1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,760 To 2 Samuel chapter 5, there is no city on earth, believe me, that is so dear to the 2 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:16,060 Jew as the city of Jerusalem. 3 00:00:16,060 --> 00:00:21,640 You can take any other city in Israel and give it away, but you cannot give away the 4 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,580 city of Jerusalem. 5 00:00:24,580 --> 00:00:32,160 I was there just two years after the Israelis took the city of Jerusalem from the Jordanians. 6 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:36,480 They had already marvelously cleaned up the city. 7 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:40,320 They, of course, had united it. 8 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:45,120 By that time, they had bulldozed houses away from the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall of 9 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:53,240 the Temple Mount, provided a large area for Jewish people to come and pray, and others, 10 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:58,520 tourists like myself, to come and observe. 11 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:04,920 One could tell that they were wed to the city of Jerusalem, and I am convinced that they 12 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:14,560 will never, ever, ever willingly give up the city of Jerusalem or even a part of it again. 13 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,120 The city of Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible as early as Genesis chapter 14, where 14 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,680 it speaks about Melchizedek, the king of Salem. 15 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:29,200 Most Bible scholars believe that the city of Salem mentioned there was ancient Jerusalem, 16 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:37,480 and that Melchizedek was the high priest of that city, a believer, follower of the true 17 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:42,480 God, one of the very few, apparently, upon the earth in that day. 18 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:49,660 It was famous, therefore, even in the day of Abraham. 19 00:01:49,660 --> 00:01:58,960 When the land of Canaan fell to the Israelis in the time of Joshua, and the land was divided, 20 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,520 that particular city fell to the lot of Benjamin. 21 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:10,760 If you have a map that divides up Palestine as it was allotted to the various tribes, 22 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:17,280 you will notice that Jerusalem is just inside the border of Benjamin, very close to the 23 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,040 land that was given to Judah. 24 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:24,880 We usually think of it in connection with Judah because it became, as we will see, the 25 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,520 capital city of David. 26 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:35,880 However, in that day, when that area was conquered, more or less, by the Israelis, they were not 27 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:42,960 successful in driving out the Canaanite inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem. 28 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:47,880 The Jebusites, they were called, and the city was called Jebus. 29 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:55,560 The Jebusites remained there even in the day of David, as we will see, and though they 30 00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:01,040 were conquered in the city by David, they nonetheless lived there, and later on, the 31 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:07,160 descendants of these same people were put into a certain kind of servitude by King Solomon. 32 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:13,520 I'd like for us to think tonight what Jerusalem was to David and to Israel. 33 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,840 In the first place, it was the place of rule. 34 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,280 It became the capital city. 35 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,280 It was in a strategic location. 36 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:32,480 Jebus, or Jerusalem, was in a no man's land, so to speak, between the tribe of Judah, which 37 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:37,120 of course gave allegiance to David while he was reigning down there in Hebron for seven 38 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:44,440 and a half years, and the tribes of Israel that followed Saul and then his son, Ishbecheth, 39 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,080 for that seven and a half year period. 40 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:54,580 It was sort of a neutral land or city in between these two areas, and so it was a strategic 41 00:03:54,580 --> 00:03:59,760 location politically, and undoubtedly that was part of the reason that David selected 42 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,740 Jerusalem as his capital city. 43 00:04:02,740 --> 00:04:08,120 It was a place to which both the people who followed him from Judah and the ones who had 44 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:13,840 followed Saul's son would be able to look without a lot of prejudice. 45 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,080 It had a sort of neutral feel to it. 46 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:23,260 It was also a strategic location militarily. 47 00:04:23,260 --> 00:04:25,920 It would be a capital city easy to defend. 48 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:30,200 In fact, that's why the Jebusites were still there, because the Israelites had been unable 49 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:35,320 to unseat them. 50 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:41,200 Archaeologists differ as to how large the city was at this point, but it seems to be 51 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:46,840 the most popular current thinking that it was not a large city at all, that it was perhaps 52 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:53,200 1,200 feet in length and 400 to 500 feet in width. 53 00:04:53,200 --> 00:05:02,360 Not a perfect square, but it looks something like a footprint located on the southeast 54 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:07,800 ridge where the city of Jerusalem is located. 