Bringing The Presence Of The Lord Back To Us (Revival)
(1 Chronicles 13-15)
In 1 Chronicles 13-15, David, and the rest of Israel, had a good desire to bring back the Ark of the Covenant (also referred to as “the ark of Your strength” and “the ark of the testimony”) to Jerusalem, the city of David, but they soon found out that the Lord had specific ways in which to do it. Because they did not do it according to His “prescribed way” (NIV) or “due order” (KJV) found in His word, it would cost the life of a man. It would produce the fear of the Lord in David’s heart and cause him to search out why this had happened. This is why we too must search the Scriptures to find God’s “proper order” (NKJV) so as to bring back His presence, whether that be individually, or corporately.
In 1 Chronicles 15:13 the Hebrew word mishpat [4941] is interpreted in English as “ordinance” (NAS), “prescribed way” (NIV), “the proper order” (NKJV), and “the due order” (KJV) in the different versions of the Bible.
1 Chronicles 15:13
13 "Because you did not carry it at the first, the Lord our God made an outburst [6555] on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance [4941]."
NASU
1 Chronicles 15:13
13 It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out [6555] in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way [4941].
NIV
1 Chronicles 15:13
13 For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out [6555] against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order [4941]."
NKJV
1 Chronicles 15:13
13 For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach [6555] upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order [4941].
KJV
OT:6555 parats (paw-rats')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to break out (in many applications, direct and indirect, literal and figurative):
KJV - abroad, (make a) breach, break (away, down, -er, forth, in, up), burst out, come (spread) abroad, compel, disperse, grow, increase, open, press, scatter, urge.
(Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to break through or down or over, to burst, to breach
a) (Qal)
1) to break or burst out (from womb or enclosure)
2) to break through or down, to make a breach in
3) to break into
4) to break open
5) to break up, to break in pieces
6) to break out (violently) upon
7) to break over (limits), to increase
8) to use violence
9) to burst open
10) to spread, to distribute
b) (Niphal) to be broken through
c) (Pual) to be broken down
d) (Hithpael) to break away
OT:4941 mishpat (mish-pawt')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or [participant's] divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style
(Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
judgment, justice, ordinance
a) judgment
1) act of deciding a case
2) a place, a court, a seat of judgment
3) a process, a procedure, a litigation (before judges)
4) a case, a cause (presented for judgment)
5) a sentence, a decision (of judgment)
6) an execution (of judgment)
7) time (of judgment)
b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man)
c) ordinance
d) decision (in law)
e) right, privilege, due (legal)
f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan
Due Process of Law (Due Order)
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/due+process+of+law)
n
1. (Law) the administration of justice in accordance with established rules and principles
(Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003)
n
The regular administration of a system of laws, which must conform to fundamental and generally accepted legal principles and be applied without favor or prejudice to all citizens.
Also called due′ proc′ess.
[1885–90]
(Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.)
ARK
'aron [727], “ark; coffin; chest; box.”
This word has cognates in Phoenician, Aramaic, Akkadian, and Arabic. It appears about 203 times in biblical Hebrew and in all periods.
In (Gen. 50:26), this word represents a coffin or sarcophagus (as the same word does in Phoenician): So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. This coffin was probably quite elaborate and similar to those found in ancient Egyptian tombs.
During the reign of Joash (or Jehoash), when the temple was repaired, money for the work was deposited in a "chest" with a hole in its lid. The high priest Jehoida prepared this chest and put it at the threshold to the temple (2 Kings 12:9).
In most occurrences, 'aron refers to the “ark of the covenant.” This piece of furniture functioned primarily as a container. As such the word is often modified by divine names or attributes. The divine name first modifies 'aron in 1 Samuel 3:3: And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep.... 'Aron is first modified by God's covenant name, Yahweh, in Joshua 4:5. Judges 20:27 is the first appearance of the “ark” as the ark of the covenant of Elohim. First Samuel 5:11 uses the phrase “the ark of the God ['elohim] of Israel,” and 1 Chr. 15:12 employs “the ark of the Lord [Yahweh] God ['elohim] of Israel.”
