THE ARK OF GOD (CONTINUED)
“Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything,” says Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest. He encourages his readers to open the door of their lives to let God in from the first waking moment of each new day. It’s so easy to jump out of bed with our to-do list in mind without even considering what God might have to say. When we learn to “invite” God into everything on our list, we may experience different results. Acknowledging Him in our day…committing all the details into His hands…and inquiring about every decision…will be life-changing.
As we continue reading the story of David and the ark of God, we will see how vital it is to inquire of the Lord. Don’t miss the name “Perez” and its meaning relating back to former lessons. May the Lord speak great truth to our hearts from these passages.
READ 2 SAMUEL 6:6-8
ALSO CHECK OUT THESE VERSES:
NUMBERS 4:15
EXODUS 25:12-15
1 CHRONICLES 15:13
1. What did Uzzah do when the oxen stumbled? What specific instruction had been given in Numbers 4:15 and Exodus 25:12-15?
2. Why was the Lord angry, and what did God do?
3. Why was David angry? What name was given to that place? What did it mean? Do you see a pattern from the names mentioned in previous lessons?
4. What insight does 1 Chronicles 15:13 give to this story?
5. What did David NOT do? How does this speak to you today?
It’s interesting to cross-reference the name and meaning of Perez from Genesis 38 to these places of breakout in 2 Samuel. Perez means “break out” or “break forth.” When David inquired about battles, he won and named the battlefield, Baal Perazim, which meant “the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.”
When David did not inquire about moving the ark of God, the place was called Perez Uzzah which meant, “the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah.” David had set the ark on a new cart as the heathen Philistines had done (without finding out the proper procedure ordained by God), and then celebrated with all his might before the Lord. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah reached out to steady the ark and God struck him dead. This was not the proper procedure for handling the ark of God which was commanded to Moses by the Lord. Even though the people were worshipping, God broke out in judgment. Seem severe?
I wondered why the results of break out were so different in these two chapters. Why did victory break out in chapter 5 and judgment break out in chapter 6? We find the answer in I Chronicles 15:13 – it was simply a matter of inquiring.
Can you now see why it’s imperative to inquire if we want victory to break out in our life? David presumed he knew how to move the ark, but he didn’t search out the instructions previously given. God commanded His people not to touch holy things. Only the Levites were to carry the ark on poles through its golden rings, but David didn’t follow that command. He followed the example of the Philistines rather than the instructions given in Numbers 4 and Exodus 25. The Bible says he should have inquired.
If we want the Lord to break out with victory in our lives, we must consult Him. We must know what His Word says or search for it. Moving ahead on our own without inquiring of Him is detrimental to our welfare. We should seek His counsel and search His commands before moving ahead in any decision of life. Let’s be a people who inquire of the Lord to make sure God’s victory, and not His judgment, breaks out on our behalf.
ORLANDO FL
Uzzah put his hand on the Ark of GOD to steady it while the oxen stumbled – The sons of Kohath were not to touch the Ark – is so they must die – Uzzah touched the Ark – the LORD caused him to die – that word of disobedience is one of the things you and I have in our lives sometimes – sometimes we are just like the Bible people and do not listen of follow the things the LORD wants us to. David was displeased because of Uzzah’s death – the LORD’S wrath for not following the rules GOD had given for the Ark of the LORD – the place was named Perez Uzzah to this day – they did not seek the LORD and HIS rules in the way of handling the Ark – this is in our lives also sometimes – we do not seek the LORD first – our very mistake also – I love the book by Oswald Chambers – “My Utmost for His Highest” – there are so many things you and I can learn – we must apply them to our lives – Great Lesson – will ponder this for several days this week also and try to apply things in my live also. Great Lesson Karen.
Great lesson! Thank you Karen once again! I am in the middle of Beth Moore’s “Breaking Free” bible study & we just covered this exact lesson! It seems God REALLY wants me to get this concept : )
Karen, I agree with what you said…”If we want the Lord to break out with victory in our lives, we must consult Him. We must know what His Word says or search for it. Moving ahead on our own without inquiring of Him is detrimental to our welfare. We should seek His counsel and search His commands before moving ahead in any decision of life.” …Even though David had good intentions desiring to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem, he failed in seeking The Lord on the way in which to do so…as we, I fail to seek the Lord at times too. “A good intention will not justify a bad action, it will not suffice to say of that which is ill done that it was well meant” …Matthew Henry. Daily I must seek God’s will in all things! Thanks Karen for this study.