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The ark of the covenant was the continual symbol of God's presence in Israel. It was a rectangular box made of achaia wood overlaid with gold inside and out [Exodus 25:10-22]. Atop the ark was the mercy seat constructed of pure gold. The wings of two golden cherubim surrounded the mercy seat. The cherubim looked down upon the mercy seat. The ark and the mercy seat with the cherubim were the first of the holy things Exodus declared should be built.
The two tablets of stone containing the ten commandments, a pot of manna, and Aaron's rod were placed within the ark. The ark's permanent residence was the Most Holy Place. Each year on the tenth day of the seventh month the high priest entered the Most Holy Place to appear before the ark and atone for the sins of the nation [Leviticus 16].
The ark led Israel when they changed camps in the wilderness [Numbers 10:33]. It led Israel to the Jordan River and allowed them to cross on dry land [Joshua 3:3,8,17]. It played a key role in the conquest of Jericho [Joshua 6]. At least on some occasions, it seems the ark was in the army's camp during times of war and battle [2 Samuel 11:11; Joshua 6:1-14; 1 Samuel 4:3-11].
Wherever the ark was, God's presence was there in a special sense. David wanted the ark to reside in the same place that he lived [2 Samuel 6:9; 1 Chronicles 13:12]. That was not an evil, arrogant, or self-centered desire. That desire came from the heart that belonged to God. That desire arose from a heart that wanted to honor and elevate the neglected God of Israel. David's desire honored God's purposes. It was not contrary to God's purposes.
By locating the ark in Jerusalem, David made Jerusalem "the place God caused his name to dwell" [Deuteronomy 12:11]. God accepted David's choice. Israel accepted Jerusalem as the divinely approved place for sacrificial worship. God honored and accepted David's choice because David's heart belonged to God. David wanted to exalt God, not himself.
Later, after David's death, Solomon built the temple. The Lord appeared to Solomon and said, "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice" [2 Chronicles 7:12; 1 Kings 9:2,3]. To Solomon (and to Israel) Jerusalem was the city and the temple was the place "that God caused His name to dwell" [1 Kings 8:29].
This point is extremely important. Understanding it reveals the basis for God accepting human spiritual commitment. David's act of bringing the ark to Jerusalem and transforming Jerusalem into the holy city was not done to defy God. It did not attempt to reject divine commandment or authority. It was not a presumptive act of human arrogance.
David brought the ark to Jerusalem to honor God. Read 2 Samuel 6:12-23. On this occasion it speaks of the "bearers of the ark" when the ark is moved. Each time they took their sixth step, an ox and a fatling were sacrificed. Even if it were a short distance, a lot of animals were sacrificed! In this procession, David (dressed only in a linen ephod) danced before the Lord with all his might.
Michal, Saul's daughter (the first woman David married) regarded David's actions and clothing as inappropriate for the King of Israel. When she criticized his actions and dress, he responded, "It was before the Lord who chose me to be king and appointed me over Israel. I will celebrate before the Lord."
The fact that David brought the ark to Jerusalem was about the Lord, not about David. The fact that he offered the enormous sacrifices of the procession was about the Lord, not about David. The fact that he danced in celebration before the Lord (and Israel) was about the Lord, not about David. The man whose heart belonged to God considered all this appropriate in honoring God. Because his heart belonged to God, God accepted what David did. Because the motives came from a heart that belonged to God, it was appropriate.
Where was an Israelite commanded to "dance before the Lord?" Nowhere. When God led Israel away from the Egyptian army to safety across the Red Sea, Miriam (the prophetess who was Aaron and Moses' sister) and all the women danced using timbrels to celebrate as they honored God's deliverance [Exodus 15:20]. Scripture gives no reason to think that God was not honored by this spontaneous celebration for divine deliverance.
If we confine our questions to "where was the command" or "where was the authority," we will miss the point. Those acts occurred to honor God. The acts came from hearts that praised God for His incredible blessings. Because grateful hearts honored the God of blessing and deliverance, God accepted those acts as acts of honor.
Who decided to bring the ark to Jerusalem? Scripture suggests that was David's decision. Who decided that Jerusalem should be Israel's holy city? Scripture suggests that was David's decision. Who decided to offer sacrifices each sixth step? Scripture suggests that was David's decision. Who decided that David should dance with his might in the procession as the ark came to Jerusalem? Scripture suggests that was David's decision.
And how did God react to David's decisions? God accepted them and was honored. God clearly told Solomon that He accepted the temple. God clearly made His name to dwell in Jerusalem. God did not condemn the sacrifices or David's dancing with all his might.
"Then we can do anything our hearts want to do!" No. God accepted David's decisions because David's heart belonged to God. Nothing David did was contrary to God's purposes. (1) If David's heart had not belonged to God, and (2) if David's desires had opposed God's purposes, God would have rejected those same decisions and actions.
If the person's heart does not belong to God and if his or her actions are concerned about "my/our" purposes instead of God's, God will reject the decisions and the acts. Even if the act and decision are clearly within God's commandments and authority, He will reject them. God accepts only what comes from hearts that belong to Him and are dedicated to His purposes.
Read Isaiah 1. Israel's acts of worship in verses 11-15 were commanded. Those acts of worship were within the guidelines of God's commandments. But their hearts did not belong to God. Their actions did not seek God's purposes. Though their worship was technically correct, it did not honor God. It insulted God. The problem was not a technical problem. The problem was not a procedural problem. The problem was a heart and purpose problem.
David's heart desire for God to have a temple was godly. Unfortunately, Israel's hearts desired the gods. The temple that originated in a heart belonging to God became a temple that was a substitute for God. Why? David's heart and Israel's hearts were fundamentally different.
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