The Oxen Are Stumbling: Man-Made Efforts vs. The Word of God
An Excerpt from The Power of His Presence by Graham Truscott
How is God rebuilding the Tabernacle of David in these days? In exactly the same way as He did the first time, three thousand years ago. Firstly, by causing His people to realise that despite all the many blessings He has given them, they have not yet come “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).
Secondly, by a coming together of God’s people who are earnestly seeking His face and opening their hearts for this new move of His Spirit. A new Spirit-empowered unity in the Body of Christ.
All Gathered Together (verse 5)
“So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hamath, to bring the Ark of God from Kirjath-jearim” (I Chron. 13:5).
We have already stressed that the invitation to bring back the Ark of the Covenant, the Power of God’s Presence in all its fullness, to the people of God, is given to all. In this verse, we see “David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hamath.”
The word “Shihor” means “slimy”, or muddy, or dirty. Note that Shihor was on the borders of Egypt. Shihor speaks to us of sin because sin is unclean. The Bible says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). And yet, the people of Shihor were called to take part in a spiritual revival. Before entering in, they had to sanctify themselves, as we see in 1 Chronicles 15:12. But the point to note here is that God’s gracious invitation to take part in the Restoration of the Tabernacle of David is to all.
You may feel you are sinful. You may feel you are unworthy. But by the grace of God, the Lord is calling each one of us to take part in this Last Day Restoration Revival. If we will but place our lives in His hands and come to Him, He will cleanse, pardon, and transform us into those who will indeed bring back the Ark in these days.
Another important fact encourages our hearts here, giving us the assurance that God can transform all who are willing to heed His invitation into those who can bring back the Ark of His Presence. We have seen from 1 Chronicles 13:1 that King David first consulted with his captains and leaders concerning the bringing back of the Ark into the midst of the people. But who were these leaders? They were men whose lives had been transformed in the presence of the king.
We first read of them:
“And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he (David) became a captain over them’’ (1 Sam. 22:2).
But in 2 Samuel chapter 23 and 1 Chronicles 12, we find these men have been changed into mighty men of valour. In like manner today, our lives can be transformed in the presence of our King—cleansed and strengthened to experience the Power of His Presence. It does not matter how weak or unworthy we feel. The Lord calls all to the Restoration of the Tabernacle of David.
“Hamath” means “defensed, or walled,” and was the principal city of upper Syria, a city which was a formidable fortress. The fortress had extremely large and strong walls around it. Hamath is a picture of many of us today, who have “built a wall” around ourselves, and refuse to allow new truth and new blessing to penetrate the defenses we have put up.
The Bible teaches that God speaks judgment against those who build such walls around themselves:
“For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon . . . every fenced wall” (Isaiah 2:12, 15).
“The great day of the Lord is near ... A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities” (Zeph. 1:14-16).
It is also recorded in Leviticus 25:30 that the house in the walled city was not set free in the year of jubilee. Therefore, let us be careful never to get into bondage in “Hamaths,” but rather “pull down the barriers” allowing the light and truth of God’s Word to shine in. Answer the invitation of our heavenly David to gather together to bring the Ark of His Presence back to His people. In David’s day, it did not matter how different the people were. They put aside their differences. For as we have seen, this was a spiritual unity amongst the people of God, with a spiritual purpose. This unity was for the sake of the Ark of the Lord.
It was a unity to bring back the Power of His Presence.
Eight Miles To Go (verse 6)
“And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the Ark of God the Lord, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it” (1 Chron. 13:6).
David and his people went from Zion to Kirjath-jearim to bring up the Ark of the Lord. Kirjath-jearim was a landmark town on the northern boundary of Judah ( Josh. 15:9). Kirjath-jearim was only eight miles from the city of Jerusalem . . . eight miles from Zion.
In the Bible, the number eight speaks to us of “Resurrection Life” and “New beginning.” Circumcision was performed on the eighth day (Gen. 17:12). The cleansed leper was presented by the priest on the eighth day (Lev. 14:10-11). Noah built an Ark which saved eight people from judgment (Genesis chapters 6-8). Jesus rose on the first day of the new week, or on the eighth day. Thus, we see something of the significance of the eight miles the people had to go. For it was to be for them, when they brought the Ark of God up to Zion, an altogether new beginning.
Notice that Kirjath-jearim is close to Zion. Friend, this blessed revival is closer to you than you possibly realise. Don’t let the Ark stay at Kirjath-jearim. Have a new beginning. Allow God to do this new thing in your life. You will never regret it.
Notice the Ark was in Judah. Judah means “praise.” While we may not have seen the complete Restoration of the Tabernacle of David and the return of the Ark, I am sure of this one thing— the Ark is most definitely in Judah! The message of praise and worship is being restored in the Church of God in a wonderful, new, and precious way.
Again, we see emphasized in this sixth verse that Jehovah Himself “dwelt between the cherubims.” David realised that the fullness of the Power of His Presence was with the Ark of the Covenant. Therefore, he was determined to bring the Ark right into the midst of his people.
Man’s New Carts (verse 7)
“And they carried the Ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart” (1 Chron. 13:7).
With all his success, victories, and blessings, David had not yet brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Zion. There is a real desire in his heart to do so, but in the beginning, he goes about it in the wrong way. He has the right desire, is doing the right thing—but is going about it in the wrong way—not according to the Word of God.
You will remember that the Philistines sent the Ark of God back to Israel on a new cart. God had permitted this because of their ignorance. They did not have the Word of God or His commandments. But what God allowed the Philistines to do in ignorance, He judged severely when the Israelites tried to copy them. Israel had the anointing of God, the priests of God available to carry the Ark of the Covenant in the proper manner, and the Word of God telling them how it should be done. But despite all this the Bible says they “made the Ark to ride in a new cart.” What a tragedy that the people of God, despite all their blessings, and all their opportunities, copied the Philistines in this man-made, man-organised, man-oriented way. We read in 1 Samuel 6:14 they had already smashed that first cart into pieces. They should never have built another. For it is commanded in the Word of God that the Levites, the sons of Kohath, should bear the Ark upon their shoulders (Num. 7:9).
How dreadful it is that today men have tried to make the Ark of God ride on their new carts. Instead of keeping to the pattern clearly given in the Word, man-made carts, man-made methods, man-made offices and organizations, which cannot be found in the Bible, have been substituted for the pure pattern of the Word of God. One of the heartaches of India, is all the “new carts” which have been imported from Western nations, all trying to carry along the work of the Church. May God in His grace have mercy upon us!
Two men, Uzza and Ahio, drove the new cart. Their names are very significant. Ahio means “brotherly” and Uzza means “strength.” The shocking thing is that many of these man-made carts may look all sweet and brotherly. But they are really being driven by the strength of men—not motivated by the Power of the Spirit of God. As it was in the record of David’s new cart, so it is today. The end result of man-made carts is stumbling, slipping, sliding, and finally death.
