Embracing God's Presence: Joy, Judgment, and Blessing

 

Summary

In today's exploration of 2 Samuel 6, we delve into the profound story of the Ark of the Covenant, a symbol of God's presence among His people. This narrative speaks to those who have been offended by God's actions, those missing out on His blessings, those who have lost their joy in Christ, and those grieving for loved ones who do not share their faith. The Ark, a wooden chest overlaid with gold, was where God promised to meet His people, yet it was never to be touched or seen directly, symbolizing the holiness and untouchable nature of God.

David, recognizing the need for God at the center of his kingdom, sought to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. However, the journey was marred by tragedy when Uzzah touched the Ark to steady it and was struck dead. This incident highlights the seriousness of God's holiness and the consequences of disobedience. David's initial anger and fear of God led him to distance himself from the Ark, missing out on God's blessings, which were instead bestowed upon Obed-Edom, a Gentile who embraced the God of Israel.

This story challenges us to confront our own offenses with God. Are we angry with Him for events in our lives? Have we distanced ourselves from His blessings due to our grievances? David's eventual realization that God's power to judge is inseparable from His power to bless led him to bring the Ark to Jerusalem with great rejoicing. This joy in God's presence is available to us when we approach Him on His terms, through Jesus Christ, who embodies both God's judgment and blessing.

The narrative also addresses the challenge of staying faithful in service to God, even when those we love do not share our joy in Him. David's wife, Michal, despised his exuberant worship, yet David remained steadfast in his devotion. This story encourages us to remain faithful, knowing that nothing good comes from loving Christ less.

Key Takeaways:

- Offense at God's Judgment: The story of Uzzah's death reminds us of the seriousness of God's holiness and the reality of His judgment. It challenges us to consider our own offenses with God and whether we have distanced ourselves from Him due to anger or misunderstanding. [13:37]

- Missing God's Blessing: David's initial decision to distance himself from the Ark led to a loss of blessing, which was instead given to Obed-Edom. This teaches us that distancing ourselves from God due to offense can result in missing out on His blessings. [21:02]

- Finding Joy in God's Presence: David's eventual realization that God's judgment and blessing are inseparable led to great joy as he brought the Ark to Jerusalem. This joy is available to us when we approach God through Jesus Christ, who embodies both judgment and blessing. [25:55]

- Staying Faithful Amidst Opposition: David's wife, Michal, despised his worship, yet he remained faithful to God. This challenges us to stay committed to our faith, even when those we love do not share our joy in Christ. [36:10]

- God's Desire to Bless: The story ultimately points to God's desire to bless us through Jesus Christ. Despite His capacity for judgment, God's heart is for our blessing, and He invites us to receive His grace and joy. [37:38]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:15] - Introduction to the Ark of the Covenant
- [00:31] - Addressing Offense with God
- [01:12] - Missing Out on God's Blessing
- [02:06] - Description of the Ark
- [03:32] - The Ark's Sacredness
- [05:55] - David's Desire for God's Presence
- [07:34] - The Ark's Journey to Abinadab's House
- [09:21] - David's Procession to Jerusalem
- [11:44] - Uzzah's Tragic Death
- [13:37] - Offense at God's Judgment
- [17:40] - Missing God's Blessing
- [23:27] - Finding Joy in God's Presence
- [31:53] - Staying Faithful in Service
- [37:38] - God's Desire to Bless

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: 2 Samuel 6

Bible Reading:
- 2 Samuel 6:1-23
- Exodus 25:22
- Numbers 4:15

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Observation Questions:

1. What specific instructions did God give regarding the handling of the Ark of the Covenant, and how were these instructions violated during its transport to Jerusalem? [05:55]

2. How did David initially react to Uzzah's death, and what does this reveal about his understanding of God's holiness? [13:37]

3. What was the outcome for Obed-Edom when the Ark was placed in his house, and how did this affect David's actions later? [20:16]

4. How did Michal, David's wife, respond to his worship, and what does this indicate about her perspective on David's relationship with God? [32:58]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does the story of Uzzah's death teach about the seriousness of God's holiness and the consequences of disobedience? How might this challenge contemporary views of God's character? [13:37]

