DB 5 GBST 103
Class,
The answer to this question and the home of the Arc of the Covenant will be the beginning of
thousands of years of worship in Jerusalem. I pray this question will give you much to think
about and help you appreciate the plan and design of God's plan, not only for His people, but for
the Messiah to come.
Concerning the assignment itself, please remember the original post needs to be at least 300
word and 2 replies need to be at least 175. Include Scripture references and academic sources to
support your statements.
Prof. Stevens
1)
In the discussion board this week we have been asked to discuss the reason for David placing the ark in
a tent in Jerusalem instead of returning to the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle of Gibeon. In reading
the passage reference supplied, 2 Samuel 7:17, we find Nathan sharing what the Lord has shared with
him to David. 2 Samuel 7:14 reads; “He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will
establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (NIV) In this passage we see that the Lord is telling David he
will decide who builds the Temple to house His presence. The reason for the ark being brought to the city
of David is found in 2 Samuel 6:17-18; “They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the
tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the
Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people
in the name of the Lord Almighty.” (NIV) There had been a previous attempt to relocate, but the ark had
been placed on a cart, 2 Samuel 6:3, which was not they way God had told the people of Israel to
transport it. After realizing the mistake which resulted in the death of Uzzah for touching the ark as it was
falling off the cart, David wanted to celebrate the presence of God, which when utilized properly, then God
would bless the people of Israel. So, as we see in verse 18, David wanted to bless the people in the
name of the Lord. With the ark in the Tabernacle of David, the people would have access to God which
they could never have attained in the Tabernacle at Gibeon. David had captured Jerusalem, God’s city,
and was returning the presence of God to Jerusalem and wanted to prepare a Temple, but that would
have to wait and be prepared in God’s time by his son Solomon.
2)
David has a larger vision for the kingdom. He establishes a new capital in Jerusalem in
neutral territory, to unite all the tribes, remember David loves the Lord and wanted to do
everything he could to please him at that time of his life. Saul had disobeyed the Lord's
direction through Samuel (1 Samuel 13:13, 15:11). at that time the Ark had been lost a
generation before and had never returned to its place in the Tabernacle (1 Samuel 13:4-6 )
doing that time Saul had killed the priests who tended to the tabernacle at Nob. David
wanted to renew the nation in worshiping God, to do that he wanted to bring to bring the
lost ark into the capital city as a sign that the Lord was the true King over Israel and once
again was in the midst of the people, he also wanted to unite the people of Jerusalem both in
politic and religious.
David gave a speech to the people, "if it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord
our God, let us sent word far and wide to the rest of our brothers throughout the territories
of Israel, and also to the priests and Levities who are with them in their towns and pasture
lands, to come and join us. Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire
of it during the reign of Saul." ( 1 Chronicles 13:2-3)
David put the tabernacle in a tent, this tent would be arranged as nearly as possible like
the one erected by Moses in the wilderness, for the ancient tabernacle made by Moses
remained still at Gibeon, ( 1Chronicles 16:39, i Chronicles 21:29, 2 Chronicles 1:3). From
whence David did not think fit to get it at this time, because he intended to build the temple
for it, but God would not allow him to build the Temple, God said he had been in many
wars. that tabernacle stayed in the tent until Solomon builds the Temple for God.
3)
Why did David place the ark in a tent in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 7:17) rather than
returning it to the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle at Gibeon?
Psalms 51:5 David explains that he was conceived in Sin. Samuel 16:1-13 tell the
story of how God tells Samuel to go to Jessie house and anoint a king. Most of us
know the story. They excludes David, who was just a Shepard boy taking care of the
sheep. Even though he was a son he was not considered. Samuel realized that none
of the sons there in his presence was the one God has chosen. So he asked is there
another? They go and get David and he now anointed as King.
The tabernacle of Moses was where the people gathered and where the priest
performed sacrifices and behalf of Israel. Deuteronomy 23:2 forbids illegitimate
children from participating in these gatherings. Even though God chose David to be
king, he was illegitimate and could not participate in worship at the Tabernacle of
Moses.
When David became king the Ark was captured by the Philistines and moved to
Gibeon. The Ark caused them some problems and they decided to return it.
