This series centres on the Ark of the Covenant pictured above which was not only symbolic of the Presence and Glory of God but the very presence of the Ark was holy and all who touches it must be sanctified and chosen. In 2 Samuel 6 we see Uzzah reach out to touch it and through his careless irreverence and fear was struck down. 

Indeed to do a series like this one must pray into it and do extensive research and meditation. These messages go out on 1st September precisely because I have waited and waited to post the series. 

What struck me was the Ark itself. It was of divine design given to Moses when he was up on the mountain surrounded by glory. Bezaleel fashioned it exactly to the measurements and materials stipulated by Yahweh Himself. It was called the Ark of Yahweh. Given the very name of God, the Highest Name. It was given the keep of the two tablets of the Law. It was also given the Rod of Aaron to seal the lineage of priestly genealogy of Levi. And God Himself set the Ark apart to symbolize everything that is Holy. 

The High priest could only go before the Ark in the most Holy Place once a year. 

And even then it was on the stipulated day of the year. 

When we study 2 Samuel 6 we need to understand first that the Ark was displaced in the affairs of Israel. It was displaced because in the reign of Saul the defeat in front of the Philistines meant that the Ark was taken by the enemy. The Ark was brought because they thoughts it’s presence at the battleground guaranteed victory. The opposite happened. 

In reading the Old Testament about its priesthood, tabernacle, the altars and Lampstands, table of bread, we can discount them as useless forms. We can assert that they have no meaning. However today we have substituted the forms with an abstract shadow of faith.

Our lack of reverence is shown in our modern meeting places where we have no focal points, the only telling sign of it being a meeting place is the Presence of a pulpit maybe. 

Not only have we embraced the abstract and invisible but we have forsaken the arduous tasks of prayer, Bible Reading and meditation.

This lengthy decline, over years, adopting modernistic practices, preaching formula driven words means that we do not catch context. We mix culture with context, sometimes even substituting it. So what we have now is a offshoot of the true as a shadow of its true root.

The Israelites had also “departed ” from reverence and adherence of the true faith. They lived life as they saw fit..the priests also leading the way in the corruption showing contempt for the sacrifices and robbing what they could. Eli’s sons showing no reverence but bringing fornication into the tabernacle itself. 

Many a prophet came to speak against this departure from the faith but none were heard. 

It culminated with the rising up and invasion of the Philistines and the battle which Israel was defeated. The son’s of Eli were killed that day, Eli hearing the news fell and broke his neck. The Ark was taken.

The hour of Calamity came and the Israelites remembered God. In normal times He began to be forgotten. Now in their desperation they brought out the Ark thinking that it guaranteed victory. Instead God was about to humble Israel, and judge Philistia. 

Today it seems we need to know that time is very late. Much is preached about concerning judgment and blessing. We have misunderstood our “Ark of Covenant and exchanged our faith for an abstract superficial version of faith. Our fear of God has gone, as our reverence. We preach about how God is good that much that we are unaware of the changes taking place, disasters taking over the whole earth, the hurricanes that come and go. We argue if there is any judgment in the disasters as though God is about to punish the nation’s.

We must remember that; judgment in this life is redemptive, judgment in the next is permanent. 

Israel lost battles and was occupied many times. We must remember that every time people returned to God and cried out tremendous revivals and tremendous redemptive process set at work to restore peace and prosperity. 

The Ark was only taken 7 months and returned to the nation of Israel. Miraculously. Israel knew of horrific long captivity and occupations right up to AD70 and from then dispersed all the known world to be restored as a nation in 1948 by UN decree. 

As we depart from true nature of our faith and the disciplines it requires we set in motion forces for our calamity, whatever form it comes. It is not God who pleases to send it. We sow into it by our choices. Above all the Sovereignty of God works to bring us into the realisation that we need to return to Him. When calamity strikes we may bring our “Ark” but it is too late. 

The Ark is not the item of last resort but the pinnacle of the Priestly structure God gave to Moses in vision. It is the place where Glory and Holiness dwell. However for its presence with its people God covenanted with them and gave them atonement via the blood of animals. This was done on the altars of the Tabernacle compound.

We now live in the New Covenant. Therefore this blood is of Christ Himself. The Tabernacle is the Ecclesia. The Ark is the Believer indwelt by the Spirit. Many more symbolism can be invoked. 

God also gave Moses the guidelines of how the community was to be structured and behave. How the people had to abide by God’s law. This way the Cloud would rest by day and a pillar of fire by night. 

You may say this is Old Testament but New Testament Church outpouring and revivals have impacted societies for centuries.  For this reason this series is important. It is imperative that we bring the Presence of God into the centre of our “Tabernacle” and “nation” so that the whole community can be blessed with peace, prosperity and provision. 

In this series we will see that the Word has specific guidelines to bring the Presence and Shekinah glory into our midst. Not the goosebumps we have today. 

Let us pray that God brings us into that place!

Shalom.