“He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark.”
~ 2 Samuel 6:2
Hi James and Ellen,
Have you ever done something that resulted in another kid being ruthlessly maligned by other kids? Have you ever done something that led to another kid getting into trouble with his or her dad and/or ma? Have you ever done something that caused another kid to become physically maimed in an accident? Have you ever been picked on by another kid? How did you feel? Did you feel angry with the other kid for what he or she was doing to you? Did you feel angry with yourselves for not knowing what to do to prevent the other kid from tormenting you? Did you feel angry towards God for allowing another kid to mess with you when you really did not want the kid to be doing what he or she was doing to you? Have you ever gotten in trouble with your dad and/or ma because of what another kid has said about you? How did you feel? Did you feel angry with the other kid for saying something that badmouthed you? Did you feel angry with yourselves for trusting in a kid who got you in trouble with your dad and/or ma? Did you feel angry towards God for not helping you to get out of a very awkward moment with another kid or with your dad and/or ma? Have you ever gotten banged up in an incident that another kid instigated? How did you feel? Did you feel angry with the other kid for not being more careful in what he or she was doing that resulted in you being bodily injured? Did you feel angry with yourselves for not being more alert to everything that was taking place around you because you knew that if you had been more alert that you would have been able to avoid getting hurt? Did you feel angry towards God for not taking time out from all that He was doing to keep you from getting harmed physically because of what another kid did that ended up with you having bruises or a broken bone or . . . after a young guy was killed who was helping David, David became angry. Samuel – in 2 Samuel 6, scribed that David became very upset with God for having used his righteous wrath against a young guy – whose name was Uzzah, by killing him. David’s ire against God for killing Uzzah was being driven by a fear that what David was wanting to see happen more than anything else was probably not going to happen. Your grandpaa believes that David was also angry with himself for deciding to do something that was not what God had told His specially chosen guys and gals to do – which resulted in Uzzah’s death.
After settling into his role as God’s second positioned king over the guys and gals who lived Israel’s land area, David made it a personal priority to move the ark of the covenant or the ark of God from the town of Kiriath Jearim or the town of Baalah to the city of Jerusalem. David wanted the ark of the covenant to be where God’s specially chosen guys and gals could see it. David recognized the significance of the ark of the covenant as having the God’s earthly throne in it. David chose 30,000 guys to make the walk with him to the town of Baalah to help him take the ark of the covenant to the city of Jerusalem. The town of Baalah was located about ten miles slightly northwest of the city of Jerusalem. Verse 2 says, “He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark.” The size of the ark of the covenant – which was coffin shaped, overlaid with gold and had gold winged cherubim on top at each end, was 3 feet – 9 inches long, 2 feet – 3 inches wide and 2 feet – 3 inches high. Aaron’s rod that budded, a golden jar of manna, and the two stone tablets that God gave to Moses while Moses was with Him on the top of Mount Sinai were inside the ark of the covenant. David’s first misstep was to not take a large number of Levi tribal clan priests with him to the town of Baalah. David’s second misstep was to choose to use a new cart to carry the ark of the covenant – which violated of one of God’s mandates to His specially chosen guys and gals which was that the Levi tribal clan priests were the only ones who could carry – by using poles on their shoulders, the ark of the covenant. David’s third misstep was to let Uzzah get too close to the ark of the covenant while his bro Ahio was leading the pair of oxen that were pulling the new cart that had the ark of the covenant on it past Nacon’s threshing floor. As Uzzah was walking next to the new cart, one of the oxen stumbled resulting in the ark of the covenant beginning to move. Uzzah’s immediate reaction was to attempt to steady the ark of the covenant before it . . . forgetting Whose presence was between the two cherubim on top of the ark of the covenant.
David’s intention of bringing the ark of the covenant to the city of Jerusalem was good. David thought that celebrating through using harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals while singing loudly with all the guys who had gone with him would really please God and . . . having a sudden damper put on something that has been planned and that is taking place will leave a very disconcerting feeling. After what happened to Uzzah, David left the ark of the covenant for three months at Obed-Edom’s house. David – after three months, took on bringing the ark of the covenant to the city of Jerusalem by doing it God’s way this time by sacrificing every six steps a bull and a fatten calf. God will bless a Christ-follower guy, gal or kid who purposely does whatever he or she does His way.
2 Samuel 6 (955)