2. In what ways does David's initial decision to distance himself from the Ark reflect a common human response to fear and misunderstanding of God's actions? [17:55]

3. How does the blessing of Obed-Edom illustrate the inseparable nature of God's judgment and blessing? What implications does this have for understanding God's character? [21:02]

4. How does David's response to Michal's disdain for his worship demonstrate the importance of staying faithful to God despite opposition? [36:10]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt offended by something God allowed in your life. How did this affect your relationship with Him, and what steps can you take to reconcile those feelings? [17:02]

2. Have you ever distanced yourself from God due to anger or misunderstanding? What practical steps can you take to draw near to Him again and seek His blessings? [18:45]

3. Consider the joy David found in God's presence. What are some ways you can cultivate a deeper sense of joy in your relationship with God, even amidst life's challenges? [25:55]

4. How do you handle situations where your faith is met with opposition or disdain from loved ones? What strategies can you employ to remain steadfast in your devotion to God? [36:10]

5. Identify an area in your life where you might be missing out on God's blessings due to unresolved grievances. What actions can you take to address these grievances and open yourself to His blessings? [21:49]

6. In what ways can you ensure that your approach to God aligns with His prescribed way, as demonstrated through Jesus Christ? How can this understanding transform your daily walk with Him? [27:31]

7. Think of someone in your life who does not share your joy in Christ. How can you lovingly engage with them and share the blessings you have experienced in your faith journey? [34:33]

Devotional

Day 1: Confronting Offense with God
The story of Uzzah's death serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness of God's holiness and the reality of His judgment. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and consider whether we have distanced ourselves from God due to anger or misunderstanding. When Uzzah touched the Ark to steady it, he was struck dead, highlighting the consequences of disobedience and the untouchable nature of God's holiness. This incident can be unsettling, but it invites us to confront our own offenses with God. Are there areas in our lives where we feel offended by God's actions or decisions? Have we allowed these feelings to create a barrier between us and His presence? By acknowledging these offenses, we can begin to seek reconciliation and healing, understanding that God's ways are higher than ours. [13:37]

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a specific event or situation in your life where you feel offended by God? How can you begin to seek understanding and reconciliation with Him today?


Day 2: Embracing God's Blessings
David's initial decision to distance himself from the Ark led to a loss of blessing, which was instead given to Obed-Edom. This teaches us that distancing ourselves from God due to offense can result in missing out on His blessings. When David saw the blessings bestowed upon Obed-Edom, he realized the importance of having God at the center of his life and kingdom. This realization prompted him to bring the Ark to Jerusalem with great rejoicing. We, too, must recognize that God's blessings are available to us when we choose to draw near to Him, even in the midst of our grievances. By embracing His presence, we open ourselves to the abundance of His grace and favor. [21:02]

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you have distanced yourself from God? What steps can you take today to draw closer to Him and embrace His blessings?


Day 3: Joy in God's Presence
David's eventual realization that God's judgment and blessing are inseparable led to great joy as he brought the Ark to Jerusalem. This joy is available to us when we approach God through Jesus Christ, who embodies both judgment and blessing. The presence of God brings fullness of joy, and when we align ourselves with His will, we experience the richness of His love and grace. David's exuberant worship as he brought the Ark to Jerusalem is a testament to the joy that comes from being in God's presence. We are invited to experience this same joy by seeking God wholeheartedly and allowing His presence to transform our lives. [25:55]

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally seek God's presence in your daily life to experience the fullness of joy He offers?


Day 4: Faithfulness Amidst Opposition
David's wife, Michal, despised his exuberant worship, yet he remained steadfast in his devotion to God. This challenges us to stay committed to our faith, even when those we love do not share our joy in Christ. David's unwavering faithfulness serves as an example of the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God above all else. In moments of opposition or misunderstanding, we are called to remain faithful, knowing that our devotion to God is not dependent on the approval or understanding of others. By staying true to our faith, we honor God and demonstrate the transformative power of His love in our lives. [36:10]

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone in your life who challenges your faith or does not share your joy in Christ? How can you remain faithful and loving in your interactions with them?


