The Gospel According to David: David Dances

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord , with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household. And it was told King David, "The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord , and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord . And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house. And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" And David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord , who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord —and I will celebrate before the Lord . I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor." And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. - 2 Samuel 6:1‭-‬23 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The ark of the covenant is a sacramental object for the nation of Israel. It is the physical representation of God's presence.

David has become king. The opponents of David have all died. The first priority for David is bringing the ark back.

The terror of God's presence

David was bringing the ark back. One of his men touched the ark to keep it from falling when the oxen had stumbled. And the man died. Immediately. Uzzah was of the tribe of the Levite's. He should have known how the ark was to be treated, right down to how it was to be transported. It was not to be moved by a cart and oxen. It was to be carried by a group of Levites on poles. God is holy. He cannot stand impurity.

When people meet God, they are terrified. Abraham wanted to see God, God allowed him to see his backside. When Abraham came back down from the mountain, his glowing face terrified the people. Isaiah saw God and cried out that he was unclean, undone. Angels cover their faces around God.

It was grace that God only struck down one man. David and the rest of his men lived. They had treated the ark without due respect and reverence.

The tension of God's presence

So king David brought it to the house of Obed-edom. David was afraid to bring the ark near. But
Obed-edom and his household are blessed. God is holy, but we are impure. We would be undone if God brought his entire presence near.

So David comes back, and this time it is done reverently. It is held by Levites. And every six steps, they sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. They walked ten miles. It would have been a trail of dead animals and blood. This is the holiness of God displayed for all to see.

The telltale signs of being in God's presence

We cannot fully grasp the gospel unless we understand the character of God.  Unless we have an idea of who God is, we cannot take the gospel properly. If we sing and dance for other things, but God and the gospel does not make you dance, something is wrong. We should have greater enthusiasm for God and His salvation. Not to day that we should fake it. We should meditate on God and His grace towards us.

Firstly, we will care first and foremost for God's opinion. We care less for what people think of us. Rather we seek out the pleasure of God rather than the pleasure of other people.

Secondly, we will have joy. We are content and gracious towards others. It is not self righteousness that drives us, but rather gratitude and humility.

We will dance with all our might, like David.

The Gospel According to David: David stays his hand

When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi." Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, "Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, 'Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. And afterward David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord 's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord 's anointed." So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, "My Lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'Behold, David seeks your harm'? Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord 's anointed.' See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness.' But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand." As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house." And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. - 1SA 24:1‭-‬22 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Decision making

Just because a door is open, does not mean God desires it. We need to be careful of interpreting opportunities or circumstances as God's will for us. We can easily go down the wrong path.

Guidelines

1) If you have a choice and there is a biblical injunction in your path, don't do it.

For instance, dating non-Christians. We are not to marry non-Christians. Do not be unequally yoked. Don't do it.

2) God's ways are not always the most practical or convenient.

David could have killed Saul. Killing Saul would have been the easiest way out. By not killing Saul, David was ensuring a longer wait for kingship... And a continued life as a fugitive. Impractical and inefficient... But God can call us to these things. He can and does call us to tough places.

3) Can you walk away from this and still be content?

If not, then you need to walk away. If you can't walk away, then this is a temptation and likely an idol for you. We are led down a path of impatience and discontent by whatever this is. We must walk away. It is not for the glory of God, but selfish ambition and desire.

4) Does this maximize my time & talent?

Dealing with difficult people

David was on the run for years. He could have killed Saul as payback for all these things. But David does not kill Saul. He shows restraint. Even when he addresses Saul, it was full of respect and reverence. He calls him Lord, father... Not only that, but Saul goes on the hunt for David again later.

David treated Saul this way not because of God. Not because Saul treated David well, but because Saul was God's anointed. We are all image bearers of God. So they are should be treated with respect.

David trusted God will deliver justice. For those who trust in God, God will not allow anyone to get away with it. It will be accounted for either in hell or at the cross. We aren't to add to God's justice. This is not to say not to defend yourself. We are not to just take abuse, but protect ourselves. David stayed far away from Saul. However, we are to avoid revenge and vengeance.

Application

Commit your heart fully to God

How? Look at Jesus. He could have taken the easy way. Instead he chose God's will in God's way. Jesus took the path of suffering and a crown of thorns for us. That will make us bend our knees to Him. Not only that, but God is for us. He is more for us than we are for ourselves.

Keep your eyes on God

When God could have struck you down, He stayed his hand. Jesus is the greater David because Jesus took our punishment in our stead. He took the penalty of our sin to save us.

Not only are we to not avenge, but we are to do good to our enemies. Love them, because God loved us while we were still His enemies. This is neither practical nor convenient. But that is how God works.

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - ROM 12:17‭-‬21 ESV

The Gospel According to David: Like Father, Not Like Son

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants. As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?" And Saul eyed David from that day on. The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice. Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. - 1 Samuel 18:1‭-‬15 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

King Saul and his son, Jonathan are the focus of this passage. They are two very different people. So different. We'll be jumping around a bit in the Bible.

