Paraders Of The Lost Ark Series

Now in the N.T., God uses a different strategy to endear His presence to us. Those that are God’s people today, followers of Jesus, no longer need icons like the ark. For God promises all those who accept Jesus as Savior & Lord will have His presence living within them. We no longer look to a vessel of wood as His residence but now every believer’s heart is the abode of God. Acts 17:24- "Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples." 1 Cor. 6:19 asks: “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?”2 Cor. 6:16-"..each of us is a temple in whom God lives."(Message)

But still, even with that great truth, it is human nature to have tangible things to help us feel the closeness of God. And God understands this need and has given us a number of objective, physical reminders of His presence. For example, His creation - Rom. 1:20 - “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”(NIV) 1 Cor. 1:18 tells us that the cross can be used as a tangible reminder of God’s message. Paul writes: “..the message of the cross.. is the power of God.”(NIV) I think the clearest, tangible reminder of what God has done for us is in communion.

1 Cor. 11 tells us to use the elements of bread without yeast and juice from the grape to remember what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Communion becomes our “mercy seat” the place we remember that Jesus gave His life for us on the cross. 1 Cor. 11:26 -Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you are retelling the message of the Lord’s death, that he has died for you.”(LB) These things can be a tangible reminder of the evidence of God just as the Ark was for David and the Israelites.

II. OBEDIENCE TO GOD: He demands it - vss:6-11

So, David, with his men get the Ark to bring it to Jerusalem. Vs:3 says they put it on a new cart, and two men Uzzah and Ahio walked beside it. The parade now begins in earnest. Vs:5- “David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments- lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.” It’s a party! Choirs are singing, musicians playing songs of praise on every sort of instrument, people cheering. But suddenly amid all the exultation, the cart is jolted when one of the oxen stumble. It looked for an instant as if it would tip over, so, a man named Uzzah who was helping guide the cart grabbed the sacred chest to keep it from crashing to the ground. It was the last thing Uzzah ever did. He fell dead behind the cart. He had, in his haste, well intentioned as might have been, ignored the clear and explicit edict that had been given by God in Numbers 4:15 "to never touch the Holy things of God."

Most of us that read this passage find it hard to understand why Uzzah was struck down. What was it that he had done that was so bad? After all he simply tried to keep the Ark from falling. So, we desperately need to understand this situation completely because it teaches us an important truth and that is that obedience to God is not optional. It is something that He demands down to the smallest detail! So, let’s take a close look at this incident. Because it’s common to ask, “Was the death of Uzzah “cruel and unusual punishment?” “Was God to harsh in this incident?”