Disclaimer:
Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording including sermon title, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these words. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copied and quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Pastor James May
PRESUMPTUOUS SINS!
2 Samuel 6:1-7, "Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God."
2 Samuel 6:9-12, "And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me? So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household."
This familiar story contains one of the greatest warnings that God has given in His Word against presuming to become too familiar with the sacred things of God.
The Philistine Army had conquered Israel under the command of King Saul and taken away the Ark of the Covenant as a spoil of war. It was as though the light had gone out in Israel for the Ark of the Covenant was the physical connection with the very presence of God in the midst of the people.
King Saul had failed miserably as the King of Israel and had been slain on the field of battle by one of his own men. Fearing that a worse fate would befall him if he were to fall into the hands of the Philistines, Saul had requested that one of his own soldiers would kill him. Saul had already been greatly wounded and could not escape. He had brought judgment upon himself because he had relied upon the word of the Witch of Endor more than the Word of God. The Philistine Army didn’t know what to do with the Ark of the Covenant but they recognized that it carried with it a power greater than they could handle.
According to 1 Samuel chapter 7, the Ark was placed in the Temple of Dagon, the Philistine god next to a statue of Dagon. For several days, the priests of the Philistine temple would walk in to find that their statue to Dagon had fallen on its face before the Ark of the Covenant. When they walked in the third day and found the head and hands of Dagon cut off, they finally figured out that this Ark was no ordinary golden box and had a lengthy discussion over what to do with it. The people of the city of Ashdod were smitten with “emerods” or severe cases of hemorrhoids and they wanted the Ark out of the city so they sent it away.
They brought it to the city of Gath and again, God struck the inhabitants of that city with “emerods” so that many of them died. Then they sent the Ark to the city of Eckron, but before it entered the city, the people of that city convinced the Philistines to send the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel with an offering of peace to rid themselves of the plague.
They loaded up the ark on a cart that was drawn by two milk cows and sent it on its way back to Israel. The two cows were lowing (mooing) all the way back as though God was using their voices to notify Israel that He was coming back to them once again.
The farmers of Israel saw the cows pulling the ark and the offerings for trespass from the Philistines and sent word back to David rejoicing that the Ark was returned. They built an altar and offered up the cattle and the golden offerings of the Philistines upon the altar of stone as an offering to the One True God.
Then they took the Ark of the Covenant to the house of Abinadab, a Levite of Kerjath-jearim and left it there for safe keeping until David could get it back to Jerusalem and the Temple.
For 20 years the Ark stayed in the house of Abinadab and the household of Abinadab was so greatly blessed by the presence of God in the home of a man who had been ordained and sanctified to care and guard over it.
Twenty years later, David sends his men to fetch the Ark to Jerusalem. Again it is place on a cart drawn by two oxen. The two sons of Abinadab, Uzzah and Ahio, walked along with the cart as guards for the Ark. That’s when the trouble began for Israel.
God had been willing to overlook the Philistines to a certain degree because they did not know or understand the power and presence of God. They had not the Law of Moses or the directions for the handling of the Ark. Even though God may not have struck them down instantly, they did suffer greatly for their presumption upon His presence.
None of us will be held guiltless for our handling of the sacred things of God. Even though you may not understand all that is necessary, your sin will still carry a penalty. God may not give instant judgment but He will hold you accountable for what you do know and for your reverence for the things of God.
But, now that Israel had the Ark in their possession, it was to be a different story. God will hold us accountable for the knowledge that we have. He will give greater punishment to those who knew what was required and didn’t do it, than for the one who sins out of ignorance. Both will be punished, but one will suffer more than the other.
The transporting of the Ark of the Covenant was to be done only under the strictest manner according to the Law of Moses. It was to be carried on the shoulders of the Priests of Levi and not a cart drawn by oxen.
God’s Word is meant to be carried by those who are anointed by God to carry it. God’s work is to be done by those anointed and called to work by His Spirit. Too many times men and women presume upon God by “calling themselves” into ministry only to be sent packing when they are defeated in the battle with the Devil.
As it was rolling along the rocky path to Jerusalem, the cart began to tilt and the Ark looked as though it would fall off. Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, reached up to hold it from falling and God immediately struck him dead.
Uzzah had grown up around the Ark. It had been in his home from the time he was a small boy and he had become too accustomed to its presence. He had become just a little too indifferent and familiar with the presence of God and begun to presume upon the mercy of God. God had blessed his family. God had done great things for Uzzah, but God would not hold him guiltless for the sin against the Law, no matter what.
After the death of Uzzah, David was fearful to move the Ark any further until it could be done right and safely so it was brought to the home of Obededom the Gittite. (What would you have thought in his place at that moment? One man had already died, a host of Philistines had died, and now you want me to take care of it?)
For three months Obededom kept watch over the Ark and the presence of God in the midst of his household blessed him greatly.
David had all the right motives for bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel. His joy was well founded and his heart was right, but he didn’t follow the procedures laid out in the Law and God brought judgment upon Israel for his failure.
David’s heart was right. His spirit was right. His attitude was right, but his methods were wrong.
There is only one way to Heaven. There is a right way to look upon and handle the things of God and a wrong way. If we aren’t careful, we will find that God’s judgment will fall upon us because we presume upon His mercy and grace.
God may wink at your ignorance when you don’t know better, but when you know about the Salvation that He offers, and you understand the meaning of all the ordinances of the church such as Communion, Water Baptism and the Infilling of the Holy Spirit, then God expects you to behave differently and treat the things of the Spirit with greater respect.
We presume upon God when we sin thinking that God will just forgive us anyway.
We presume upon God when we don’t worship during the worship service.
We presume upon God when we don’t study and learn to rightly divide the Word of Truth.
We presume upon God when we fail to be in church, to pray, to study His Word or do those things that we know should be done.
We presume upon God when we fail to take care of this body to the best of our ability knowing that it is the Temple of the Holy Ghost.
We presume upon God when we don’t listen to the message that is given forth under the anointing of the Holy Ghost.
We presume upon God all too often and then we wonder why things start going wrong in our lives.
Let’s learn a lesson from Uzzah. Don’t let the sins of presumption cause you to lose your relationship with Jesus and the salvation of your very soul.
Learn to treat and handle the sacred things of God with respect and watch God begin to bless your life.
