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Thursday, November 25, 2004
I'm a big fan of the movie trilogy involving Indiana Jones. The first movie, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," is probably my favorite. An archaeologist named Indiana Jones firmly believes he knows the location of the Ark of the Covenant. It's been lost to history, and Indiana knows that such an historic find would be the pinnacle of any professor's career. There would be fame. There would be fortune. There would be respect. It couldn't get any higher.
While Dr. Jones gets the historical significance of the Ark, he didn't get the spiritual significance to the Israelites. It symbolized that God is with His people. And, at one point in history, it wasn't.
See, after a battle`, the enemy took the Ark as a spoil of war. The Philistines took it. The Old Testament records it this way: "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken."
It would stay right next to their god, Dagon, the father of Baal. Well, at first. Then tumors broke out on people who kept it. It caused confusion in cities. For 7 months it was a hassle to have around, so they gave it to Abinidab.
It stayed there for 20 years...The Old Testament records it this way: "...all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord."
For two decades, sadness and weeping. Until David reunited the nation and stablized the country. Once the nation stable, the spiritual focus became paramount...and getting the Ark home was the first step.
David, thought he was doing a good thing by getting it back in a hurry...but you can't rush things with God. You've got to do it His way, which was infinitely more time consuming. But David wanted the Ark transported back for a big parade, so he decided to bend the rules a bit. People died because of it, and the party had to wait three months.
It is with this backdrop we can now read the words of Psalm 132: 6--9.
"Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; We found it in the field of Jaar. Let us go into His dwelling place; Let us worship at his footstool. Arise, O Lord, to Thy resting place; Thou and the ark of Thy strength. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness; And let Thy godly ones sing for joy."
The psalmist remembered not to forget the importance of the Ark, as it symbolized God being with His people. They'd heard when the Ark, for 20 years, was in other places, under control of others. They'd also known how important it was for it to come home...for God to be among His people.
And when it was...
Go to the dwelling place!
Worship in Zion!
Meet God there!
Sing for joy!
When it came back, David danced mightily before the Lord. So much so that the subject saw their king become undignified by seeing him in his underwear. It bothered David's wife. It didn't bother David. He knew what it meant. She didn't.
Notice two days ago it was about the author using David's story as a history of obedience. Today, we see the value of trusting God's promises.
And this is important in the process of moving from head to heart, which I hope to show you in the next couple of entries.
But today, think about the New Testament access we have to God...and how we should strive to "meet God" whenever and wherever we can, clothed in righteousness, singing for joy...which is another part of moving from head to heart.
Brent 10:05 PM
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