2 Samuel 6:1-11 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 6:1-11. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
2 Samuel 6:1–2 (NIV)
1 David again brought together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all.
2 He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark.
On verses 1-2: The ark here was a gold covered box 2.5 feet wide, 2.5 feet high, and 4 feet long. It was where centuries before Moses would meet with God on behalf of the people (Exodus 25:22). Why did David want to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem? It’s because the ark of God represented the presence of God. David longed for God’s presence to fill Jerusalem and his entire kingdom. So he leads a massive processional of 30,000 men where together they would bring the ark of God into Jerusalem.
Like David, our greatest longing should be for God’s presence and glory to fill our marriages, homes, churches, and cities.
2 Samuel 6:3-7 (NIV)
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart
4 with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it.
5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.
7 The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
On verses 3-7: Why did God strike Uzzah down for trying to stabilize the ark of God with his hand (6-7)? It’s because centuries ago God had commanded that the ark was not to be touched and that anyone who touched the ark would die (Numbers 4:15). What can we learn from this?
First, God is holier than anything you can imagine. No one can touch God’s presence and live if they are stained by sin. The only reason we can enter the presence of God today is because Jesus Christ the Son of God has washed our sins with His blood. It is the blood of Jesus that covers our sin and allows us to enter God’s presence without being struck down.
Second, if you want to truly live, you need to know what God’s Word says. Sometimes you hear people say that “ignorance is bliss”. Yet in Uzzah’s case, his ignorance of God’s commands led to his death. God gives us His commands so that we may live and not die. That’s one reason why it’s so important to study God’s Word so that we know what God expects of us and so that we can have life to the full.
2 Samuel 6:8-11 (NIV)
8 Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
9 David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?”
10 He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.
On verses 8-11: Because of the tragic and embarrassing incident involving Uzzah’s death, David stayed away from the ark. Meanwhile, a man called Obed-Edom welcomes the ark of God into his home and he and his entire household are blessed.
What can we learn from this? When you have the right attitude toward the presence of God, when you welcome the presence of God and get near the presence of God every day, you and your household will experience tremendous blessing.
Also, keep this in mind: during the time of the ark, people understood that God’s presence was more or less confined to the ark. Yet now we have something far greater than the ark: we have His Holy Spirit, given to every believer in Christ without limit so that every believer everywhere can experience as much of God’s presence as we want. So make it a point to welcome the Holy Spirit and draw near in His presence every day. The more you do, the more you and your household will be blessed.
Holy Spirit, thank You that I have You and thank You for allowing me to access the presence of God. Thank You that Your presence in my life brings blessing. So I welcome You. I invite You to fill my life and my home. Be glorified here. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
