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A worship celebration with 30,000 people suddenly ended in death and fear. Today we discover what this shocking moment in 2 Samuel 6 teaches us about the heart of worship.

Thirty Thousand. That’s a lot of troops being taken to retrieve the ark of God. 

The ark that bears the Name - Ha Shem - substitute term that many Jewish people began to use instead of “Yahweh”.

The ark is the object that God gave very specific instructions about building and using:

Exodus 25:10–22

They are to make an ark of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. Overlay it with pure gold; overlay it both inside and out. Also make a gold molding all around it. Cast four gold rings for it and place them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark with them. The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it. Put the tablets of the testimony that

I will give you into the ark. Make a mercy seat of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide.

Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat. The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat. Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark. I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

• The ark held the stone tablets of the covenant (Ex 25:16), a jar of manna (Ex 16:33-34), and Aaron’s staff that had budded with almonds (Num 17:8-10), all images of God’s Presence and provision.
• The ark was the item that was RARELY seen by others - only seen by the high priest on Yom Kippur. The ark had been seen by very few in this generation. What a privilege to see this as the focus of the parade back to Jerusalem!

They prepare to bring the ark from Baale-judah AKA as Kiriath Jerarim, about 9 miles west of Jerusalem.

The ark had been at Abinadab’s house for decades - during the reign of Samuel as judge, Saul as king, and now during David’s reign. The sons of Abinadab who had been responsible for the ark are guiding the ark…on a new cart - that will become important in a moment.

The ark had been at Abinadab’s house for decades - during the reign of Samuel as judge, Saul as king, and now during David’s reign. The sons of Abinadab who had been responsible for the ark are guiding the ark…on a new cart - that will become important in a moment. David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

This is the Heart of Worship…at least to a degree. The people celebrate the Presence of God, BUT…that celebration is about to be cut short.

A time of rejoicing turns into a time of FEAR! Uzzah lies DEAD next to the ark of God.

What started as a celebration with over 30,000 people turned from shouting into silence, laughing into lamenting, and excitement into fear as people went home…SHAKEN.

Why in the world would Yahweh do that to Uzzah?  

Here were God’s commands regarding how to handle the ark:

1. The ark of God was NOT to be put on a cart, was to be transported by the priests using attached poles (Ex 25:14-15, Num 7:9) 
2. No one could touch the ark itself or they would die (Num 4:15). Uzzah faced the death sentence as he disobeyed what God had commanded.

• God had already spoken on the subject - people were never to TOUCH the ark. We must follow God’s WORD, not our instincts. Our good intentions do NOT replace our OBEDIENCE.

The human tendency - the longer we’re around someone or something, the more prone we are to take it for granted, to treat people or things with less care than we did at first. If Uzzah hadn’t had the ark around him all of his life, would he still have reached to touch it?

• Quit taking your God for granted - His kindness, forgiveness, & Presence.
• Quit taking your friends, family, & faith family for granted! Take time to be THANKFUL for them!

Remember how the people of Beth-shemesh looked into the ark and Yahweh killed 70 of their people (1 Sam 6:19-20)?

They immediately wanted the ark taken away from them.

The killing of Uzzah once again caused David and the people to fear Yahweh in a healthy way. 

• At any time God wants to…He can take your life. Some of us need to reTHINK and repent of treating God as a movie extra who shows up at the edge of your life rather than the AUTHOR whom you honor throughout your life.

David recognized that the ark of God wasn’t a CURSE, but a BLESSING. David realized that while he couldn’t fully grasp God’s purity & God’s decisions, David was once again reminded of God’s goodness and blessings. David decided to bring the ark back to Jerusalem once again. But this time they did it a little differently. Chronicles tells us of the significant changes made.

Note that on the second attempt no cart is used, for we read that the ark is carried rather than riding on a cart 

WORSHIP: Celebrating the Presence, Purity, & Provision of God.

But…not everyone had the heart of worship. Some were still much more concerned about what OTHERS thought instead of what Yahweh thought. 

Evidently, Michal thought wearing this priestly ephod was A STEP DOWN for the king, 

• David could have worn his royal robes that day. Instead he wore the clothing of a servant of God. 
• David understood something Michal did not: Before God, even the king is just a worshiper.

In this moment, the reader is reminded that Michal truly is “Saul’s daughter” - like her father, was more concerned about the outward appearance than what was in the heart (1 Sam 16:7).

• Michal cared about dignity.
• David cared about devotion.

If God is pleased with David, then David can be joyful despite what others - including his own wife - thinks.

David has experienced and continues to live out the heart of worship. The heart of worship is not about the music, the emotion, or the moment.

The ark was a SYMBOL representing the real, invisible Presence of Yahweh.

• 1000 years later, SOMETHING GREATER than the ark arrived. SOMEONE GREATER than David has arrived. As David took off his Kingly clothes & put on priestly robes, the invisible God stepped off the throne, stepped out of heaven, put on skin! 

Though we have yet to SEE Jesus, that day IS coming. Until then, we know that Jesus is God in skin and that those who TURN from sin and TRUST Him, have been filled by Him - knowing His Presence by His Holy Spirit who lives in us. 

Now we have the PRIVILEGE to go LIVE OUT THE HEART OF WORSHIP, to live lives that are…Celebrating the Presence of God, the Purity of God, & the Provision of God.

Purposely pause and celebrate the Presence of Jesus, thanking Him for being with you. 

Celebrate the purity Jesus has given you by livin’ forgiven!

Thank God for how He continues to provide for all your needs. Ask God to provide for your needs & others!