…
Stories From The Old Testament
That Build Faith & Devotion
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 David gathered 30,000 Israelites v. 1
 They went to where the ark was, placed it on
a “new cart” and proceeded home vv. 3-4
 Uzzah & Ahio (sons of Abinadab – the man
who been housing the ark) led the cart
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 No doubt…it was a grand occasion!! v. 5
 Musical instruments were playing
 Most likely, ceremonial dancing & leaping
proceeded the ark in route
 It amounted to a “parade” of celebration
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 The “parade route” at Nacon’s threshing
floor vv. 6-7
 Something happened with the oxen or the
cart…or both
 The ark apparently teetered and almost fell
off the cart
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 The “parade route” at Nacon’s threshing
floor vv. 6-7
 Uzzah took hold of the ark to steady it
 The “anger of the Lord” burned against him
 The Lord smote him dead on the spot for
his “irreverence”
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 David’s reaction to God’s actions vv. 8-10
 He became angry (apparently at God) v. 8
 He became afraid of the Lord v. 9
 He became “defensive”…he was now
unwilling to proceed any farther because
his way had failed v. 10
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 David’s later reflections 1 Chron 15
 He admitted they had failed to transport it
properly…the priests carrying it vv. 2, 13a
 He admitted their actions re: the new cart
were not in harmony with the “due order”
(the ordinance of God) v. 13b
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 The “due order” re: the ark Ex 25:10-15
 Rings were cast…one on each of its 4 feet
 There was also to be 2 accompanying poles
 They were to be placed through the rings
so the ark could be carried…they were not
to be removed from the rings
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 Concern for the holy things Num 4:4-6, 15
 God had already expressed His concern
re: the holy or sacred furniture
 It was the responsibility of the priests to
cover all the holy objects before they could
be transported by the Kohathites
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 The ark of the covenant comes home!!
 Concern for the holy things Num 4:4-6, 15
 If God’s “due order” would be obeyed, no
one would ever have been in danger of
touching the holy objects
 Touching them brought certain death
(Uzzah)
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 Sincerity alone is not enough
 The common phrase heard re: religion
 Do you question Uzzah’s sincerity? v. 6
 Yet, he was just as dead as if he had been
insincere and shook the ark violently before
throwing it off the cart
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 Sincerity alone is not enough
 Do you question David’s sincerity? v. 5
 Yet, he was just as wrong as if he had been
insincere about moving the ark and not
caring if it never came back to Israel
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 There is no room for “emotionalism”
 David reacted “emotionally” vv. 8-10
 This did not address the real issue…
God’s “due order”
 Emotional reactions only show one is more
concerned with his way than with God’s
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 God expects complete obedience
 One can “rationalize” all he wants to
 One can accuse God of being “too strict”
 One can argue, “What difference does it
make how the ark got transported?”
 It mattered to God!!
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 God expects complete obedience
 When God specifies His “due order”…
He obviously expects man to comply with it
1 Sam 15:22 Mt 28:20 Lk 6:46
Heb 5:8-9
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 God punishes sin
 God is not like a lot of modern-day parents
and their “empty threats” to their children
 When God specifies the “due order” and the
consequences for disobedience, He means
what He says Heb 2:1-3
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 Others’ “success” is not our “due order”
 David more than likely copied his cart from
the Philistines 1 Sam 6:7-11
 Just because it “worked” re: transporting
the ark for them doesn’t mean that was the
method he was to use
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Lessons We Should Learn… Rom 15:4
 Others’ “success” is not our “due order”
 There is a pattern…the “due order”
 Local churches of the Lord need to stop
looking at the “success” enjoyed by the
denominations and be content with the N.T.
pattern re: God’s work for the church
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Some Final Applications…
 Man is not through building his “new carts”
 Sadly, he continues to show dissatisfaction
with God’s “due order” in several areas
 God’s will knew nothing about David’s cart…
God’s silence is prohibitive Heb 7:14
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Some Final Applications…
 Man is not through building his “new carts”




Denominationalism is a “new cart”
False teaching is a “new cart”
Instrumental music is a “new cart”
Institutionalism is a “new cart”
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Some Final Applications…
 Man is not through building his “new carts”
 Societal redefinition is a “new cart”
(same-sex marriage, family, etc.)
 These “new carts” are just as wrong as
David’s…they’ll be just as unsuccessful
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Failed Homecoming Story 2 Sam 6
 Some Final Applications…
 David eventually abandoned his “new cart”
in favor of God’s “due order”
 We’ll have to do the same if we want to truly
please God
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Story Of Indecision 1 Kings 18
 Historically, God’s people always fail when
they are “indecisive”
 God expects total commitment
Josh 24:14-15 Jas 1:5-8 Rev 3:15-16
 It does no good to “wet one’s finger to check
the wind” before deciding how to act
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Story Of Indecision 1 Kings 18
 This story is one of the Bible’s more
awesome displays of God’s power
 Israel “hesitated between 2 opinions” v. 21
 God sent a mighty prophet to move them out
of their double-mindedness, and to convince
them Baal was no match for mighty Jehovah
Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion
A Story Of Indecision 1 Kings 18
Before The Contest On Mt. Carmel
 Elijah prophesied there would be no rain
“…except by my word” 17:1
 God had already declared this to be so re:
idols Lev 26:14, 19 Deut 11:16-17
 Israel was “very guilty” of this 16:29-33
…