In working my way through the Scriptures this year, I have reached 1 Chronicles, and was reading this week about King David and his desire to honour the God of Israel. You see, during the time of Eli, the Ark of the Covenant was removed from Israel. Israel had taken the Ark into battle, hoping that this visible symbol of the presence of God would guarantee victory for them. Instead, Israel was defeated, and the Ark was captured by the Philistines. The Philistine commanders took the Ark to the temple of their god, Dagon, and the Ark was lost to the leaders of Israel.
So David consulted with his leadership, and then with all the people of Israel, and they came to consensus regarding the return of the ark to a place of prominence and availability to the leadership for seeking the Lord's guidance. David and the people of Israel make arrangements to bring the ark from Abinadab's house in Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. They arrange for a new cart, a procession, and all the other accoutrements of honour. They begin the journey, and as they travel, they are accompanied by musicians playing instruments, dancers dancing, and all Israel is celebrating with all their might before God.
It is a beautiful story of people honouring God, celebrating His goodness, and offering Him their best.
But the story takes a decidedly darker twist as you keep reading. As the procession reaches the threshing floor of Sidon, the oxen trip and stumble. Uzzah, one of the men guiding the cart, reaches out his hand to make sure the ark does not fall off the cart. And God got MAD. 1 Chronicles 13:10 says exactly that; "The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah". God doesn't get mad the way you and I do. He is not angered because His feelings are hurt, or because He feels threatened. He doesn't even feel the need to put other people down so He can feel better about Himself. But God is very protective of His glory, and He doesn't tolerate anything or anyone that threatens that glory. Uzzah's actions in touching the Ark were a violation of the clear commands God had given regarding the handling and management of this visible reminder of His presence among His people. The short, Stephen-version of those commands is, "Don't touch!"
Way back in Israel's history, during the time of the Exodus, God gave Moses the design for the Ark (and the other articles used to demonstrate His presence and to honour Him). He also gave Moses instructions about the handling of these articles. "Put rings on the side of the Ark for poles to be inserted so the ark can be carried on the shoulders of the priests assigned to this task." (a summation, not a quote; Exodus 25:10-22 has the design instructions for the Ark, Exodus 37:1-9 has the making of the Ark, and Numbers 3:27-32 has the record of the priestly families who were to care for the temple furniture, including the Ark) God's instructions regarding the use of and care for His Ark were quite specific. In their excitement at returning the Ark, David and Israel ignored these instructions and violated God's commands.
When God killed Uzzah, David was both angry and afraid. The Bible does not give a reason for David's anger, though several possibilities come to mind. But Chronicles does say that David was "afraid of God that day". I believe there is a difference between 'the fear of the Lord' that is the beginning of wisdom, and David's "afraid of God". The first fear is often explained as reverence or awe. It means taking God and His instructions, requirements, and expectations seriously and grows out of love for Him. The second fear is closer to terror, and comes about as a result of experiencing the effects of disobedience and punishment. David cared for the people of Israel; they were his people. He wanted to do a good thing - bringing back the Ark of the Covenant to prominence in Israel. He even thought he was doing good by providing a new cart and all the celebration. But his ideas were not God's, and his actions, noble though they may have seemed, were a violation of God's instructions.
Though this is the end of this story in Chronicles, it is not the end of the Ark's journey to Jerusalem. Eventually the Ark does make it to the city of God, the place where He chose for His name to dwell. 1 Chronicles 15 tells how the Ark eventually ends up in Jerusalem. It comes accompanied by music, dance, and all the other elements of a great celebration. It comes with sacrifice, as required by Israel's covenant with God. And it comes on the shoulders of God's chosen ministers, carried by the priests, as required by God.
David and Israel learned a valuable lesson because of Uzzah's death. God wants us to honour Him. He delights when we praise Him. He is pleased when we sacrifice for Him or to Him. But the thing He wants most from us? Our obedience. As Samuel said to Saul, "Obedience is better than sacrifice." (1 Sam. 15:22)
