Bible Text: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 11-22 and Mark 6: 14-29 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
What do Nazis, archaeologists and the Ark of the Covenant all have in common? If you are a child of or had a child in the 80s perhaps you know the answer. Are you a fan of Harrison Ford’s work? Perhaps that clue helps? Maybe even this will give you some incite, “Dadada”. All students of archaeology, as I once was, know that the fine trilogy of Indiana Jones is as much a prerequisite course as any of the actual course work one does. Archaeologists enjoy these films in part because the movies often inspired them to become archaeologists but also because we like watching the unconventional excavation style of Dr. Jones- a style that wouldn’t hold weight in any actual research. And so, truthfully wherever I am, be it preparing for a sermon, preaching in church or just simply reading the Bible, when I hear about the Ark of the Covenant I can’t help but think of Indiana Jones equipped with his hat and whip, trying to save the ark before the Nazis get their hands on it. Believe it or not I’m not the only one who thinks that way, in his exegesis of the 2 Samuel passage, Samuel Giere writes, “Since Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr. appeared on the cinematic scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the ark of God has played a role in popular imagination beyond the pages of Scripture.” He then reminds the reader of the climax of the movie in which Indy’s archrival Belloq opens the lid of the ark and unleashes the glory of God which then melts him and his Nazi benefactors on the spot. It’s a little known fact that the movie is slightly based on a true story. There were no Nazi benefactors, to my knowledge, but there was a Dr. Jones who did go in search of the lost ark. I find it so interesting that there is a fascination with searching out Biblical material objects. I think this is in part because we live in a society that craves material proof rather than working on faith. And you know, maybe I am just a cynic, but I honestly think that if the ark was ever found, most of us wouldn’t believe it and the rest of us wouldn’t care. Few of us would have the same passion that David had upon the return of the ark to Jerusalem.
The ark has a long history even in the first book of the Old Testament. God through Moses, instructs the Israelite Bezalel, whose name means “the protection of God”, to build the ark. The ark then travels with the people of Israel from Sinai and leads the people as they cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. The prophet Samuel hears his call to prophecy when he is a young boy asleep beside the ark, but not long after that the ark is capture by the Philistines- but it causes so much suffering and anguish among the Philistines that they get rid of it and give it to the Israelite townsfolk of Beth-shemesh, which means house of the sun. They eventually don’t want it and from there it eventually goes to Kiriath-jearim which was a border town between Judah and Benjamin. Imagine, the sanctified object of the Ark of the Covenant, being placed in a border town just beyond the reach of the kingdom. For twenty years it remains there until King David hears rumours that its presence among the house of Obed-edom has meant many blessings and in a display of political power David decides it’s time for the ark to return to Jerusalem.
King David goes and brings the ark from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David, celebrating extravagantly all the way. David, who was dressed in a linen ephod, danced with great joy before God. Wait, what?! Hold on a minute, David was dressed in a linen ephod. There are two ways of translating this term- one is that an ephod was a religious vestment meant for a priest- perhaps something like my preaching stole. David is no priest. The other translation is that it is a loin cloth, a small square piece of fabric just appropriate enough to cover what needs to be covered. David is wearing very little- and dancing. And trust me, even if David is dancing like nobody is watching, people can still see it all. It says, “The whole country was with him as he accompanied the chest with shouts and trumpet blasts.”
And you know who is watching: Michal, the daughter of the former king of Israel and perhaps more importantly King David’s wife. Many of you have been married for many years and I am sure at some point in your marriage your spouse embarrassed you or you embarrassed your spouse, but this just might take the cake. It is utterly uncouth, even vulgar that a king would act in such a way in front of his subjects. Yet David’s response to Michal’s embarrassment is “In God’s presence I will dance all I want. I will dance to God’s glory!” Here is David, overjoyed with the Ark of the Covenant entering his city. Dancing with all his might, worshipping and giving sacrifices. Completely overcome. Samuel Giere says, “Joy flows from and accompanies the movement of the ark, God’s presence, into the city. Michal’s ire at David’s foolish behaviour- dancing au natural- is of no consequence, for the presence of the Lord, when all else is stripped away, evokes joy.”
Now I know we are Presbyterians- which means we are a little more reserved than this. In fact the Church of Scotland’s Second Book of Discipline dated 1578 says that Kirk sessions could excommunicate elders or ministers caught dancing, and the 1649 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland banned dancing all together. People caught dancing in public, let alone church, were punished by having to pay a fine or to stand in the “place of repentance” at the front of the church, so that they could be rebuked during the sermon. So, I know, dancing is not our thing. I am certainly not suggesting that we dress in loin cloths if you did want to dance and there are times when being overcome by God’s presence requires awestruck quietness. But can we still be overjoyed?
I suppose that when we hear the great abuse of power by Herod in our Gospel passage we don’t want to dance. There is enough garbage going on in our world right now that just 30 seconds of news makes us joyless. Regardless of gender there are a lot of Herods who make flippant promises and Herodiases that make selfish demands, that people around the world are being figuratively, and literally, imprisoned for the wrong reasons.
But then, that’s what should evoke all the more joy in our gratitude and worship because we don’t need to be in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant -whether it is found by some rogue archaeologist or not. Rather, we have a different covenant. God sent God’s son- to live and work among us- to provide a covenant of grace. To show us that even in a world where people will do awful things on a whim that there is a reason to be overjoyed. We don’t need an ark to represent God’s presence- rather we are surrounded by the most grace-filled relationship there ever was. I don’t care what the Church of Scotland said in 1578- if you want to express your joy through dance then so be it. Regardless, worship should include praise to a God who loves us and is with us- all the time so we should be overjoyed! Amen