Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20020915.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part XLIII: Learning To Glorify God Even When Doing So Is Opposed By Our Spouse
(2 Samuel 6:13-23)
  1. Introduction
    1. Standing for the truth and glory of God before detractors is relatively easy when those opponents to the truth are not part of one's immediate family. However, opposition to our glorifying God that comes from one's spouse is an entirely different, immensely more difficult thing to do.
    2. David faced ridicule from his wife, Michal for humbling himself in the worship of God, and his response to this instructs us today on this challenge as follows:
  2. Learning To Glorify God Even When Doing So Is Opposed By Our Spouse, 2 Samuel 6:13-23.
    1. After David learned he had to humble himself in CORRECTING the errant way he at first tried to bear the ark into the tabernacle (2 Samuel 6:1-12a), he transported the ark of God with gladness, 2 Sam. 6:12b.
    2. In the process, he "humbled" himself in a public way, dressing and acting as one of the common people of Israel of whom he was a part, 2 Samuel 6:13-20a:
      1. In honor of the Lord, once the levites had carried the ark six paces, David sacrificed animals, 6:13.
      2. Then, in keeping with the custom of commoners, he danced with great expression and joy, dressed not in his royal robes, but in a "sleeveless priestly garment extending to the hips and used when officiating before the altar" as would a levite in the tabernacle, 2 Sam. 6:14 with Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, ftn.
      3. This was accompanied by the blowing of the ram's horn and lots of festive shouting, 2 Samuel 6:15.
      4. Once the ark was set in the tabernacle, David offered more offerings unto the Lord, 2 Samuel 6:17.
      5. Following the sacrifices, David blessed the throng, and at significant cost to himself, gave both men and women (something possibly unusual in his patriarchal culture) two delicacies -- a cake with dates and a cake with raisins, 2 Samuel 6:18-19; Ibid., ftn. to 2 Samuel 6:19.
      6. Next, David dismissed the people (2 Samuel 6:19b) and returned to his own home to bless his immediate family like the other men in the nation would probably have done, 2 Samuel 6:20a.
    3. However, David's wife, Michal, a daughter of Saul, despised David's worship, cf. 2 Samuel 6:16. When David came home, she later expressed her contempt for what she felt was his undo self-abasement, claiming he had shamed himself in his dancing and using an ephod and not his royal robes, 2 Samuel 6:20. She may have thought David was faking his worship and showing off a false humility, or she may have thought he was truly humiliating himself, Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, p. 464.
    4. David's response shows he put the glory of God above the opinions and pressure of his wife, Michal:
      1. In reply, David explained he had worshipped the Lord Who had chosen him above Michal's father, Saul and above Saul's house, including Michal, to be head of Israel; accordingly, it was only fitting for him to honor the Lord by humbling himself as a common man before the Lord as exemplified in the Lord's presence with the ark of the covenant, 2 Samuel 6:21.
      2. In fact, David claimed he would continue to act as a commoner in his own sight before the Lord in the future, and God would still honor him before the people whom Michal felt he had dishonored himself, implying God approved of David's genuine humility this way, 2 Samuel 6:22.
      3. David's humility is Biblically warranted, for Israel's king was to avoid having his heart in pride "lifted up above his brethren" in Israel according to Deuteronomy 17:20!
    5. God honored David's stand and disciplined Michal for her actions by causing Michal to bear no children, a state in the Ancient Near East that would be a dishonoring status for a married woman, 2 Samuel 6:23. As she had false accused her husband of disgracing himself before all, God disgraced her before all, Ibid., Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, footnote to 2 Samuel 6:23.
Lesson: Though opposed by his WIFE for HONORING the LORD by worshipping as a commoner before Him, David DEFENDED his actions out of putting the LORD above his WIFE'S opinions and above even his RELATIONSHIP with her. God supported David and disciplined Michal for sin.

Application: We must put our relationship with GOD above even that of our SPOUSE when the SPOUSE is OPPOSED to our relationship with the Lord! God will HONOR that stand in His grace!