Respecting the Holy Presence and Commands of God

Articles From Our Bulletins

Philip C. Strong
04/22/18 - Bulletin Articles

The story of poor Uzzah has pulled at heartstrings for years. Perhaps, It has even caused some to question the “fairness” of God. After all, Uzzah was surely acting by mere reflex, and attempting to save Israel’s most holy relic, right? How could God strike him dead for trying to protect the Ark of the Covenant from sure damage and even possible destruction? Let’s review the story, and some of its background, to be sure we are all on the same page with regard to its pertinent details….

Exodus 25:10-20, note the very specific instructions given by the Lord regarding the Ark’s design and construction;

Exodus 25:21, it was built to contain “the testimony which I shall give you” and eventually also housed “… a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded…” Hebrews 9:4;

Exodus 25:22, but its purpose was also clearly stated to Moses, “And there I shall meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.”

So, for generations Israel carried this Ark of the Covenant with them as they wandered through the wilderness, crossed over the Jordan into Canaan, and then as they conquered and captured the Promised Land. But afterwards, when the land was divided and the tribes were dispersed in it, the Ark was kept at Bethel (Judges 20:27), then at the house of Eli the priest at Shiloh (1Samuel 1:9; 3:3). Eventually, as the Israelites fought with the Philistines, they brought the Ark from Shiloh to the battlefield at Ebenezer (1Samuel 5:1), thinking of it as a sort of “good luck charm” to ensure victory. It didn’t, and the Philistines captured the Ark and took it back with them- first to Asdod (1Samuel 5:1ff), then to Gath (1Samuel 5:8), and finally to Ekron, where it stayed seven months (1Samuel 5:10 and 6:1). After the holy relic caused nothing but disease, destruction, and death for the Philistines, they sent it back to Israel- complete with apologetic sacrificial gifts (1Samuel 6:10-16). When it arrived at the Israelite city of Bethshemesh, the men seemingly couldn’t resist looking inside- and thus touched the Ark. Because of their failure to respect the command of God regarding the Ark, “the Lord struck the people with a great slaughter.” 1Samuel 6:19 says 50,070 people were “struck down”! From there, the Ark was taken to Kiriath-jearim, where it remained for twenty years (1Samuel 7:1,2).

The brief history above brings us to David, Uzzah, Ahio, and the Ark of the Covenant in 2Samuel 6. In v.2, we see that King David decided that it was time for “the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim” to be brought up Zion (aka, Jerusalem and the city of David, 2Samuel 5:6-7). So far, so good. In fact, his ultimate intention for so doing was to build a permanent structure (the Temple) to house the Ark, and thus to be the dwelling place of God among Israel (cf. 2Samuel 7:1-2). But here’s where the plan went astray….

Instead of carrying the Ark by the two gilded acacia wood poles as God commanded (cf. Exodus 25:13-15), David, Uzzah, and Ahio (sons of Abinadab) “placed the ark of God on a new cart…” v.3. Then, as David “and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord” (v.5), when “the oxen (that were pulling the cart) nearly upset it” (v.6b), “Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it,” v.6a. Now note v.7 carefully, “And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.”

Was Uzzah just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Yes, perhaps in some senses. But he was also doing the wrong thing: failing to show due deference to the holiness of God by violating His command! God had always been clear that no one touched the Ark. Even the appointed “sons of Kohath” were to carry it only by the poles inserted into the rings on each side (that were never to be removed), cf. Numbers 4:15-20. So, David, Uzzah, Ahio, and whoever else was with them failed to heed the lessons of the past concerning the Ark: the Israelite army regarding it as a good-luck charm when they took it into battle against the Philistines; the folly of the Philistines in placing it along side their own idols; and, the blunder at Bethshemesh when curiosity killed 50,070 of them instead of the cat.

What do all of these have to do with Uzzah? In each case, reverence for God and His presence above the Ark was not maintained by obeying His commands regarding it. Uzzah wasn’t killed just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time despite his good intentions. He was killed because he failed to respect and revere the holiness and commands of God!

What’s the lesson for us in all of this? It’s quite simple, actually. When, and in whatever way(s) we fail to respect and revere the holiness of God by failing to keep His commandments, spiritual disease, destruction, and death loom! We aren’t free to amend or add to God’s word, Galatians 1:6-8. And good intentions don’t help when we are violating God’s law, 1John 2:3-6! When God said, “Don’t touch the Ark of the Covenant,” He meant it. And whatever God says to us in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ, He also means, cf. Hebrews 2:1-3! So: don’t leave part of it out; don’t add to it; and don’t fail to do exactly what it says how it says. Listen to Uzzah!