David’s Failed Attempt at Moving the Ark…
Read 1 Chronicles 13:1-14
13:1-14 The parallel account of moving the Ark (2 Samuel 5–6) shows that David’s building projects were completed before he brought the Ark to Jerusalem.
The writer of Chronicles puts the moving of the Ark first in order to highlight David’s spiritual accomplishments and relationship to God.
However God had given specific instructions concerning the sacred objects (Numbers 4:15).
And God had already warned His people that He would put to death anyone who touched the Ark of the Covenant improperly.
David presumed to move the Ark of the Covenant, without first consulting God’s Word for instructions.
The sin of presumption is any time we take or do something without proper leave or allowance.
This story is a clear example of what the fear of the Lord means.
Often times a certain amount of fear, under certain circumstances, is wise and is necessary so as to preserve your life.
The following example shows what I’m talking about.
Transmission lines carry high voltage electricity, typically at 345,000 volts, over long distances between the power generation plant and customers.
The guys who work on these high tension power lines must always have a certain amount of fear, caution and respect for the power that they are working with, or else it would certainly cost them their lives, if they make a mistake.
This is what the Bible is talking about when it talks about our maintaining the fear of the Lord.
It doesn’t mean that we are afraid of Him, but it does mean that we don’t take Him for granted, especially when it comes to following His instructions and being obedient to His Word.
13:1 Even though David took the time to confer with all his officials; and even though, as king, David had the ultimate authority and could have given orders on his own, David’s oversight was that he failed to check first with the HIGHEST Authority, especially when it came with dealing with the sacred articles in the holy of holies, the most sacred of which is the Ark of the Covenant.
When in a position of power, we can be tempted to make unilateral decisions, pushing for our own opinions.
But effective leaders listen carefully to others’ opinions, and they encourage others to participate in making decisions.
Of course, we should always consult God first. We can run into big problems if we don’t talk with Him.
13:3 The Ark of God is also called the Ark of the Covenant.
The most sacred object of the Hebrew faith, it was a large box containing the stone tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments (Exodus 25:10-22).
David had already made Jerusalem his political capital (1 Chronicles 11:4-9).
At this time, he brought the Ark there in order to make Jerusalem the nation’s center for worship.
13:3 The Ark of God had been in Kiriath-jearim for many years.
The neglect of the Ark symbolized Israel’s neglect of God.
Bringing the Ark back to the center of Israel’s life reflected David’s desire to remind the nation of its true foundation—God.
Neglecting the things that remind us of God—the Bible, the church, and relationships with Christians—causes us to also neglect God.
How would an observer know that God is at the center of your life?
13:6 Cherubim are mighty angelic beings.
13:8 Worship in the Old Testament was more than a sober religious exercise.
David’s exuberance as he worshiped God with dancing and music is approved of in Scripture.
Our worship should reflect a healthy balance:
Sometimes we should be reflective and serious (see Exodus 19:14-25), and sometimes we should show enthusiasm and jubilation.
What do you need—more serious reflection or more joyous celebration?
13:10-14 Uzzah died instantly for touching the Ark, but God blessed Obed-edom’s home, where the Ark was stored.
This demonstrates the two-edged aspect of God’s character:
He is both perfectly loving and perfectly just.
Great blessings come to those who obey his commands, but severe punishment comes to those who disobey Him.
This punishment may come swiftly or over time, but it will come.
Sometimes we focus only on the blessings God gives us, while forgetting that when we sin, “it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
At other times, however, we concentrate so much on judgment that we miss God’s blessings.
Don’t fall into a one-sided view of God.
Along with His blessings comes the responsibility to live up to His standards regarding fairness, honesty, and justice.
13:10 Why did Uzzah die?
He touched the Ark, and that offense was punishable by death.
God had given specific instructions about how the Ark was to be moved and carried (Numbers 4:5-15), and those instructions had been neglected.
The Levites were responsible for moving the Ark (there is no record that Uzzah was a Levite), and it was to be carried on their shoulders with poles through its rings (Numbers 7:9).
It was never to be touched.
Bringing the Ark on a cart followed the Philistines’ example (1 Samuel 6:1-21).
