Part 30: FULL. Part 3 - Transferring the Glory

Transcription

1 Part 30: FULL Part 3 - Transferring the Glory Texts: 2 Samuel 6:1-10 (NKJV) - Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. [2] And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. [3] So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. [4] And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. [5] Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals. [6] And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. [7] Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. [8] And David became angry because of the LORD's outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. [9] David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" [10] So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

2 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV) - Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. A. On this Sunday after Thanksgiving, we all have so much to be thankful for! 1. I spend every day of my life thanking God for His goodness to me. I know I ve been blessed with an incredible wife, children and grandchildren. I m healthy, saved, and on my way to heaven. God is good! 2. Joke: Being Healthy When Boudreaux turned 82, he went for a checkup. A year later, the doctor saw him walking down the street with his arm around a beautiful, young, sexy-looking woman. The doctor said, Boudreaux! What in the world are you doing? You know how your health is. Boudreaux answered, Doc, I m only doing what you told me. You said for me to go be cheerful and get a hot mama. The doctor said, No, no, no, Boudreaux! I said, Be careful, you have a heart murmur! 3. Don t forget our special training for every member who would like to serve in our new church facility. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. 4. I can t stress how important this training is. We ll be talking about some incredible new programs and opportunities at our new facility that will impact our community and city for God. Even if you re already serving as a hostess, greeter or usher, you ll learn how to make an even greater impact for God.

3 5. Five weeks from today, we ll conduct our first service in the new sanctuary! God is GOOD! Now that we ve outgrown our present facility that we love so much, it s time to relocate. This new teaching series will help us fulfill God s vision for our church. Welcoming God Into His New Dwelling Place B. Last week we talked about A Greater Glory and the sacred foundations of the Christian faith. 1. We explored furnishings in the Tabernacle, especially the Ark of the Covenant, which was God s first earthly dwelling place and a tangible representation of the Presence of God. 2. I am so thankful for the spiritual breakthroughs at the altar last week and God s powerful response as we embraced this teaching about His Presence. 3. Some may wonder why I would teach about ancient Tabernacle artifacts that were so important to Israel, but with little relevance for modern day believers: when the intangible becomes tangible, the intangible becomes teachable. 4. Certain biblical concepts, such as: redemption, baptism, and atonement may be difficult for us to grasp. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the mystery of the Godhead and other intangibles in God s Word can be quite challenging. But if we take a close look at the Tabernacle, we won t have to understand all those big words. God has explained them better than I ever could! C. The Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant allow us to glimpse powerful concepts that are so vital to our salvation and relationship with God.

4 1. These articles of worship and devotion are God s way of helping humanity comprehend difficult concepts. While we cannot visibly see God, we can more clearly understand His ways in what we call types and shadows. 2. Last week I spoke about the meaning of the Ark. Today, we want to explore how people learned to reverence the Ark. When the Canaanites saw the Ark of the Covenant, or Ark of His Presence, they could literally see Israel s Glory of God. They were also permitted to see some astonishing blessings that Israel experienced, such as: fresh manna every morning, water flowing from a rock that followed Israel through the wilderness, and God s supernatural protection and covering above their tents (the fire by night and cloud by day). 3. In the same way, He wants the world to see God s Glory upon His people and to witness the blessing of His Presence in our lives. When unbelievers observe God s people, He wants them to say, I want to worship your God. I need Him in my life, too. D. At the conclusion of our last study, the people of Israel had brought the Ark of God s Presence to the battlefield. 1. They supposed that He would immediately defeat the Philistines, much like the Nazis melted the Ark in the Indiana Jones film, The Raiders of the Lost Ark. But as I mentioned, there was a big problem: Israel had lost their devotion to God. Bringing the Ark to the battlefield was more like their ace in the hole, or a good luck charm. Until this time, even Israel s enemies feared the Lord God Jehovah, whose Presence dwelt above the Ark between the wings of the Cherubim.

5 When the Ark arrived at the battlefield, all Israel began to shout with loud voices! The priests had brought their magic box, or their Get Out of Jail Free card. But it was not a shout of reverence or awe. No one had prayed, offered a sacrifice, or repented for straying from God. They shouted because their lucky rabbit s foot had showed up! 2. When the Philistines saw the priests carrying the Ark into the camp and heard the shouting, they were terrified! Knowing what the Ark represented and that they were all about to die, they decided to fight as never before! But instead of winning, Israel lost the battle. Their shouting didn t work. The Philistines defeated Israel and captured the Ark. When the Philistines won the battle, they honestly thought that their gods must be greater and more powerful than the Lord God Jehovah. When God s people lose His Presence and power, the world loses respect for the church. They will begin saying, There s not really a God in heaven He doesn t heal or answer prayer... He s just a figment of the Christians imagination... people who believe in Him have very little intelligence or education. 3. I ll never forget the story about Davis Matthews, the brother of Missionary Benny Matthews. Their parents, Pop Matthews and Mother Grace, had moved from Kerala, where most Christians in India live, to Gujarat, a city with few missionaries or believers. In fact, only 5% of the nation of India is Christian. When Davis was very young, he had been stricken with polio and could hardly walk. They had finally managed to purchase a very expensive leg brace, which was the equivalent of a year s wages.

