The Tabernacle of DavidSýnishorn

The Right Path

After a failed attempt to recover the Ark, David was frustrated and went off to battle. He constructed buildings for himself in Jerusalem and eventually recognized that the Levites were the ones who were supposed to carry the Ark with poles on their shoulders.

In 2 Samuel, both attempts at recovering the Ark are told back-to-back. However, in 1 Chronicles, there is a chapter and a timespan in between, chapter 14. In chapter 14, David fights the Philistines twice, and both times he inquired of the Lord before the battle. Was David’s character and relationship with God strengthened during this in-between time of recovering the Ark? It would appear so.

Learning from past mistakes, David sought a different approach to recovering the Ark. This time, Levites carried it with poles on their shoulders, in alignment with God's original command to Moses (1 Chronicles 15:15). The presence of God was not meant to be rolled around on human contraptions but carried with reverence.

During the procession back to Jerusalem, sacrifices were made every six steps, accompanied by dancing, shouts, and the sound of trumpets. David, wearing the priestly ephod, acknowledged that in this procession, there was only one true King, and it was not him. The bloody trail up the hill to Jerusalem parallels Jesus' journey up a hill to Golgotha, where He was crucified.

David made a deliberate choice not to return the Ark to Gibeon, where the Tabernacle of Moses was, but to bring it to Jerusalem. There was no ornate temple in Jerusalem; instead, a sukkah or shelter was set up for the Ark next to David's palace. David was determined to place God's presence at the forefront, establishing what became known as the Tabernacle of David.

Contrary to empty religious rituals at the Gibeon tent, the Tabernacle of David represented true intimacy with the Lord. David's exuberant dance before the Lord, though criticized by his wife Michal, showcased his heart for genuine worship. Michal, referred to as "Saul's daughter," echoed the religious spirit that had led to her father's downfall.

The entire procession came at a significant cost to Israel, involving time, money, sacrifices, and a large number of people. Such extravagance, similar to Mary's act of pouring costly oil over Jesus' feet, may seem wasteful to others but is often a profound expression of hosting the presence of the Almighty God.

With the Ark now back in Jerusalem at the Tabernacle of David, we will delve into the prosperous results this had for the people of Israel.