High Expectations
“And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the Ark of God home to me?” I Chronicles 13:12
The story of David’s attempt to move to Jerusalem the Ark of the Covenant, which had been taken by the Philistines many years prior (I Samuel 4:11), is one to make any Christian stop and consider the importance of obedience to the LORD. God had given very specific instructions regarding how the Ark was to be transported. Poles covered in gold were to be placed through rings on the side of the Ark (Exodus 25:13-14) and no one but those from the tribe of Levi were to move it (I Chronicles 15:2,15). No one was allowed to touch the Ark of the Covenant, and God meant no one (Numbers 4:15).
The Ark was a holy representation of God’s relationship with His people, and within the Ark were three items: the golden pot of manna from the days in the wilderness as the Israelites journeyed to the promised land, Aaron’s rod that budded in a display before Pharaoh to convince him to let God’s people go, and the two tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments. Rather than Levite men carrying the poles holding the Ark on their shoulders, they placed the Ark on a cart pulled by an ox and driven by Uzza and Ahio. This was how the heathen Philistines had transported the Ark, and thus David and his associates likely saw that method as much easier and faster. They decided to move the Ark the same way, however they would be in direct violation of God’s command concerning the proper protocol when moving the Ark from one location to another. But that’s what folks do. They try to do things their way rather than following God’s plan–a certain recipe for disaster.
As they journeyed to Jerusalem, everything seemed to be going OK, but then the ox stumbled, the cart tilted, and Uzza, who was walking beside it, put out his hand to catch it, just like we automatically put out our arm to stop a passenger from lunging forward when we have to brake suddenly. Of course, with seat belts, that’s not necessary any longer, but it is a natural reflex just like trying to catch something when it falls. This was what Uzza was doing. Had they been transporting the Ark the proper way, there would have been no need to steady it. Because he violated God’s command in touching the Ark, God struck Uzza dead on the spot.
One can’t help but feel sorry for Uzza. He became an example to the nation of Israel and to us that God is not pleased with a cavalier attitude toward His holiness. David was filled with fear and parked the Ark temporarily in the home of Obededom for three months. He was mortified that he had tried to bypass a strict rule made by God and one of his men died as a result. This punishment seems really severe, but living under the law as the Israelites were at the time left no “wiggle room”. Disobedience brought sure punishment. I am so glad that we are living in the age of grace. Of course, that doesn’t mean we can sin with impunity. God is the same God that He was back in ancient Israel, but He has had mercy upon His creation in sending His own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sin. Even under grace, God expects us to be obedient and when we sin, we must repent. John tells us in I John 1:9 that “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Thank God for His mercy.