A Most Worthy King
There once was a man name Uzzah who was tasked with the very important job of guiding the cart carrying the Ark of the Lord into the City of David. King David and all of the people were rejoicing as the treasure came closer, but all celebrating ceased when one of the oxen pulling the cart stumbled and Uzzah reached out, and took hold of the Ark to stabilize it. What may have seemed noble was in fact irreverent, and so the Lord struck Uzzah down dead…and songs of celebration fell into silence. (2 Samuel 6)
If I’m being honest, the first time I read this story, I too was shocked by how God chose to respond and punish this man. To my understanding it seemed like he was trying to do something good, but after digging a little deeper, the truth is Uzzah and the Israelites had disregarded God’s commands for how to properly handle the Ark (Exodus 25:12-14). Rather than follow as God guided in this matter, they leaned on their own logic.
How often do we do this? We may not be walking beside a cart towing the Ark…but how often are we calling the shots, making the plans, going with our gut…rather than waiting for God to guide?
If you’re anything like me — the answer to that question is many. I personally don’t believe that God gives us rules so He can make us move about His game board like pawns. I believe God gives us guidelines because He knows how to keep our feet out of the fire so we do not fall prey to the schemes of our enemies. For the Israelites they had been given a clear set of instructions on how to transport the Ark — we may never know why these were in place anymore than Adam and Eve understood why they couldn’t eat from the tree in the center of the garden.
Adam and Eve were given guidelines,
and their own logic led to downfall.
The Israelites were given guidelines for the Ark,
and Uzzah’s own logic led to death.
We understand this in storybooks, when the king speaks to his people — they listen. If people don’t listen — they are punished. Our culture is not accustomed to these monarchical terms but this is the way things were for anyone who chose to serve under a king. As believers, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are choosing our King.
The enemy of our Lord would love the “harsh” treatment of Uzzah to be seen in a hue that is quite different from the true color before us.
For Uzzah knew the significance of the Ark.
He knew how the Ark was to be properly handled.
He chose his own logic over reverence.
Therefore, Uzzah crossed a line that he had been warned never to cross.
Do you feel there is a line God has instructed you not to cross?
Has He given you guidance or direction in an area of your life but you have yet to follow?
— OR —
Are you waiting for direction?
Are you needing to make a judgment call and the enticing aroma of your own logic is lingering?
Over the years, as I have grown in my personal walk with God, I have learned that He does not move quickly unless it is necessary. The world may be bellowing to “speed up” but that does not impact His pace. I may think time is running out, and then my Way Maker does just that…makes a way. I may feel chaos climbing, and then my Prince of Peace appears without hurry and without fail.
If you are waiting on instruction from God, don’t lose hope…
He is the Author of Time and nothing will be lost.
If you are sitting on instruction already from Him…
don’t allow your own logic to get between you and your Father.
The other day I was teaching my boys how to paint with watercolor. I told them the guidelines, how to clean their brushes, how to apply new paint and then I finished with this, “the only wrong way to paint, is to not paint at all.” I believe God invites us into this kind of guidance…the only way to hurt the relationship with Him is to not have a relationship with Him. If you don’t know what God is guiding you to do, spend more time with Him — He will make it clear. If you feel like Uzzah and you have already “touched the Ark” and are now fearing His wrath…oh friend…humble yourself before the Father. You don’t need to run from the one who sent His only Son to die for you — for he is the very Son who said “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) And it is the same Son who shared this parable:
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
Luke 15:20-24
God loves you. God desires relationship with you and reverence from you. The story does not end with Uzzah’s death, we read in 2 Samuel:
“David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, ‘How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?’ So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.
2 Samuel 6:9-11
One man used logic,
one man used feelings,
but one man chose reverence above all else.
Over the next few weeks we are going to be looking more closely at these three men and unpacking how their reactions affected not only themselves but also those around them. And my hope is that afterwards, we all will feel encouraged as we reach for the Father, in loving reverence — not because of what we will gain — but because He is worthy.
