II Samuel Chapter
6 "Removal of the Ark of the Covenant, (Yehovah)." This Bible
Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription is provided with written permission by http://www.theseason.org II Samuel 6:1 "Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand." The battle with the Philistines is over, and David's mind was now turning to bringing the ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. He went to all the tribes and gathered the chosen men of Israel, some thirty thousand of them to Jerusalem. David is about to mess up with an object that is very close to God's heart. David wants to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, and give honor to the ark of God. II Samuel 6:2 "And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of the Lord of hosts That dwelleth between the cherubims." It is important that we understand what this "ark of the Lord of hosts That dwelleth between the cherubims" is. The "Ark of the Lord" is what is also called the "Ark of the Covenant", and it was made at the command and the instructions of the Lord God of the hosts, as given to Moses. Exodus 25:10 "And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof." Moses and Aaron were putting up the tabernacle, and Exodus 25 gives them the instruction as to how the tabernacle shall be built and exactly what furniture shall be within God's house. This ark is part of the furniture that shall go into the house of God called the tabernacle. Man always starts with the outside and works inward, however God starts inward and works outward in our lives as well as His house. Here God is starting with the most inner part of his tabernacle, the holy of holies, and working outward to the gate of the tabernacle. God began with the ark and the sin offering, with the inner of man and his heart. A cubit in the Hebrew is "ammah" and the Ark was to be about 21 to 24 inches in length; so in our dimensions it would be approximately four and a half feet long by one foot high and wide [4' x 1' x 1']. Exodus 25:11 "And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about." After this box or ark made of shittim wood was formed, the entire box was to be completely covered with gold, inside and out. Exodus 25:12 "And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners therof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it." These rings on the four corners of the ark are for the moving of the ark, for remember that the Israelites would be in the wilderness and on the move for the next forty years. This tabernacle was a place of worship in a tent that will move as the people move. It was the time of the wandering in the wilderness. Exodus 25:13 "And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold." Exodus 25:14 "And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them." It is important that we understand first of all that this ark was built to last, and God knew that it would be carried all over the place for many centuries. It was not intended that this valuable part of God's worship be hauled around in a horse cart, but that certain men that are were to be appointed by God to carry the ark where ever it would go. There are four rings at the ends of the staves and that was how it would be moved; by four Levitical priests, men of God. Exodus 25:15 "The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it." Exodus 25:16 "And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee." When you have this ark made, God is telling Moses and Aaron, I will tell you what you shall put into the ark. The word "testimony" in the Hebrew is " `eduth" and it means to bear witness. This is God bearing a witness of all his promises that he made to the children of Israel through Moses. Exodus 25:17 to 20 tells us of the mercy seat that was made and placed over the ark, which is the propitiatory cover, made for the commitment that denotes the blood sprinkled thereon. Before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God required the sprinkling of the blood of certain animals, but at Christ's death, His shed blood became the perfect sacrifice for all times for those that would by faith and through repentance in Jesus name, seek forgiveness for their sins. Paul address this in Hebrews 9:3; "And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;" The "Holiest of all" was that inner sacred room where only the high priest could enter once a year for making the offerings for the sins of the people and himself. A veil covered the entrance of the room, so only the priest could enter, and if the sin offering was not satisfactory, the priest would be killed by God, and the people would have to drag him out by a rope tied around his foot. Hebrews 9:4 "Which had the golden senser, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant [Ten commandments from Mount Sinai]." Are you starting to get the picture of the importance of the ark of the covenant, with respect to our Lord? The ark of the covenant was not to be fooled around with, nor transported at the behind of a horse and carried on a cart, even though it was a new cart. Within the ark was the a pot of manna, reminding the people of how our heavenly Father took care of them and fed them for those forty years. Also included in the ark was the budded rod of Aaron, and the tablets that the ten commandments were written on. Those tablets were the instructions from God to His people as to how we should govern and live our lives to have peace with Him. Hebrews 9:5 "And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly." The reason that Paul could not speak of them now, was that Christ had come and the blood of Christ fulfilled the purpose that the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat once had. We now speak of the love and sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ made for us at the cross. Hebrews 9:6 "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God." Under the first tabernacle, made for all those years from the coming out of Egypt to the time of David, this was a requirement annually, a must continue for every year through all the centuries of time in which the sacrifice must be made. The priest were the ones that stood between God and man, and offered the sacrifices for man's sins. They fulfilled those duties and things that were necessary for any man or woman to find forgiveness from God for their sins. Hebrews 9:7 "But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, but for the errors of the people:" All of the priests could enter through the first veil into the tabernacle, but only the high priest could enter into the Holy of holies; that inner room that housed the ark of the covenant. The high priest must first make the sacrifice offering for his own sins, before he became fit to offer the sacrifice offering for the sins of the people. This event was the most sacred of all event for the entire year. This was the Holy of Holies that was rent when Christ hung on the cross and shed his blood for our sins. This veil wasn't a veil like a woman wears on her hat, but the material was thick and very heavy. The reason that the veil was rent in two, was so that you and I and all that would believe on Jesus Christ would not have to have a man go into this small room, and petition to our Heavenly Father for the forgiveness of our sins. You and I now can go directly to the Father and ask forgiveness, for the reason we we seek forgiveness in Jesus name is that His sacrifice was sufficient for all our sins, and when we say, "In Jesus name", we are telling God that we accept Jesus' sacrifice for ourselves. Hebrews 9:8 "The Holy Ghost [Spirit] this signifying, that the way into the Holist of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:" lt was not time for the Holy Spirit prior to Christ's sacrificial death on the cross, or the elimination of the Holy of Holies; but at God's time the Father sent His Holy Spirit. We read of this time in Acts 2, when the hundred and twenty men and women were gathered, and the Holy Spirit came upon them to give them the power to bring the gospel to the world, even to our generation. This sacrifice needed to be offered by Christ only once, as Peter tells us in I Peter 3:18-20. So we know that the ark was very important to God, to the point that He took care of it Himself, even when men would treat it like any other piece of furniture. Go back and review I Samuel 5, and see what God did to the Philistines and their gods when these heathen placed the ark of the covenant in the house of their gods. Dagon the fish god lost its head and hands, and the people came down with hemorrhoids. The Philistines got a lesson that they never forgot as to the proper treatment of God's Holy ark. However now years later, David and the Israelites think that they can change God's ways, and they are about to make things easier for God, and the ark. What David did here was complete on his own, for he did not consult God as to whether it should be moved to Jerusalem. David was about to handle the very most sacred thing that was dear to God's heart. Those things were set in that ark for the sole purpose of reminding the people of God's love and protection for them back in the wilderness, that would continue to be a reminder to them as long as they put their trust in Him. God laid out in Leviticus in detail what the people could and should not do in the handling of the Ark of the Testimony, or Covenant. When the Philistines made a new cart for the ark, God forgave them because they were ignorant of those instruction dealing with the ark. However, David and the priests knew exactly what God expected of them in their handling of this ark. When the Philistines placed the ark on the cart, the heifers brought the ark back home. The ark was suppose to be carried by the Levitical priesthood; yet follow closely to what was done with the ark, and how careless it was placed and handled by David and the people. Sure, they had all the fanfare, with many religious man-made forms that made it seem so good, only in God's sight this was idolatry, for it was not as He instructed. II Samuel 6:3 "And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart." David remembered what the Philistines did, and he thought he could get away with such mishandling of the ark. David and these sons of Abinadab countered and went against God's way of doing things. This was a direct disobedience to the Father's way and to his instruction. Sure they had these priests make the cart, and the priests lead the way. The priests even placed the ark on the car at Abinadab's house, where it was stored. These people, lead by David and the priests, were taking the ark of the Covenant to market, and they were going to sell their man made ideas and ways to the people in Jerusalem. Things are not much different than to what we see on TV today, or the way that salvation is being peddled in many church houses, just before the beggars call for the money. An insult to God? You bet. All this was symbolism to the things that are very sacred to God, for you do not handle God's Word and His instructions in ways that God had not intended it to be handled. God does not wish the traditions of men to creep in and change what He has told us that He expects of us. God doesn't like side trips and shortcuts in the handling of His Word. When it is done, He will not bless those that do those things. When things are not going right in your church, stop and check out what you are doing in that house of God. Is it being turned into a house of emptiness [Beth-aven]. There is nothing more sacred to God than the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, and