The Sacred Chest (1 Chronicles 13)

Do we ever get angry with God? Do we eventually conclude that God knows best even when we don’t understand? Let’s look at 1 Chronicles 13.

Was it time for the sacred chest, the ark of the covenant, to be brought to Jerusalem?

Some time later, David talked with his army commanders, and then announced to the people of Israel: While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here, including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland. But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the Lord our God wants us to. The people agreed this was the right thing to do. (1 Chr 13:1-4 CEV)

Was this something that interested the whole nation causing great celebration?

So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord who sits enthroned above the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart. And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets. (1 Chr 13:5-8 ESV)

What happened to Uzzah? Were only the Levites allowed to touch the ark?

When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to hold the ark because the oxen had stumbled. Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him dead because he had reached out to the ark. So he died there in the presence of God. (1 Chr 13:9-10 HCSB)

Do we ever get angry with God, but eventually conclude that God knows best even when we don’t understand?

David flew into a rage because the Lord had killed Uzzah. As a result, that place was called Perez-uzzah to this day. But David feared God that day, and asked “How am I to bring the Ark of God to me?” As a result, David would not take the ark into the City of David for it to be in his care. Instead, he took it to the home of Obed-edom the Gittite. So the Ark of God remained in the care of Obed-edom’s household for three months, and God blessed Obed-edom’s household, along with everyone associated with it. (1 Chr 13:11-14 ISV)

Does God have a plan, including a time when all sorrows, including any reason for such sorrows, will be gone?

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4 KJV)

Do we ever get angry with God? Do we eventually conclude that God knows best even when we don’t understand? You decide!