God Wants to Be Home!

Songs say what is often unspoken. It has been said that the song-lyrics of today will be the topics for theologians tomorrow. Songwriters are a special people who offer insight in ways that bypass the mental filters of the mind, reaching directly into the heart, telling the truth in powerful ways. This has been true for millennia. Consider the lyrics to this ancient song of faith:

The Most High God abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, He departed from the place where He had met with His people; He delivered His strength to captivity, He gave His glory into the enemy's hand.

You can find the full song in the ancient songbook under the heading Psalm 78. What is the story behind this song? It is a story that, in part, grounds the Basics of our ministry:

As the people of Israel were taking control of the Promised Land, the "tent of meeting" that had accompanied the people in their wilderness wanderings was set up in the city of Shiloh. This was the Tabernacle designed by the LORD and built by Moses. It was here that the Ark of the Covenant rested. Inside the Ark were the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments inscribed on them. The LORD's manifest presence loomed over the Mercy Seat between the golden Cherubim of the Ark; the place where the people believed God dwelled. The Ark remained in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle at Shiloh - God stayed there too - or so the people thought.

It was in Shiloh where all of the appointed sacrifices were made; where the priests remained vigilant in their daily and seasonal duties; where the people brought their offerings and gathered for the festivals; where the leaders performed their religious duties for the nation. This was the nation's fully functioning religious location that, over time, became increasingly isolated and ignored. Both the people and the leaders failed to hear and heed the Word of the LORD, living disobediently - even while performing the appointed rituals - before the LORD, turning away from Him by adopting the religious practices and images of their enemies.

Now, when Eli was the high priest at Shiloh, the Israelites went to war against the Philistines. In a particular battle, the Israelites lost in a big way. This confused the leaders since they believed God was on their side. What had happened? For the next battle, the leaders sent for the Ark of the Covenant to be brought to the battlefield. In this way, they thought, they could not lose. There was great rejoicing in the Israelite camp when the Ark arrived - so much so that the Philistines grew concerned - which encouraged the enemy in their commitment to victory.

A second battle was engaged - Israel loses! But this time, not only did the Philistines win the battle; they captured the Ark of the Covenant! When news of this stunning turn of events reached Shiloh, the high priest falls over dead! As part of their victory celebrations, the Ark is placed in their leading temple for safe keeping. But, as they will discover, the Ark - and the LORD - is anything but safe.

The next morning, as the Philistine priests entered their temple, they found the statue of their leading god Dagon - which had the head and hands of a man with the body of a fish - fallen from its pedestal. It was lying with its head before the Ark of the Israelites! They quickly raised the idol back into its prominent position over the Ark and left for the night. But, to their utter horror, they found it fallen the next morning with its extremities broken off, and an outbreak of plague and boils afflicting the people.

What do you do with a "box" that holds supernatural powers? You do everything you can to get rid of it! And, the Philistines tried to get rid of it, passing it around to their various city strongholds, only to have the same result each time. Finally, after seven months, they decided to send it back to Israel. They loaded it onto a cart pulled by oxen and rejoiced as it left their land. The Ark ended up in the home of a man named Abinadab who made the proper arrangements for the its safe keeping.

As time passed, Samuel was the judge/prophet in Israel, King Saul came and went, and David becomes king. Once David's rule is confirmed by the people of Israel, a stronghold is built on Mt. Zion for the new king and his family. With his new home completed and the nation of Israel at peace, David makes the decision to restore the Ark - and God's Glory - to its rightful place. This news brought great joy to all the people of Israel, including, no doubt, the priests and people of Shiloh. The Ark of the Covenant had been gone for some seventy years. Imagine their amazement when David announces his full plan.

David was not going to return the Ark to the tabernacle at Shiloh! Instead, he was constructing his own "tent of meeting" in his back yard. David was going to take the Ark to his home, where he lived! This was unheard of, and probably quite unacceptable to the religious leaders of the day. But, as king, and a "man after God's own heart," David could do as he desired in his heart: the Ark was coming to his house on Mt. Zion, and never returned to Shiloh.

The Ark's journey from the house of Abinadab to Mt. Zion was to be a huge celebration. David brought 30,000 of his prominent men and leaders to retrieve the Ark. A new cart was built; the proper oxen were chosen; the musicians were brought together; the singers were rehearsed and ready to go. There was great joy, music and loud celebration as the cart holding the Ark began its journey. The whole nation united around this grand, historical event. David was thrilled!