55 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:14,040 On the east, on the south, and then around to the west side were valleys, very steep 56 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:20,300 valleys, which of course led right up to the wall of the city, and anyone coming from those 57 00:05:20,300 --> 00:05:25,360 directions would be easy targets for the archers and others on the walls of the city. 58 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,840 They had therefore really only one side to defend, the north side, and they had done 59 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:33,120 that successfully. 60 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:39,720 It was also a city, as most of them were at that time, which had a water supply. 61 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:44,400 That was very important because when cities were put under siege, they had to be able 62 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:50,200 to exist for long periods of time without going outside their walls. 63 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:55,760 So they had devised a very elaborate system of reservoirs and so on underneath their city 64 00:05:55,760 --> 00:06:03,460 and a tunnel that went down to a spring so that they were able to provide for themselves 65 00:06:03,460 --> 00:06:05,140 all the fresh water they wanted. 66 00:06:05,140 --> 00:06:08,800 So it was a strategic city. 67 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:15,600 It did not become the capital of the new, united Israel without a battle. 68 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:19,620 And we see that in verse 6 of 2 Samuel 5. 69 00:06:19,620 --> 00:06:25,400 Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of 70 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:31,600 the land, and they said to David, You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame shall 71 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,840 turn you away. 72 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:38,800 They had been rather successful at this point, and so they threw a jab or two at David and 73 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:40,300 his followers. 74 00:06:40,300 --> 00:06:43,240 They thought David cannot enter here. 75 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:50,520 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David, as it 76 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,920 came to be called David's city. 77 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:59,280 And David said on that day, Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame 78 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:07,080 and the blind who are hated by David's soul through the water tunnel or through the gutter, 79 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,760 some translations say. 80 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:14,200 So it seems as though David is saying here, well they think the lame and the blind can't 81 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:18,720 take them, but in fact they're the lame and the blind and we are going to take them. 82 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,840 The last statement in verse 8 is mysterious. 83 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,400 It's difficult to understand the meaning of it. 84 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:28,920 It says, Therefore they say the blind or the lame shall not come into the house. 85 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,080 There are many different understandings of that verse, and frankly I don't have a real 86 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,200 opinion about it. 87 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:40,280 But it is interesting to note here that David mentions that through the water tunnel or 88 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,120 through the gutter they would come into the city. 89 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:50,680 Now once again, those who study the Hebrew language differ as to the meaning of that 90 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,440 word that is translated water tunnel. 91 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:59,040 There are some who see it meaning hook, and they say that David was saying that they would 92 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:04,800 be able to use grappling hooks to throw up on top of the wall and pull themselves up 93 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,240 to get into the city. 94 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:14,800 But it does seem that there is a good case for the translation being water tunnel. 95 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:22,180 If in fact that is the case, there is an interesting archaeological insight that helps us understand 96 00:08:22,180 --> 00:08:24,720 how that might have taken place. 97 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:31,840 It was not known until just 100 years ago or so when Captain Charles Warren in a company 98 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:38,320 with a crowd of pilgrims visited the Spring of the Virgin it is called. 99 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:44,240 It is according to legend, notice that word, the place where Mary washed the swaddling 100 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,240 clothes of her little son. 101 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:53,240 Despite the semi-darkness, the account says, Warren noted on this visit a dark cavity in 102 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:58,360 the roof a few yards above the spot where the water flowed out from the rock. 103 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,320 Even no one had ever noticed this before because when Warren asked about it nobody could tell 104 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,360 him anything. 105 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:09,320 Filled with curiosity, he went back to the Virgin Fountain next day equipped with a ladder 106 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:10,320 and a long rope. 107 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:15,480 He had no idea that an adventurous and somewhat perilous quest lay ahead of him. 108 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:20,120 Behind the spring a narrow shaft led off at first horizontally and then straight up into 109 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,240 the rock. 110 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:27,280 Warren was an alpine expert and well acquainted with this type of chimney climbing. 