen stumbled. Uzah, who 167 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 4: was next to the cart, pulled out his hand and 168 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 4: touched the ark, afraid it would fall over. But touching 169 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 4: God's holy presence was a clear violation of God's law, 170 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:25,359 Speaker 4: and God struck this man dead immediately. Though his intentions 171 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 4: were good, he had grown too casual around the Ark 172 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 4: and failed to show God the reverence that is required. 173 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 4: It was a reminder that God's holiness is serious. But 174 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 4: David was angry and didn't understand why God would do that, 175 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 4: So he left the Ark at the home of a Levite. 176 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 4: God blessed that home, and after some time David resolved 177 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 4: again to take the Ark to Israel. This time, the 178 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 4: Levites bore the Ark all the way to the city 179 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 4: of David. David, along with all the people, was ecstatic, 180 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 4: rejoicing before the Lord. He threw off his kingly robes 181 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 4: and danced without inhibitions. He wasn't dancing for appearances or 182 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 4: for pleasure, but for his God. His wife Michael saw him, 183 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 4: and she was embarrassed. She chastised him when he got home, 184 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 4: but David didn't care. In Second Samuel six point twenty one, 185 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 4: we hear his response, and David said to Michael, it 186 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 4: was before the Lord who chose me above your father 187 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 4: and above all his house, to appoint me as a 188 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 4: prince over Israel, the people of the Lord, and I 189 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 4: will celebrate before the Lord. God deserves our praise and 190 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 4: our worship, even when it is exuberant and enthusiastic. That's 191 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 4: what David understood as he danced without inhibition or fear 192 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 4: of embarrassment. He was dancing before and for Almighty God, 193 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 4: because the ark was finally home where it belonged. David 194 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 4: was a king who waited on God and worshiped him 195 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 4: without reservation, and who led the people to do the same. 196 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 4: This was the king that God had chosen, the man 197 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 4: after God's own heart. And next time we'll meet a 198 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 4: new prophet who will help guide this godly king in 199 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 4: God's Way. Lord, we truly do worship you with all 200 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 4: of our hearts. We are unashamed to offer you our 201 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 4: praise and adoration. Help us, like David always to give 202 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:24,439 Speaker 4: our very best to you with joy and excitement and 203 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 4: great love in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for listening 204 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 4: to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm pastor Jack 205 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 4: Graham from Dallas, Texas. Please download thepray dot com app 206 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:41,439 Speaker 4: and make Bible study and prayer a priority in your life. 207 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 4: And if you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone 208 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 4: you love. And if you want more resources as to 209 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 4: how to live abundantly in Jesus Christ, be sure to 210 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 4: visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless you