1 Chronicles 15:14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.In various passages the Ark was the presence of the Lord. Seventy were killed for even looking at it. It was to be covered with several layers of cloth at all times. It was to be viewed only by the chief priest to sacrifice, and only in the Holy of Holies. Before even getting within yards of its presence, the Israelites had to ceremonially wash. Only the Levites could carry the Ark, and it had to be by its poles (above verse). Scripture is clear: God is Holy and His presence was sacred. The poles were to prevent the hands of dirty people from touching God's throne - which the Ark was.
The Ark always traveled with the Israelites. At night it was put into the inner sanctum of the tabernacle - the tent of God. The instructions were clear: bare the Ark upon the shoulders of the bearer. What people fail to realize is that when God says something, he means it! His commands are our responsibility. He put Adam in Paradise to "dress and keep the Garden" (Gen 2:15). Since the Garden needed no work, it is to be understood that God meant to worship and obey Him! That is the job assignment of all mankind.
As David and his entourage traveled, they came to Nacon, the oxen stumbled over the threshing floor, Uzzah touched the Ark, and then God struck him dead because Uzzah made an error:
2 Samuel 6:6 ...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 cGod struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.We think of sin as a willful transgression of God's Law. A better definition, as can be seen from this scenario, is that sin is also being lax with God's will. God doesn't waste words. He gives directions for one reason: he wants them followed. Being reverent to God is worship. Following his directions is obedience, both of which are our job assignments. Uzzah was struck dead for what I perceive to be irreverence and disobedience.
When we were gazing inside the tomb of George and Martha Washington at Mt. Vernon, instructions were given to remain quiet and reverent. Washington didn't ask that; only the guards did. We obeyed by remaining silent and reverent. It was not a hard thing to do! However, Uzzah couldn't even do that when God commanded it! What's worse, David - the man after God's own heart, the Levites - the priests of God, and the Israelites failed God as well. Uzzah was the example who God picked to demonstrate His sincerity. Why do I accuse all of the people there?
The poles were designed into the Ark with rings to carry the Ark. God was to be kept clear of the dirty world and it's people. Instead, David and the priests allowed the Ark to be put on a cart pulled behind the non-kosher (unclean) buttocks of beasts! David and the people were all guilty of uncleanness.
I always believed it was unfair of God to kill Uzzah for a honest mistake. That's because my thoughts are not God's thoughts. It honors God when we make an attempt to understand Him. God's Words mean things, and He has a reason for saying them.
David was guilty too. He should have died with Uzzah. However, by grace David and the others were saved for one reason: Both were the "fathers" of Jesus Christ! If David had been smote, Jesus would not have never been born. If the Israelites had been destroyed right then, Jesus's birthplace would have ceased to exist. Both of these were in the Abrahamic Covenant. God made that Covenant, and He meant what He said!
Hopefully, you get the point by now: God's Word is to be taken seriously and with reverence! It wasn't that Uzzah touched the Ark but that his heart was not in his job: to revere and obey God. (Again, more on that assumption later.*) "Safety" was always by grace; never by works! If Uzzah had been sensitive to God's will, he would have refused to be in the presence of the Ark when it was carried man's way, and not God's. The same with David and the others. Carrying the Ark according to their own device was wrong. Because they failed to understand the importance of sanctity and obedience, it was their fault.
Now, let us apply this lesson: Christians in these modern times are not reverent and obedient to God. Uzzah's sin was small: he touched the Ark unintentionally. However, his greater sin was that he didn't care enough for God's will to respect God. He was irreverent.
Like, Uzzah, and even David, I am an unclean person. God allows me to approach Him only because of grace. However, until I circumcised my heart, God touched me and made me clean. Now because of God, I am clean enough that His Holy Spirit resides in my soul. I obeyed God by allowing him to clean me before I even attempt to bear the Cross. You see, the Ark - the place where God lived, is symbolic of the Cross - the place where God died. Uzzah symbolically dirtied the Cross by touching the Ark. Why? Because he was irreverent and disobedient.
Contrary to Calvinism, obedience is extremely important. Jesus was on the Ark that day. They didn't see Jesus, but David knew he was there. David had the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13). He was imbued by God. He had the Spirit of Jesus residing within him but failed to revere and obey the coming Christ.
Now, I am going to change modes. I stopped for a moment in my writing and considered this event in the context of what's this got to do with Jesus? We must all do that when reading the Old Testament because it is indeed all about Jesus!
Before, I said that I had felt sorry for Uzzah because it seemed that he was merely protecting God's Throne. It occurred to me just now that Uzzah was innocent but careless. My sympathy for him was correct! His job was to walk with the ox cart. He was obedient! It was David's, the chief priests, and the priests job to "dress and keep" God. Uzzah was a mere servant! What I am saying is that an man innocent of willful sin died for David and the Israelites. As such, Uzzah is a type of Jesus. We shouldn't feel sorry for him because he surely went to Paradise that day! His death covered the sins of David and the others. We know that because David so feared God after that, that he quit trying to carry God, and left the Ark with Obed the Edomite. He felt guilty because it was he who was responsible, and an innocent man died in his place!
That is sort of "picture" of the crucifixion of Jesus. He bore the sins of mankind although He was innocent. Of course, Jesus didn't make mistakes either! However, Jesus stumbled on his way to Calvary out of weakness. Simon stepped forward and touched the Ark of Jesus - the Cross. Simon was innocent, but the Israelites and the Gentiles were guilty. I contend that Uzzah was as innocent as Simon in regard to willful sin.
Simon cared. I contend that Uzzah cared as well because he put his faith in action. He probably knew scripture being a Levite. He obeyed the best he could given his servitude. He wasn't responsible but David was. It was David who, although having the Spirit, failed to follow Him! David was lax again, as he had been with Uriah and Bathsheba.
We must always think about God's will. It's not that we commit the offense but our attitude is that I will do my own will, knowing full-well what the will of God is! That is demonstrating apathy to what God desires for his servants. I have heard people say, "That sin is minor. I won't go to Hell because of that one sin! That is true but one may die because of a non-caring attitude. We are to care what God's will is! That's "dressing" the Garden. Then doing God's will is "keeping" it!
Did you ever consider that the True Cross was the Throne of God at the Crucifixion?
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