A Nugget from New Life Network
(excerpts from Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day – April 23, 2019
“Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart” (2 Samuel 6:16).
King David gathered 30,000 choice men of Israel and took them with him to bring back the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Although God had given them specific instructions on how to carry the Ark, they put it on a new cart instead which was a fatal mistake for one of their men. The Ark was picked up at the house of Abinadab and his two sons, Uzzah and Ahio, drove the new cart.
As they traveled to Jerusalem, one of the oxen stumbled and Uzzah put out his hand to protect the Ark. Instantly he died and David became very angry and afraid of the Lord. Because of his fear, David decided not to take the Ark to Jerusalem, but instead took it to the house of Obed-Edom. There the Ark stayed for three months and Obed-Edom became greatly blessed.
When David realized the blessings associated with the Ark of God, he went again and brought the Ark to Jerusalem. There he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. David himself was so overcome with the love of God that he danced before the Lord with all his might while wearing a linen priestly garment. David and all the house of Israel shouted and celebrated with the sound of the shofar.
While the King of Israel and all those with him were shouting and dancing before God and worshiping Him, David’s wife, Michal, was observing all of this through a window. The Bible tells us as she saw her husband, the king, leaping and whirling before the Lord, that she despised him in her heart.
When David returned home after the celebration, he was met with great verbal abuse. His wife ridiculed him because of the way he worshiped God. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death. (2 Samuel 6:20-23)
Now, here’s the point. Worship is not a spectator sport. And if you read this complete story in the Bible, you can see clearly that God does not bless those who observe and ridicule worship. David had a relationship with God, but his wife, Michal, did not. Understanding worship is impossible without a relationship with God.