for a church to claim that they have a house of God, yet they leave out the teaching with understanding of God's Word. This is what is going on in many churches today. The people today are starting to think just like they did here with David, for they saw this new cart, and told themselves, its new, its fresh, there is no dung in it. We made it and it is good enough. Sure the cart may have been all the things that the people said it was, but the point here is that the Ark of the Covenant was not suppose to be placed upon a cart, but carried by the Levitical priests by the staves to the place where it would rest. It was the mishandling of God's holy things. That is where the difference comes in. II Samuel 6:4 "And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark." As this precession marched down the street with all the music, the best in the kingdom marching before it, the people thought that it was the religious thing to do. There was the king, marching with the leaders of the church [priests], and even the top priest of the day marching right along aside of the ark. You can almost get a tear seeing the same things happening on TV today, with all the pomp and ceremony, and there was the so called holy things on the new cart with all the people weeping in joy. This ark of the covenant was going back home, and to the people it didn't matter how it got there. Man made this event seem so righteous and holy, yet in all its glory of man, it was not as God gave in His instructions. II Samuel 6:5 "And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals." This was one great religious event that was going on here, and it seemed so right for even old Uzzah the high priest was walking right along beside this ass driven cart, doing what ever holy things he thought he should do. This not only look religious, but it even sounds religious, but the entire thing is nothing but an abomination to God our heavenly Father. Why? The king, the priests and the people should know better. They are handling the most precious symbols of God in a manner that God warned against. The Ark of the Covenant represents the mercy seat of God here on earth with man. This would be the same as mishandling the sacred sacrifice of Christ's communion today, and mocking the blood of Christ. These Israelites are doing just that and having a party doing their heathen, man made religious ritual. II Samuel 6:6 "And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it." This little cart had two wheels, and as the cart was drawn by these two animals, the cart was shaken real good. In fact it was about to fall off the cart. This could very well have been the reason that God did not want it on the cart in the first place. They did not have the roads in that time that we have, and when men are carrying the ark, it is treated with respect. It was important who carried the ark, and the time that it was to be carried. The ark itself was not to be touched, but only the shafts that were used for the carrying. II Samuel 6:7 "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God." When Uzzah reached out and touched the ark, God killed him instantly. There is no messing around with the things close to God's heart. This is all tied to the discipline that God expects of us, in our worship, our lives and especially in the study of His Word. Remember that the Ark of the Covenant was the symbolic mercy seat before our Heavenly Father, and God expects us to use that same discipline that he laid out in His Word. Uzziah thought that it didn't matter to reach out and touch the ark, after all it was for the protection of the ark. Uzziah sought only to change the position of this ark just a little bit. This is just like what is happening in many churches today, they reach out and change a word here, and add a little tradition there, and spruce up the service by adding and changing the things that God expects. Then when the problems come, the people leave because they just did not understand what happened. These people in David's day knew the way, they knew what God expected, but they just were not disciplined in staying the course and doing the things God's way. God told you exactly how we are to worship, for it is written in His Word. Remember that those things of the Old Testament are given as examples ["ensamples"] for us living in the times of the New Testament. This is why we should be aware of those preachers and teachers that speak of the things and ways that are not in the Word of God. Side trips and additions to God's Word is not acceptable. Sure man thinks he can make the Word more exciting by changing a few things here, and adding to the Word there, but that is an abomination to our Lord. It is all done to make us feel a little better, and cater to the flesh part of man. When God orders; "put the staves through the rings and carry it by the rings", then that is exactly how the Ark is to be carried. Let the high priest ride on the cart, or the kids or what ever, but not the Ark of the Covenant. You had better be a Levitical priest if you touch those rings or you will die for your act of abomination against God. Think of the stupidity of these peoples act that has been done here. This trip back to Jerusalem was on this two wheel cart going down those bumpy roads. