2 Samuel 6:1-2 – The Priority of Worship
In this chapter we see what’s most important to David. Last week we saw him enthroned as king. This week we see that one of his big priorities after that is worship. Worship hadn’t been a priority in the days of Saul. In 1st Chronicles 13 David gathers the leaders of the people and says ‘let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul’.
What was the ark of the covenant? It was a wooden chest containing the 10 commandments, a pot of manna and the staff of Aaron the priest. It symbolised the presence of God. We see that at the very end of Numbers 10. It tells us there that whenever the ark set out, Moses said ‘Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered… And when [the ark] rested, he said ‘Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel’. The ark is identified with God himself. It spoke of a God who was king. David describes it elsewhere as ‘the footstool of our God’. The 10 commandments inside were the law of the Covenant King. The ark also spoke of reconciliation with God: on the Day of Atonement, once a year, the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sin-offering on the lid of the ark and in front of the ark. The ark was also a place from where God would communicate with Moses. He says in Exodus 25.22: ‘There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you’. So the ark symbolised God’s presence, his kingly, reconciling, communicating presence. By bringing the ark to Jerusalem, David is saying: My kingship is nothing if it’s not for God’s presence.
So what about us? There is no wooden box today which makes God more present. But he is present in a special way as his people meet together and his word is preached. Where is the Lord Jesus pictured in Revelation chapter 1? Among the lampstands – in the midst of his churches. Christ is present as his word is preached. And preaching is meant to be done in the context of God’s people gathered together. Worship was King David’s priority. Will it be yours?
Question
- What was the ark of the covenant?
Prayer Points
- How can you make worship more a priority in your life?
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.