6 A Hindu neighbor began to laugh, taunt, and make fun of the Matthews family by saying, If your God is so powerful, why doesn t He heal your son? One day, Mother Grace had enough. She pulled the brace off Davis leg, threw it outside and said, God, I m not taking this anymore. It s YOU they are making fun of. Either you heal Davis, or take his life! And do you know what happened? God healed Davis! Today, he s pastor of the church planted by his mom and dad years ago. 4. After listening to Israel s wild celebration and then defeating them (which the enemy always does when a church or nation loses God s power), the Philistines brought the Ark to Ashdod, their capital city. a. 1 Samuel 5:1 (NKJV) - Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 5. Ashdod means: ravager. Who in the world would name a city ravager or destroyer? Even its name reflects the cruel hearts of their evil gods. Satan has always been a destroyer. That s what he does steal, kill and destroy! 6. Dagon, their chief god, was half man and half fish. To celebrate their victory over the Lord God Jehovah, the Philistines placed the Ark in Dagon s temple. But it wasn t their gods who had defeated Jehovah. God had simply refused to be the good luck charm of people who no longer knew Him, or wanted to serve Him. That night, after the lights in Dagon s temple had been extinguished, something happened. Let me tell you something about our God: He can work in the darkness just as well as in the light! When Dagon s priests returned the next morning, their idol had fallen on his face before the Ark of the Covenant. They were so shocked by what had happened, they hurriedly stood him upright.

7 But the next morning, he was not only on his face, both of his hands and his head had been broken from the stump of his body and moved to the doorway of the temple. God had severed the idol s head which referred to the enemy s mind and strategic thinking abilities. The hands which represented the ability to act on those strategies, had also been broken off. When you re abiding in the Presence of God and the enemy attacks, no weapon formed against you can prosper. God will not only confound the enemy s strategies, he will be powerless against you. No demonic strategy can succeed when God is present. 7. At times, it may seem as though the enemy has the upper hand. But just continue to wait on God and worship Him and see what happens! In this fallen, broken world, you are sure to encounter some dark days. But just because you can t see what s ahead doesn t mean that God s vision is impaired. He can work in the darkness! The very hand the enemy raises against you will be broken! By placing the head and both hands on the threshold of the door, God was telling the Philistines that worshiping a powerless, brain-dead god was a waste of time. But it also meant that Israel was on the threshold of an enormous victory! 8. This story forcefully speaks to me, since it s not just about showing reverence for God s Presence, it s also a promise that His Presence will move with us to our new house of worship. Similar to David transporting the Ark to Mount Zion, our congregation is also about to step into a new era; not a new season, but a new era! Seasons come and go, but an era can last indefinitely.

8 A new era is about to begin for Inspire Church/Christian Tabernacle that will change and rearrange our lives! If you re walking through a difficult place, you may wonder how that could be. You may even be saying, Pastor, you don t know what I m going through. But keep holding on to God and His Word and you ll see what I m talking about! Keep believing! If the enemy has ever robbed your anointing and blessing, he s about to fall at your feet before the Presence of God. His strategies that were designed to hold you back are about to disintegrate and fall apart. His strength is about to be broken! E. The nation of Israel was put to shame for using God; but the Philistines were also in big trouble. 1. The one thing you never want to say is that your god is greater than the Lord God. At the same time Dagon was being destroyed, a plague fell upon the Philistines. Many of them were smitten with deadly tumors (hemorrhoids) and died. 2. Along with this plague, there was also an infestation of mice. So the Philistines in Ashdod did the smart thing by preferring their brothers. They sent the Ark to Gath, another of their principal cities. But when these people were also smitten with tumors and mice, they quickly packed up the Ark and sent it as a gift to Ekron. Ekron means: torn up by the roots, which is yet another reminder of what Satan does if you allow it. He will tear up everything that s good and rip it out by the roots: your marriage, finances or anything he can get his hands on. The same thing happened at Ekron. Once the plague and infestation of mice erupted, more people began to die.

9 3. For seven months, the Philistines endured suffering. Finally, they had to admit that they had picked a fight with the wrong God. Their god was powerless to stand before Jehovah. Placing the Ark on a cart, it was sent back to Israel at Beth-shemesh. But they wouldn t dare send it without an offering. Creating golden mice and images of hemorrhoids, their gifts were placed beside the Ark. Can you imagine what happened next? Like the other Israelites, the men of Beth-shemesh had also lost their devotion and reverence for God and the correct protocol for handling the Ark. As soon as it was in their possession, they removed the Mercy Seat from the Ark and looked inside. Rather than calling for the priests who had been sanctified for this purpose, they manhandled God s Glory! The three items in the Ark the Ten Commandments, Aaron s rod that budded, and the golden pot of manna were a powerful illustration of what happens when a person honors God s Word and has access to spiritual authority and supernatural provisions. Taking a shortcut to God s blessings, the men of Beth-shemesh decided to take authority over their problems and ask for supernatural provisions without obeying divine principles. Spiritual authority over the enemy and supernatural favor are always linked with God s divine Law. Honor His Word and you ll gain access to His authority and favor. If you want financial authority, honor God s laws concerning the tithe and learn how to manage your finances. There are no shortcuts for a fresh anointing or a new level of God s Glory. It can only be attained by aligning your life with His Word. The tables of stone always accompany His blessings and favor!

