Encounter the tests of faith and obedience as we reflect on the story of Uzzah and David’s missteps in handling the Ark of the Covenant. Through the lens of personal Bible reading journals kept over decades, we gain insights into how repeated study of God’s Word deepens understanding and comprehension. Learn how God’s instructions shape our lives today, showing us the importance of aligning our intentions with divine guidance.
00:13:53 Closing Thoughts and Ezra Project Message
SPEAKER 02 :
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Allen J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
SPEAKER 03 :
Today brings us to 2 Samuel chapter 6. 2 Samuel chapter 6 will be read by our guest reader, Vicki Bustos, chaplain of the Ezra Project. She will read all 23 verses.
SPEAKER 01 :
2 Samuel chapter 6. David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, 30,000, and David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baal-i-Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned on the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Periz Uzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, How can the ark of the Lord come to me? So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, and the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. And it was told King David, The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with rejoicing. And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. And David danced before the Lord with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michael, the daughter of Saul, looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord. and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread a portion of meat and a cake of raisins to each one then all the people departed each to his house and david returned to bless his household But Michael, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David and said, How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants, female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself. And David said to Michael, It was before the Lord who chose me above your father and above all his house to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord. And I will celebrate before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor. And Michael, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death.
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In 1983, when I read this passage as a 28-year-old, I wrote in my journal, David brings ark to Jerusalem. David sings, dances, leaps with praise to God. Uzzah, seemingly helping to steady the ark from falling over, touches it and the anger of the Lord burns against him and he dies instantly. Not knowing more than what is here, it doesn’t make sense. However, it does teach God’s demand for obedience in all things. Now, I don’t know how much time you’ve spent in God’s Word, and I don’t know how many times you’ve read this passage. But obviously, back in 1983, I’d read this passage a few times, but not nearly as many times as I have read it today. And so, as I wrote then, not knowing more than what is here, it doesn’t make sense. In fact, this passage has oftentimes made me upset. with the Lord over just exactly what happens here. It didn’t make sense to me that Uzzah, who was just trying to help, ends up dead. But let’s see what insight does over time. The more we spend time in God’s Word, the more insight the Holy Spirit gives us. So now I’m going to share my journal entry in 2007, when I was over 50 years old and had read this passage many times. David desires to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, but he does it the wrong way, and Uzzah dies. Instructions on moving the Ark were written in Numbers 4, verses 5-15. David had not read God’s word, so he didn’t follow these instructions. He built a cart, like the Philistines had done, to transport the ark. The cart tips. Uzzah touches the ark and dies. Unfair? Numbers 4.15 says, “…so that they will not touch the holy objects and die.” God’s law is always above our circumstances. Uzzah, though well-intentioned, violated God’s law. He may not have been a Levite, but he touched the ark. David violated God’s law by not carrying the ark with poles. The second attempt to transport the ark is done correctly, according to 1 Chronicles 15, verses 1-15. and is successful. Read God’s Word and do things right. So you can see a maturing in my own life from age 28 to over age 50 and just understanding and comprehending God’s Word by spending time in God’s Word over and over. As a daily Bible reader, since I was 15 years old, I’ve read 2 Samuel 17 times. Yeah, it begins to sink in what God is really saying to me as I read his word. So recapping 2 Samuel chapter 6, David was well-intentioned. He wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the city of David. The problem was he transported it the wrong way. God gave specific instructions and David either didn’t know them or ignored them. He actually used the tactics of the enemy. The Philistines are the one that put it on a cart and sent it to Israel. Uzzah is just following his leader. He’s walking with David. He’s praising the Lord. He ends up touching the ark and dies. Uzzah not necessarily was at fault. David was at fault. His leader for not obeying God’s word. So though we may be well-intentioned, that’s not enough. We need to be obedient to the Word of God, or people may die around us. Oh, they may not die physically, but they may be dying spiritually around us because we are well-intentioned as Christians, but not obedient to God’s Word. Father, forgive me when I may be well-intentioned, but I may not be doing things according to your word. Forgive me, Lord. Protect the people around me if I’m disobedient to your word so that they don’t suffer. And then correct me, help me find my way back to obedience in your word. And thank you that David learned his lesson. He must have got a copy of your word and saw how to do it correctly. So Lord, correct me and help me find my way back to obedience in you. In your name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. Maybe you wonder if Old Testament prophecy is true, came true already, or is coming true in the future. First, most prophets had a recurring theme. God loves us. Because he loves us so much, he gave us commandments, rules, statutes to live by. If we live by them, we can be blessed beyond what we can think or imagine. But when we choose to disregard, ignore, and set aside his rules, we are subject to his curses. We live under curses until things get so bad we cry out to God. He’s always there, waiting for our cry. Most often, but not always, He responds with grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness. We get back in line, then the cycle repeats. The Old Testament prophets cover this cycle over and over. Sometimes we wonder how the Israelites could have been so foolish. Yet, in our day, we have the same choice. We know God loves us. We generally know the rules, and we’d know them a lot better if we were more consistent in our time in God’s Word. Yet, we decide, like those in the Old Testament, to ignore them and live out our lives. Things don’t often go well, so we finally cry out to God. As we see in the Old Testament, prophecy comes true as God restores rebellious, disobedient people like us back into right relationship with Him. But it is not always the case. Sometimes He has enough and does not deliver them. So yes, Old Testament prophecies are true, they came true, and they will come true in the future as we cycle through the same life choices the Israelites made. Thus, the value of reading all the Old Testament prophets. Maybe we will learn what they tried to teach. God loves us. Keep His rules, love Him back, and enjoy His blessings. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. I was sitting outside an ice cream store with my wife and a pastor and his wife and children in our hometown. A couple walked by and overheard our conversation and asked if I was a pastor. I said no. But the pastor I was with asked them what church they attended. They named their church, and he said, I know he speaks there every first Sunday of the year. They looked me over, and the woman said to her husband, he’s the Bible guy. She turned to me and said, because of your message, he started reading his Bible this year. So to pastors listening, that’s what will happen if you invite us to come and share in your church. More of your people will read the Bible. If you want that, contact us at EzraProject.net. We know only about 10% of your people are daily Bible readers. After an Ezra Project message, about two-thirds commit to daily Bible reading. Reach out to us at EzraProject.net and let’s talk about increasing Bible reading in your church. I know you’re going to enjoy it. And want to share it with others.