Sometimes divine attributes replace the divine name: Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.(Psalm 132:8) Another group of modifiers focuses on divine redemption (cf. Heb. 8:5). Thus 'aron is often described as the “ark of the covenant” (Joshua 3:6) or “the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (Num. 10:33). As such, the ark contained the memorials of God's great redemptive acts-- the tablets upon which were inscribed the Ten Commandments, an omer or two quarts of manna, and Aaron's rod. By Solomon's day, only the stone tablets remained in the ark (1 Kings 8:9). This chest was also called “the ark of the testimony” (Exodus 25:22), which indicates that the two tablets were evidence of divine redemption.
Exodus 25:10-22 tells us that this ark was made of acacia wood and measured 3-3/4 feet by 2-1/4 feet by 2-1/4 feet. It was gold-plated inside and outside, with a molding of gold. Each of its four feet had a golden ring at its top, through which passed unremovable golden carrying poles. The golden cover or mercy seat (place of propitiatory atonement) had the same dimensions as the top of the ark. Two golden cherubim sat on this cover facing each other, representing the heavenly majesty (Ezekiel 1:10) that surrounds the living God.
In addition to containing memorials of divine redemption, the ark represented the presence of God. To be before it was to be in God's presence (Num. 10:35), although His presence was not limited to the ark (cf. 1 Sam. 4:3-11; 7:2, 6). The ark ceased to have this sacramental function when Israel began to regard it as a magical box with sacred power (a palladium).
God promised to meet Moses at the ark (Exodus 25:22). Thus, the ark functioned as a place where divine revelation was received (Lev. 1:1; 16:2; Num. 7:89). The ark served as an instrument through which God guided and defended Israel during the wilderness wandering (Num. 10:11). Finally, it was upon this ark that the highest of Israel's sacraments, the blood of atonement, was presented and received (Lev. 16:2).
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words ~ Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Proverbs 16:33 – The will of God for you, represented by the lot or the casting of lots in the Bible, will be placed in your lap by God, so to speak. It is divinely chosen by Him. We then have the choice to reject His will for us (our fate or destiny in Him), the “good works” in Christ Jesus we were created for (Ephesians 2:10), or to accept it. Even if accepted, we can then do it our own way, in our own strength as pictured in 1 Chronicles 13, or in the strength of the Lord per His prescribed way, allowing Him, through our submission, to carry it out for us, through us, and therefore for His glory instead of ours.
33 The lot [1486 – “fate or destiny”] is cast into the lap, but its every decision [4941- def. is above] is from the Lord.
NASU
Proverbs 16:33
33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
KJV
OT:1486 - Goral represents the “lot” which was cast to discover the will of God in a given situation… In an extended use the word goral represents the idea “fate” or “destiny”: And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. (Isa. 17:14) Since God is viewed as controlling all things absolutely, the result of the casting of the “lot” is divinely controlled: The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33) Thus, providence (divine control of history) is frequently figured as one's “lot.”
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
The Wrong Way (1 Chron. 13)
David had a good desire, to bring back the Ark of God’s Presence, but, unaware, he did it in the wrong manner.
1 Chronicles 13:7-8 – This new thing seemed to be right in their eyes. They were celebrating before God with all their might. The worship with music was incredible but something was drastically wrong that would cause, so to speak, the wheels to fall off their new cart. There was a “brotherly (Ahio) strength (Uzza)” driving this new thing, but it was by their own strength, a unity empowered by the flesh that drove this new thing.
7 They carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab [“father of generosity”, “my father is noble,” or “my father is willing”], and Uzza [ooz-zaw' - “strength”] and Ahio [akh-yo'- “brotherly”] drove the cart.
8 David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals and with trumpets.
NASU
1 Chronicles 13:9-12 – See the note below.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it.
10 The anger of the Lord burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.
11 Then David became angry because of the Lord's outburst against Uzza; and he called that place Perez-uzza to this day.
12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, "How can I bring the ark of God home to me?"
NASU
On the outside this looked like an incredible moment for the glory of God, but it would soon be exposed by the Lord as wanting. At the threshing floor of Chidon, the divinely chosen place of imagery for all of us to learn from, Uzza put out his hand to steady the ark, and was struck down by God. His name means strength. He represents all who would reach out in their fleshly strength to “take hold,” or “take possession” of that which is of the Lord without a reverence to His ways.