111 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:31,080 Slowly hand over hand he made his way upwards. 112 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:35,400 After about 40 feet the shaft suddenly came to an end. 113 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:41,120 Feeling his way in the darkness, Warren eventually found a narrow passage. 114 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,160 Crawling on all fours he followed it. 115 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,440 A number of steps had been cut in the rock. 116 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,240 After some time he saw ahead of him a glimmering of light. 117 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:56,840 He reached a vaulted chamber which contained nothing but old jars and glass bottles covered 118 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:58,380 in dust. 119 00:09:58,380 --> 00:10:02,880 He forced himself through a chink in the rock and found himself in broad daylight in the 120 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:08,680 middle of the city with the Fountain of the Virgin lying far below him. 121 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:13,860 Closer investigation by Parker who in 1918 went from the United Kingdom under the auspices 122 00:10:13,860 --> 00:10:18,800 of the Palestine Exploration Fund showed that this remarkable arrangement dated from the 123 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:23,880 second millennium BC, in other words a thousand years before the day of David. 124 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:30,480 The inhabitants of old Jerusalem had been at pains to cut a corridor through the rock 125 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,360 in order that in time of siege they could reach in safety the spring that meant life 126 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:36,320 or death to them. 127 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:40,800 Warren's curiosity had discovered the way which 3,000 years earlier David had used to 128 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,800 take the fortress of Jerusalem by surprise. 129 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,760 David's scouts must have known about this secret passage as we now see from a biblical 130 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:54,440 reference which was previously obscure than he quotes from this verse we just read. 131 00:10:54,440 --> 00:11:01,040 The authorized version translates gutter, the Hebrew word means shaft or channel. 132 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,360 Actually Warren's discovery only solved half of the problem because when he came up, he 133 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:13,000 came up at a point that was outside the wall where they thought it used to be. 134 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:19,280 And so if David's men had used that, it was thought 100 years ago, then apparently they 135 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,640 did still come up outside the wall. 136 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:31,360 But excavations since then, in fact as recently as the 1960s, have located more ancient walls 137 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,440 than have been known before. 138 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:40,600 So that in fact, that tunnel from the spring led up right into the middle of the ancient 139 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:47,760 city of Jebus or Jerusalem and is probably the very way that David and his men actually 140 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:54,800 got inside the city and therefore were able to conquer the city on this occasion. 141 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,080 So David lived, it says in verse 9, in the stronghold and called it the city of David 142 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,640 and David built all around from the milo and inward. 143 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:07,840 Now again there's a mystery, we don't exactly know what the milo is. 144 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:16,920 It means perhaps a heap, it could refer to something as simple as a garbage dump there 145 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:22,480 in the city that was noted or an ancient mound of earth. 146 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:28,640 There are those who think that milo may have been a fortress part of the city and that 147 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:35,720 its name which means to fill was actually because it was a fortress with two walls around 148 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:41,520 it with dirt filled in between them, between the two walls giving a very strong sturdy 149 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:42,520 defense. 150 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:50,320 Nonetheless, David attached to that milo and built around it and inward and strengthened 151 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:55,200 the city and it became greater and greater for the Lord God of hosts was with him and 152 00:12:55,200 --> 00:13:00,280 Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stone 153 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,000 masons and they built a house for David. 154 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,880 And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, that he had exalted 155 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,840 his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 156 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:16,840 And so the city of Jerusalem was taken by David and it became now the capital city of 157 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,420 the united kingdom of Israel. 