Take a look at the following verse:
“They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Avinadav on the hill, with ‘Uzah and Achyo, the sons of Avinadav, driving the new cart.”-2 Samuel 6:3
So based on everything we’ve gone over so far, we know the “hill” referred to here was undoubtedly KIRYAT-YE’ARIM…
The place where the Ark was sent to after 70 Levites were struck down dead by the Lord at Beit-Shemesh.
It appears the Ark was stored in a room in the family home of Avinadav until King David came to claim it.
Now if that’s the case, that means the other holy items that accompanied the Ark must have been stored somewhere else.
My first best guess would be the city of Nob for two reasons.
FIRST, during King David’s time, it was called “the priestly city”…
SECOND, David often traveled there to consult with the High Priest.
Now here’s what’s weird as all hell.
During King David’s time, the city of Nob was recognized as the holy place for all Israel…
Yet, at the same time, the Ark was being stored somewhere else!?!?!
You see how utterly messed up this situation is?!
What in the heck was a High Priest doing serving in a “Sanctuary” that didn’t contain the Ark of God?
This is surefire evidence of just how far Israel had strayed from the Lord at this time…
Until David was officially crowned King of Israel and sent for the Ark to be placed in a whole new sanctuary in Jerusalem…
Israel was operating under a manmade system that consisted of a bunch of pseudo Hebrew holy sites and sanctuaries strewn across the territories of the 12 tribes.
To put things bluntly, the Law of Moses existed only in name for Israel at this time…
Now before you laugh…
Or start taking a condescending attitude towards Israel…
Ask yourself…
How is this any different than a Christian church who preaches “Do as Jesus does” but then…
Proceeds to eat all manner of unclean foods the Jewish Messiah would never have touched…
Desecrates the Sabbath in spite of the 10 Commandments being prominently displayed in their congregations…
Has no qualms about performing gay marriages in the “name of Jesus”…
Or turns the Messiah into a deity when Yeshua himself said the most important command of all was to “Love the Lord your G-d with all of your heart, all of your soul, and all of your mind”.
And yes, he was referring to a being separate than himself when he said those words in answer to the question posed to him by the scribes.
No wonder verse 2 says “the people of Israel yearned for Adonai”.
Other translations will say the people “lamented” or “mourned” for the Lord.
However, all of these translations don’t quite capture the nuance of the original Hebrew which is…
NAHA ARAHE.
This phrase is more used to express an inner feeling of emptiness…
For example, have you ever felt horrible when you woke up the next morning knowing you had committed a gross sin the night before?
That’s the kind of feeling we’re talking about here…
A feeling deep in your soul that your relationship with God is not quite right.
Again, I’m talking about a feeling or an emotion here.
Samuel was well aware that Israel’s current religious system had left the people feeling empty and spiritless…
So he set about to meet them at their level…
And help them restore their relationship with the Lord.
We’ll get into that topic the next time we meet.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘
I never knew you!
Get away from me,
you workers of lawlessness!”
-Matthew 7:23
P.S. Hey guys, check out the New Testament references that Gim provided in her comment below. Truly awesome! And truly underscores just how important Torah obedience is…
Not for our salvation…
But as evidence of our salvation.
Be blessed!
Amen & amen.
Mt “7:23 Then I will tell them: I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work Torah-lessness.”
Mt “13:41 The Son of man will shalach forth His malachim, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do Torah-lessness,”
Mt “23:28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and Torah-lessness.”
Mt “24:12 Because Torah-lessness will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.”
Rm “6:19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to Torah-lessness upon Torah-lessness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.”
2Cor “6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with the unfaithful, for what partnership have righteousness and Torah-lessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”
2Th “2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of Torah-lessness is revealed, the son of destruction,”
2Th “2:7 For the mystery of Torah-lessness is already working. Only there is ONE WHO restrains now, until HE is taken out of the way.”
Ti “2:14 Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all Torah-lessness, and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works.”
Heb “1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated Torah-lessness; therefore ELOHIM, Your ELOHIM, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.”
2Pet “3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the Torah-less ones[5], you fall from your own steadfastness.”
1Jn “3:4 Everyone who practices sin practices Torah-lessness; for sin is Torah-lessness.”
Gim
Extracts from BTC-ITT
Awesome verses!
And love the translation you’re using!
תּוֹדָה רַבָּה
Be blessed!