LET US BRING BACK THE ARK
We read in 1 Samuel 4:3 NKJV the important and significant decision made by the Elders of Israel when they said “Let us bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord”. The Jews had lost the Ark which they took with them into battle, and were defeated by the Philistines. We now have to move to 2 Samuel 6:2 and King David is ready to start the journey of returning the Ark to Jerusalem. A number of painful lessons had to be learnt before we read, King David enters the city dancing before the Lord bringing the Ark of the Covenant back. Sadly, Michal (Saul’s daughter) criticised David’s behaviour and the result was she never was able to fall pregnant and bear children, the principle here is if you criticise and react negatively against what God is doing, you can end up spiritually barren and unfulfilled.
The Ark is a beautiful symbol of the PRESENCE OF GOD, it is a box like structure with 2 Cherubim on top facing each other, and between the Cherubim the Cloud of Glory of God’s presence dwelt. David did not return the Ark to the Tabernacle of Moses , but set up a simple tent like structure where the Ark was visible for all to see, (and it remained in public view for 40 years) previously it was behind a veil in the holy of Holies and the High priest would go in, just once a year, and sprinkle blood as an atonement for the people’s sins. The tent like structure became known as David’s Tabernacle.
King David also introduced a whole new form of worship, that was completely different to what had taken place in Moses’s Tabernacle, including the Ministry of Singers & Musicians. James prophesies in Acts 15:16-17 NKJV After this I will return
And will rebuild the Tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will set it up;
So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name.
Scholars do not believe it is the restoration of a physical building but the restoration of pure Biblical worship, some great men of God began to prophesy in the late 1940’s that this day was approaching, and there have been some beautiful expressions of spiritual worship since that time, that maybe was just a foretaste of this fully happening, or sadly, each time the Charismatic/Pentecostal churches moved into this area, others among them would say, we don’t need this, we need EXCELLENCE, of course we want the very best standard of music and singing in our services, but if excellence majors on the quality of the music and the voices, and not on sincere hearts reaching out to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth then it is simply performance, and the congregation are simply spectators. where BIBLICAL WORSHIP IS THE WHOLE CONGREGATION WORSHIPPING. I would rather have rough around the edges worship (by human beings like you and me) than sterile excellence.
So do we keep losing the Ark, or has it yet to be fully restored to the Church? let me say again I am not talking about the symbol, (the physical Ark or David’s Tabernacle) but the truths and reality that comes with the glorious manifest presence of God.
Some readers will say this is an extreme teaching, but I long to see the Lord’s presence manifest amongst His people, and that we truly bow down, (maybe even prostrate ourselves) before the Lord, we need to prepare NOW for heaven, where our total occupation will be worshipping the LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, and be ever thankful, that we were CHOSEN BEFORE GOD EVEN CREATED THE WORLD.
