Life-threatening holiness
Series: Holy – Holy – Holy | Bible text: 2 Samuel 6:1–15
The holy God allows us humans to encounter him. However, there are passages in the Bible where people die because they came too close to God. This is also the case with Uzzah. He tried to save the ark of the covenant from falling over and ended up dying himself. This reaction of God is infuriating and meets with great incomprehension. However, this reaction is only consistent. For God’s holiness should not be met with too much levity. But if God is met with respect and appreciation, then he can be met and this does not end in death. This, in turn, is God’s free decision and a gift that we can encounter his holiness and not be destroyed by it.
Deadly encounter with the saint!
Today we want to deal with the life-threatening holiness of God. Together we will dive into a story that is quite irritating. It is a story that on the one hand I am extremely glad that it exists in the Bible, and on the other hand I was glad until now that I never had to preach about it. Today I want to take on this task. During the preparation I really enjoyed this story. Not because it is harmless, but because it underlines once again the uncompromising holiness of God.
The story takes place at the time of King David. He was the greatest Israelite king and had just secured his power. He became king over all Israel and now established a political centre in Jerusalem. But he wanted to extend this even further and also make it a religious centre. So he asked his people and the leaders if they would agree to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. They were all enthusiastic about it and so they put their plan into action. The Ark of God was the epitome of God’s presence. God himself gave the order to build it. It was a box in which the Ten Commandments were kept. It was elaborately designed and at the top were two cherubs, servants of God. At this ark of God, the religious leader of the Israelites reconciled all the people with God once a year. For this purpose, an animal was slaughtered and the blood sprinkled on the cover of the ark. The ark is not just a box, but bears the name of the Lord. Where the Ark was, there God was also omnipresent. Originally, the tent for Israelite worship was erected in Shiloh. Inside was the Ark of God, also called the Ark of the Covenant, because it was supposed to remind the people of Israel of the covenant God had made with them. But for some years the Ark was no longer there. It was stolen by the Philistines and then miraculously returned to Israel. For 20 years it had been in the house of Abinadab. He belonged to the Levites, who were chosen as the tribe for the service of the sanctuary, but he himself was not a priest.
The Levites were divided into three sub-groups, each of which had its own assigned tasks in the sanctuary. The Kohathites were chosen to carry the Ark and various items. However, there was a special requirement for this. «To the Kohathites, on the other hand, he gave no chariot and no oxen, because their men were to carry the sacred articles of the tent of God on their shoulders» (Deuteronomy 7:9 NLB). Although they were supposed to carry all the things, they were not allowed to pack the things themselves. First the priests had to prepare everything for transport. «Only when Aaron and his sons have covered the sanctuary and all its utensils at the departure of the camp shall the Kohathites come to carry them. But they must not touch the sacred objects themselves, or they will die. These articles of the tent of God shall the Kohathites carry». (Deuteronomy 4:15 NLB).
David decided to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. For this purpose he had a new chariot made, drawn by oxen. They put the Ark on this chariot. The charioteers were Achjo and Uzzah. They were the sons of Abinadab and had been living with the Ark for twenty years. Now they were again close to the Ark. So this troop started to move. David and all the people danced before the Ark and rejoiced. They played music and were beside themselves. The Hebrew word that describes dancing here also means playing and joking. This suggests that there was a lack of seriousness here. It was probably more about David now being able to show who he is instead of giving glory to God. So the disaster takes more and more shape. The wagon is driving along, suddenly the cattle stumble and the load of the wagon threatens to tip over. Uzzah does what anyone would instinctively do – he wants to hold on to the Ark of God. He means well and wants to prevent evil. But: «Then the LORD was angry with Uzzah because he had done this, and God killed him, so that he died there beside the ark of the LORD.» (2 Samuel 6:7 NLB). Uzzah dies immediately, although he only meant well!
Anger as a reaction to God’s holiness!
What does this reaction of God trigger in you? I think it probably triggers something similar in us as it did in David. «David was indignant that the LORD had so snatched Uzzah from life. He named the place Perez-Usa[snatching away Uzzah]. It still bears this name today» (2 Samuel 6:8 NLB). Indignant is even an understatement. David was rather angry with God. He could not understand. He named this place after Uzzah. But not as a memorial, but rather to express his indignation. I imagine how the whole procession was horrified. Done dancing. Done playing music. Done with joy. Done with a false idea of God.
David decided to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem himself. The whole procedure was carried out improperly. Commandments were deliberately transgressed and afterwards David was still angry with God. But right from the start, this undertaking was approached incorrectly. Instead of transporting the ark properly on the shoulders of the Kohathites, a cart was chosen. As harsh as it sounds, had the instructions for use been followed, Uzzah would still be alive. In the life of Uzzah, a parallel can also be drawn to the lives of Jesus» followers. Uzzah lived in the presence of the Ark for a number of years. He was used to dealing with it and so it came to pass that he lost his respect for it. It was no longer the Ark of God, which could not be touched because it had the name of the Lord on it. Rather, it was simply a box used for religious ceremonies. So followers of Jesus face the same danger: at some point the reverence and respect for God’s holiness fades. God is seen too much as a mate. The holy is confused with the worldly. Yes, one can also mean well with a colleague, but in the encounter with God’s holiness, well-intentioned is not enough. David and the other Israelites had to learn this painfully on that day.