158 00:13:20,420 --> 00:13:26,600 Remember for the last seven and a half years David had been king only of Judah, not pushing 159 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:33,760 himself on those of the other tribes, waiting for God's time, waiting for God's way. 160 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,200 What a lesson for us. 161 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:41,120 And then when it was God's time and way he moved quickly and established the capital 162 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:47,080 city in Jerusalem in that rather neutral territory so that now the tribe of Judah to the south 163 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:52,160 and those other tribes to the north and somewhat to the east gave their loyalty to him and 164 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,900 to the city of Jerusalem as well. 165 00:13:54,900 --> 00:14:00,680 So it was to David and Israel the place of rule, it was the seat of government and it 166 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:07,000 would remain that way until the kingdom of Judah was taken away in captivity by Nebuchadnezzar 167 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:11,080 in 586 B.C. 168 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:18,960 The Jews did not control Jerusalem, it was always under foreign domination until 1967. 169 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:26,560 That is very exciting and somehow all of that plays together for the end time prophecies. 170 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:33,680 It's still a little foggy or misty to us but it is not by accident that even in our generation 171 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:38,880 the Jews have for the first time in all of these thousands of years taken the city of 172 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:40,800 Jerusalem as their own. 173 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:44,400 And as you know there is a debate today as to whether they should move the capital city 174 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,120 to Jerusalem. 175 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:51,840 The Knesset, their parliament is there, the prime minister is there but technically they 176 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,800 have called Tel Aviv their capital city. 177 00:14:54,800 --> 00:15:00,360 They wish to move it and are calling upon the United States to recognize Jerusalem as 178 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:07,480 their capital city, a move which of course the Arabs very much oppose. 179 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,240 So the city of Jerusalem was a place of rule but secondly it was a place of worship as 180 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:12,760 well. 181 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:17,280 God knew that it was not enough just for the political headquarters to be there. 182 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:23,640 There had to be something more to attach the people to the city and frankly to His rule 183 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:29,200 than just the fact that that was where He lived and that was the capital. 184 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:36,560 He needed something to draw the heart, the devotion of the people to Jerusalem and partly 185 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:44,320 for that reason, partly because of His love for the Lord God, He decided to make Jerusalem 186 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,240 the place of worship as well. 187 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:57,680 For the last 80 years the Ark of the Covenant had been in the village of Kirioth Jireen 188 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:01,120 which means village of the woods. 189 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:10,640 You remember that for many years it was located at Shiloh but in the days of Samuel's youth 190 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:19,520 the Philistines were able to capture the Ark and they kept it for a period of time, suffered 191 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:24,080 great judgment of the Lord and finally sent it back to Israel and said let's get rid of 192 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:25,080 this thing. 193 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:32,920 So they sent it back to Beth Shemesh, a village located some 15 miles to the west of Jerusalem. 194 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:41,160 And the record in 1 Samuel is that the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh out of curiosity looked into 195 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,480 the Ark, something they should never have done. 196 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:51,560 It was an offense to the holiness of God and God struck them with the plague and 70 people 197 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:55,600 probably died as a result of that. 198 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,720 And so the people of Beth Shemesh said let's get it out of here to the next village and 199 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:06,800 so they sent it on to Kirioth Jireen and it had been there in the possession of Abinadab, 200 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:12,040 a godly man and his family for these long years. 201 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,280 David wanted to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. 202 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:17,680 Shiloh did not exist any longer. 203 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,400 The Philistines had destroyed Shiloh. 204 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:24,680 It could not be taken back there from where it had come. 205 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:29,280 He determined in his heart that it should belong in the city of Jerusalem. 206 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:33,400 Notice that it says in verse 1 of chapter 6, David again gathered all the chosen men 207 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:38,640 of Israel, 30,000 in rows and went with all the people who were with him to Baal Judah. 208 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,680 That's another name for Kirioth Jireen. 