Sowing
Obedience and
Sacrifice
2 Samuel 6:1-13 (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.
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. 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. 12 Now King David was
told, "The Lord has blessed the household of ObedEdom and everything he has, because of the ark of
God."
So David went down and brought up the ark of God
from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David
with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the
ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a
bull and a fattened calf. 14 David, wearing a linen
ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, 15
while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the
ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of
trumpets.
1. God’s Presence Requires Obedience
• “They set the ark of God on a new cart”
• Exodus 25:12-15 (NKJV) 12 You shall cast
four rings of gold for it, and put them in its
four corners; two rings shall be on one side,
and two rings on the other side. 13 And you
shall make poles of acacia wood, and
overlay them with gold. 14 You shall put the
poles into the rings on the sides of the ark,
that the ark may be carried by them.
• Numbers 4:15 (NIV) 15 "After Aaron and his
sons have finished covering the holy furnishings
and all the holy articles, and when the camp is
ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do
the carrying. But they must not touch the holy
things or they will die. The Kohathites are to
carry those things that are in the Tent of
Meeting.
• Numbers 7:9 (NCV) 9 Moses did not give
any oxen or carts to the Kohathites, because
their job was to carry the holy things on their
shoulders.
• Ignorance of the Word of God is
disobedience and disrespect towards God
• Ecclesiastes 8:11 (NIV) 11 When the
sentence for a crime is not quickly carried
out, the hearts of the people are filled with
schemes to do wrong.
• 2nd act of disobedience: “Uzzah reached out
and took hold of the ark of God, because the
oxen stumbled”
• Who is Uzzah? (Uzzah = strength)
• “Son of Abinadab” – the Levite priest that has
been guarding the ark in his home for 20 years
• A priest should have known how to treat the
presence of God.
• Contrast: 20 years at Abinadab’s house vs. 3
months at Obed Edom’s house
• 1 Samuel 7:1 Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came
and took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the
house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated
Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord. 2 So it
was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long
time; it was there twenty years. And all the house
of Israel lamented after the Lord.
• 2 Samuel 6:11 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.
• 3rd act of disobedience: “Then David was angry
because the Lord's wrath had broken out against
Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez
Uzzah”.
• David was angry against the Lord.
• Why? Maybe because he thought that he was
sincere in his excitement, praise and celebration.
• 2 Sam 6:5 “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.”
• Sincere ignorance can never replace
righteousness and truth. We were commanded to
worship God in “spirit and truth” (Jn 4:24). David
had “spirit” but no “truth”
• The very next verse, his anger turned to fear.
• 2 Sam 6:9 David was afraid of the Lord that day
and said, "How can the ark of the Lord ever come
to me?“
• Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and
instruction.
2. God’s Presence Requires Sacrifice
2 Sam 6:13 When those who were carrying the ark
of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a
bull and a fattened calf.
Distance of Kirjath Jearim – Jerusalem = 12 miles
12 miles = 63,360 feet. If a step = 2 feet, 6 steps =
12 feet. They would have stopped 5,280 times
and sacrificed between10,560 -73,920 animals
(1 Chronicles 15:26 And so it was, when God helped the
Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
that they offered seven bulls and seven rams.)
It was a bloody procession!
Many people felt that they didn’t sign up for this
bloody stuff when they joined a church.
Many came to be served, seeking “practical
benefits” and “relevant and helpful tips for life”
Many wants a “me” church and a cruise ship, not a
battle ship
Not many declare like Paul: “I want to know Christ
and the power of his resurrection and the
fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming
like him in his death,” Philippians 3:10 (NIV)
2 Sam 6:14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced
before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he
and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark
of the Lord with shouts and the sound of
trumpets.
Sacrifice of praise and dignity!
2 Samuel 6:16 As the ark of the Lord was entering
the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul
watched from a window. And when she saw
King David leaping and dancing before the
Lord, she despised him in her heart.
Many want to give “comfortably”
Many want to praise “casually”
Many want to pray “occasionally”
Many want to serve “voluntarily”
Many want to attend “conveniently”
Many want to work “easily”
But we will give our all for the Lord!
Amen!!!
This is to place text.
Intercession is work