Lesson 4: Jerusalem--Israel's Worship Center
Scripture to Read: JerusalemIsrael's Worship Center 2 Samuel 6:1-23
After David had established Jerusalem as the
political capital of his kingdom, he knew he
also needed to make the city the center of
Israel's worship. It was no accident that the
king chose Jerusalem as his capital. It was in a
neutral area between Israel and Judah, which
would serve to unite the nation. Israel's tribes
tended to be divided by geography and various
disputes even before the official division of the
kingdom under Solomon, and David understood
that a central place of worship was crucial to a
truly united kingdom. This chapter describes a
time of great joy in Jerusalem—the arrival of the
Ark of the Covenant, the symbol and focal point
of Israel's worship. There were moments of
sadness as a man named Uzzah died during the
Ark's transport to Jerusalem, and of bitterness as
David's wife Michal mistook his joyful exuberance
for shameful exhibitionism. But nothing could
dim the joyful celebration that erupted when the
holy Ark of God arrived in the holy city.
Study Questions
- In what way did the Ark of the Covenant
represent the presence of God among His
people? (Hint: read Exodus 25:22.)
- The Ark was "called by the Name, the name of
the Lord Almighty" (v. 2). According to
Leviticus 24:16, how highly is the name of God
to be held in reverence?
- In what way had David prepared a home for
the Ark once it arrived in Jerusalem?
- David was not self-conscious about the joy
he expressed in worshiping the Lord. How does
true worship help us to forget our preoccupation
with self?
Something to Think About
David learned the hard way that it matters very much to God how holy things are treated. For us,
this certainly includes the way we use God's holy name, and the way we treat people, who are
created in His image.
The Bible instructs us: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). Is your "love
quotient" toward others high today?
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