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Friday, April 22, 2022

David: Ignorance + Impatience + Improper

April 22, 2022 (Friday)

 

The last two times, I have been digging into the story of David moving the Ark of the Covenant. The first time, he attempted to move the Ark in ignorance. He did it in his own wisdom, and it cost the life of one of his men. Possibly impatience motivated this error, because on the next attempt, David followed God’s instructions for transporting the Ark. While it was being carried, David celebrated with sacrifices and dancing "with all his might."

 

I wish that was the end of the story, but there is more. Paul alerts us, “These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.” [1 Corinthians 10:11 NLT] So, let me start with the "moral of the story." After a great victory, there is a high risk of failure. As a second moral, we must learn to use extreme caution when emotions take over. Let’s dig in!

 

David’s wife, Michal, observes his uninhibited emotional behavior. Her understanding is that he is behaving improperly, immodestly. Her reaction frames David’s failure. “When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.” [2 Samuel 6:16b NLT] What would cause her to despise her husband? She explained to David, “She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!” [2 Samuel 6:20b NLT] The NIV is less kind in wording, “going around half-naked.”

 

If you have followed the story so far, you know David wore a priestly garment on his journey. That’s a gloss. He actually wore a linen ephod (vest). So there are two ways to understand him being "half-dressed." First, David deliberately “stripped” (Hebrew) off his clothes to expose himself to be admired. Second, he exposed his body in such a way to show off his muscular build. In other words, he was shameless in exposing his body, immodestly, to other women. His emotional state ran amok and he lost his sense of decency. 

 

Here is the hammer in the story. The humble shepherd boy has now become an arrogant king. Feel the emotional force of David’s words as he instantly transitions from celebration to fierce battle mode. “David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord.” [2 Samuel 6:21 NLT] Notice the pronouns: I, me, me, and I. Possibly the worst part of this is using God as a justification for his immodest behavior. Anytime someone uses God as an excuse for bad behavior, you know there is trouble.

 

In one of those moments that foreshadow David’s greater failure with Bathsheba, David boasts, “Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!” [2 Samuel 6:22 NLT] I have heard the first part of the verse quoted to justify immature emotional responses, as if it was a badge of honor to lose control. And David piles on by stating the "girls" admired his body.

 

We read, “So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.” [2 Samuel 6:23 NLT] Michal is soundly, almost universally, condemned by commentators to be the shrew who is justly punished by God for her attitude toward David, putting himself on display. This completely ignores the details of the text. Notice that her childlessness is NOT attributed to an act of God. Let me ask the men, how would you feel if your wife stripped and displayed herself for other men to admire? I think verse 23 is the simple acknowledgement of a shattered marriage (with divorce not being possible).

 

“The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.” [1 Corinthians 7:4 NLT]

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