209 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:48,240 To bring up from there the Ark of God which is called by the name, the very name of the 210 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:52,760 Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim. 211 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:57,640 And they placed the Ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of 212 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:01,000 Abinadab which was on the hill. 213 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:07,400 And Uzzah and Ahiou, the sons of Abinadab were leading the new cart. 214 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:12,360 So they brought it with the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill 215 00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:16,200 and Ahiou was walking ahead of the Ark. 216 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:21,080 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all 217 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:26,480 kinds of instruments made of fir wood and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets 218 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:27,480 and cymbals. 219 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:33,520 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the Ark 220 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,720 of God and took hold of it for the oxen nearly upset it. 221 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:44,280 And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah and God struck him down there for his irreverence 222 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:48,280 and he died there by the Ark of God. 223 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:53,560 And David became angry because of the Lord's outburst against Uzzah and that place is called 224 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,400 Perez Uzzah to this day. 225 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,520 It means the outburst against Uzzah. 226 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:02,120 So David was afraid of the Lord that day and he said, how can the Ark of the Lord come 227 00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:03,120 to me? 228 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:07,160 And David was unwilling to move the Ark of the Lord into the city of David with him. 229 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,720 But David took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Getite. 230 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:16,320 Thus the Ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Getite three months and the 231 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:22,120 Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. 232 00:19:22,120 --> 00:19:30,600 David with a sincere heart and motive had a wonderful purpose in mind. 233 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:38,920 The Ark of God represented his very presence and it brought the blessing of the Lord upon 234 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:46,240 those who obeyed him, judgment upon those who disobeyed him like the Philistines. 235 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:54,520 David wanted the Ark in Jerusalem and therefore he made a brand new cart and chose oxen that 236 00:19:54,520 --> 00:20:04,560 were undoubtedly without blemish to transport that box, yea big, back to the city of Jerusalem. 237 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:06,920 There was only one problem. 238 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:12,120 He was trying to do the right thing in a wrong way. 239 00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:18,360 Now whether David rationalized this way or not, we are not sure, but it certainly is 240 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:23,440 an example of the end justifying the means, isn't it? 241 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:28,720 He felt like this would be an appropriate way to bring the Ark into Jerusalem and yet 242 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,320 it was not God's way. 243 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:36,760 It was a way but it wasn't God's way. 244 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:42,680 You see it's not enough just to be sincere in one's heart to have the right motive. 245 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:49,160 It's not enough just to have the right purpose and view as good as that purpose may be. 246 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:56,520 But what we do with the right motive has to be done as well in the way that God has ordained 247 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,140 or it displeases him. 248 00:20:59,140 --> 00:21:00,920 How was the Ark to be transported? 249 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:03,600 Well, we'll see that in just a moment. 250 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,640 Let's go on and read in verse 12. 251 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:10,440 It was told King David saying, the Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edum and all that 252 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:12,640 belongs to him on account of the Ark of God. 253 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:17,040 And David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-Edum into the city 254 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,240 of David with gladness. 255 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:25,820 And it was so it was that when the bearers of the Ark of the Lord had gone six paces, 256 00:21:25,820 --> 00:21:28,960 he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 257 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:33,080 And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might and David was wearing a linen 258 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:34,600 ephod. 259 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:38,600 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the Ark of the Lord with shouting 260 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:40,000 and the sound of the trumpet. 261 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:45,760 Then it happened as the Ark of the Lord came into the city of David that Michael, the daughter 262 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:50,240 of Saul, looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the 263 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:54,600 Lord and she despised him in her heart. 264 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:59,060 So they brought in the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent which 265 00:21:59,060 --> 00:22:01,480 David had pitched for it. 266 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:08,400 And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 267 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:13,640 As the Ark was being transported on that cart, it appeared as though it was going to fall 268 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,560 because the oxen stumbled. 