As a high schooler, I was among those who carefully boxed up and moved all the hymn and gospel song books, educational materials, piano, dishes, Bibles, communion plates, bowls for feet washing, and all other items from the old building to our beautiful, newly built church building in another location.  All those items for teaching the Word of God built on the promises of God, became holy when used for the worship of God.  Memories of souls saved in the old building flooded the hearts of those who remembered meeting God there in their beginning of their walk with God.  Now it was time for new beginnings with the same God who still requires us to be holy as he is holy.  The same rules apply as we revere God with awe with a healthy fear-filled respect that comes from knowing how great our God is with respect for His tools of ministry.

David, who is now King, decides the Ark of the Covenant, holy unto God which represented God and symbolized all that God had done for His people, should be moved closer to where he now lives as King of Israel.  The Ark of the Covenant had items that represented the promises of God to His people.  The Ark was holy unto God. God gave them specific rules concerning the Ark of the Covenant given to them through Moses. The rules still applied when trying to move the Ark in David’s times.

The One thing we can rely on when we put our all our trust in God. His love, ways, and commands are the same and do not change. God is holy and we must be holy before Him.  In a world where each day we wake to new changes and rules of behaviors by our government, social groups, and among our friends and even our families; God is constant and unchanging in His love and care for us.  Comfort and peace abides in knowing that God does not change.

God’s commands signify His love and amplify His perfect holiness. David will learn quickly exactly how important this is this truth about God. Have we learned the depth of holiness of our perfect God?  Our behaviors will reflect the depth of awe we have of God whether inside the church building, among friends after leaving our worship of God, at home or in the workplace during the week.  God is Holy and that never changes.

1 Chronicles 13

Bringing Back the Ark

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ² He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. ³ Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.” ⁴ The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. ⁶ David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.

⁷ They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. ⁸ David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.

⁹ When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. ¹⁰ The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

¹¹ Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

¹² David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” ¹³ He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

David was honest before God in his own anger.  He didn’t think God’s actions toward a man simply trying to keep the Ark for sliding off the cart should lead to Uzzah’s death but he didn’t follow the holy rules for carrying the Ark that was holy unto God.  It seemed unfair and unjust to David who assigned this task to Uzzah.  Maybe this jolted our thinking as we read it, too! Rules are given with a purpose by God. 

Consider this:  God had given specific instructions concerning the sacred objects (see Numbers 4:15). God said he would put to death anyone who touched the ark.  There it is—in black and white. Here is something to consider; David became angry at God, but was his anger justified?  It was David’s own neglect that brought God’s severe action. Could David’s ego, “I want the Ark to be where I am,” a bit too much for God?

When we don’t agree with the One who calls the shots, our reaction is often the same as David’s—anger, bitterness, with instant words of “that’s not fair, God!” But David’s heart quickly calmed as he remembers his real intent was to honor God.

Warren Wiersbe writes;

“According to the writer of Chronicles, David appears to move the ark to Jerusalem as the first order of business, but 2 Samuel describes a lot of building that went on before David decided to bring the ark to the capital city. The Chronicler was intent on showing David’s actions in relation to God and His eventual temple in Jerusalem. Not only did this move consolidate the spiritual and governmental center of the nation, it also indicated that David wanted to send the message that Israel would no longer neglect the things of God.” –Wiersbe Study Bible

“Certainly the death of Uzza was a tragic event, but it underscores the history of care that had always been connected with the ark. In their haste to bring the ark to Jerusalem, people were recruited to help who may not have been Levites. Good intentions are not an excuse for ignoring clear instructions. The handling of the ark was a divine assignment for the tribe of Levi (see Numbers 4:1–20). No evidence is given that Abinadab was a Levite or that his sons Uzza and Ahio were even qualified to be near the ark, let alone touch it.” –Wiersbe Study Bible

Our response today—Do not ignore or set aside God’s Word for good intentions.

Seek first God and His Will in all the details of our lives that He enjoys giving His voice to with discernment and wisdom!  We should not ignore the clear teaching of Scripture regarding the church, the world, and the mission of those who claim to follow Jesus. Adding on churchy rules to please ourselves or with the intention we think are good to seduce others to come to “our church” is not pleasing to God.  Be honest before God and the people of the world in need of a Savior for it is Truth they seek!

Inventing ungodly (unscriptural) standards and then following them “religiously” flies in the face of God’s insistence that He will not change His mind about what He wants us to believe and the way He wants His people to live.

The Apostle Paul compassionately writes from his jail cell to the church, inspired by God’s Holy Spirit;

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1-6 (read the whole book to get the bigger picture!)

Manmade rules that divide the church and lead to behaviors of exclusion are probably not of God.

Lord,

This was a tough lesson to sort through but we have done our best to hear you.  May all that we think, say and do be refined first by your Holy Spirit.  Help us to think before we speak with words that are on your mind. Thank you for saving our souls and redeeming us for life eternal with you!

In Jesus Name, Amen