SUB-JUNIOR
AGE: 8 - 9
YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE:
III & IV
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LESSON – 17
KING DAVID
BRINGS BACK THE ARK OF GOD
We had learnt in lesson 15 how the Ark of God was captured by the Philistines, taken to Ashdod and then returned to the Israelites. The Ark of God was taken to a place called Kiriath–Jearim. The ark was kept in the home of Abinadab and his sons Eleazar, Uzzah, and Ahio.
After about twenty years,
the Israelites missed the Ark of God and realized their mistake of sinning
against God. Prophet Samuel gathered the Israelites at Mizpah and told them to
recommit themselves to God (1 Samuel 7:1-3).
After some years, Saul was anointed as the first King of Israel and soon
Prophet Samuel, the last judge of Israel died. The Ark of God continued to remain
in Aminadab’s house for almost a century (100 years) until it was brought back
by King David to Jerusalem. (1)
After King Saul died, David became the king of
Israel. King David captured Jerusalem from a Canaanite tribe called Jebusites
and lived in the Fortress of Zion which he called the
“City of David.” God was with him, and he became great. When David was made
the King of Israel, there was a huge celebration. Israelites from all over the
country gathered to honour the new King. There was an enormous feast and they
were eating and drinking and it went on for three days. Even in such a merry
mood, King David was thinking about the Ark of God. So, he consulted with his officers
and leaders about his idea to bring back the Ark of God to Jerusalem from
Abinadab’s house at Kiriath-Jearim. They all thought it was a great idea and immediately
began the work to move the Ark of God (I Chronicles 12,13).
At that moment of excitement, King David forgot to seek God’s will or ask for His approval on this idea. Little did he know that this would cost the life of Uzzah, one of Abinadab’s sons. David gathered 30,000 of the best men and went to get the Ark of God from Kiriath-Jearim. It was on a hill in the house of Abinadab. The problem began when they placed the Ark of God on a cart drawn by oxen instead of transporting it on the shoulders of the Levites as God had instructed in Numbers 7:9.
(Click this link to learn more about the Ark of God, Lesson – 11, The Ark of God). Even
among the Levites, only the sons of Kohath could carry the Ark of God. In
Numbers 7:7-9 we can read that, carts and oxen were given to the sons of
Gershon and Merari for their services in the Tabernacle. The sons of Kohath
were not given carts or oxen because they had to carry
the Ark of God and other holy objects on their shoulders. The Kohathite levites knew how to transport the Ark of God and knew the ramifications if they
didn’t do it the correct way.
But when David and his men went to bring back the
Ark of God from Abinadab’s house, they tried to bring it back on a cart. They put
the Ark of God on a new cart and Aminadab’s sons, Uzzah and Ahio were driving
the cart with the Ark of God. They were rejoicing, singing and playing musical
instruments. When they came to the threshing floor of
Nacon (also called as the threshing floor of Kidon in I Chronicles 13:9), the oxen stumbled. Uzzah thought the Ark of God was going to fall,
so he reached out to steady it. When his hand touched the Ark of God,
Uzzah was punished by God because of his irreverent act and died. David was shocked
over this incident and became afraid of the Lord. He was reluctant to take the
Ark of God back to Jerusalem. A joyous day turned into a day of chaos and
mourning. His decision to move the Ark without consulting with the priests and
the Levites resulted in Uzzah losing his life.
Instead of taking the Ark of God to Jerusalem, King
David placed the Ark in the home of a man named Obed-Edom the Gittite, and it
remained there for three months (2 Samuel 6:10–11).
King David soon heard that, during the three months that the Ark of God stayed
in Obed-Edom’s house, the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and
his entire household. When King David saw that God had blessed Obed-Edom
because of the Ark, he was no longer afraid of the Ark of God.
David decided to bring back the Ark of God from
Obed-Edom’s house. But this time he did everything according to God’s commandments.
King David gathered the Levites and instructed them to consecrate themselves to
bring the Ark of God to the place he had prepared for it. King David also
acknowledged his sin when he first attempted to transport the Ark of God back
to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:13). This time King David brought Levites to
carry the Ark of God on their shoulders. He was also very careful. When those
who were carrying the Ark of God had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and
a fattened calf. The Levites carried the Ark of God with the poles as they had
been instructed by God through Moses hundreds of years ago.
King David spoke with the leaders of the Levites to appoint singers, musicians to lead the procession to bring back the Ark of God with sounds of joy. King David could not contain his joy. He too wore a linen ephod and danced before the Lord with all his strength. King David brought the Ark of God to the city of David and placed it in the middle of the Tabernacle he had set up for it.
Then they offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings before God. King David blessed the people in the
name of the Lord and he distributed to everyone of Israel a loaf of bread,
a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. He appointed some of the
Levites to minister before the Ark of the Lord, to thank and praise
the Lord God of Israel and to regularly blew the trumpets before the Ark
of the covenant of God.
Reference:
(1)
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General
Editor. "Entry for 'ABINADAB'". "International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia". 1915.
Bible Reference:
II Samuel 6:1-19; I Chronicles 13, 15,16: 1-6
Memory Verse: So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. (Psalm 63:2, 3 NKJV).
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Answer
the following questions:
1. How did King David transport the Ark from the
house of Abinadab?
.......................................................................
2. Where did King David place the Ark when Uzzah was
punished by God?
…...........................
3. How was the Ark of God brought back to Jerusalem
the second time?
........................................................................
4. What did King David do out of joy when the Ark
was brought back to Jerusalem?
..................................................................
5. What
did King David distribute to everyone of Israel when the Ark was brought back
to Jerusalem?
…………………………………….………….
Fill in the Blanks
1.
King David lived in the …………………..
which he called the “City of David.”
2. When
they came to the ……………………… of Nacon, the oxen stumbled.
3. The
……………………………… had to carry the Ark of God and other holy objects on their
shoulders
4. The
Lord blessed ……………………. and his entire household because of the Ark of God.
5. King
David wore a ……………………… and danced before the Lord.
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