The ark of the Covenant was very important to Israel. It was central to their worship. The ark of the covenant signified the presence of Gold. It was simply a wooden box containing the two tablets on which the 10 Commandments were written by God, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a pot of manna. (Hebrews 9:4) It was overlaid with gold and had two cherubim on top. The lid was known as the Mercy Seat. There were rings at each corner through which passed two poles for the purpose of carrying it. It had been neglected and fallen into disuse (1 Chronicles 13:3) “For we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul”.
It seems that during the reign of Saul it had been left at Kiriath Jearim (or Kirjath Jearim). I doubt that Saul had used it at all. In view of what happened before, I assume that the Levites conveyed the ark. It appears that they reverenced it.
How long since you inquired of God’s Word for guidance? Has it fallen into disuse in your life? How long since you sought The LORD’s presence in your experience? As Christians He is with us, He has promised never to leave us not forsake us, but how often we go our own way and often we quench The Holy Spirit who indwells us?
Moses had been commanded to make the box some 400 years earlier. God gave him the measurements which were 3 feet 9 inches (1.15 meters) long, 2 feet 3 inches (.68 of a meter) wide and 2 feet 3 inches (.68 of a meter) high. The last mention of the ark of God was when it came back from the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:2). It had been in the house of Abinadab for 20 years. David wanted to emphasise the presence and glory of God in Israel.
David gathered all the chosen men (30,000 able young men) of Israel to go and bring back the ark from Abinadab’s house (v1). It could have been a dangerous mission, so it was a large select band. They may run the gauntlet of the Philistines, so it was important that the right men were chosen.
The ark was brought with great joy. But and there is a big but, they made a fatal mistake. In the past God had given instructions that the ark had to be carried by the poles by the Levites. In Exodus 25:15 when Moses was given instructions to build it, he was told that the poles were to remain in situ and not taken from the rings through which they fitted. Probably the poles had been taken out and discarded. Obviously the Philistines hadn’t used them. Time has passed and maybe David forgot or simply overlooked the instructions about transportation. No doubt he had been informed that the ark had come from the Philistines on a cart, and maybe he wanted to do better than the Philistines, but for some reason he overlooked the vital instruction. Admittedly, the excitement of bringing back the ark could have got to him (v3-5).
They had set it on a new cart. It may have seemed good, and it was new, but it was in direct violation of God’s law laid down in Numbers 7:9 and 18:3. It was to David’s credit that he wanted to bring back the ark, but he was careless in its execution in that he provided a new cart to transport it. The Philistines transported it on a cart, but the Israelites were wrong to copy that. Note the emphasis on a ‘new cart’ – this was not any old cart and maybe David thought that God would be impressed! It is a pity that David had not inquired of The LORD about this.
In Numbers 7 covered carts were given to the Gershonites and Merarites for carrying tabernacle items but the Kohathites were not given carts because they must carry the things allocated to them, including the ark of the covenant which must be carried on their shoulders by means of the poles.
The ark was meant to be carried (see Exodus 25:12-15) and only by the Levites of the family of Koath (Numbers 4:15) They were not to look at or touch the things in case they die. Only Aaron and his sons, the priests were permitted to attend to everything behind the veil in The Most Holy Place.
Even Abinadab said nothing despite the apparent reverence of the ark, and he even allowed his sons to drive the cart. Uzzah and Ahio sons of Abinadab were guiding the cart. Ahio in front of it leading the oxen and Uzzah, I presume to the rear or alongside to keep the oxen on the move. Some procession – excitement was high! The whole orchestra played and there was great rejoicing, until …. Whoops! The oxen stumbled. If it had been carried this would not have happened, but it was on a cart and the ground was probably uneven. It arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon (or Chidon – 1 Chronicles 13:9) and Uzzah reached out and took hold of it to steady it. A natural thing to do, you might say. Then in v7 we read “The LORD’s anger burned and He struck Uzzah there for his error (irreverence) and he died there by the ark of God.”
A bit severe, you might think. Seems like it, but there must have been a good reason for we don’t read of the anger of The LORD being aroused without good reason.
Let’s go back – the ark was being brought back from disuse. That was good, sure God wasn’t angry about that. The people were rejoicing – nothing wrong with that, probably about time they did! What was wrong was the mode of transport – four men, not just any men, but Levites should have been carrying it with the poles provided, not dancing around and generally getting excited. It should not have been on a cart, even though it was a new cart. David should have known better. The Philistines sent it on a cart, but they didn’t know any better and they were trying to get rid of it quickly. And now he brings it from the house of Abinadab on a cart! David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating.
We can’t push or pull the presence of God around; we have Him in our hearts, and we carry Him around with us. There’s no easy way to lighten the load. In fact, it shouldn’t seem like a load or a burden.
