That’s Why We Should Run Things by God First
After all David had been through, he finally became king, starting with Judah (2 Samuel 2:4). Then, seven years later, he became king over both Israel and Judah, where he made a covenant with the people and the Lord (2 Samuel 5:2-5).
One of the things that happened while Saul was king was that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant.
The ark was like a chest for storing important things. It was made to specific specifications and overlaid with gold inside and out. It had four gold rings fastened to its four feet, two rings on one side and two on the other. They made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. The poles were inserted into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. The poles were to remain in the rings of the ark and not be removed. Inside the ark were the Ten Commandments, a gold jar of manna, and Aaran’s staff that had budded.
The lid of the ark was called the mercy seat. It was made of pure gold. It had two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat, one cherub on one end and one on the other, all made from one piece of gold. The cherubim had wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the mercy seat.
The mercy seat sat atop the ark, and the Testimony that God would give them was put into the ark. God told them, “I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.” (Exodus 25:10-22)
This was an important connection to God!
While the Philistines had it, things didn’t go so well for them. First, the statue of their god Dagon fell on its face before the ark of the Lord, not once but twice. The second time, the statue’s head and hands broke off (1 Samuel 5:1-5). While the ark of God was in Philistine territory, they had all kinds of problems. Then they decided it need to be sent back to Israel (1 Samuel 5:6-12).
So, the Philistines put it on a cart with gold offerings and two cows pulling it, and the cows took it straight to Beth-shemesh. The people were overjoyed. They chopped up the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord (1 Samuel 6:1-15).
And God struck down some of the people because they looked inside the ark of the Lord.
“So, they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath-jearim, ‘come get the ark.’ The men came and got it and took it to Adinadab’s house.” (1 Samuel 6:21-7:1)
Now, back to David becoming king. Last week, we talked about how David asked God for direction as he fought the Philistines. After that battle was behind him, he decided to go get the ark and bring it back to Jerusalem.
“He is very excited about this and they were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled. And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.
Then David became angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah.
That day David feared the Lord and asked, ‘How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?’ So, he was unwilling to move the ark of the Lord to the City of David.” (2 Samuel 6:6-9)
I can identify with David’s anger. I’ve always struggled with what happened to Uzzah. It appears that he was just trying to protect the ark. I think the problem is that they were not moving the ark the way they were supposed to. There was a lack of reverence.
Earlier in the post, I shared with you the importance of the ark and how it was supposed to be handled. After a while, David figured this out too. Then he went back to get it again.
David was celebrating even more this second time.
“Wearing a linen ephod, David danced with all his might before the Lord, while he and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and the sounding of the ram’s horn. When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts. Then he distributed to every man and woman among the multitude of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. And all the people departed, each to his own home.” (2 Samuel 6:14-19)
When he got home, his wife was upset with him. She thought he was being un-kingly. But David told her, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the Lord, and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this.” (2 Samuel 6:21-22)
Saul was removed from his throne because he did things without asking God first. The people in Beth-shemesh died because they did not handle the ark the way God has told them to, but instead handled it in a worldly way. Uzzah was struck down for touching the ark when he and David should have checked with God first.
We need to celebrate and worship God!
But we need to do this with reverence. He is our Heavenly Father, and He wants a relationship with us.
We need to check in with Him to find out what He wants and what is right, not just do things the way we think we should.