Then, tragedy struck! One of the oxen stumbled and it looked like the Ark might fall off the cart. A man named Uzza was nearby and reached out to steady the Ark with his hand - he wasn't going to let it fall off the cart. But, at that moment, when Uzza tried to do what seemed best at the moment, he drops dead. He had touched the Ark, violating God's glory. The music, singing, shouting and celebrating failed into dead silence. David was devastated, horrified, angry and afraid. "How will the Ark come to me?" he cried out in anguish. Everyone, astonished and grieved, went silently home. The Ark was taken to the nearby home of Obed-Edom. It remained there for three months while David tried to figure out what had happened.

What had happened? David evaluated his motives. He wanted to bring the Ark to his home so the LORD's presence could be enjoyed right where he lived. And, as king, the people of Israel could also rejoice in the LORD's presence. Had he been selfish in wanting the LORD for himself? But, if the Ark was returned to Shiloh, only a few could draw close to the Ark of the Covenant. Through his prayers and ponderings, David came to realize his motive was pure. Bringing the Ark to his home was the right thing to do - the LORD approved.

And, David evaluated his methods. It was here that he discovered his error. Since the Philistines had returned the Ark on a cart pulled by oxen, he wrongly assumed this to be the proper method for transporting it from place to place. Without verifying this with the LORD, David had simply imitated the pagan way - only with a new cart! He searched the ancient record and discovered the Ark is to be carried by the priests with poles through the rings that had been specifically placed on the sides for this purpose. David learned a tough lesson: doing God's work in the world's way brings disaster; the right motive with the wrong method cost Uzza his life.

David returns to the house of Obed-Edom to try again. This time, however, the Levites are ready to carry the Ark in the prescribed manner. And, to further insure the safety of the trip, David instructed the priests carrying the Ark to stop every six steps so that a proper sacrifice could be made. David was going to "wait on the LORD" instead of push forward with his agenda. The Ark arrives at Mt. Zion and David's home amidst great fanfare, dancing, music, celebration and feasting: God had come home!

Once in the "tent of meeting" that David built at his home, he also made special provisions for the LORD's presence. For instance, he arranged for music and singing to surround the Ark 24/7/365. He arranged for fine food and drink to be served those who would come to be with the LORD. He arranged for songwriters to write and sing the stories (Psalms) of the LORD's great deeds. One of the songwriters was Asaph; the one who wrote the song that begins the telling of this story.

For a moment, imagine the silence as Asaph is moved by the LORD to reveal the true reason why the Ark was captured by the Philistines some seventy years earlier. It was not the Israelites foolishness in bringing the Ark to the battlefield, and it was not the military strength of the enemy that overpowered the Israelites. The LORD wanted to leave, He wanted out! He made the appropriate arrangements to depart from Shiloh, to be captured for a short season by the enemy, and exposing the disobedience of the people. And now, by the same LORD's doing, He was home with those "after His own heart." This is where He wanted to be!

Interestingly, there were now two tabernacles. One was in Shiloh where the sacrifices, the daily rituals, and the proper procedures were followed ... but God wasn't there! The other was at David's house where there were no sacrifices, none if the daily rituals according to the Mosaic code; only singing, feasting, talking, offerings, sharing, listening, writing and dreaming. At Shiloh, the "God who wasn't there" was kept at arms length; at Mt. Zion, the "God who is here" was part of the joyous community!

In time, Solomon built a Temple for the LORD, even though he well understood that no building could contain the glory of the LORD. And, in time, the LORD leaves the Temple built in Solomon's day. Prior to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a second temple was built so that the sacrifices and the rituals could continue. Amazingly, even though the LORD visited this temple in person, no one there recognized him. In fact, the group gathered to help Moses lead the great people of God eventually becomes the same group that condemns the Son of God to death!

But whatever happened to David's tabernacle? It was "rebuilt" in another man's home! Here's the rest of the story: after Peter told the story of how he had seen the vision from heaven about the clean and unclean animals; and how he had gone with several men from Joppa to the home of Cornelius; and how he proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus to him and his family; and how the Holy Spirit came upon the household of Cornelius; James calls this the "rebuilding of the David's tabernacle," in fulfillment of the prophecy announced by the LORD through the prophet Amos. It is God's intention to make house calls! And, this "rebuilding" is in the home of a Gentile no less!

Here is a Basic truth that gives direction to this disciple making and church planting ministry: God wants to be home! He wants to be where His people live; He wants to be where there are no barriers to relationship; He wants to be where both He and we can fellowship together; He wants to be where we are. In the tearing of the curtain on Good Friday, there are now no barriers to the intimacy He longs for. We, the priesthood of believers being shaped into the image of the Christ, are those who "carry" the Presence of the Most High into all of the places where we live and work. God wants to be "home" with us!

1 Kings 4-7; 1 Chronicles 13-16; Amos 9; Acts 10, 15

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