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what would happen to the Ark. It is about the same sense that many of the so-called ministers of God's Word are using in their sermons today. Within the Ark was the "manna", the sacred bread given by God to His people, and those sacred tablets giving us our laws to live by [the ten commandments]. This was the very mercy seat of God here on earth before man; Now stop and look at how these people are treating these sacred things of God. It isn't the matter of the material things, but the symbols that stand behind those thing that should form the discipline in our heart and mind. God set aside a special family of priest in Aaron and his sons, and their families, and the sole purpose in their entire lives was to build discipline and respect for the things and ways that God instructed His people to do. Then here those sacred things are completely discarded. God told them, this is your duty, and you will carry out your duties in this manner; and then he gave them in detail what he expected of them. Friend, if you are handling those sacred things of God, even in our generation, you had better not change those thing, or God will hold you personally responsible for what you do. If you are ignorant of those thing, then you are in a place where you just don't belong. If somebody decides that they just don't want to be in your house of worship, than let them move on. God has a way of moving His people, and bringing them to where they ought to be. Let God be the one in control, for he is able to do what must be done. In the Old Testament time there were many things that the priest were suppose to know about in the treating of the sacred things of God. While in the New Testament time, there are many things of the Gospels, and letters to the churches that we are to know and teach also. There are words we are to say, seeds we are to plant, and truths that we are to understand, for in that knowledge we develop the discipline that God expects of each of us that claim the name of Jesus Christ. II Samuel 6:8 "And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day." When the oxen stumbled and the cart jumped, and the high priest Uzzah reached out to keep the Ark from falling to the ground, God became so angry that he smote Uzzah dead on the spot. You can see how this dead man on the ground would mess up such a beautiful ceremony that David had planned. Remember that David and the priest had prepared this entire thing for God, so they thought. The protection of the cart turning over at the time, and good deed of Uzzah reaching for it may have been considered a good thing at the time, but it was breaking a strict order by God. A lot of people would have trouble with this, for why would God kill a man for trying to do a good thing for God? Because the the priest should have been carrying it, and both David and Uzziah knew it in the first place. It was a matter between God and Uzzah, for Uzzah was changing God's orders that were written in God's law. When you break the law, you can expect to pay the price for your actions. The error was not for trying to save the ark, but in placing the ark in that situation in the first place. David was not displeased with God, but in the priests for placing the ark in trouble in the first place. David wanted the Ark brought to the tabernacle that was to be moved from Hebron to Jerusalem, and he relied on the Levitical priests to fulfill that part of their position to see it arrived there safely. Here a good man had just died, and all because the proper discipline and instructions of God had not been met. David is trying to understand how this all could have happened. David was putting it all together, for even though David was not of the Levitical priesthood, but of Judah. David then remembered how the ark was moved from the Philistines to where it then was. Sure God didn't strike those Philistines because they were heathen and didn't know better, but here these priests were suppose to know better. II Samuel 6:9 "And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, "How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?" It finally sunk in that things were not right with the priests and the practices that were going on within the priesthood. David knew that if God would kill one, he surely would kill the whole bunch if they continued in this manner of disrespect. David now knows that it has to be done right, or it just should not have been moved. II Samuel 6:10 "So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gettite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-edon, and all his household." The ark of the Covenant was going to be stored in the house of this man residing in Edom. Edom were the people of Esau, and it mean "red" in the Hebrew tongue. Obed was a Levitical priest trained in the handling of the Ark. There was no guess work this time, but the Ark was in the hands of one who knew how to respect, and give the discipline God expected toward His Holy things. Obed was not an Edomite in the first place, but a Levitical priest that lived in the land of the Edomites. This is a geographical title, named after the area that was taken from the Edomites. II Samuel 6:11 "And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all his household." God was pleased with the way that His Ark was respected. Obed and his household knew what they were doing and the ways that God expected His ark to be treated. They obeyed God and worshipped God the way that He expected them to. Obed trained the people within his household to give the proper respect to God. II Samuel 6:12 "And it was told king David, saying, "The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness." David now knew the meaning of the Ark of the Covenant and all that was required of those that handled it. David knew that this was not just a box with gold covering it completely, but there was a meaning to every part of that Ark, and it symbolized the many promises that God had made to him and the people. It was a reminder to the people that God loves and takes care of His own people. God is a God of mercy and salvation, and the cherubim's that protect the mercy seat are a reminder of His mercy. Within the Ark of God there is the entire plan of God given to the people for their continual remembrance. Remember from Ezekiel 28, Satan