Right worship

This passage used to offend me. I thought to myself, "How could God punish Uzza for trying to help? Wasn't he attempting to honor God by protecting the ark from falling to the ground?" While that's a valid question, and one borne out by David himself as well, consider the context. What we see is an extreme interest in the "concept" of God but not the person of God, the presence of God without the power of God, the blessings of God without the obedience to God. It all comes down to having a proper fear of the Lord.

At the beginning of this passage, David consulted thousand of his advisors, trying to determine if and how they should go about retrieving the ark and bringing it back to Jerusalem. David said "if it seems good to you and if it is of God," that they would go and take the ark. There was no mention of an actual consultation of God. While it seemed like a good and logical thing to do, there is no mention of David actually asking God, or even getting the advice of the priests and the Levites.

When they went to retrieve the ark, David and his men opted to put the ark on a cart, rather than use the rings and pole situation that God had implemented. The text doesn't say why they did this (maybe they were copying the example of the Philistines, who put the ark on a cart), but the fact of the matter is, this showed a lack of respect for the command and wisdom of God. Ultimately, it cost a man his life.

Good ideas are often the enemy of God ideas. Just because something makes sense and seems logical, and even seems to contribute to the kingdom of God, doesn't mean it is the will of God. Sometimes there are specifics that God has in mind that don't make sense to us. There is a fear of God that should frame our worship. Do we come to the throne of God by grace and faith, and in the righteousness of Christ? Absolutely. But should we do so flippantly? Absolutely not. Right worship is bringing honor to God, and part of honor is respect.

Created over 1 year ago