In both the Old and New Testaments the threshing floor was a symbol of judgment. It was a place where the chaff, representing all that have rejected Jesus, was separated from the grain which represents His true followers (Matthew 3:12, Luke 3:17). The wicked are described in the Bible as chaff that the wind drives away (Psalm 1:4, Isaiah 17:13).
This extreme outburst from the Lord upon the irreverence of Uzza was used to place the fear of God in David’s heart. Two chapters later he would try again, but this time would be according to the proper order of the Lord that he obviously searched out. Interestingly, in chapter fourteen, the chapter between the wrong way and the right way to bring back the ark, David learns about the Master of breakthrough as he fought against the Philistines. It seems to have been the lead-in to building David’s confidence back in the Lord so as to move him towards the revelation of how-to that he was missing.
What has been placed upon my heart is something very serious revealed through the irreverence of Uzza. The current religious system in America is not according to the proper order of the Lord. Man has developed a system apart from God’s will that has to be tipped over, so to speak. It is an accursed thing that has leavened the church not just within our borders, but also beyond. At a divinely designated place and time of the Lord, represented by the threshing floor of Chidon, it will be judged. All those in leadership who reach out like Uzza in the strength and power of man to keep it upright will be struck dead. It must be brought down in order for the way of the Lord to be revealed in truth. His way will then be revealed for His Body to cross over. Currently, the rebellious religious system and its leaders are standing in the way, unwilling to listen. That will soon change among those left standing.
The Right Way (1 Chron. 15)
1 Chronicles 15:1-3 – Having gained a new confidence in the Lord, with a much greater respect for His ways, David now prepares a place for the ark in Jerusalem per the “proper order” that he now knew about (see Deuteronomy 10:8), answering his question in 1 Chron. 13:12; “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?”
1 Now David built houses for himself in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.
2 Then David said, "No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever." [See Deut. 10:8]
3 And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place which he had prepared for it.
NASU
1 Chronicles 15:11-16 – The proper order was for the Levites to carry the ark. They were to consecrate themselves first, and then carry it on their shoulders with the poles through the rings on each side. It was a plural ministry with specific ways per the word of the Lord. (See the Bible study The Signal)
11 Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab,
12 and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place that I have prepared for it.
13 "Because you did not carry it at the first, the Lord our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance." [NIV – “the prescribed way”; NKJ – “the proper order; KJV – “the due order”]
14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.
15 The sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.
16 Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.
NASU
Exodus 19:21-22 – See the note below.
21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 "Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, or else the Lord will break out against them."
NASU
Three months after coming out of Egypt, the children of Israel camped in front of Mount Sinai. After speaking with Moses about Israel being a kingdom of priests to the Lord and a holy nation if they would obey Him and keep His covenant, He gave Moses specific instructions for the people to prepare them when He came down in their sight on the mountain. He was to set bounds for the people before this took place, so that they would not perish. I believe He is doing the same thing in our day, before He returns, so that His people are ready for Him and will not perish. Unfortunately, the majority of spiritual leaders are currently unaware of, and therefore not preaching about, the critical need for the bounds of consecration, the proper order of the Lord that prepares His way within us.
Most Christians in America are unprepared to stand in His Presence and live. Like the emperor in the children’s story The Emperor’s New Clothes, they have been deceived into thinking they are covered in Christ even though they walk in the stubbornness of their hearts. In order to put on, and keep on the Lord Jesus Christ we must do what the Spirit is saying to the church in the final moments of this age. Jesus said in Revelation 16:13; Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.(NASU)
Hosea 6:1-2 says; Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us [NIV – “He has torn us to pieces…” see the Bible study Cut In Pieces], but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him. (NASU) There is a promise in these verses of the final revival, the final healing that will be used to mercifully prepare us to live in His powerful, glorious Presence. The proper order is now being revealed so that we are ready for the return of Christ.
The following verses are taken from the Bible study Establishing The Covenant.
Zephaniah 1:7-8- Preparing the sacrifice.
7 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, for the LORD has prepared [“to establish, to prepare, to be ready”] a sacrifice, He has consecrated [“to sanctify, to prepare”] His guests [“to cry out, to proclaim, to summon, to invite”].
