2 Samuel 6:12-23
As the pastor’s wife was checking on their
eight-year-old son who was sick in bed, he asked to
see his father, who was in his study working on an
important sermon.
“He’s busy, honey, and can’t come right now,
” his mother replied.
“But I REALLY REALLY want to see him,” the boy
persisted.
“Sorry, but he’s tied up right now and can’t be
disturbed.”
“Well then,” the boy said, “tell him I’m sick and
want my pastor to visit me!”
Last week we talked about David’s first attempt to bring
the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. It was the right thing to
do, but David didn’t do it God’s way. And we saw the
awful consequences.
Uzzah lost his life and David rhetorically asks the
question “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”
David refused to take the ark of the Lord, but took it to
the house of Obed-edom where it remained for 3 months.
That brings us to verse 12 of 2 Samuel. Let’s pray and
ask God to speak to us and help us understand what He
wants to teach us this morning.
2 Samuel 6:12-15
When David heard that God had blessed Obed-edom and
his whole household David decided that it was safe to
bring the ark to Jerusalem. This time he decides to follow
God’s prescribed method for transporting the ark.
David’s Obedience
The details are found in
1 Chronicles 15:12-15 “and said to them, “You are
the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites.
Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so
that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God
of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.
Because you did not carry it the first time, the
LORD our God broke out against us, because we did
not seek him according to the rule.” So the priests
and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up
the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. And the
Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders
with the poles, as Moses had commanded according
to the word of the LORD.”
David’s Joy
We read of David and his men celebrating before the Lord
with singing and instruments the first time he attempted
to bring the ark to Jerusalem. But that rejoicing soon
turned to sorrow and fear of the Lord.
This time there was still rejoicing and celebration, verse
14 tells us that David danced before the Lord with all his
might.
Verse 15 says they were shouting and blowing the horn.
David is joyful because the presence of the Lord is
coming to the capital city of Jerusalem.
He is genuinely excited because he knows how much he
needs the Lord to help him be the king he needs to be.
The Bible tells us that David was wearing a linen ephod.
He has humbled himself. He is not wearing his kingly
clothing because he is aware that he is God’s servant,
serving at His pleasure. God chose David.
David’s celebration was surrounded with caution.
David’s Caution
As we read in 1 Chronicles David had the priests carry
the ark on their shoulders, not push it on a cart.
And after only 6 steps David stopped and sacrificed an ox
and a fattened animal.
David wanted to avoid the fiasco that happened last time,
so this time before taking the 7th step he stopped and
offered a sacrifice to the Lord. When the Lord didn’t
break out against them like last time David and the men
continued on to bring the ark to Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 6:16
Michal Despises David
There are a few things that stand out about Michal here
in verse 16.
She didn’t go with David – she could have but didn’t
want to.
She despised David in her heart – the Hebrew word
for despise means to accord little worth to something. He
was looking out the window at her husband, but looking
down her nose at him. She viewed him as insignificant or
worthless. It’s the same way that Goliath viewed David
before he sunk a smooth stone into his forehead and
then chopped off his head.
She saw David dancing and leaping before the Lord.
The Hebrew word for dancing literally means to whirl
around.
Michal didn’t see this behavior as fitting for a king. But
she didn’t know his heart. She didn’t understand how
sincere David’s praise was to the one true God.
She is called the daughter of Saul – she is certainly
acting like her dad isn’t she?
She sees King David – why doesn’t the bible say she
saw her husband? Because she isn’t concerned about
that relationship. She is concerned with her husband
having decorum as the king of Israel.
2 Samuel 6:17-19
David’s servant leadership.
David had previously prepared a tent for the ark to dwell
in.
David prepared another sacrifice before the Lord.
This time we read of two types of offerings.
Burnt offering – this was for atonement and required the
animal to be completely consumed by the fire. Nothing
was shared or left. It was completely consumed.
Peace offering – this was a voluntary offering given to
God with thanks and praise. It was focused on fellowship.
Isn’t it interesting that David bookended his trip with
sacrifices.
He was serious about doing things God’s way this time.
He realized the ark was not just about God’s presence,
but signified His holiness.
Next David blessed the people in the name of the Lord
and prepared a small snack of bread and raisins and
dates for the people who helped bring the ark to
Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 6:20-23
Michal’s Derision
David clearly didn’t see his wife looking out the window
while he was dancing before the Lord. His plan was to go
home and share the good news with her.
Before he got inside Michal came out to meet him.
Rather than “Hi honey, I’m glad you’re home!”
She derided David with a speech dripping with sarcasm.
Some translations make it sound like David was dancing
naked in the street. But that is not what the Scripture
says.
David was wearing a linen ephod which is sort of like an
apron.
David was not behaving scandalously as Michal accused
him.
He was acting in humility towards the Lord.
He took off his kingly garments so he could serve the
people he was leading.
David defended himself to his wife.
He said what he did was before the Lord and he will be
even more contemptible than this.
What he was doing was not for his glory but for the
Lord’s.
David was comfortable with his relationship with the Lord
even if it caused a rift between him and Michal.
After all God had chosen David because Saul failed to be
obedient to the Lord.
The last verse of the chapter is a sad one.
Michal was never able to bear children.
Children are a blessing from the Lord.
That was one blessing she would never receive.
APPLICATION
What can we learn from the text this morning?
We find God’s Blessings when we Obey
God’s Favor is Greater than Man’s