Uzzah, though sincere in his desire to protect the Ark, had to face the consequences of his sin, and David was reminded that respect and obedience to God’s laws were more important than enthusiasm about moving the Ark.
Also, David had conferred with all his officials (1 Chronicles 13:1) but had neglected to consult God.
The advice of our friends and colleagues is no substitute for God’s direction.
13:11 David was angry at both God and himself.
David knew that he had done something wrong in transporting the Ark, and he was angry that his plans for the joyous return of the Ark had ended in a man’s death.
Once David’s anger cooled, it was replaced by fear as the king realized the importance God placed on the Ark, the symbol of His presence and covenant with Israel.
David left the Ark in Obed-edom’s home until he could consider how to get it to Jerusalem.
This allowed David to discover God’s instructions for transporting the Ark.
The next trip would be carried out according to God’s commands.
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Thursday, Sept 19
The Berean: Daily Verse and Commentary for 1 Chronicles 13:9-11
Daily Verse and Comment
1 Chronicles 13:9-11
(9) “And when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his
hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled.
(10) Then the anger of the
LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and He struck him because he put his
hand to the ark; and he died there before God.
(11) And David became
angry because of the LORD’s outbreak against Uzzah; therefore that place
is called Perez Uzzah to this day.”
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I Chronicles 13:1-3 introduces an episode containing a presumptuous act,
immediately followed by a sobering display of divine justice.
However, this time, one of the most respected names in Israelite history is directly
involved.
It is the story of Uzzah’s sudden death while moving the Ark of the Covenant, the most sacred and revered of Israelite objects. The Ark, representing the throne of God and containing the tablets of stone Moses
received from God on Mount Sinai, normally resided in the Holy of Holies.
David desired to move the Ark to Jerusalem to continue to consolidate the kingdom under himself.
As they were moving it on an oxcart, the oxen stumbled, and the Ark appeared to be toppling to the ground.
Uzzah, in what may have been pure reflex, put out his hand to steady the Ark, but upon
touching it, he was immediately struck dead (verses 9-10)!
At first, David was angry that God ruined his party (verses 8, 11) – as the whole atmosphere
of the Ark’s transfer was celebratory – but shortly after, he became extremely
fearful (verse 12).
The Bible shows God to be longsuffering and slow to anger.
Why did they not hear His voice from heaven saying, “Thank you, Uzzah, for keeping the
Ark from getting damaged and dirty”?
Instead, He exploded in anger and slew Uzzah on the spot!
However, God had given strict instructions for transporting the Ark, found in Numbers 4:4, 15, 17-20.
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things: . . . And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry. . . . Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; but do this in regard to them, that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things; Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them to his service and his task. But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”
The Bible nowhere indicates that Uzzah was a Kohathite. If he was, what God did is even more understandable. Everyone in the whole procedure from David on down was guilty of disobeying God’s instructions regarding the most holy things. David failed to consult with the High Priest – or any priest, for that matter – regarding how the Ark should be moved. Evidently, no priest protested that proper procedures were not being followed.
The Kohathites were not even supposed to look on the uncovered Ark. To God, when Uzzah reached out and touched the Ark as it seemed about to topple off the cart, it was no act of heroism but the final act of desecration, arrogance, and presumption. The last thing presumed was that Uzzah’s hand was less defiling than the earth that he feared would contaminate the Ark.
God’s instruction in Exodus 20:24-25 regards building Him an altar. An altar made for His worship had to be constructed of earth or unhewn stones. No altar defiled by man’s sinful hand was suitable. Dirt cannot sin; it always follows the nature God established. God did not want the symbol of His throne contaminated by the evil that manifested itself in a whole string of rebellions against His specific instructions. There was nothing arbitrary, capricious, or whimsical in God’s action.
Jesus teaches us to address God as “Father,” a title suggesting familiarity, yet we are also to pray, “Hallowed be Your name.” God shows in these two incidents that, if reverence is due to the symbols used in His worship, how much greater reverence must be given to the realities of the New Covenant?
Those involved in this incident were well-intentioned, but it illustrates for all generations that God still requires conformity with His directives concerning holy objects. Deviation from orthodoxy can be deadly.
— John W. Ritenbaugh
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