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,[a] the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God,[b] and Ahio went before the ark.
Uzzah and the Ark
5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs[c] 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[d] 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.
12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.
16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,[e] and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.
20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince[f]over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord.22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your[g] eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. 2 Samuel 6
Notice the new cart, and this is quite a procession, many people celebrating before the presence of the Lord of Hosts, Who sits between the Cherubim. My eyes water before I can go any further into this, but how we approach God can never be of our own design. You know there is greater than you, everyone knows that regardless of how they try to describe or manipulate such. David knows for sure, but look, he has already regarded some things in light manner yet survived. Where does it say to use the cart? Well, the Philistines, who worshiped false gods, sent it back to us on a cart. Oh then, it is the world, the lost, who describe the way or dictate how we approach a Holy God. Those who God has saved for the day of His wrath and destruction are now the lamp and the light? Stop, go back to what God says. After the priest has covered these things, the sons of Koath would carry them out. The ark had rings on it where very specific poles passed through the rings, then they would carry it upon their shoulders. Straight is the way and narrow is the gate for sure, so God's grace and patience is not the measure of where you now stand, what is, is what He has said. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. There is a stumbling block of complacency, familiarity, and not in the praise of the procession for this will go out again, as God should always be lifted up. The problem herein is their Theology, they have forgotten Who God is, taken for granted what He has said, made Him of low esteem, like a man who would waste words. The cart is not steady, the load tips and Uzzah reaches out to touch that which man is incapable of, and God destroys him. It says David was angry, and it says he was afraid, who can stand here before a God like this? He understood even then and right away that there was a breach, but who could possibly not offend a God like this, who could without destroying the law or the prophets walk so righteously? Men are sure to look for good enough or a second best, but David is not so sure about the measure of the breach now. Uzzah did something, but I don't know that I could avoid an offense myself, though I have studied the Word, and I am the king, yet I am afraid, like those who cry out to the rocks, fall on us. Remove the ark, take God's presence away from me, I would rather live and sleep in denial.
Bring it here then, I would love to be so close to His presence, and though it may cause some fear and trembling at times, I would like to be reminded. So it is the Word was with God, and the Word was God and came to dwell among us. It has now been received at the house of Obed-Edom, and the humble heart will gladly welcome that which it cannot live without. What else is there? Where else can we go, this truth cannot be made or changed? As the disciples came to understand, You hold the words of life. That which brought much fear and trembling to be worked out, to be understood as the beginning of knowledge, upon it's receiving also brought with it blessings untold.
The blessing of God causes David to reconsider, we love Him because He first loved us. He is making Himself known to us, and it is a glory that we cannot describe, so we would put the dirt of our own minds upon religion, hate a God Who is Holy. We would be quick to anger and discontent, but all along He has reached out to explain the breach, the law reveals a breach, and when we find there is no satisfaction for the law, we either come broken, run away mad or clean the outside of the cup pretending in our pride that we have made ourselves acceptable. He was always revealing His plan, making a way for men to hear Him, to commune with Him, to be in His presence, to touch God. David is only starting to understand some of this, he was content as all men are in their ignorance, but now confronted, he is afraid. The Son of David will not desire the presence of God removed from Him, but will cry out, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" There it is in the heart of Christ, that heart that I should like to have, Lord do not take Your presence from me.
This time the men bore the ark of the Lord and it goes forward in steps. They have put the yoke upon them, they have prepared the way right and David goes out before the people, dancing, leaping and praising His God. He wore the lighter ephod rather than the clothes of a dignitary. He is caught up in God's mercy, he is amazed at His glory, he is feeling forgiven, relieved, welcomed back as a child. He is not the king when he is before the King. He is humbling himself, showing that there is One to be honored above him, Whose ways are not our ways, Who makes the wisdom and pomp of this world as foolishness. He has not felt so great as this, and then runs into his wife. She rebukes him for that which he is not really guilty of, she does not ask a question but condemns him of what he in no way wished to do. He calls out her snobbish sense of royalty, her taking on of errs and reminds her of how he came to be king, that God has already once resisted the proud. I may seem a fool to you, that I am in love with Christ, I may seem a fool to you because I have what you call religion. I may seem a fool to you because I pray and think much of it when others pray for me. I may seem a fool to you because I give God credit for all of the universe as both Creator and Sovereign. Yea, I'm ok with that, think what you will.
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory[b] and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[c]
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. 1 Peter 4: 7-19
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