October 2, 2021
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Reading along with us in 2 Samuel? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Samuel 6 (NIV)
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
1 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. 2He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4with the ark of God on it,6:3,4 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text cart 4 and they brought it with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it............Continue Reading
Wow that was a stiff punishment for Uzzah but I guess it reminds us how serious God is about His commandments. It isn’t surprising that David then becomes afraid to take the Ark to his home but quickly sees that when commandments are followed God’s presence brings blessings.
We see him dancing seemingly like a fool when it is moved again I would imagine because he really appreciates the magnitude of the Ark and clearly Michal doesn’t get that being a fool for the joy of the Lord is more important than what any man thinks!
2 Samuel 6
2 Samuel 6
2 Samuel 6
2 Samuel 7
Yes it is a strict consequence for Uzzah to be killed for touching the Ark of God (it is interesting that the Bible even records David being upset about it too….so if we are, we are in good company). But we also have to remember all that had happened to the Ark in coming from the Philistines to the Israelites and being in Abinidab’s/Uzzah’s house for 20 years. God clearly sends a message that the Ark is holy and so don’t treat it as common. Now another of Abinidab’s sons Eleazer had been consecrated to guard the Ark while it was in his house. There is no indication here that Ahio and Uzzah were consecrated to do this job, nor were they Levites. As the book of Chronicles records these events, chapter 15 tells us that David realizes after this incident that only Levites should have carried the Ark. It is something he should have known and was clearly communicated in the Pentateuch. So as much as Uzzah did a well intentioned wrong in this, David also should have known better than to put the Ark on a cart in the first place. It seems picky, but if there is anything that the Pentateuch communicates about God and the elements of the temple, He was picky. It was all about establishing and promoting His holiness and reenforcing externally the regard the people of Israel were to have for Him that would be to their own benefit. God is doing the same thing here. And we just need to give a shout out to Obed Edom, the foreigner, for taking the article that most represented God’s presence with His people and the thing that killed a guy into his house….but God shows the power and influence of the Ark by blessing him for it….once again an external means to communicate His thoughts.
So once David gets it right, he is thrilled to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, the place where it is intended to be in the plans that God has. And just don’t let others curb your enthusiasm for the things of God. Michal is negative for whatever reason, but David makes clear he will not let her be a buzz kill when it comes to his worship of God.
David is upset with God for striking Uzzah dead, but he eventually learns God’s point – He and His Ark are not to be treated as common, and the presence of the Ark, the presence of the Lord, are a blessing to those around Him.
David humbles himself before the Lord, wearing common clothing (underwear?) and dancing before the Lord. Michal looks on him with disdain and tells him of her displeasure. She will learn a lesson too.
So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”
23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
2 Samuel 8
2 Samuel 6