3/28/2021 - [2 Samuel 6:6-7 NIV]


When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 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.

Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

[2 Samuel 6:6-7 NIV]

- There are stories in the Bible that trouble us. God, as the Shekinah Glory, still inhabited the Ark of the Covenant that had been fashioned at the foot of Mt Sinai by Moses to be the focus of God’s presence with his people. After more than 400 years, it had lain neglected in a small Judean town after having been captured by enemies who were forced by God’s Glory within it to return it to Israel. Soon after becoming King and capturing Jerusalem, David tried to bring it to Israel’s new capital where he and Israel could resume their proper worship of God Among Them. The death of Uzzah, who was not of the priestly tribe of Levi, stopped David.

- Everyone had good intentions. Yet God struck out in apparent anger when they failed to follow the instructions laid down by Moses. Part of us get that…and withdraw within to avoid coming too near to such a touchy God. Now, hear the rest of the story.

- The tabernacle was eventually brought with great celebration by David to Jerusalem, where it eventually became the key feature of the glorious temple built by David’s son and heir, Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba).

About 400 years later Solomon’s temple was destroyed, and its implements taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Before that happened, however, Ezekiel records the Glory of God that had resided above the Ark of the Covenant gathered by angelic creatures and taken back to Heaven. Another temple was eventually rebuilt by Jewish exiles returning from captivity in Babylon, and included the artifacts taken earlier, minus the Shekinah Glory.

- Near the end of his ministry, Jesus stood in front of the temple and proclaimed to Israel that ‘Your house is desolate!”, meaning that it was a fraud no longer inhabited by the Glory of God, who now stood outside the temple, and would soon be crucified by the demand of those who worshiped within. The Law of Moses could only bring judgment and death to Israel, by showing the true depth of our separation from God. Only God – the Glory that dwelt among us – could restore His Presence among humankind by giving the payment of his blood for sinners separated from God.

- When we confront God, we no longer have to duck and cover, but run and hug the one who loves us more than we could ever possibly understand, who now resides within us by our faith in Christ Jesus.

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