8 "Then it will come about on the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king's sons, and all who clothe themselves with foreign [“alien, strange, adulterous”] garments.
(NAS)
The Lord crying out, preparing His people. Those who will not listen, symbolized by those who are wearing “foreign” or “alien” garments, will be punished. They are those in the wedding feast of Matthew 22 who did not have the proper “wedding clothes” on and were cast out. Revelation 19:7-9 says; Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready [“to prepare”]." And it was given to her [“to intrust, to commit”] to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited [“to call aloud”] to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
Romans 13:12-14- Putting on Christ (and the armor of light) through upright living.
12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
(NAS)
Matthew 22:11-14- A man not wearing “wedding clothes” at the wedding feast is cast out. This will be the state of those Christians who do not prepare themselves by putting on Christ through repentance.
11 "But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes,
12 and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And he was speechless.
13 "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."
(NAS)
Revelation 19:7-9- The wedding garment, fine linen, represents the righteous acts of the saints.
7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready [“to prepare, to make the necessary preparations”]."
8 And it was given [“to grant, to let have, to supply, to give to one asking”] to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited [“to call aloud, to utter in a loud voice”] to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
(NAS)
The following insights are taken from Biblical Principles For Marriage.
God Is A God Of Order
Marriage is under a direct attack in America, and losing. The divorce rate is over 50%!
Genesis 1:1-3- Through the “light” of His word, God brings order out of the chaos and confusion.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless [8414- “tohuw”- to’-hoo] and empty [922- “bohuw”- bo’-hoo], darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
(NIV)
“formless” (tohuw)- _____“confusion, nothingness, place of chaos, to lay waste”_________________
“empty” (bohuw)- ______“an undistinguishable ruin, emptiness, waste”________________________
Many families lie in ruin today because they are unprotected from the assault of the enemy. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Unhealthy, abnormal relationships outside the boundary of God’s standards create chaos within a society (death). Adherence to God’s order results in peace, stability, protection, and preservation (life). To destroy a nation you destroy the family structure. To destroy the family structure you remove those called to guard and protect it.
James 4:7- James gives us the ancient boundary of the Lord, His battle plan.
7 Submit [5293- “hupotasso”- “tasso”- tas’-so] therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
(NAS)
“submit”- (hupotasso- tasso)- ______“to arrange in an orderly manner”________________________
“Hupotasso” (which we will discuss more in Ephesians 5:21-24) comes from a couple words, one being “tasso”. One of the meanings for it is “to arrange in an orderly manner.” When we submit to the God given order He reveals in His word, the devil will flee from us, having no place of control to operate from. The light and glory of God’s kingdom authority always overpowers Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Staying within the ancient boundaries established by the Lord is the way for us to rise up and dethrone the devil.
1 Corinthians 14:33, 40- Paul discusses the order of God when His people assemble together. If we are out of order within the Lord’s family we will be out of order within our individual families.
33 For God is not (a God of) disorder [181- “akatastastia”- ak-at-as-tah-see’-ah] but of peace [1515- “eirene”- i-ray’-nay]. As in all the congregations of the saints,
40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way [5010- “taxis”- tax’-is].
(NIV)
“disorder”- (akatastastia)- ________“instability, disorder, disturbance, confusion”_______________
“peace”- (eirene)- _______“security, safety, prosperity, peace between individuals, harmony”_____
“orderly way”- (taxis)- ___“an arrangement, order, a due or right order, an orderly condition”____
The Greek for “orderly way” is “taxis” which just happens to be taken from “tasso”. It means “an arrangement, order, a due or right order, an orderly condition.” We have given much room for Satan to dwell in our families (and churches) because of a lack of submission (James 4:7) to God’s “orderly manner.”
Colossians 2:5- Submission to the order of God results in a firm foundation in Christ and the establishment of a solid front, a perimeter, against the attacks of the enemy, whether it be individually or corporately.
5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly [5010- “taxis”- tax’-is] you are and how firm [4733- “stereoma”- ster-eh’-o-mah] your faith in Christ is.
(NIV)
“orderly”- (taxis)- ____(same as 1 Cor. 14:40 above)__________________________________________
“firm”- (stereoma)- _“something established, stability, firmness; in a military sense: a solid front”______
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