2 Samuel 6 – 2018-12-20
- Journal
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- Bible Text:
2 Samuel 6:1-11 (ESV)
1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-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. 3 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, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
5 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. 6 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. 7 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. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 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. 11 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.
Reflection & Application:
2 Samuel 6:6-8
“In a way that seems especially foreign to present-day readers, the unfortunate Uzzah illustrates the holiness of God present in the ark. ‘To touch the ark is to impinge on God’s holiness, to draw too close and presume too much.’ The Israelites have not taken his power and holiness seriously enough, and now David is left with the question (6:9): ‘How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?’ The text implies that the ark (and hence God’s presence) can and will come into David’s life, but his power and holiness come with it. Such warnings are healthy, indeed needed, in order to protect God’s people from tendencies to trivialize God’s holiness.” [1]
- How was it offensive that Uzzah “put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it”?
- What might be the significance of Uzzah being the son of Abinadab, at whose house the ark had been kept?
- What are some ways in which I lack appreciation for God’s holiness?
[1] 4Bill T. Wilson. NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Samuel. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 458.
Prayer