was the angel that tried to steal that mercy seat, and it was through his pride which caused the fall. God allowed that first earth age to be destroyed, and this present age to follow. It is all well recorded in God's Holy Word. So David was glad to have this Ark brought to His city, and the city will be established as the Jerusalem, the city of peace. II Samuel 6:13 "And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings." The priest and David learned their lesson and the ark was transported as it ought to be carried. By the Staves that passed under the ark and the rings that went through the staves, and it was carried by the Levitical priests trained in handling it. There was no donkey, nor cart to move it, but only the men that had respect for what it stood for. There is some confusion with the scholars as to the full meaning of this six paces, however the part that is important to you and I is that there was discipline in the order when the movement took place. In that it was done exactly as God required that it would be handled. Some say that every six paces a oxen or fatling would be offered, however, as the distance was about ten miles, we see how stupid that whole idea would be. But order was established around the Ark of the Covenant. God expects us to use common sense in all matters, including this. II Samuel 6:14 "And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod." "David danced before the Lord", and it is important to know that what David was dancing in was this leasure linen type garment. It was the garment that the priests wore, and not that of a king. The king wears purple garments, and not the white of purity. The purple was the color of authority, and here David has let all that go by the way side, as he was dancing before the ark. David was dancing for the Lord God. There is another thing to bring out here for David was a type of Christ, and in his position as king, being of Judah, here he was in the garments of the Levitical priest, giving praise to Almighty God. Christ was born after the order of Melchisedec, the king of Salem, the Priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him. Mary the mother of Jesus, was the daughter of parents with one side of the tribe of Levi and the other of the tribe of Judah. Levi was given the duties of the priesthood, while the blessings of God for the right to rule was given to Judah. Genesis 49:9 "Judah is a lion's whelp: form the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, be couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?" Genesis 49:10 "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be." This prophecy and authority can be traced directly from Judah to Christ as we read the lineage of the Virgin Mary's parent, from Christ through David all the way to Judah, and on to Adam through Seth. Though Christ also has the Levitical lineage, he has the right to rule through Judah. God the Father gave that right, and that was why Paul states that; "Christ is the King, and also the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec." II Samuel 6:15 "So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet." II Samuel 6:16 "And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart." Remember that Michal Saul's daughter had been forced away from her husband of many years, and this just added to the hatred that she has in her heart for David. That youthful love that she once had for David was long gone, after she became the wife of Phaltiel the son of Laish. David earned the right to marry Michal, only after David was on the run, Saul sold here to another man. David may have gotten the body of Michal back, but he did not get the devotion of a wife for her husband back when she came to him. She was the daughter of royalty, the daughter of Saul, and David her husband was suppose to be the king of all Israel. When she saw David out there in those Priest's robes, dancing and praising God like the priests are suppose to do, she felt it was a disgrace to her, David and her high position. David had stripped himself of all his apparel of rank, and put on the humble cloths of the humble priest. II Samuel 6:17 "And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord." This was not the tabernacle of Moses, but a tabernacle or tent that David himself had built to be the home for the ark. The Temple of the Lord had not been build yet and it would not be built until years later, under Solomon's rule. David was getting kind of concerned over the matter, for the king of Tyre was building him a cedar house to live in, while the most precious thing to our Lord, the Ark of the Covenant was housed in this old tent. Think of it, it is putting your house before the house of God. This will be discussed later. II Samuel 6:18 "And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the People in the name of the Lord of hosts." As king of all the people had the right to bless each of them as he pleased. II Samuel 6:19 "And he dealt among all the People, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh [not in the manuscripts], and a flagon of wine." Remember that this was a type of things to come, an "ensample" of what would come later. David as the type of Christ, would give to all the people, men and women, boys and girls, all the people in the land that came before the Ark, the cake of bread, the flesh and the flagon of wine. We are speaking of types here. What does the bread stand for, as well as the wine to a Christian today? When we take communion, we take it in remembrance of Christ shed blood on the cross. There is no gender for those that take part in the communion, nor in the actions of David before the people here. All that took part before the mercy seat before the Almighty God, came to glorify the Lord in the bread and wine they received. "Bread" symbolizes