10 4. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. God and His Word are inseparable; His authority and favor go wherever He goes. a. John 1:1 (NKJV) - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 5. When the men looked inside the Ark, instead of receiving authority and blessing, a terrible plague broke out and huge numbers died. Rather than gaining authority over their problems and supernatural favor, they lost what little they had. Instead of being promoted, they exposed themselves to enemy attack. The survivors were so terrified by this horrific plague, they quickly moved the Ark to the home of Abinadab, which means: father of generosity. When it came into Abinadab s home, the plague stopped! A surefire way to end an enemy attack is to bless God in the middle of the storm,... when you actually need a blessing yourself! 6. Abinadab lived in Kirjath-Jearim, a border city of the Philistines. This was about as close to the Philistines as you could get, without actually being in Philistia. For about 70 years, the Ark remained there. But it was not supposed to be in a border city. When Israel was in the wilderness, God had instructed them to place the Tabernacle and the Ark directly in the middle of the camp: a. Numbers 2:1-3 (NKJV) - And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: [2] "Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own standard, beside the emblems of his father's house; they shall camp some distance from the tabernacle of meeting. [3] On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp.

11 7. In Numbers chapter 2, verses 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27, 29, and 31, God instructed the twelve tribes where to camp, in relationship with the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant. There was a reason for these positions and locations. (See view of the camp of Israel: _C_V2LtRHMBY/TSCG-E- _NsI/AAAAAAAAAVE/sNb6F_iyeSU/s1600/10-tribes-aroundtabernacle.gif&imgrefurl= 011/03/marchingorders.html&tbnid=VvtyoclL1RU5BM&vet=1&docid=N8T14CZLEWX0 CM&w=438&h=439&hl=en-us). When viewed from above, the entire camp of Israel was in the formation of a cross, with the Ark at the heart of where our Savior would be crucified. Since this placement was a foreshadowing of the crucifixion of Christ, it must be approached with reverence and awe. It s also why Balaam could not curse Israel when he viewed their camp from the mountaintop. You cannot put a curse on the cross! In school we were taught that a double negative cancels the negative and turns it into a positive. When you live under the blood of Christ and in the Presence of God, every curse is turned into a blessing. 8. Why is this story so important? It s a case study to prevent the loss of God s Presence and favor in your life and the authority and blessing that accompany it. It s also a study in how a church can lose God s Presence and favor. When He is no longer the center of our lives and we lose our devotion and reverence for Him, we ll take

12 Him for granted. Without His authority and favor, our families are automatically exposed to enemy attacks. 9. Not only did Israel lose their devotion, they actually thought that God would be their lucky rabbit s foot. These scriptures teach what we should and should not do to retain His Presence and blessings in our lives! F. When David became king, he wanted God to again be positioned in the middle of the nation s focus and affairs. 1. This is exactly what is needed in our nation and the church. God must be put in His rightful place! 2. Mount Zion was situated on just 11 acres. After building his palace there, David decided to also bring the Manifest Presence of God to Mount Zion. He wanted God to be in Jerusalem and the center of the nation, where He belonged. From the home of Abinadab in Kirjath-Jearim, the Ark was placed on a cart, like the one the Philistines had used. Abinadab s two sons, Ahio and Uzzah, drove the cart. But when the oxen stumbled at a rough place in the road and Uzzah steadied the Ark with his hand, the anger of the Lord was aroused and Uzzah was put to death for his error. Having grown up in the home with the Ark, Uzzah had become so familiar with what was sacred and holy, he had lost his reverence and awe of God. Isn t that what happens when we come to service Sunday after Sunday, but can t arrive at God s House at the time for worship? Or we leave during the altar service while others are desperately seeking God for a breakthrough in their lives. Failing to reverence

13 God can become such an error, we can t see the harm it s doing until we hit a rough place in the road. Trust me when I tell you that some unexpected rough places are sure to pop up! That s when you ll realize the importance of showing reverence for God. 3. When Uzzah died, David became very angry and the nation of Israel was shocked and afraid. After all, hadn t Uzzah kept the Ark from falling to the ground? That seemed like an honorable thing to do. But the problem was, they didn t understand the prophetic implications. We cannot control God s Glory and Presence. This tragedy would never have occurred if they had obeyed God s instructions for moving the Ark. It was to be carried on the shoulders of the priests. How often do we get in trouble for failing to follow God s instructions! God struck Uzzah and he died because the Ark cannot be steadied with human strength; nor can a church or ministry be built with human ability. God s very clear, specific protocol for carrying the Ark of the Covenant had been violated. They failed to understand that it really does matter whether or not we keep God s commands. Sounds like a lot of people today, doesn t it? As a consequence, like Uzzah, they experience the very opposite of God s blessings. When we fail to follow His Word, we must learn to live with pain and a c o n t i n u a l