Reading With the People of God #10 Kingdomنموونە

Focus of the month: (Kingdom)

7 Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, 8 and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, 10 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. 11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’ ”.- 1 Chronicles 17:7-14

2 Samuel 6 - A Hard Lesson in Obedience

First, while reading this passage, it seems rather harsh of God to strike a man dead for lending a helping hand, or was it? Did God misstep, or was it the oxen or the people?

2 Samuel 6 opens with the defeat of the Philistines. In celebration, King David, along with thirty thousand chosen men, was bringing the Ark up to Jerusalem. In preparation, the people made a new cart to carry the Ark. They had arranged a procession of singers, musicians and dancers to celebrate the event. Everything seemed fine until the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah was struck dead for reaching out to steady the Ark. Why did God do this? Let’s look back and see if we can answer why.

In Exodus 25: 10-22, God gives Moses very specific instructions for constructing the Ark, the central piece of the Tabernacle. The Ark, also called the Ark of the Covenant, was no ordinary chest or holy relic but the place where the Presence of God dwelt among His people. It was constructed of acacia wood overlaid with pure gold. The top was the atonement cover, representing the mercy of God. At both ends of the cover sat two winged cherubim, marking the place where the Presence of God would meet with his people. Inside, the Ark contained the Testimony (the Ten Commandments). This Ark represented the presence of God to the Israelites. The majesty of His Presence met with his people between the cherubim, His grace in the atonement cover, and His Law in the Ten Commandments.

The book of Numbers 4:15 explains how the Ark was to be prepared by the Kohathites, a branch of Levites, for travel. They were to carry the Ark on poles and were instructed never to touch it, or they would die.

God's instructions on who should carry the Ark and how were very clear.

Since the Ark was where the very Presence of God would dwell and meet with his people, it was not to be treated or regarded as the pagans did their idols.

John 19:38 - 20:18 - The Morning that Changed Everything

On that great Sabbath morning, the women and disciples found the tomb open. Two angels were where the body of Jesus once lay. The linen shroud, now empty of the body it once held, was folded inside the tomb. Jesus was and is alive! The final atonement for our sins has been paid.

* Primer contributed by Laurie Harry, Artist, Member of Cornerstone Church