The decision to bring the ark to Jerusalem and David’s reaction to the death of Uzzah shows deeply the nature of us humans. We want to decide for ourselves and then be praised for it. But in dealing with God’s holiness, this ends in death. This event of Uzzah clearly shows us that we cannot stand before God. What does this message do to you? But the following quotation convicts our hard opinion towards God. «Was God’s reaction too harsh? We think we are free to judge God because we have no sense of His awesome holiness and majesty. The Ark of the Covenant was the most visible representation of God that people could see before Jesus. Uzzah disregarded this. His death was a constant lesson to the Israelites to take seriously the glory of their God. Do our language or actions show that we mean it when we pray «hallowed be your name»?» (Daily Notes of the Scripture Union).
But David was not resistant to learning. When his anger had subsided, he became afraid of God. He was afraid of it and asked himself how the ark of the Lord could come to him at all. Here we suddenly find an exciting turn of events, which has already happened to me when I was speaking. Have you noticed it? So far I have always spoken of the ark of God. But now and in the further course, above all, I speak of the ark of the Lord. Because in the original Hebrew text there is a difference here. When God is translated, it says Elohim. This means God, but it is also sometimes used for other gods. But when it says LORD, it is based on YHWH in Hebrew. It is the name by which God reveals Himself to Moses. This name is so sacred and reverential that it is not pronounced by the Israelites. This change in the text shows a change of heart. First it is about David wanting to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. Then the focus is on the ark of the Lord.
To meet the holy with respect leads to life!
David is so afraid that he parks the ark of the Lord with a man named Obed-Edom. It stays there and God blesses this man and his whole family. Therefore, after three months, David again decides to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. But the procedure now is massively different from before. «Then he ordered: «No one may carry the ark of God except the Levites. The LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to serve him forever» ». (1 Chronicles 15:2 NLB). He then gives precise instructions for the implementation. «Furthermore, David called the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites […] to him. He said to them: «You are the heads of the Levites. In order that you may bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel along with the other Levites to the place I have prepared for them, you shall all purify yourselves beforehand for this service. The first time you were not there, and the LORD our God punished us for it, because we did not honour him as we should have done.» Then the priests and Levites purified themselves so that they could bring the ark of the LORD God of Israel to Jerusalem. Then the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the help of the carrying poles, as the LORD had commanded Moses.» (1 Chronicles 15:13–15 NLB).
The life-threatening encounter with God’s holiness changed David’s heart attitude. This is particularly evident at two points. The first is demonstrated by a comical action. «When the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, they stopped, and David sacrificed an ox and a fatted calf.» (2 Samuel 6:13 NLB). Six steps are nothing. Six steps will get you nowhere. It is not even worth getting up for that number of steps. If one had already come to terms with the six steps, why does such a long pause with sacrifice of animals follow? This comical action shows the changed attitude of the heart. It is not the speed that matters, but the respect for what is happening. Carrying the Ark of the Covenant emphasises yet another aspect. God is above people, so it is only good and right to carry the Ark. David’s changed attitude is also shown in the following verse. «And David danced enthusiastically before the LORD, wearing only a linen priestly robe.» (2 Samuel 6:14 NLB). David humbles himself. He renounces his royal finery and puts on a priestly apron. This was a mighty downgrade. Furthermore, he expresses his joy by dancing. But here the word is different from the first time. Here the emphasis is that it is a dance which a ritual servant performs in a procession. David, the great king, appears as a humble man who submits himself to God.
It is basically God’s free decision and His gift to us humans that we can encounter His holiness and not be destroyed by it. It is pure grace. The decisive difference in the two stories is the attitude of the heart. How we handled the ark of the Lord was the difference between life and death. For this ark bears the name of the LORD and thus becomes holy, and this holiness can be life-threatening. For the Ark is set apart for God. By bearing the name of God, it is clear that it belongs to God. There is also a parallel here with the followers of Jesus Christ. For a change also took place there, which becomes clear in baptism. Jesus Christ instructs his followers: «Go ye therefore, and teach all nations: Baptise them at the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19–20 LUT). Through baptism it becomes clear that the followers are set apart from Jesus Christ. Just as the ark of the covenant could mean life and death at the same time, so it is with the life of the followers. «To the people who are lost, we are the terrible stench of death and damnation. But to the people who are saved, we are a life-giving fragrance. Who can live up to such a task?» (2 Corinthians 2:16 NLB). Like the ark of God, we are not this of ourselves. But because of the name that is upon us, we are set apart and live for the glory of God and His plan. Even if we do not understand everything and may even still be angry with God in part.
Possible questions for the small group
Read the Bible text: 2 Samuel 6:1–15 (supplement 1 Chronicles 15:11–15)
- What is your first reaction to the story in 1 Samuel 6:1–15? What do you understand? Where are you irritated?
- Can you match the action of God with your idea of God? Why not?
- Have you been angry with God? Why?
- Was the anger justified or did you feel like David, that you came to God with a false assumption?
- How do you meet God?
- Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Have you already been baptised? If not, could it be time to express your faith and trust?
