The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Samuel 6:21,
"David said to Michal, 'It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord's people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord.'"
This was David's response to his wife, Michal, when she rebuked him for acting in what she felt was an undignified manner for a king to conduct himself in. He was dancing and celebrating the arrival of the ark of God as he brought it to Jerusalem. We read in verse 16, "As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart." And so, when David came home to bless his household afterward, Michael said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" Verse 20.
We are told repeatedly that Michal loved David, and that David paid double the bride-price to her father, King Saul to marry her. In 2 Samuel 3, as Abner plotted with David as to how he would help David assume the throne over all Israel, David demanded first that Michal be returned to him as his wife. (During the time King Saul attempted to apprehend David and kill him, he had taken Michal back and given her in marriage to another.)
Yet, here we have some marital discord. The discord was over the manner in which David chose to celebrate the Lord upon the arrival of the ark of the Lord. David's response to Michal was that he would celebrate before the Lord, and, possibly in a more "undignified" manner, if the opportunity presented itself, verse 22.
Clearly, David made his choice in this life: he embraced the Lord, first and foremost. Above and beyond any one else in this life, he would embrace the Lord and celebrate him. Even if doing so might be the cause of humiliating himself in his own eyes as he did so.
Peter encourages us, "However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name." 1 Peter 4:16. Paul also said, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord..." 2 Timothy 1:8.
May we all celebrate the Lord and live our lives as believers without fear of shame, reproach or anything the world or anyone at all may attempt to use to humiliate us. We are the ones who understand the important things in life! We are the ones who have subordinated all others to our Creator God. We are the ones who know what is appropriate, what is fitting.
After all, look at the Lord's perspective toward us, "Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters." Hebrews 2:11.
"David said to Michal, 'It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord's people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord.'"
This was David's response to his wife, Michal, when she rebuked him for acting in what she felt was an undignified manner for a king to conduct himself in. He was dancing and celebrating the arrival of the ark of God as he brought it to Jerusalem. We read in verse 16, "As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart." And so, when David came home to bless his household afterward, Michael said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" Verse 20.
We are told repeatedly that Michal loved David, and that David paid double the bride-price to her father, King Saul to marry her. In 2 Samuel 3, as Abner plotted with David as to how he would help David assume the throne over all Israel, David demanded first that Michal be returned to him as his wife. (During the time King Saul attempted to apprehend David and kill him, he had taken Michal back and given her in marriage to another.)
Yet, here we have some marital discord. The discord was over the manner in which David chose to celebrate the Lord upon the arrival of the ark of the Lord. David's response to Michal was that he would celebrate before the Lord, and, possibly in a more "undignified" manner, if the opportunity presented itself, verse 22.
Clearly, David made his choice in this life: he embraced the Lord, first and foremost. Above and beyond any one else in this life, he would embrace the Lord and celebrate him. Even if doing so might be the cause of humiliating himself in his own eyes as he did so.
Peter encourages us, "However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name." 1 Peter 4:16. Paul also said, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord..." 2 Timothy 1:8.
May we all celebrate the Lord and live our lives as believers without fear of shame, reproach or anything the world or anyone at all may attempt to use to humiliate us. We are the ones who understand the important things in life! We are the ones who have subordinated all others to our Creator God. We are the ones who know what is appropriate, what is fitting.
After all, look at the Lord's perspective toward us, "Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters." Hebrews 2:11.
Let us emulate David in our celebration of the Lord. Something greater than the ark of God has come to us: the Lord himself!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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