AWESOME

1. Introduction

a) The Ark of the Covenant represents the presence of God in the Old Testament.

b) Whenever the Israelites were to go to battle, the Ark of the Covenant would go first before them. This would ensure victory for them against their enemies who were much stronger and bigger than them.

2. When was the Ark of the Covenant introduced and what was inside it?

a) It was the time when the Lord told Moses to cut two more stone tablets like the first ones which Moses lifted them high above his head and dashed them to the ground. Moses was to keep the stone tablets inside it.

i) 1At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. 2And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. 3And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. 4And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them unto me. 5And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me. (Deuteronomy 10:1-5 KJV)

b) God wrote the 10 commandments with his finger on the stone tablets and this represents the very heart of God's kingdom values for his chosen people. The Ark of Israel was a national treasure and would be kept in the tabernacle.

i) 6I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 7Thou shalt have none other gods before me. 8Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. 11Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 12Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. 13Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 14But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. 15And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. 16 thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 17Thou shalt not kill. 18Neither shalt thou commit adultery. 19Neither shalt thou steal. 20Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor. 21Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's. (Deuteronomy 5:6-21 KJV)

3. What does the presence of God bring?

a) Strength

i) Where does strength come from?

#1) The joy of the Lord.

@1. 10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10 KJV)

#2) Joy is also one fruit of the Spirit.

@1. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23 KJV)

#3) Waiting upon the Lord

@1. 31But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

#4) Come to Jesus

@1. 28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV)

b) Blessings

i) Example: Blessings upon Obed-Edom, a Philistine (a pre-believer)

@1. 5And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. 6And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez–uzzah to this day. 9And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? 10So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed–edom the Gittite. 11And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed–edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed–edom, and all his household. (2 Samuel 6:5-11 KJV)

ii) Blessings upon Obed-Edom's descendants

@1. 4Moreover the sons of Obed–edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, 5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him. 6Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour. 7The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah. 8All these of the sons of Obed–edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed–edom. (1 Chronicles 26:4-8 KJV)

@2. All of these sons and grandsons of Obed-Edom - all 62 - were outstanding men who were particularly well qualified for the work.

c) Victory

i) How? God will go before us.

@1. 3Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. (Deuteronomy 9:3 KJV)

ii) Why? The nations are greater and mightier than us.

@1. 1Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, 2A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! (Deuteronomy 9:1, 2 KJV)

iii) No one will be able to stand against us.

@1. 25There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. (Deuteronomy 11:25 KJV)

4. Prayer focus

a) Pray for the presence of God in our lives.

b) Pray for the release of God's blessings in our lives.

c) Pray for God's generosity and favor.