Establishing an Empire Lesson 15
By Embracing God’s Edicts
It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time
that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us.
We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way."
So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.
And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders,
as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.
1 Chron 15:13-15
“Let us be patient; God has taken from us
The earthly treasures upon which we leaned,
That from the fleeting things that lie around us
Our clinging hearts should be forever weaned.”
Anna L. Waring
Introduction: When the end is noble, are the means always justified?
I. Establishing a Headquarters 2 Samuel 5:6-16; 1 Chronicles 11:4-9
A. Jerusalem - a history reviewed
Gen 14:18-19
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram,
Josh 10:22-23
22 Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me."
23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave — the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.
26 Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees, and they were left hanging on the trees until evening.
Josh 15:63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
Josh 18:20-28
20 These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.
21 The tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, had the following cities: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, ……….
28 …….Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath — fourteen towns and their villages.
This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.
Judg 1:19-21
19 The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots.
20 As Moses had promised, Hebron was given to Caleb, who drove from it the three sons of Anak.
21 The Benjamites, however, failed to dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.
B. Jerusalem - a fortress invaded 2 Samuel 5:6-8
1. a difficult prospect
2 Sam 5:6 The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off."
2. but not impossible
2 Sam 5:7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.
3. and not without reward
2 Sam 5:8 On that day, David said, "Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those 'lame and blind' who are David's enemies."
1 Chron 11:6 David had said, "Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.
C. Jerusalem - a capital established 2 Samuel 5:9-16
1. building a city 9-10
2. building a palace 11-12
3. building a family 13-16
2 Sam 5:12 And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
II. Fighting for the blessing 2 Samuel 5:17-25
A. Battle of Rephaim – Part 1 2 Samuel 5:17-21
2 Sam 5:19 so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go …….. The LORD answered him, "Go
B. Battle of Rephaim – Part 2 2 Samuel5:22-25
2 Sam 5:23 David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up,
but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
2 Sam 5:25 David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
III. A Major Piece in the Process 2 Samuel 6:1-19
A. The Ark – its chronology
Exodus 25:10-22 Have them make a chest of acacia wood …. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, ……..
Num 7:89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony. And he spoke with him.
1 Sam 1:3 …Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD.
1 Sam 3:3 Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
1 Sam 4:11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
1 Sam 4:17 The man who brought the news replied, "Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured."
1 Sam 6:8 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,
1 Sam 6:13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark , they rejoiced at the sight.
1 Sam 6:21 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 place."
1 Sam 7:1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They took it to Abinadab's house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD.
2 Sam 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 cart
B. The Ark – its contents
Heb 9:3-4
3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,
4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.
This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
C. The Ark – its conditions
1. its construction
Ex 25:12-15
12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
14 Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it.
15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark ; they are not to be removed.
2. its conveyance
Num 1:48-51
48 The LORD had said to Moses: 49 "You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites.
50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony — over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it.
51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up,
the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who goes near it shall be put to death.
Num 4:15 After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles,
and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying.
Deut 10:8 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD,
to stand before the LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today.
D. The Ark – its crisis
1. Doing God’s will man’s way
a. the course of action
2 Sam 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 cart
If the results are good and well intentioned, does it really matter how we get there?
b. the consequence of arrogance
2 Sam 6:6-7
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, 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.
Why the death of Uzzah was right:
Ø The precept – “the Kohathites (a clan of the Levites) are to come to do the carrying.” Nu 4:15
Ø The privilege – The ark had been in the house of Abinadab for the past 50 years
Ø The precedent - But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them, 1 Sam 6:19
Ø The perspective – * Uzzah believed that contact with the soil which God created would be more defiling
than contact with a sinner corrupted by evil
* the death of Uzzah is not nearly as amazing as the fact that the rest of them survived
Why the anger of David was misdirected
2. Doing God’s will God’s way
2 Sam 6:12-13
12 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 down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.
13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
a. the difference knowledge makes
1 Chron 15:11-13
11 Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites.
12 He said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
13 It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way."
b. when knowledge informs obedience
1 Chron 15:14-15
14 So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel.
15 And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.
IV. Criticism of the world 2 Samuel 6:20-23
A. Michal’s criticism was untrue
2 Sam 6:20 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, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!"
1 Chron 15:27 Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the singers, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.
B. Michal’s criticism was ungrateful
C. Michal’s criticism was unspiritual
Doing God’s will God’s way and getting excited about it almost always evokes the criticism of the ungodly
Acts 2:4, 13
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine.
Acts 26:24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."
John 10:20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"
TNBS Questions
Preparation for lesson 16
Read 2 Samuel 7
1. There were three types of covenants (contracts of promise) in the ancient near east (we’ll discuss them in detail later).
This particular covenant falls under the category of Royal Grant which, by definition, is unconditional. Why would the Davidic Covenant outlined in chapter 7 be designated this way?
______
2. From Ephesians 1:4-6, why would you think God’s covenant with us could also be categorized this way?
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3. From God’s word to David through Nathan :
What had God done for David (their past relationship) ?
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What does God plan to do for Israel?
______
What does God plan to do for David?
______
What does God plan to do for David’s son?
______
4. What was David’s motive in wanting to build a temple? How does it compare to Daniel 4:30”
______
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5. How does Nathan’s initial response remind you of the first attempt to move the ark?
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6. David wants God’s name to be honored. How, in 7:11, does God say that will be done?
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7. Psalm 2; 2 Samuel 7:14; Hebrews 1:5 How do these verses apply to :
David ______
Jesus ______
8. Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 3:21
How do these verses make us beneficiaries of the Davidic covenant?
______
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