2 Samuel 6:12-23 Serving God with A Pure Heart
2 Samuel 6:12-23
12 Then King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration. 13 After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. 15 So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.
But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.
17 They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 18 When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 19 Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.
20 When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!”
21 David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. 22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!” 23 So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.
Background
The sudden death of Uzzah is an individual matter with national implications; it awakens Israel to renew their piety towards God. The news of Obed-edom’s blessings restores confidence to the courts of David concerning the Ark’s return to prominence. This time, David is careful in handling in the Ark in a prescribed and reverent manner. The passion in which David worships God at the procession reveals the centrality of God in his life. Today’s passage teaches us that before we offer sacrifices to God and serve Him, our heart must first be made right.
Observation
After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf – Having understood the cause of the unfortunate event at Nacon, David is ready to relocate the Ark, this time with proper piety towards God. He abandons the pragmatic and familiar use of the cart in preference for a prescribed team of Ark bearers. The expression of piety involves elaborate sacrifices of animals at every six paces. These sacrifices are acts that seek to appease God of their past mishandling (of the Ark) as well as to give thanks for a new united Israel.
And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment – David’s involvement is unlike the kings in those days who participate in religious processions in a passive and ritualistic manner. They see acts of worship as delegatable to priests and temple attendants who make sacrifices on their behalf. Here, David is himself both the worshiper and priest who danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. David’s worship stems from his personal relationship with God as opposed to a ritualistic approach towards worship. For David, worship is a personal passion and responsibility that cannot be delegated, it must necessarily reduce the dignity of a king to the stature of a creature saved by grace.
Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! – As the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window, instead of welcoming a returning hero, the joyous celebration of the centrality of God is mired because of her. From the start, Michal never had in her an authentic relationship with God, an attitude that mirrors her own father, Saul. Hence, she sees David’s acts of worship as unnecessary, undignified and over the top: shamelessly exposing himself. David in his reply makes it clear to Michal that Saul’s dynasty is a thing of the past and a new Davidic dynasty is come. And being king, he has every right to set a new culture of worship to honor God: He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. In the worship culture of David, royal dignity in the face of God must be disposed of so that praise may be rendered to God in all humility.
Truth
- Before we offer sacrifices of praise, wealth or acts of services, our heart must first be made right before God. God does not take pleasure in grand acts of worship or offerings, but He is drawn to a heart that is after Him. Many churchgoers gravitate towards grand concert style worship with top end sound systems, stage lightings with exuberant celebrations and emoting ambience supposing by putting up a grand performance they could gain God’s alliance and favor. Some offer their wealth in order to gain a miracle to heal their sickness. Much of their songs, dance and monetary offerings stem not from gratitude or thanksgiving but a mere obligation that they cannot dispose of. As a result, God did not take pleasure in their offerings or draw near to them because of their self-serving ways. The entire procession of the Ark from Obed-edom’s house to the capital city is laced with animal sacrifices aimed at beckoning God’s favor and presence. The Ark did at last enter the tent in the City of David without incident not because of the animal sacrifices or David’s passionate participation but because his heart is after God. David seeks none of the power or trappings that comes with his job; his desire is purely to establish a kingdom that has God’s purpose and values as her centrality. David wrote:
You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. Psalm 51:16-19
- There is no need to exaggerate our acts of worship because our heart lies bare before Him. Neither should we restrain our expressions of worship for fear of being judged by others. An expressive and exuberant worship does not necessarily infer a spirit-filled church. A quiet, contemplative and reserved church service does not infer that the Spirit is absent. What matters to God is a community that values truth, mutual acceptance, and works of charity. For such a church community, God desires her sacrifices of praise and cherishes her acts of charity.
Therefore, a church community must not pressure believers to be more expressive in their worship, or judge one another in our peculiar styles of worship. God sees not the form but the heart (faith) of each worshiper and He will reward them accordingly.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 4:13
Applications
- Do you have a tendency to be self-conscious of your emotional expressions that could obstruct your flow of worship towards God? In this instance, is it more important to please God or to please others? Worship flows from a personal relationship with God that others have no right to judge. At the same time, the church community must affirm and encourage one another to worship God in an uninhibited way.
- Do you feel inadequate with a hint of condemnation when you come before God in worship? God has prepared a sacrifice for Himself that He loves, which is the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus. All who come to Him with a broken and contrite spirit will be accepted because of Christ’s sacrifice. Hebrews 4:16 say,
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Dear Lord, forgive me for being swayed by the comments of others that allow them to hinder me in my worship. I will from now on worship you with all my soul, my heart, my mind and my might. As I set my heart right before you, sanctify me with your Spirit so that my sacrifices may bring you pleasure. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.