Oh dear. I'm always shocked at how much time has passed in between each writing. My new goal is to post once a week. We shall see how that works out. Now that I've written it for the world to read perhaps I will attempt to be more accountable. And again, oh dear.
I have wanted to blog about 2 Samuel 6 since completing the lesson earlier this summer. The subject keeps rolling around in my brain, pushing, pulling, nagging, convicting ... The problem is I'm just not sure how to deal with what I've learned in this passage. It's called for action on my part, and making decisions that I really don't want to make.
Those who have known me well for a long time know two things about me. 1) I am a non-conformist. I'm not sure I mean to be, or set out to be, it just happens that way. 2) I am not particularly fond of rules. In my humble estimation rules are basically written for people like me to break. I don't mean to be disagreeable, I don't even mean to be disobedient, it's just that rules get in my way. And yes, I've matured enough to know that some rules are written in granite, and they aren't going anywhere, and out of respect to others I try to be agreeable to 'the rules.'
In Chapter Six we read the story of David and the people of Israel moving the ark of the covenant from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem. They have made a new cart for the ark to be carried on, they are celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments, and then they come to the threshing floor of Nacon. The oxen pulling the cart apparently stumble and the cart appears to be falling over. Uzzah, leading the cart, reaches out his hand to catch the ark and we read, "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." What??? Did I really just read that? Did I miss something?
I don't know about you, but this story has bothered me most of my life. I just don't understand. David made a NEW cart. They were celebrating. They were worshiping God. The ark was about to fall on the ground. Uzzah was doing a GOOD thing! Right? Or was he? And what was David's role in all of this?
I remember discussing this passage with a friend about 12 years ago. She had read a book which mentioned this incident, and the line in the book said something like this, (God's talking), "You think your hand is cleaner than the dirt I created???" Ouch. Well that certainly added a different element into the story, so for 12 years I've walked around wondering what to do with that little thought.
Well, let's skip over to 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:4. Here we read that David and the people had not moved the ark according to the ordinances of God. Only the Levites were allowed to carry the ark of the covenant. Not only that, there were cleansings to be performed before they could carry the ark. It was to be carried in a specific manner. Very detailed instruction had been given by God to Moses on the handling of the ark of the covenant. David had neglected those instructions. There doesn't appear to be any rebellion on the part of David, no animosity, no defiance on his part, he just didn't heed the full counsel of God.
One of the questions asked in the study was, "What can you learn from today's study that you can apply to your life?" Here are some of my answers: 1) It is important to ask God for instruction/guidance; 2) His ways are holy; 3) Obedience to Him/His ways bring order and joy; 4) Disregarding His law/precepts/foundations brings pain and death
Did David know the rules? I don't know. But in this case, even if he didn't, ignorance was no excuse. And it didn't change the outcome-Uzzah still died. Sometimes you just have to follow the rules. Even when you mean well, like Uzzah. Even when you're the king, or the leader, or the parent, or the rule-breaker . . .
We can debate all we want about what we deem the 'non-negotiables', and we can pretend that God is who we think He should be, and that for us He will make an exception. But frankly, I haven't seen much evidence of that. It's sobering isn't it? And the ramifications are staggering. And the responsibility of knowing is daunting.
Trust and obey, there is no other way . . .