269 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:22,000 And this man, Uzzah, once again apparently a sincere man, mistakenly reached out and 270 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,860 touched the Ark which represented the very holiness of God. 271 00:22:26,860 --> 00:22:35,500 And again it was an offense to the holiness of the Lord and God struck him dead. 272 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:39,360 It was severe, that judgment. 273 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:47,240 It caused David to be angry and apparently even angry against the Lord initially. 274 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:54,120 And he named the place as a memorial to Uzzah who he had felt sincerely tried to protect 275 00:22:54,120 --> 00:22:58,560 the Ark and he had. 276 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:04,760 Again I say sincerity is not enough. 277 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:11,320 David left the Ark there and apparently in the interim three months he studied to find 278 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:16,160 out how to bring the Ark into the city the way God ordained. 279 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:20,880 That was with staves, long poles that were to be slipped through rings that were on the 280 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:24,920 side of that box. 281 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:31,360 The bearers of the Ark at the appropriate time accompanied David back into the city 282 00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:33,360 of Jerusalem. 283 00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:40,720 And David, a man who was full of passion and emotion, was so filled with joy and excitement 284 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:48,280 at this occasion that he took off his outer kingly garments, wearing only the linen garments 285 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:57,560 of a servant, a Levitical servant, and he danced and sang before the Lord. 286 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,240 This was the most spiritual kind of response on the part of David. 287 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:07,240 There is nothing unseemly or even unkingly about what David was doing. 288 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:12,840 Here is a man whose heart overflowed with love for God and for joy at what was taking 289 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:14,200 place. 290 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:20,200 The Lord represented by that Ark, the presence of God represented by the Ark, was coming 291 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:22,560 to the city of Jerusalem. 292 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:27,400 So the city of Jerusalem would be the place of worship. 293 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:32,600 But one of his wives, Michael, looked out the window and saw him. 294 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:34,040 She despised him. 295 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,280 Now why was that? 296 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:41,660 Well, because she had a mind a great deal like her father Saul. 297 00:24:41,660 --> 00:24:45,360 She was not a spiritual woman. 298 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:53,360 It is sad how often the carnal mind cannot appreciate the joy and liberty of a spiritual 299 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:57,140 person. 300 00:24:57,140 --> 00:25:02,840 Because of her spite for David, she was childless until the day of her death, which was the 301 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:10,480 mark of greatest dishonor to an Israeli mother. 302 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,800 The Ark was brought in and pitched in a tent that David had prepared. 303 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:19,080 We do not know what happened to the tabernacle and to all of those other instruments involved 304 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,080 with it. 305 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,480 It is gone at this time. 306 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:29,640 David pitches a tent there and the Lord, as it were, has come to Jerusalem. 307 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,640 It has become the place of worship. 308 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:39,040 And now all the people from Dan to Beersheba, from the southernmost part of the tribe of 309 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:45,240 Judah, all the way up there to the tribe of Dan, all the people will look to Jerusalem 310 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:51,860 with hearts of devotion and worship, and that will unite the kingdom under David's rule. 311 00:25:51,860 --> 00:25:54,360 How much this city meant to David. 312 00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:58,880 I want to tell you, if you ever get to the city of Jerusalem in your lifetime, it will 313 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,320 become precious to you. 314 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:06,240 I was reading some of Jay Vernon McGee's remarks on this passage and he says that it is not 315 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:07,560 his favorite place at all. 316 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,840 He does not care for Jerusalem. 317 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:14,120 That's one place I have to part company with the dear brother because I think the city 318 00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:17,920 of Jerusalem is the most fabulous place on the face of the earth. 319 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:25,920 It is said that in the 67 war, when the fighting was going on around Jerusalem, that there 320 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:32,240 was not a bomb or an artillery shell that fell within the city of Jerusalem. 321 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:33,240 Why was that? 322 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:39,640 Well, because the city is considered sacred by three great religions of the world, for 323 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,280 one thing. 324 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:43,680 There is the story that is passed around. 