Daily Bible thoughts 46: Monday 5th March, 2012: 2 Samuel 6:1-11.
Our worship may be wildly enthusiastic (5), and full of new, innovative and creative expressions (3), but there are Biblical principles which must undergird all
our offerings of worship. That is the key to comprehending what happened here. It’s understandable that David wanted to have the ark of God in
Jerusalem. It’s commendable that he wanted to have God’s presence at the centre of national life. In bringing the ark to Jerusalem David was acknowledging
that God Himself was the true King of Israel. The ark represented God’s throne – His rule, as well as His presence. David wanted to see the nation united
religiously and politically. No-one can really doubt that his heart was in the right place. But God’s worship principles were not observed, and a high price was
paid. God had spoken clearly about how the ark should be moved (Exodus 25:12-14; Nu.4:15; 10:21), and this had not happened. Only Kohathite Levites were
allowed to carry the ark, using special poles. Even such a Levite who touched the ark would die.
God’s principles allow great freedom for the expression of worship from place to place and generation to generation. But they are the track upon which the
train must run. We cannot get derailed without chaos and damage. (It is noticeable in this passage that David did not seek God before his actions. Seeking
God also entails seeking His Word. What happened to Uzzah may seem harsh to us, and it made David fearful and angry – 8/9/10. But the point to
understand is that God’s Word was not taken seriously. It was disobeyed. The Bible must be the foundation for all that we offer in worship.)
In the church today we are fond of new carts (3). Something is not necessarily bad because it is new, but we must not be enamoured with newness for
newness sake. (Was David, in fact, aping the world? Was he copying the Philistines, for they had put the ark of God on a new cart – 1 Sam.6?) The real
question is, ‘Are we following God’s unchangeable principles in our fresh expressions? We would expect the ‘trains’ to look different in 2012 to how they
appeared in the 1920’s/30’s, and they do. We have some shiny new railway engines today. Steam is a thing of the past (apart from a heritage line here and
there). But trains still have to run on the tracks. If we go off the rails there will be devastation.
By the way, we don’t have to wait for Romans to behold the goodness and the severity of God (Rom.11:22). We behold them here (7/11) Obed –
Edom’s experience of the ark was so different to Uzzah’s. It’s interesting to note that he was a Levite of the clan of Kohath and the family of Korah. So he was
a suitable person to care for the ark. God blessed him greatly. God’s presence will be a blessing to the church, so long as we observe the principles.
Prayer: Holy God, in all our joy in you, and in all our freedom in worship, may we never think we are free to do it our own way. We ask that the Holy
Spirit will keep us on the right ‘track’ – your ‘track’. May we always know that your ‘rails’ are for our safety.
NB preceding thoughts are in the news archive section of the web site.