2 Samuel 6

The Lord gave His people explicit instructions concerning the transporting of the ark of the covenant. Did everyone forget that it was supposed to be carried using special poles? David had defeated the Philistines and had removed the Jebusites from Jerusalem. He was leading the nation in the holy pursuit of the presence of God. But in the process of serving God, someone decided that it was a good idea to move the ark of the Lord in an oxcart.

That was the way that the Philistines had sent the ark back to Israel. But their pattern was not in accord with the Word of God.

It must have appeared to any spectator that David and the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord well enough, but then the ox stumbled and the ark began to fall. Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and he died. We learn in this sad chapter that “God struck him down there because of his error.”

The king had a hard time accepting this act of divine judgment. He was angry and he was afraid of the Lord that day. Therefore the ark stayed in a private home for a time, but it became a conspicuous source of blessing to the family in that home.

David determined to try again to bring the ark into Jerusalem. This time, the men that bore the ark of God only went six steps before an ox was slaughtered before the Lord. The king of Israel danced before the Lord with all his might, and the ark was brought up to God under the careful direction of the worshiping king.

David's wife, Michal, the daughter of Saul, presumed to criticize the king for his scandalous exuberance. The king danced for an audience of One, the holy God of Israel. Michal was not impressed. She despised her husband.

So many others in Israel had eyes to see the king's devotion rightly, but his wife could not see anything but disgraceful lowliness. David had been through a painful ordeal in the loss of Uzzah. He wondered about the Lord he served, but he was brought to see Him as the God who was worthy of even more careful obedience and the fullness of joyful devotion. To Michal, her husband's behavior was unseemly.

How do we worship a King who died on a cross for us? What can we say about a God who could find no other way to satisfy His holy demands except through the blood of His sinless Son? How can we live by a Spirit who urges us forward in the exuberance of the full imitation of the Lamb of God who was slain for sinners?

Not only are we called to a life of sacrificial love, but we are to live that life in worship with “joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.” We worship the God who calls us to the lifestyle of the cross. To many this may seem like madness. To us it is the highest privilege of Holy Spirit-filled devotion. We love to worship God. We want to give our lives to Him.

We may not understand why Uzzah had to die. We find it hard to fathom the tragedies that befall those we love. But we know that the way of blessing for us is to continue in obedient worship and service. We do not offer our praise grudgingly. It is our goal in life not only to obey our holy and merciful God but also to enjoy Him forever. Jesus is the true Ark of God. He has ascended to the Jerusalem that is above. He reigns as King forever.