The Ark Is Brought Forth
We open
today’s study with the story of David making Jerusalem the religious center in
addition to it being the political center of the Hebrew people. I want to look at two significant sentences
that the chronicler places at the pivot points within this story.
First,
notice what David says to the tribal leaders of the Hebrew people: “If it seems
good to you and from the Lord God.” This
is the sentence of a person taking a humble position of leadership. It is clear that David wants to do this. But rather than assert his own desire before
the desires of the people and especially God, David casts the vision
humbly. He gives the opportunity for
discernment on behalf of the people.
Rather than force it upon the Hebrew people, he gives them the
opportunity to buy into his vision.
Second,
notice that David makes a communal statement of confession when he says, “For
we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”
Everybody knows that things went downhill quickly at the end of Saul’s
reign. David wants to confess the issue
and set his reign up to be different.
What David is saying here is that drawing close to God would be woven
throughout his reign. Again, I don’t
want to over-glorify David because we know his reign was far from perfect. But God calls him a man after God’s own heart
for a reason. In spite of his
imperfections, David is one who takes the Lord and His counsel seriously.
This
would be a great point for the chronicler to bring at the time of the writing
of the book of Chronicles. The people
have gone through an extended period of rebellion that in many ways felt like
the craziness of Saul’s reign. Now they
have an opportunity to refocus upon God and “bring Him back to Jerusalem.” Then again, who can’t benefit from hearing
about the importance of drawing closer to God?
Uzzah and the Ark
I love
this passage, because it is one of the crowning stories of paradox in the
Bible. Here the Hebrew people are
drawing attention to God. Here they are
giving great pageantry to God. Their
focus is upon Him. Yet in the midst of
it a single person does what seems to be a selfless deed and dies on the spot
because he was just looking out for the Ark.
It is so easy to feel sorry for Uzzah and question God. What I love about this story is that we can
relate to David’s reaction so easily!
Why would God smite a person who was just trying to prevent the Ark from
being damaged or falling to the earth like a common object?
The
answer is that this story has obedience and submission in its core. God told the Hebrew people how to carry the
Ark. There were ringlets through which poles
could be placed so that the Ark could be carried by the Levites upon their
shoulders. God doesn’t want the Ark
transported by oxen! He wants it to be
transported by the very people who know of its significance!
In a
display of a lack of submission and a lack of obedience, the Hebrew people
bring it forth with oxen. The oxen, not
knowing the true nature of their task, pull it like any ordinary cart. The cart falters; Uzzah reaches out his
hand. He dies. The Levites were not obedient; they did not
submit to God’s desire and Uzzah paid the price for it.
There are
always consequences for not submitting to God – although the temporal
consequences are not always quite so dire, thanks be to God! Rest assured; there are consequences. If God calls us to something and we do not
listen to His voice properly, there will be consequences.
However,
I also believe this point draws us to a deeper point. God has certain ways of doing things for a
reason. On some aspects of our walk with
Him we have flexibility. But on other
points we have none. In the Christian
walk, I believe we are talking about things like repenting. Is there
forgiveness of sin without repentance? What
about submitting to God’s Word? Is there
any way to have the Word of God rest upon our heart without making a daily
practice of reading it? Or, take
salvation. Is there salvation through
any work save Jesus Christ’s atoning death upon the cross? God gives us great freedom in most of the
elements of our life; but He does have some expectations in the most important
areas of our life.
David
misses this point. Instead of
recognizing the poor choices and the personal disobedience against God’s ways,
he gets angry with God and puts the Ark in the possession of another. Instead of falling upon David, God’s
blessings fall upon Obed-edom.
David’s Family Life
In chapter
14 we get a taste of a few places where David stumbled. David focused on two things that the cultures
of the Middle East asserted as proof of kingship: a royal palace and a harem. I can’t help but notice that the accounting
of these details come immediately after the story of David turning the Ark
aside for three months away from his own house.
As David turns from God, his life begins to reflect that decision. His life is filled with worldly things.
David
builds his own incredible palace instead of being content dwelling with
God. David turns to the worldly practice
of polygamy instead of being content with God’s ways. The call to obedience is hard – especially as
personal affluence increases. This does
not mean that God was not still with David.
It means that David stumbled in his walk with God. This is true about all of us. In those times when we are content letting
God dwell with others we will walk astray from Him. Our hearts will turn and we will fall into
sin.
Troubles with the Philistines
As we
conclude chapter 14, we see that David’s sin was not the end of his
relationship with God. God does not
forsake David simply because David has a character flaw. Thanks be to God that this is the case,
because who among us could God tolerate if He would not look past a flaw in our
character?
The
Philistines come against the Hebrew people.
Twice. But notice that twice
David turns to God, seeks God’s advice, and displays obedience. Each time David feels success. In spite of the sinfulness of his harem and
his palace, God is still with David.
This is the God that we serve. We
are all tainted with sin. In fact, as a
friend reminded me recently, “we are all far worse sinners than we dare
imagine.” But as God proves here with
David, in spite of our sinful nature “we are loved far more than we could ever
hope.” God is not afraid of our
sinfulness. He is saddened by it and He
requires atonement, repentance, and forgiveness. But He does not abandon us and continues to
display His great power through us in spite of our sinfulness.
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