Uzzah did what he did probably out of the best of motives and no doubt very sincerely, but he was wrong. I would say, he should have let it fall to the floor and possibly smash. I say probably because David’s inattention to God’s commands caused Uzzah to die. In all the euphoria of bringing the ark back he made a fatal mistake. It is far more important that we obey God’s Word than appear to get excited and in doing so forget and disobey God’s Word. It was fatal for Uzzah. Some may think God was harsh on him. He was a Levite and should have known he wasn’t allowed to touch it. It is said that the ark had been in his house before. He may have done it instinctively to stop it falling but I venture to suggest that God wouldn’t have allowed it to fall! Nothing wrong with rejoicing and showing delight except when in so doing we forget and disobey God’s Word. People often say and do strange things when they get carried away with euphoria. It can cause us to be careless.
Note that this happened when David and all Israel were worshipping God, it was joyous, but God was not pleased with it because it was in the midst of disobedience in carrying the ark on a cart, however new it was. One writer, David Guzik, says, “Worship, however happy or joyous, which fails to recognize God’s holiness is never pleasing to Him.”
There is a very important lesson for us as individuals and in our churches. We must be careful in thinking we can copy the world’s ideas to further the work of the Gospel. We must obey God’s Word and follow His commands otherwise the consequences could be fatal. We are often guilty of compromise, and this must not be. Sadly, many churches and Christian works have become run as businesses, and we copy the world under the guise of doing The LORD’s work and acting in a Spiritual manner. This is the work of God and He must be obeyed. I am not saying that we must not work in accordance with the law of the land but when man’s law and God’s law conflict, we must always follow God’s law. Of course, we must be efficient and carry out our work totally above board, and even professional, but we must act spiritually. “God’s work must be done in God’s way if we are to have God’s blessing.” (Warren Wiersbe)
Alistair Begg says that we have bent over backwards to be like the world, little wonder that the world doesn’t want to be like us, they already are. This, of course, is the devil’s deception that to win the lost we have to become like them. There should be a big difference between us and the world, so much so that the world will be attracted to The LORD Jesus. We bring an unchanging Word to a changing world.
It is clear that we cannot play around with our worship of Almighty God. You will remember that in the tabernacle and the temple there was a thick curtain which separated the people from a Holy God. There were strict limitations as to who and when one could go into the Holy Place. Many years later, Jesus, when he died on the cross removed that barrier when the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, upon Jesus’ cry, “Finished “.
Many Christians and churches are getting involved in or including worldly activities such as Meditation, Mindfulness, Yoga, Taizé, hypnosis, false teaching such as prosperity gospel, to name but few. We must follow the teachings of God’s word and not add anything to, nor take anything away from it. We are warned in 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” And in 2 Peter 2:1,2 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign LORD who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.”
Again, I quote Alan Redpath, “We want God’s presence very much, don’t we? But we like to hitch His presence to some of our new carts. We like to add Him to our list of organizations, to load Him on top of the mechanics of a busy life, and then drive. How much of our service is really in the energy of the flesh, I wonder! So often we put forth our hands, but not our hearts.”
There are several instances in Scripture were God killed people. It is not amazing that God should do that, rather it is amazing that God should allow any of us to live. We are sinful creatures and deserve to die, but He offers us life, abundant life, eternal life even, through repentance and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ our LORD.
David was afraid of The LORD that day. He was also angry with God. He called the place Perez Uzzah (Outburst against Uzzah). (v8-11)
His fear was that he was concerned that the ark could not come back to him and asked (The LORD) “How can the ark of The LORD come to me?” He was afraid that if it did, they would always suffer some catastrophe. The answer was simple, he knew very well how it should be transported but his anger got the better of him and caused a mental blockage!
David was a man after the heart of God and God was with him, but it didn’t mean he was perfect. He made many mistakes but when he did, he repented and came back to God.
On this occasion (v9) David was so afraid of the LORD. He would not move the ark, presumably it was still stuck on the threshing floor on the road, but “He wouldn’t take it with him into the City of David” instead he took it to the house of Obed-Edom, the Gittite. He was either from Gath, which would be quite amazing as that’s where Goliath was from or more probably Gath-Rimmon, one of the Levitical cities (Joshua 21:24). The ark remained there for three months, and The LORD blessed him and his household. However, in 1 Chronicles 15 etc Obed-Edom is referred to as a Levite of the family of Korah and Kohath (1 Chronicles 26:4), who in Numbers 4:15 had been commanded to take care of the carrying of the ark. So, it was in the right place for now. Even though he may have been a Gittite, he was a follower of Israel’s God and a Levite more probably from Gath Rimmon as above.
David’s plan to start off with was right by bringing the ark – the symbol of the presence of God, back to his city, but it ended in disaster. His motives were right, but he went about it in the wrong way. How careful we must be to follow God’s instructions in His Word. David’s motives seemed right, Uzzah’s motives seemed right but however sincere we may be, if we do not obey God’s Word, it will end in disaster.
In John Wesley’s notes he states, “Obed-edom knew what slaughter the ark had made among the Philistines and the Bethshemites. He saw Uzzah struck dead; yet invites it to his house, and opens his doors without fear, knowing it was a savour of death, only to them that treated it ill.”
