2 Samuel 6:1-19, 1 Chronicles 13:1-14
“Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul. the whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.” 1 Chronicles 13:3-4
How many times do people decide to do what seems right--what seems like a good thing--rather than asking God what He wants us to do? We tend to plan and then ask God to bless our plans rather than asking God to show us His plans.
During Saul’s reign the ark had been in the house of a man named Abinadab in the town of Kiriath-Jearim. Saul had left it there, and now David wanted to bring it to the capital city of Jerusalem. Israel’s spiritual life had been neglected for many years and David wanted to refocus the attention of the nation on God.
The instructions for moving the ark had been forgotten. The Levites were to carry the ark by its poles. Instead David had the ark placed on a cart pulled by oxen, led by Abinadab’s sons, Uzzah and Ahio. He was following the example of the Philistines when they returned the ark after they had captured it. We get in trouble when we follow the example of the world rather than God’s Word. David and the people with him were celebrating, singing, and playing musical instruments, thinking all was well. Then the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put his hand on the ark to steady it and keep it from falling. But not even the priests were supposed to touch the ark. It was the most holy piece of furniture in the tabernacle. When Uzzah touched the ark, God struck him dead. David was angry because he was trying to do something he thought would please God. He meant well. David left the ark in the house of a man named Obed-Edom until he could find the proper way to get it to Jerusalem.
David prepared a place for the ark in Jerusalem and set up a tent to house it. Then he discovered that he and his men had not followed God’s instructions on how it should be moved. So this time they did as God had said. The Levites carried the ark by its poles and did not touch it. With great celebration the ark was brought to its special place in the city. This time David and the people had done things God’s way instead of copying the way the Philistines had moved it. Wiersbe, “When God’s work is done in man’s way, and we imitate the world instead of obeying the Word, we can never expect the blessing of God...God’s work must be done in God’s way if it is to have God’s blessing.”
The death of Uzzah emphasized the holiness of God and the need for men to approach Him with reverence and awe. All too often, in every generation including ours, there is an attitude of careless familiarity with Divinity.
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