2 Samuel 6:12-23 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 6:12-23. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
2 Samuel 6:12 (NIV)
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.
On verse 12: For a season David was afraid to get near God’s presence (v9-10), but when he saw how much God had blessed Obed-Edom because Obed-Edom drew near to God’s presence, David decided that he needed the presence of God no matter what the cost.
2 Samuel 6:13 (NIV)
13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
On verse 13: Previously David’s men had tried to move the ark by placing it on a cart, but David eventually realizes that this was the wrong way to move the ark (see 1 Chronicles 15:13). God never intended the ark to be pushed on a man–made cart; the ark had poles because God wanted the ark to be carried on the shoulders of people. What can we learn from this? Programs do not carry the presence of God; people do. God made you – not a man-made program – to carry His presence into your home, workplace and school.
2 Samuel 6:14-15 (NIV)
14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might,
15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
On verse 14-15: I love that David danced before God “with all his might”. When you come to worship God, don’t give half-hearted worship. Worship God with all your might, with everything you have. Like David, worship God with abandon and passion. You can’t experience much of God’s presence while remaining so self-conscious.
Second, notice that David danced before the Lord wearing a linen ephod, the clothing usually worn by a priest (v14). On what basis could David wear priestly garments even though he was not a Levite? It could be because God had spoken to David and said, “You are a priest in the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4). Not because of his natural bloodline, but because of a supernaturally divine word from God, David took on the role of a priest in this passage. Similarly, we are called priests in God’s kingdom, not because of our natural bloodline, but because of the supernatural divine Word of God, Jesus Christ, who bought us His blood and made us priests in His kingdom (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 5:10).
2 Samuel 6:16-23 (NIV)
16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.
17 They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD.
18 After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty.
19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
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!”
21 David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel–I will celebrate before the LORD.
22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”
23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
On verses 16-23: These verses tell us two things about Michal: (1) Michal despised the way David worshiped God (v16, 20), and (2) Michal was barren and had no children (v23). Meanwhile, David danced before the Lord without caring how others saw him (v16, 21-22). Then he sacrificed offerings (v17) and blessed the people, giving them bread and other pastries (v18-19).
What can we learn from this? When, like Michal, you despise and look down on other people’s worship, you become spiritually barren yourself, unable to bring life to anyone else. But when you focus on giving simple, genuine worship before God, you’re then able to be a real blessing to others and bring life to them, just like David who danced and sacrificed before the Lord and then blessed the people in attendance with food.
Father God, like David, today may I worship You with all my might in Your presence. May I not hold back, but worship You with passion and abandon. When I focus my attention on You that way, without being so self-conscious, that’s when I will experience Your presence and Your enabling to bless others. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
