Today’s church has abandoned some very important words and the spiritual concepts they represent. Holiness is one of those words. Our culture has all but forgotten God’s holy nature, and as a result, the fear of the Lord. A holy reverence toward God has been all but forgotten. Many no longer treat the things of God with the respect they are due. David’s experience in returning the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem is a vivid reminder concerning reverence toward Holy God and the things set aside for his purposes.
Honor God in God’s way (2 Samuel 6:1-5)
As described in previous lessons, the Ark of the Covenant fell into the hands of the Philistines. To honor God and to lift the spiritual position of Israel, David determined the ark needed to be returned to God’s people. When the ark is located, it is placed on a new cart pulled by oxen for the journey back a prominent place in the lives of God’s people.
As innocuous as it may appear, David executed a very serious sin against God. God had given very particular instructions as to how the ark was to be transported. It could only be carried by Levites using long poles placed through rings on the exterior of the ark (Exodus 25:14-15; Numbers 1:50-51).
This passage says David’s men loaded the ark (v. 3) and two men in particular, Uzzah and Ahio, were guiding the cart that transported the ark. It is unclear whether any of the men involved were from the house of Levi. It is readily apparent they were not following the method of transportation God had prescribed.
The things of God must be handled with reverence even when their proper use isn’t delineated in Scripture. It places additional need for proper respect when God clearly expresses his direction concerning those things set apart for his use.
David’s motives were noble. The ark needed to be returned because the people of God had not, “inquire(d) of him (God) in Saul’s day (v. 3). However, David’s execution was irreverent and therefore void of God’s blessing. Holy things, including God’s word, always must be honored.
Respect the holiness of God (2 Samuel 6:6-11)
As the ark was being transported on the cart, one of the oxen stumbled enough to create fear the ark might fall from the cart. Uzzah apparently reached out and touched the ark in an attempt to stabilize it and was stricken dead (v. 7). Once again, a correct motive that ran contrary to the expressed direction of God (Numbers 4:15). In addition, Uzzah should have been more aware of the proper way to handle the ark because it had been in his home (v. 3).
The Ark of the Covenant was an instrument of worship. It was the earthly dwelling place for the presence of God. How worship occurs matters to God. Worship always must be God honoring, reverent and in keeping with the teaching of God’s word.
Worship has become an issue in much of today’s spiritual environment. Much of the conflict relates to worship style. While the topic is on the table, a serious discussion of the reverence of worship also should take place. God has declared his unchanging nature in his word (Hebrews 13:8). Proper respect for God in worship remains a very serious consideration.
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Worship with enthusiastic reverence (2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17)
Following the death of Uzzah, the processional carrying the ark back to Jerusalem comes to a halt. The ark itself is placed in the home of Obed-Edom the Gittite for a period of three months. It is obvious the household of Obed-Edom paid proper reverence to the ark and the God it represented because they experienced great blessing while the ark of was there (v. 11).
After three months, David once again began the ark’s journey to Jerusalem. This time, he is careful to follow the commands of God. David assumes the role of priest, he offers up a sacrifice to God and he leads the people in a positive and a reverent act of worship (vv. 13-15). Great care is taken to ensure worship is conducted as God described it.
Two concepts are discovered in David’s actions. First, God is honored by open and enthusiastic worship. To remove the joy that comes from being in the presence of God is just as sinful as treating the holy things of God as if they were ordinary.
David’s actions reveal an important aspect of the nature of God. Just because David and the Israelites dishonored God in their previous attempt to bring the ark back to Jerusalem did not mean they could not come before God again. God is the God of the second chance. He always is willing to forgive and restore his people.
Conclusion
The presence of God no longer abides with the Ark of the Covenant. Now the presence of God resides in the hearts of those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Regardless of his dwelling place, God still expects his people to worship him as he describes it in his word, and he expects believers to have a proper respect for the holy things of God.
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