1 Chronicles 15

“And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites: for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. He said to them, ‘You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.  For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.’ So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.”  1 Chronicles 15:11-15 (NKJV)

Today’s passage contains some information that is usually passed over whenever pastors teach the story of the Ark’s return.  Typically, the emphasis & application revolve around whether the ark was to be carried or carted.  Then, we become somewhat distracted by David’s scandalous, near-naked worship dancing.  (As would I if my pastor were to attempt a reenactment!)  But in chapter 15, we notice David rebuked the Levites, who either 1) rebelled against moving the ark away from the Tabernacle or 2) were ignorant of God’s requirements.  First, let’s consider God’s command for the Levites to bear the ark, literally to “shoulder” the burden.   No Levite should have been unaware of this most simple responsibility.

“At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day.”  Deuteronomy 10:8 (NKJV)

While we cannot be certain that the Levites were on board with the idea of David’s kingship or whether the ark should be moved, 1 Chronicles 13 gives us a clue as to the Levites’ potential ignorance concerning how to interface with the ark.

“And David said to all the assembly of Israel, ‘If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us; and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul.’” 1 Chronicles 13:2-3 (NKJV)

At some point during Saul’s reign, the Levites stopped inquiring of the Lord at the ark.  Most likely, they quit when God withdrew His counsel from Saul.  

“But Samuel said to Saul, ‘I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.’” 1 Samuel 15:26 (NKJV)

We, too, have a responsibility to “shoulder  .”And it seems that many believers in our generation have lost what it means to “take up your cross, daily.” (Luke 9:23)