​Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.  And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

2 Samuel 6:1‭-‬2 KJV

This passage concerning David bringing the Ark to Zion is very striking. It brings us if we understand it into the Fear of the Lord. We need to respect the Presence of God and prepare for Him.

The difference is preparation! Above we see the image of Samuel anointing David. Here marks the specific preparation of David for kingship. There has to be 13 years of preparation. 13 years in that his pursuits and character are to be formed, trained and perfected. In those years we see David become the man after God’s own heart. 

Many hours and times in the principles of the Lord; in prayer; in worship. 

The contrast in 2 Samuel 6 puzzles me because if David was acquainted with the importance of preparation how are we confronted here with the apparent lack of attention? 

The answer resides in the common failing in all of us. We stay in the realm of trying to act in our intentions and impulses. We forget that we have no notion of who we are bringing in! The Holy God; greater than all, more powerful than all. We simply think that desire is enough. He has a desire He wants to act in. He gathers 30 thousand based on an intention; bring the Ark to Zion! 

No-one asks how. All that is sufficient is desire. Yet we see as we examine the passage that the attempt is aborted because a man died. Uzzah; Levite and son of Abinadab touched the Ark and died there. 

We have a flippant attitude to worship and prayer due to a new modern attitude that intentions please the Lord! They do not! 

No revival broke out on the actions of our intentions! 

What we see is a period when David has to learn the value of proper preparation and treat the Presence of God with reverent fear. We will in this series see the steps but we must stop here in this second message at this problem. The charismatic neo Pentecostal type movements sometimes lack the preparation than some of the more historic Churches. 

Today more than ever God wants people after His Own Heart but who go beyond great intentions. These people must pay attention to the way God desires His Presence to be respected. 

Many a Church and minister has fallen because the Presence of God is taken in a contemptuous way. We need to respect and reverence. We must know that being in the Presence is not the latest goosebump. 

Being in the Shekinah Glory must make our heart pound with dread! It must be greeted with awe! It must be met with a sense of being undone! 

I believe any less than this is not enough. 

The attempt here is done the same way as the Philistines had done. They selected a new cart. The Philistines were accepted in their sending the Ark back to Israel because they had no knowledge or intimacy with the God of Israel. Yet David knew Him. He had the Word with him but yet he had no attention to the requirements set out to bring the Ark. Intention was enough. 

How many of us come to our meetings based on our good intentions? God is not pleased. 

We need to do as David; not lose our desire for Him but correct our attitude. 

Let us pray for Holy Fear! 

Shalom.