2 Samuel 6:1-5
1 Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2 And David departed from Baale-judah, with all the people who were with him, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of armies who is enthroned above the cherubim.
3 They had mounted the ark of God on a new cart and moved it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the new cart.
4 So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark.
5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of juniper wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
Moving the Ark of God to Jerusalem
Symbol of the Lord’s presence
Having established his kingship in Jerusalem, David next considered bringing the Ark of God (the Ark of the Covenant) up to Jerusalem. Until this time, the Ark had remained at the house of Abinadab in Kiriath-jearim. (1) In the Old Testament time, the presence of God dwelled in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle (later in the temple). The Ark of God was the symbol of the Lord’s presence. (2) When bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, David consulted with the commanders and gained their approval (ref. 1 Chron. 13:1-4). For David, bringing the Ark up to Jerusalem was not a personal task but a national endeavor. (3) David gathered thirty thousand of Israel’s elite men to undertake this mission. This number was the same as what he had mobilized for battle against the Philistines. By forming such a large procession, he intended to show the people just how important this task was. (4) The former king, Saul, paid little attention to the commands of God or to the Ark of God. In contrast, David showed deep respect for both God’s commands and the Ark. This highlights the difference between Saul and David. (5) David placed the Ark of God on a new cart to transport it. He likely imitated the method the Philistines had used to move the Ark. However, there was a serious problem with this approach.
David’s faith
By bringing the Ark of God up to Jerusalem, David was expressing his desire for the Lord’s presence to always be near him. This Ark is also a symbol of Jesus Christ. We have been given a blessing even greater than the Ark of God. That blessing is the presence of the risen and living Christ. The Lord Jesus gave this promise to His disciples: “Teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). David knew that without the presence of the Lord, it would be impossible for him to govern the people of Israel as king. In the same way, the Christian life is impossible without the presence of Christ. Let us also seek the presence of the Lord with the same zeal that David had.
Today's prayer
Almighty God, please strengthen my faith so that I may live today in the presence of Christ. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.