Jonathan is a man of faith, seeking the glory of God.

Here's an example:
Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few." - 1SA 14:6 ESV

The army of Israel had run low in weapons, so fighting had died down. Jonathan decides to take his weapon and fight, even though the odds were against him.

Saul is not. He does not depend on God.

Here's an example:
He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, "Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord .' So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. - 1SA 13:8‭-‬13 ESV

The army of Israel was in a panic. They were vastly outmatched. Samuel tells him to sit tight and wait for him to come and sacrifice to God. Saul waits and waits and can't wait any longer. He offers a sacrifice to keep his army from deserting him. Just as he's sacrificed, Samuel finally arrives. Saul is more concerned about the people than God.

And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed be you to the Lord . I have performed the commandment of the Lord ." And Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?" Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction." Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night." And he said to him, "Speak." Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord ." - 1SA 15:13‭-‬16‭, ‬24‭-‬25 ESV

Even in confessing his sin, his concern is for his standing with the people rather than his offense against God. Saul wanted the admiration, loyalty, and approval of the people more than glorifying/loving God. That is what his life was centered on. Not God. Because of this, there is always this insecurity and fear. We can also live this way. God is not the ends, but the means of getting what we want. Our problem is not outright atheism, but rather having something else as the ultimate thing in this life.

Jonathan should be fearful; he is not.

This is the son of the king. If there is someone who should fear David, it was him. But no, it is not fear. Rather Jonathan makes a covenant with him. They have a common bond in chasing after God. Kindred spirits.

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. - 1SA 18:1‭, ‬3‭-‬4 ESV

David is a competitor for the throne. But Jonathan doesn't try to kill him, instead he gives David his sword and armor. He is a loyal friend who protects David even against his father, the king, Saul.

So what does this mean?

When we have God as the ultimate one, we will not treat people as pawns or as obstacles to our goals. Saul used his daughters as bait to try and get David killed. He saw David as one who was taking what he wanted away: the love and admiration of the people. Saul could not see David as one who chased after God and a defender of the nation of Israel.

We are more like Saul than we are willing to admit. So what then? Are we stuck this way? We have a Jonathan. It is Jesus. He was struck down by the sword for us and through him we are royalty. He protects and loves us. We don't have to stay as people-pleasers. When the gospel has taken root, we will change.

The Gospel According to David: An unexpected champion

Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." And the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together." When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening. And Jesse said to David his son, "Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them." Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel." And David said to the men who stood by him, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" And the people answered him in the same way, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him." Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." And David said, "What have I done now? Was it not but a word?" And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before. When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God." And David said, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you!" Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." So David put them off. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord 's, and he will give you into our hand." When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know." And the king said, "Inquire whose son the boy is." And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite." - 1 Samuel 17 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

David's Passion

Sometimes wars were fought by singular people. Instead of two armies, they pick champions to fight on their behalf. Each side picks their best and they fight.

Goliath stood nine feet tall. His armor was over a hundred pounds. His spear tip was fifteen pounds. Not the spear, but just the tip. This was a monster of a man. The army of Israel was fearfully intimidated for forty days. The Philistines mocked the Israelites and their God day after day.

So David comes and hears this mockery coming from the enemies of Israel. And he is prodded into action. He is concerned that God's name is not glorified, but openly mocked. When nations fought, it wasn't just one army being greater than another. It was also seen as a fight to see who's God/gods are stronger.

What do you and I get worked up over? Is God first and foremost? Or are we more concerned with our sports team, how the food is at a restaurant, etc? Our priorities are a jumbled mess.

David's Preparation

When David comes before Saul, he asks him, what makes David think he has a chance? David says that he has been defending his sheep from lions and bears... Goliath is going to be like just one of these. A mundane detail of David's life, a shepherd, becomes a vital component in this fight for his life with Goliath.

David's Power

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell... Unpacks how advantages can actually be disadvantages. Seeming strengths are actually weaknesses. But that's the typical view. Look again at this passage. The actual fight is such a small portion of this text. The vast majority is devoted to the conversation between David and other people. David does not speak of his strength or advantage. David speaks of God who will give the victory. David doesn't win by grit. That's not the moral of this story. David isn't speaking of faith in his own strength or abilities.

We are to have faith in God. We can't just believe our way to victory or healing. Believing harder is not the moral of this story. David comes out to the battlefield with no armor and no sword. Who goes to battle without these things? No one. David is vulnerable and comes out with a stuck and a sling.

We are weaker than we think. Our faith is much weaker than we believe. We all want to identify with David, but we are really Saul and the Israelite army. We are fearful and in need of a savior. We need a champion to come in and save us.

Jesus came to be our champion. He came vulnerable and weak. And he went into the valley of death. He fought without a sword to defeat our greatest enemy. He has won the greatest battle of our life. Everything else is minor in comparison. He has conquered sin and death.

Application

Because of Christ, all things in this life will work out for our good.

We are not to hide our weakness, but rather to celebrate them. Why? Because we will stop putting on weak armor and rather depend on God and His power. God works through our weakness.