Every night before bed we read the Bible together as a family. We have gone through the gospels and we are in the Old Testament. We recently started 2 Samuel. One story caused such an uproar that we had to sit down and talk through it: the story of Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6.
Why Was Uzzah Punished for Touching the Ark?
At this point in history, David is hoping to bring the Ark from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem. As the cart is heading to its new destination, we have this in verses 6 and 7:
When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
The confusion and frustration that erupted in our living room at these two verses was swift. “Why was Uzzah punished? Was he meant to let the ark fall? Why is it irreverent?” The kids have real concerns. When we pull apart the story, we can see that many of us are living where Uzzah is, an arms length from destruction.
Uzzah and the Ark: Familiarity with the Things of God
The ark ends up in the home of Abinadab (1 Samuel 7) after it is returned from being with the Philistines. It brings nothing but bad news to the enemies of the Lord, and they quickly devise a plan to send it back to God’s people. After it crosses the border, it ends up in the home of Abinadab and stays there for years. What does this have to do with Uzzah?
If we go back to 2 Samuel 6:3
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
Uzzah has spent years living in the same house as the ark. He has seen it, grown familiar with being around it and very likely forgotten the awesome power behind it. God, who knew Uzzah’s heart, calls his action “irreverent”. We can imagine he didn’t respect what the ark represented when he reached out.
Doing God’s Work According to God’s Instructions
1 Chronicles 15:13-15 gives us this last piece of the puzzle:
It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.
The Israelites didn’t ask God how to go forward; they just went. The Ark shouldn’t have been on a cart with the sons of Abinadab. It should have been on poles on the shoulders of Levites. They didn’t follow the law. They didn’t ask God for the information; they just went forward with their plans and busyness.
Does Religious Busyness Reflect Obedience to God?
Many of us are living lives near God’s kingdom: in churches, discipleship communities, and Bible studies. Are we living under His lordship, or are we so comfortable with the proximity that we are irreverent? I look holy by being where I am, even when my heart posture is haughty. We want to be saved from Hell but don’t want to live as part of His Kingdom, bending the knee to His decree.
There can be a busyness that looks like kingdom work while the heart posture is far from where it ought to be. In fact, that is Uzzah. He is bringing the ark of the Lord into the city of David, without having consulted God for the plan. We can be running a thriving ministry and have a heart posture of irreverence.
Following Jesus Means Submitting to His Lordship
When I think the harvest is mine, the ministry is mine and the people are mine, I have made myself god. I can’t make a disciple. I can join God where He is working on someone. Trusting Him, I can obey and follow. You and I can’t make Him Lord in our lives. He is Lord. That is the title He holds. We can submit or we can wage war against Him.
If your ministry responsibilities disappeared tomorrow, what would your relationship with Jesus look like? Uzzah was involved in bringing the ark to Jerusalem. Where might you also be doing work for God while disregarding His instructions? Have you accepted Christ’s gift of salvation but denied His authority as Lord? What areas of your life are you not willing to submit?
This article was spurred on by the conversation started here.