325 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:48,520 I do not know if it can be a legend in its time, but the story is passed around that 326 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:54,720 there were bombs that were dropped over Jerusalem that actually fell sideways, missing the city. 327 00:26:54,720 --> 00:27:02,200 Now, today we do not look to the city of Jerusalem as our place of rule, nor do we look to the 328 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:06,600 city of Jerusalem as the center of our worship. 329 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:11,260 You and I look for a city whose builder and maker is God. 330 00:27:11,260 --> 00:27:17,840 You and I look for the heavenly Jerusalem or the new Jerusalem that the Lord is preparing 331 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,260 for us His own. 332 00:27:20,260 --> 00:27:24,280 It is the Lamb's bride, His wife. 333 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:33,200 This new Jerusalem in its beauty far surpasses anything that is known in the world today. 334 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:37,520 Read about it in Revelation, chapters 21 and 22. 335 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:48,400 It is a city that is crystal, which reflects the glory of God like a rainbow, and which 336 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:53,680 will be the center of attention, not just for the earth, but for the whole of God's 337 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:57,920 new heaven and new earth which He will create. 338 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:05,040 My friend, that will be the Jerusalem which we will inhabit for eternity to come. 339 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:09,320 We may travel throughout the new heavens and new earth on assignments for our Lord as we 340 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:13,600 reign with Him, but that will be home. 341 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,380 That is headquarters. 342 00:28:15,380 --> 00:28:20,640 That is where the throne of God and of the Lamb are located. 343 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:26,160 That is where the pure river of the water of life flows, where the trees of life grow 344 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:28,160 beside it. 345 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:34,580 That is the place which God is preparing for all of those who love Him. 346 00:28:34,580 --> 00:28:39,560 You can visit the city of Jerusalem today on the earth, whether you're saved or lost. 347 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:41,280 It makes no difference. 348 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:48,320 But you will never see the new Jerusalem unless you're a child of God, unless you're saved. 349 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,960 Have you ever trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior? 350 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:56,600 Is the new Jerusalem your eternal destiny, your home? 351 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:01,240 I hope it is, but if it's not, my friend, you can change that tonight. 352 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:02,240 You can change it. 353 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,140 Reservations are still wide open. 354 00:29:05,140 --> 00:29:09,840 You can invite Jesus Christ into your life tonight and make a permanent reservation, 355 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:18,020 an eternal one, so that a place will be prepared for you by Jesus Himself in that city. 356 00:29:18,020 --> 00:29:22,600 Go call the house of the Lord. 357 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,680 Let's pray together. 358 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:34,460 Heavenly Father, thank You for the study tonight and for the lessons that we see affecting 359 00:29:34,460 --> 00:29:36,160 our walk with You. 360 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:41,920 I thank You for David's heart, and my prayer is that I may have even a little bit of that 361 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:44,440 kind of a heart for God. 362 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:53,520 Oh Lord, I pray that we might be known as men and women after the heart of the Lord, 363 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,360 as was David. 364 00:29:56,360 --> 00:30:04,480 And may we be filled with such spiritual joy and fervor as was he, such passion for God. 365 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:11,720 And I pray that our greatest delight will be to dwell in Your presence, as was David's 366 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:16,400 desire, to commune in fellowship with You. 367 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:23,280 May that be the one thing that we desire of the Lord, as was David's heart. 368 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:31,700 And I pray, Father, that You will make us sensitive to holy things. 369 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:41,540 Deliver us from irreverence, carelessness about the things of God. 370 00:30:41,540 --> 00:30:49,920 Ask You for Your grace and mercy, which spare all of us in those times when we become careless. 371 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:56,600 But God, give us a holy sensitivity to it and deliver us from it. 372 00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:04,640 And Father, I pray that every person who is here tonight may know the joy and the reality 373 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:14,520 of the New Jerusalem and have that assurance deep within his heart that that's home. 374 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,760 We bless You, Lord. 375 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:20,640 We thank You that we are marching to Zion. 376 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:26,240 Beautiful, beautiful Zion. 377 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:35,880 And we pray, our Lord, that You will come quickly and receive Your bride to Yourself 378 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:44,960 so that we may be there with You, never to be separated from You again. 379 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:51,560 In the meantime, I pray that we will walk with You faithfully, day by day, this week. 380 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,360 In Jesus' name, amen. 381 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:56,840 Well, let's turn once again.