the "body of Christ". The "of flesh" written in this translation is in italics here for it just did not exist in the manuscripts. It was added later, and "the flesh" also was not given out by David, nor is it given at the communion service. It reads "a good portion of wine". However, even the "of wine" is added, however, the Hebrew is very specific that it was wine that was given. The "bread" were cakes of raisins, and the wine is symbolic of Christ's blood, while the wine comes from the grapes of the raisins family. We are talking of types here, of things that shall come about a thousand years after this event of the moving of the ark took place. The raisins and grapes come from the vine, and Christ is the vine and we are the branches off that vine. There are many symbols and types that Christ used that are in this chapter. This raisin cakes and wine was made available to everyone the same as salvation is offered to all people today. They had servants, Kenites, and people of many races that were living there in the land, serving as servants, workmen and so on, and all that were there, presenting themselves before the ark, and coming before the mercy seat of God took part in receiving their cake and wine equally. II Samuel 6:20 "Then David returned to bless his household. And Mical the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain follows shamelessly uncovereth himself!" After David had served all the people, and taken care of their needs, he went into his own house, and by this time he was feeling very good. As David came into his house, here came his wife Michal, Saul's daughter, and she was mad to say the least. Many preachers say that David danced out there naked, however that is not what it is saying, and they missed the point. She is not talking about forms of indecency, for David was not naked, but David had taken off all clothes and items that would mark him as the king, and put on the robes of the humble priest. To Michal, she was the King's daughter and of royalty, how could she be associated with with the common folk of humility anyway? It was a disgrace to her status. The other thing that she was bothered with was the fact that David was not of the tribe of Benjamin, and Benjamin was the tribe that Saul came. Michal's mind is still fixed that the royal line must be from Benjamin. David was from the tribe of Judah. II Samuel 6:21 "And David said unto Mical, "It was before the Lord, Which chose me before thy father, and before all the house, to appoint me ruler over the People of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord." David was trying to get through Michal's head that his dancing and praise was completely for the Lord. It was not for the maids, or the people, but for the Lord God. Then David added the fact that he was also chose king, just as her father Saul was chosen, and anointed by the same prophet, Samuel. David was stressing that it was the Lord that I was dancing for, and the Lord made me king so I can dance to him as I please. Friend, there are no kings robes, kings gold or kings authority that can buy anything before the Lord God Almighty, but only a humble heart. Are you starting to get the picture and the symbolism? This is a type of what was to come many years after David. II Samuel 6:22 "And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour." The subject spoken of here is "humility", and David was telling Michal that it is none of her business how I come before the Lord, nor how in humility I come before the people. David was telling her that the people, even the maid servants will honor me for what I do. Humility in a king is noble, for the highest becomes the lowest. To be at the top, you must be willing to serve the lowest under you, and that is just what our Lord Jesus Christ did while here on earth, living a life in the flesh body. Do you see how this chapter is a type of things to come? Sure it is a good story of an even as it happened on the first level, but to get into the depths of the spiritual understanding on the deeper levels, it is important to see that types that relate to you and I living in our generation. Even when David was the king, he knew his authority and his position, but he still was the shepherd of his people, and the duties he felt as the shepherd were just as true for his people as for his sheep. His dancing and praises to God were just as real as he attended sheep in the field or while living in the palace ruling over all the people, for the only thing that mattered to David was God. The Ephod or priest's garment that he wore when praising God didn't matter, for God doesn't look at the outside of man, but to the heart and mind of man or woman. II Samuel 6:23 "Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death." This is also important, for you must understand how God protects the seed line of Christ. If Michal was to have children, than her child would have the right to claim the throne at David's death. She was Jonathan's sister, for she was of the seed royal that God had first anointed to be king of Israel. Now with Saul and all his sons dead, even Ish-Bosheth murdered; with Michal's stubbornness to not have children assures that there will be no lineage to Saul after Michal's death. That anointed line is dead and gone forever. It was written that the Messiah would come from Judah, not Benjamin, as we read above from Genesis 49:9; for Judah became the royal seed line through which Jesus Christ would be born. Luke 3:31-33 was the extension of the linage of Christ, through David all the way back to Judah, the son of Jacob. No, this was no accident that Michal would not have a child, nor that her heart would be harden against David. Had Michal had this child, it would have broken the "key to David".
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