During transportation of the Ark to Jerusalem, something happened. The Ark was
slipping and the Uzzah reached out to catch it and God took his life. Now reading
this before I was like oh no! He was just trying to help. The implication of Numbers
4:15 is that God forbids in- a priest from touching Holy things like the Ark of the
Covenant and by Uzzah touching, it was contrary to God’s commands. Let note, the
Ark was the most important piece of furniture in the Tabernacle because that’s
where the presence of the Lord rested as it sat inside the Holies of Holies. David
decided to move the Ark to a tent in Jerusalem called the Tabernacle of David. So to
the point of this discussion. While researching, I found that David wanted to be
where the presence of the Lord was. David was a man after Gods' heart. He deeply
desired to be in the presence of the Lord, but he couldn’t do it a Tabernacle of
Moses because of his Illegitimacy. At the Tabernacle of David, David had full access
to Gods presence. There was no veil separating people from the Ark of the
Covenant. Everyone was able to get into the presence of the Lord at the simple tent.
The Tabernacle of David was a symbol for us. Hebrews 4:16 we are told to come
before the throne of grace. Because Jesus died and redeemed us we know how full
access to worship freely and be in the presence of God just like they did in the
tabernacle of David.
Reference
https://opentheword.org/2016/09/18/why-did-king-david-build-the-tabernacle-of-
david
Reply 2
Hello Tabitha;
This topic has so many twists and turns. I am always amazed how here on earth
we have the bad habit of looking at people and pointing the finger at everyone’s faults and sins.
We even look down at them and sometimes feel superior to others, but in Gods eyes, he sees us
differently. God does not gossip about us, God does not kick us when we are down. Instead, he
lifts us up and holds our hands and God gives us worth that even we ourselves feel like we are
not worthy of the position and worth he has given us. David was not a perfect man and he saw
David’s value and even though here on earth he was illegitimate and was considered unworthy to
worship at the tabernacle God chose him! Unfortunately, David was captured during his reign as
king by the Philistines and when things were not going as planned and they had begun to have
problems they wanted to return it. In the process, Uzzah died because he tried to catch the
falling ark but that was holy and not unholy could touch it that was God’s law.
DB5
The question that is asked is why? Why did David have the ark positioned in another location
instead of putting it where it was before because that would have been an obvious location to
position the ark back in the Holy of Holies in Gibeon? The ark was put in a tent in Jerusalem
because of a word “In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision,
Nathan spoke to David” (2 Samuel 7:17, ESV). God always has everything in order and his plan
is perfect in every way and he allows things to happen for a reason even if we do not understand
why at the time. God chose David to do things even though he was illegitimate because David
had something that was what God needed and wanted to be done and David was the chosen one
to do it. David had a longing in his heart and he wanted to help the people in Gods name, this is
the reason that he went ahead with his plan and positioned the ark in the tent in Jerusalem
because he wanted the people to receive a blessing that they would otherwise not have received
if the ark was back in Gideon. In other words, if the ark was in Gideon the people would never
have had an encounter or a blessing from God because the ark was not attainable to them if it
was back in Gideon. We could clearly see how God has a plan and how man always has to put
there two cents in and ruin everything by moving the tabernacle and that was a disaster and the
ark fell apart. Why does man always have to ruin everything? God also anticipates that and ends
up cleaning all our messes and he always has a victory in His name always and forever. Amen!
Reply 1
The tabernacle was an important part of society they needed that in order to please God
but the problem was that the sacrifice was temporary and they had to repeat doing the sacrifice
so that it could cover their sins and so that they could be in the presence of God in that day and
age, at the time because they did not have the sacrifice and grace of Jesus Christ yet. This is why
the sacrifices were very important at that time in order for the people to be able to get close to
God. We have it so good and we do not realize it. Jesus gave his life so that we could be given a
gift. The gift of grace and salvation so that if we just believe and accept him as our Lord and
Savior then we are saved, and we have the blessing of being able to communicate with God
through prayer and visions etc. God always has the perfect solution to all our messes and that is
why they needed the tabernacle so that on behalf of Israel the people of Israel and the priest
could offer sacrifices to our Lord God.