In v12-15 When David learned that The LORD had blessed Obed-Edom and his family because of the presence of the ark, I suppose he felt it was now safe, so he went and brought it to the city of David with rejoicing. He instructed them about the proper order (v13) “For because you did not do it right the first time, The LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.” Thus, when God was obeyed blessings followed. David had learned during those three months what the will of God was, and no doubt recalled that the ark must be carried on poles. This time it was carried correctly. It is evident from 1 Chronicles 15:13 that David realised and told the people why the calamity had befallen them because they had been disobedient and had failed to consult God. The ark, which represented the presence of God, was a blessing to those who obeyed God, but an object of terror to those who did not.
He told the Levites to appoint singers and musicians, among them was Obed-Edom who was also a gatekeeper (1 Chronicles 15:18) and a director of harps or lyres (v21) and a doorkeeper for the ark. (v24)
David was still afraid to bring the ark to his city but when he got back to God’s instructions and realized his mistake, he got ready to bring the ark to the place prepared, to God’s house, and he did it with joy. The ark had been a problem, but only when God’s orders were not followed and when they were followed it was a joy to have.
Isn’t that like God’s Word and His Law? It can be a problem when we don’t want to follow it and when we want to go our own way. It is only when we “Delight to do Your way” (Psalm 1:2, Psalm 37:4, Psalm 40:8, Psalm 119:92, Romans 7:22 etc. ) that God’s will becomes a delight and not a drudgery.
In 2 Samuel 6v13 we are told that when they had gone six paces they stopped and offered sacrifices to God. Some think that it was every six paces, but it would have taken a long time to get to its destination. It may have been just the once, or when they entered the city. Whatever it was they were showing their dedication to God.
In v14,15 we read of David dancing before The LORD. It seems that dancing is not a Biblical concept, although the Hebrews had some sacred dances (see Psalm 150:4), but it was an expression of joy. They were nothing like ‘Strictly’ on TV. David’s dancing was to The LORD and not to anyone else. v15 David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of The LORD with shouting and the sound of the horn.
David danced before the ark, his wife Michal saw him from the house and was ashamed and she despised him in her heart. Michal was not as enthralled, it meant nothing to her just as it had meant nothing to her father, Saul. She didn’t see what all the fuss was about, especially for the king to dance around like that. 1 Chronicles 15:27 indicates that David was dressed just like all the priests and Levites in this procession. David’s linen ephod means he set aside his royal robes and dressed just like everyone else.
They brought the ark into the tent which had been set aside for it and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and he blessed the people in the name of The LORD and distributed to all, a cake of bread, a portion of meat and a cake of raisins, thus including everyone into the worship and meal (v17-19).
In 1 Chronicles 16 we read that after they had brought the ark and set it inside the tent, they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God and David blessed the people in the name of The LORD. After the ark had come, Asaph and a list of others were appointed to celebrate, to thank and to praise The LORD, The God of Israel and to invoke the people to do so. It is assumed that the twenty-four courses of priests were appointed at this time, an arrangement which lasted to the time of our LORD.
David composed a Song of Thanks. wrote a Psalm and gave it to Asaph and the musicians and singers to sing – 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 Psalm 105:1-15. So, it was a medley of Psalms put together to make a song of rejoicing to God.
According to 1 Chronicles 16:39 etc the original tabernacle had been left at Gibeon and David had prepared a tent for the ark in Jerusalem. All the people returned to their own homes and families, no doubt rejoicing in the fact that the ark was now back where it should be.
However, even though “David went home to bless his household” (v43), all is not well in David’s household. In v16 Michal, David’s wife saw him dancing in a linen ephod, he had stripped off his regal clothes, and she despised him. She came out to meet him and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself in the eyes of the maids of his servants.” This was evidently not a compliment but a sarcasm. It seems that she despised him because he had stripped off his kingly clothes (see v20), not that he danced with great joy.
In v21-23 David rebuked Michal and in v21,22 he stresses, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD—and I will celebrate before the LORD. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honour.” Commentators say that the Hebrew says, “I will be abased in my eyes” thus showing his humility. He was humbling himself before God, not man.
David told Michal that he had done what he did for God. It does not mean that anything goes in ‘worship’. Sadly, this has become the case in many gatherings. I attended one such where a group of people danced around doing the conga. It must be ‘before the LORD’. We must be very careful and totally reverent in our worship and remember at all times, who it is we are worshiping. Scripture is very clear that when people come before The LORD, they cannot look Him in the eye. He is holy and they recognized their unworthiness. (See Isaiah 6)
I’m not sure what to make of all this especially David’s reply in v21,22. In v23 We read that Michal had no child until her death. It may simply be that they had no sexual relations again. I don’t think it was necessarily a curse on her from God. Maybe their love for each other disappeared. You recall that Saul had given Michal to another man and then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, for her after Saul’s death and she was taken from her second husband, Paltiel. (2 Samuel 3) who wept, but Abner told him to go home. Strange relationships many seemed to have!
Before we leave this chapter let us think about the ark which was a curse on those who disobeyed but a blessing on those who obeyed. It reminds us of Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:15,16 where he says “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? To some the message of the Gospel is a message of hope which brings eternal life, but to others it is a stumbling block and an offence which brings eternal death. This wonderful message can have a twofold effect on its hearers.
