The Lesson of Uzza

1 Chronicles 13:12—“And David was afraid of God that day, saying, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me?”

1 Chronicles 15:25—“So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with joy.”

David loved his God and venerated the symbol of his presence. He desired to restore the Lord’s appointed worship, and to place the ark where it should be, as the most sacred center of worship. But right things must be done in a right manner, or they will fail. In this case the failure was sad and signal, for Uzza died, and the ark turned aside to the house of Obed-edom.

I. THE FAILURE. First Text. 1 Chronicles 13:8.

Here were multitudes, “David and all Israel,” and yet the business came to nothing. Crowds do not ensure blessing.

Here was pomp,—singing, harps, trumpets, &c., yet it ended in mourning. Gorgeous ceremonial is no guarantee of grace.

Here was energy: “they played before God with all their might.”

This was no dull and sleepy worship, but a bright, lively service, and yet the matter fell through.

But there was no thought as to God’s mind. David confessed, “we sought him not after the due order”: 1 Chronicles 15:13.

There was very little spiritual feeling. More music than grace.

The priests were not in their places, nor the Levites to carry the ark: oxen took the place of willing men. The worship was not sufficiently spiritual and humble.

There was no sacrifice. This was a fatal flaw; for how can we serve the Lord apart from sacrifice?

There was little reverence. We hear little of prayer, but we hear much of oxen, a cart, and the too familiar hand of Uzza.

Now, even a David must keep his place, and the Lord’s command must not be supplanted by will-worship. Therefore the Lord made a breach upon Uzza, and David was greatly afraid.

May we not expect similar failures unless we are careful to act obediently, and serve the Lord with holy awe? Are all the observances and practices of our churches scriptural? Are not some of them purely will-worship?

II. THE FEAR. Second Text. 1 Chronicles 13:12.

The terrible death of Uzza caused great fear. Thus the Lord slew Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire; and the men of Beth-shemesh for looking into the ark. The Lord has said, “I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified”: Leviticus 10:3.

His own sense of wrong feeling caused this fear in David, for we read, “and David was displeased” (verse 11). We are too apt to be displeased with God because he is displeased with us.

His own sense of unworthiness for such holy work made him cry, “How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?”

His feeling that he failed in that which God expected of his servants created a holy fear. “Sanctify yourselves, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God”: 1 Chronicles 15:12.

He meant well, but he had erred, and so he came to a pause; yet not for long. The ark of God remained with Obed-edom three months, but not more. Verse 14.

Some make the holiness of God and the strictness of his rule an excuse for wicked neglect.

Others are overwhelmed with holy fear; and therefore pause a while, until they are better prepared for the holy service.

III. THE JOY. Third Text. 1 Chronicles 15:25.

1. God blessed Obed-edom. Thus may humble souls dwell with God and die not. Those houses which entertain the ark of the Lord shall be well rewarded.

2. Preparation was made and thought exercised by David and his people when a second time they set about moving the ark of the covenant. Read the whole of the chapter.

3. The mind of the Lord was considered. “And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders, with the staves thereof, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord.” Verse 15.

4. The priests were in their places. “So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves.” Men and methods must both be ruled by God. Verse 14.

5. Sacrifices were offered. “And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams” (verse 26). The great and perfect sacrifice must ever be to the front.

6. Now came the exceeding joy. Verse 28.

   • Do we draw near to God in all holy exercises after this careful, spiritual, reverent fashion?
   • If so, we may safely exhibit our delight, and our hearts may dance before the Lord as king David did. Verse 29.

For Emphasis

When after long disuse ordinances come to be revived, it is too common for even wise and good men to make some mistakes. Who would have thought that David should have made such a blunder as this, to carry the ark upon a cart? (verse 7). Because the Philistines so carried it, and a special providence drove the cart (1 Samuel 6:12), he thought they might do so too. But we must walk by rule, not by example, when it varies from the rule; no, not those examples that providence has owned.—Matthew Henry.

1. The matter and right manner of performing duties are, in the command of God, linked together. He will have his service well done as well as really done. We must serve God with a perfect heart and a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts, and under-stands all the imaginations of the thoughts. Masters on earth challenge to themselves a power to oblige their servants, not only to do their work, but to do it so-and-so; and though they do the thing itself, yet if not in the manner required, it cannot be accepted.

2. The doing of a duty in a wrong manner alters the nature of it, and makes it sin. Hence “the ploughing of the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 21:4). Hence prayer is accounted a howling upon their beds (Hosea 7:14). Unworthy communicating is not counted as eating the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:20). If a house be built of never so strong timber and good stones, yet if it be not well founded, and rightly built, the inhabitant may curse the day he came under the roof of it.

3. Duties not performed according to the right order are but the half of the service we owe to God, and the worst half too.—Thomas Boston.