Day 5: God's Desire to Bless
The story ultimately points to God's desire to bless us through Jesus Christ. Despite His capacity for judgment, God's heart is for our blessing, and He invites us to receive His grace and joy. The Ark of the Covenant symbolizes God's presence and His willingness to dwell among His people. Through Jesus, we have access to this divine presence and the blessings that come with it. God's desire is for us to experience the fullness of life in Him, and He extends an invitation to all who are willing to receive His love and grace. By accepting this invitation, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His blessings in our lives. [37:38]

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:3, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively receive and embrace the blessings God desires to give you through Jesus Christ today?

Quotes


David knew that the kingdom that had been given to him was God's kingdom and more than anything else he really wanted that God should be at the center of it all he knew how much he needed the Lord and so he decided that he would bring this Ark that had been for a long time in the house of a man by the name of Abinadab that he would bring it all the way to his new capital in Jerusalem. [00:06:01]

David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Aza there are only by the way a very very few places in the whole Bible where you find God breaking out in instant judgment against what he has defined as sin it happened to two men made up in a by Hugh in the Old Testament it happened in the New Testament to a couple by the name of Ananias and Sapphira. [00:13:42]

David was afraid of the Lord that day and he said how can the Ark of the Lord come to me so David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the City of David you see what he's saying and you can understand it David saying well if this is what God is like how can I ever come near him and if this is what God is like I'm not even sure I want to come near him. [00:17:53]

The God who has the power to judge is also the God who has the power to bless the God who has the power to judge is also the God who has the power to bless and these things are inextricably bound up together David didn't want a God who judged near him but when he sent away the ark what he found was that the God who blesses was far from him and the blessing that might have been his ended up going to someone else. [00:20:32]

David has joy now because he discovers that the god of fearful judgment is also the God who is rich in blessing that this God who can cast the wicked into hell can also open the gates of heaven and that this God who he had fear may actually be grieved with him so that he felt he had to be at a distance actually had not come to destroy him but had come with the object of blessing him. [00:24:34]

Jesus Christ is the place where God comes to meet with us and he does that in judgment and in blessing supremely at the cross you see the cross shows that God judges sin and the cross shows that God blesses sinners and if we will come to God in his prescribed way that is through Jesus Christ we will enter into the joy of his blessing not the fearsome horror of his judgment. [00:27:09]

David blesses the people he he said look there are blessings that are being showered over you if you will receive them that's blessing in Jesus Christ can be yours that's how it is for us today blessings are pronounced over you in the preaching of the word of God promises of God's grace are offered to you we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus the Bible says. [00:29:25]

Some folks in this world some folks in your life and mine will open their lives to the presence and the blessing of God in Jesus Christ and others will not some will hold on to the anger and the offense that they have within them and they will miss out on the blessing of God and it will be to their everlasting destruction their everlasting loss. [00:32:21]

David stayed faithful to the service of God he says verse 21 I will celebrate before the Lord in effect he says something like this Mikkel you may despise me for this and it may be that in the future you despise me even more but however contemptible I may become in your eyes I will worship God I will seek his presence I will live to serve Him and I will do this with great joy. [00:36:01]

Nothing good can ever come to people you love by you loving Jesus Christ less nothing good can ever come to people you love by your loving Jesus Christ less so here we have in the most remarkable way the God of the Bible held out before us who is he he is the God who will judge the floating of his law he of course is despised by the world. [00:36:38]

This God who will judge has come near to us not in the Ark but in Jesus Christ because he has this great purpose and this great desire to bless us for that judgment in which not one of us could ever hope to stand to be dealt with in him so that blessing may be showered over us he comes near to you today in Jesus Christ in order to bless and those who receive him will be blessed now and forever with great joy. [00:37:38]

I've taken offense I've become angry I've moved to be at a distance from God and I've lost out on the blessing of God and I'm no happy I've lost my joy in God will you not right now bow before him and confess that sin to him and asking his gracious forgiveness in Jesus Christ fling wide open the gates of your heart the gates of your life that the king of glory with all of his blessing and all the joy that he brings may come in. [00:38:29]

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Transcript
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