If there was any symbol that represented God's holiness it would be the ark of the covenant. The ark was a piece of the tabernacle furniture. It was most sacred. It was in most simple terms a box that contained the ten commandments. The priests of the Old Testament were commanded to carry the ark with poles that went through gold rings that were on the ark. On the cover of the ark were two gold angels whose wings covered the center of the top. The center of the cover was called the mercy seat. The ark was kept in a part of the tabernacle that was called the Holiest of All or the Holy of Holies. This part of the tabernacle was to be entered only by the high priest, only once a year and only after the blood of a lamb was shed for the sins of Israel and the ceremonial washing and offering the coals from the sacrifice on the altar of incense. It was on the mercy seat that the glory of God would come down and meat with the high priest to let him know if Israels sins had been atoned for. If the high priest was not spiritually clean when coming before God he would be struck dead. The only way for the high priest to be clean was to perfectly obey the rituals God gave to Moses that concerned the cleansing of the high priest. Most Bible students are familiar with the history of the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle laws of the priests and the Levites. In the Old Testament the Holy of Holies was the only place where God's glory would be manifest. When Jesus died on the cross the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies was torn in two by an earth quake. Now the glory of God is manifested in the life of every consecrated believer. God is always in control. Yet He chooses where He will manifest His glory.
Isaiah 42: 8. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Most Christians are familiar with the account of how the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines and how that it was returned to Israel and eventually came back to Jerusalem. However I want to consider the worship of the people involved in these accounts.
1 Samuel 4 tells how Israel went to battle with the Philistines and were defeated. The people called for the Ark of the Covenant to be brought into the battle. They believed that with the Ark that God's presence would be with them to miraculously win the battle. The two priests, Hophni and Phineas, the sons of Eli went to get the Ark. These two were wicked priests who were never disciplined by there father the high priest.
1 Samuel 2:22. Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23. And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
24.Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress.
The Bible says that when the Ark was brought into the war camp the people shouted so loud it shook the earth. These warriors understood the art of praise. They knew the Ark went before Israel when they shouted at Jericho and the walls fell. They knew that praise had manifested God's power in Israel's history. Yet as confident as they were God was not in there plans. Hophni and Phineas were killed in battle and the Ark was captured. At the time this news reached Phineas's wife she was in labour. She died in labour yet the child was born. The child was named Ichabod which means, God's glory has departed. Yet because of the way the priests lived in sin God's glory had already departed long before they had lost the ark. There worship, no matter how loud it was was useless.
The Ark did not stay with the Philistines. They willingly sent it back. God would not be mocked by the Philistines anymore than he would by arrogant worshippers. The ark stayed in the home of a good man named Abinadab. The ark stayed there for twenty years until the time of David's reign.
King David wanted to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem. David was a true worshipper of God and greatly desired God's glory to be in Jerusalem.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. 2 Samuel 6:5
The worship was great and even though David's heart was right, he had neglected to carry the ark according to God's instruction. The result was the death of a man.
We must not let our worship replace adherence to the Word. My pastor says it this way, “there are a lot of sincere people but they are sincerely wrong.” Love for God needs to draw us into the word. Our worship will be lacking everything God wants it to be if we do not carefully obey His word. The longest Psalm in the Bible, 119 is a Psalm dedicated to the Word. When David did finally succeed in bringing the ark to Jerusalem the worship was even more exuberant. Yet there was a sincere fear of the Lord in it. Worship was meant to be more than just exciting. It is meant to be powerful. Don't let a lot of excitement be mistaken for the power of God. God will show His power to those who seek His face. You will hear His voice as you heed His Word. He will show grace and mercy as we let the Word convict and cleanse us. The greatest celebration will be from the consecrated and in that time of joy God will deliver and save and heal and provide.