Worship in War and Peace
Samuel • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 4 viewsWorship produces success in war and in peace, but pragmatism causes failure of worship.
Notes
Transcript
I. Victory through Prayer
I. Victory through Prayer
David has possibly not taken Jerusalem yet, as he returns to “the stronghold,” where he had hidden during his fugitive years (1 Sam 23:14 ). then again, the Philistines meet him twice near Jerusalem. Odd if he hadn’t captured it yet.
Location - Valley of the Rephaim = Valley of the Giants is the valley to the southwest of Jerusalem.
total mobilization of the Philistines means that this is not a humanly winnable battle.
First battle called “Baal-Perazim” meaning “The Lord has broken through [my enemies].”
David confiscated the Philistine’s idols. 1 Chron 14:12 states that David burned them in obedience to the Law (Deut 7:5 )
And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.
But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire.
Second battle started from same location. If anything even more intense than the last one.
Here God provides some supernatural help, which is some indication of just how intense this battle was. Even David couldn’t have beaten them without God’s aid.
Sound of marching cuts off their escape on the other side, and makes them think that there is another army in that direction, so makes them think the attacking force is much larger than it is. God had provided similar help to Samuel 60 years before with well-timed thunder (1 Samuel 7:10), and he would do so again centuries later when the Syrians had besieged Samaria in the days of Elisha (2 Kings 7:6-7).
Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.
For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!”
Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives.
David’s victory was accomplished by relying on the Lord, as he should.
II. Failure of worship through carelessness
II. Failure of worship through carelessness
The Ark has been in Kirjath-Jearim [=Baalim=Baale-Judah] Josh 15:60; 1 Samuel 7:1, some 60-70 year ago.
David might be motivated to move the ark (8 miles, see map) not only to consolidate the worship of Yahweh to Jerusalem, but also because he destroyed the Philistine’s idols, placing Israel’s own worship articles at risk.
Thus Abinadab is almost certainly dead by now, and the previous son named, Eleazar, must be dead or very elderly by now. The two remaining sons, Uzzah and Ahio, must be Eleazar’s sons or grandsons.
Clearly the new cart was intended to respect the ark, however, it was not how the ark was supposed to be carried. (Num 4:15) When the Ark had last moved, it was moving toward Kirjath-Jearim on a new cart, put there by the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:7 ). However, God gave the Philistines a pass on the improper method, since they could not be expected to know being pagans.
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. “These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.
Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them.
We also don’t know that Uzzah and Ahio were Levites of the sons of Kohath, though Kirjath-Jearim was a levitical city, so they could have been.
David was actually mad at God at first, probably because he missed the important detail of how the ark was supposed to be carried. This failure of procedure unintentionally led to the cart almost tipping, which led Uzzah to try to steady the ark, and therefore to violate this most holy object.
His anger was also fear, because he didn’t realize at first why it happened, so he quickly found a nearby place to stash the ark until he could figure out what to do with it.
Obed-edom was a “Gittite”. which is Gath, but there were several Israelite cities that went by Gath-something or other. For example, Gath-Rimmon which was located in the transJordanian Mannaseh (Joshua 21:25 ) . It is not likely that David would stash the Ark with a Philistine, especially if he was trying to hide it from the Philistines.
III. Successful Worship with Carefulness
III. Successful Worship with Carefulness
What showed David that his anger and fear was misplaced was that God blessed Obed-edom’s household in a visible way.
But he also figured out that he had worshipped God the wrong way (1 Chron 15:13 )
For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”
In addition to that prescribed by law, David did a whole bunch of other stuff not required, but intended to show his dedication to the Lord, and how uniquely holy the Ark was
went 6 steps, then sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal
danced with a linen ephod
This is not the high-priestly ephod that only the High Priest could wear.
little Samuel wore one (1 Samuel 2:18 ), but it was not forbidden to wear by anyone else. The priests of Nob also wore them ( 1 Samuel 22:18) .
But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.
This marked him as a special worshipper of the Lord. David did not have priestly rights, nor was he claiming them. He just wanted people to know how special God is.
IV. Failure of a wandering heart.
IV. Failure of a wandering heart.
As the Ark was successfully brought in and worship concluded, Michal thinks differently.
She accuses David of indecent exposure, which is ridiculous. He was wearing a linen ephod, the garments that priest wore. God had in fact given specific instructions that priest were to be careful to avoid doing this very thing.
She exaggerates the case - David wasn’t being particularly royal in his demeanor. Her pride is offended because David has none.
David’s reply is indignant
He reminds her that God chose him as King, so his owes his throne to God anyway.
He cares nothing about royal dignity, and in fact asserts that his lack of dignity would have the opposite effect, and he will be honored by the very people she thought would despise him.
He doesn’t care much about her, either.
the end result is for all intents and purposes, divorce without the leaving part.
Her reply therefore shows that her view of the Throne is all too much like her father - too much fear of man, not enough fear of God
Thus Saul’s failure to fear the Lord is the very cause of his having no stake at all in David’s household.