MOTIVATION, METHODS, MISTAKES. 2nd Samuel 6 A sincere motivation to do a good thing may differ from the criteria we use to decide on a matter because of the current pressure. A person may have good intentions and be sincere, but that does not make something right. God has established the standard of right and wrong, revealed to us in the Bible, and is not up for change by men. Our motivation to do good things has to have divine authority and sanction before we engage in it. The events in this chapter may not follow chapter five chronologically, so we should read 1st Chronicles 13,15 and 16 to get information about things surrounding this event.
The ark of God was a national treasure to the Israelites. It was made when they were a tribe in the wilderness hundreds of years before the events in this narrative. The people did not see it when it was in the Tabernacle, but when the cloud was over the Tabernacle and the Shekinah glory of God filled the Holy of Holies with its shadowless light, the children of Israel would have been assured that God was with them.
However, during the time of the judges, the Israelites “did what was right in their own eyes, and took the ark of God into a battle with the Philistines as a “good luck charm,” thinking God was with them because they had the ark with them. Eli, the priest, died when he heard the news that the Philistines had taken the ark. Samuel was still a boy when that happened, and Eli’s sons also died in that battle.
It is a severe mistake for us to claim God is with us if we take into our own hands that which belongs to God. Just because people say a thing is holy doesn’t make it holy if it is not according to the will and word of God. God is not limited to time, space, and matter, so when the sin-polluted works of our hands seem to be engaged in divine service, that does not make it true if the Holy Spirit does not divinely direct our hearts, minds, and actions.
David had established Jerusalem as the nation's political center and now wanted to make it its religious center. What he wanted to do was a good thing. Still, the man who had earnestly inquired of the Lord for guidance in dealing with enemies and waited for divine instructions didn't think it was necessary to make that inquiry regarding the work among God's people. He must have thought he knew how to do this on his own. We need God as much, or even more, in dealing with the people of God as we do in dealing with unbelievers. To attempt to do a work for God in the energy and wisdom of the flesh is sure to fail.
The path of the ark in the land of the Philistines was a path of death to those desecrated that which belonged to God and was holy. When the ark was returned to Israel and placed in Abinadab's house, it was treated with respect and remained there for twenty years. Thirty thousand men agreeing on a matter does not make it right if it is not according to the Word of God. True, the house of Abinadab was blessed when the ark was there for twenty years. It was good that David wanted that blessing for all the people and so wanted the ark to rest in Jerusalem, the capital city.
David's first mistake in this situation was to consult with men first rather than with the Lord. His second mistake was not to find out what the Word of God said about transporting the ark. He chose to do it in the same way the Philistines did. It worked for them, so why wouldn't it work for him? The Philistines were not the people of God and had no instructions on moving the ark from place to place. Therefore, they moved it in their way of understanding, ignorant of God’s way.
Believers cannot expect God to bless what they do because there are no dire consequences for people who do wrong. As children of God, we know better than to copy the world's ways. "A new cart" can be dressed up to look nice and seem sensible to human opinion, but we have received a "pattern from the Lord," and it is that by which we make or decide. There are many new methods and ideas the religious world uses today that are very attractive to the people of the world and to believers who do not read the Bible very much. The simplicity characteristic of divine guidance is overlooked because it does not appeal to the natural eye, and it does not get applause because it could be more dramatic. Those who know and follow the Word of God must remember that divine things need divine sanction. We are not permitted to do things "like other nations."
When the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put his hand on the ark to steady it, he died on the spot. When transporting the ark even correctly, human hands did not touch it. They carried it on poles. We dare not be casual about the holy things of God. Uzzah was not a Levite and should not have been placed in, or allowed to be, in that position. He was involved in a work that belonged to others for whatever reason. So, David, as a leader, allowed a third mistake to happen, which ended tragically. The holiness of God's person and name must be taken very seriously. Anything attempted for God must be done in God's way. Just because a certain way may seem more expedient, faster, and better to us doesn’t mean it can be changed. A "new cart" may be decorated, and the oxen may have garlands around their necks, but that does not mean we should allow it.
When serving the Lord, our attitude toward the work is as important as our actions. A lack of reverence and holy respect should be characteristic of all we do for the Lord in worship, service, and fellowship. We must take the time necessary to learn how to accomplish His will in a way consistent with His word. There is no excuse for failure if we haven’t taken the time or tried to know and follow divine instructions.
Uzzah may have had good intentions when he put his hand on the ark of God, but that was an irreverent act done without thinking. He was dealing with holy things in a natural way, and that is disrespect for God. David was angry at first that a well-meaning man died, and like most people today, would think that God was unfair and too severe in punishment and that the punishment did not fit the crime.
To ignore God’s word, either by neglecting it or interpreting it to suit ourselves, is insulting God, disrespecting who He is, and an act of rebellion because we do not take holy things seriously enough. We are not on vacation on this journey where we look for the easiest, most expedient, and quickest way to do God’s things so we can get on with our own things. “Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” We must do what we do as “unto the Lord” and remember who we are since God saved us.
Wisely, David quickly realized the fault was his because of his fleshly enthusiasm, and his anger turned to fear. He was God’s designated leader; he should have consulted with God and moved the ark the way God wanted it to be. He was the one at fault. No wonder he “was afraid of the Lord that day.” Rather than press on with his plan, he called a halt to the whole event, and the ark was placed in the house of Obed-Edom, a Levite.
Pressing ahead willfully in a work without evidence of God working in and through us is futile. We must ensure that the Word of God supports what we plan to do each day. When in doubt, wait, watch, and pray. Our problem is that we do not realize how holy God is and how wrong we are to underestimate true holiness and its effects. By nature, we want to look at sacred things and measure them from our frame of reference and value rather than by God's holy word.
Enthusiasm for God's things does not excuse us from the consequences of disobeying God's revealed will. Ignoring or violating God's written word because, from our perspective, we have to act in haste is a serious offense against the Lord. A healthy relationship with God can only be maintained by acting according to His infinite wisdom. We will know what is right when we are willing to take the time to learn divine truth from our divine Teacher.
When things do not work out right, fill the waiting times with meaningful activity and a search for the mind and will of God. According to 1st Chronicles 15:11-15, David made sure that which God had prescribed was done. For three months, careful investigation was made, a place for the ark to rest was prepared, and the right people were found and designated to carry the ark. The words of Psalm 68 could be sung when the ark was cautiously moved forward six steps at a time and an offering made. From the nearby house of Obed-Edom into the appropriate place in the city, the ark slowly came to the place prepared for it.
Caution is a wise way to proceed in a work after failure and a known mistake has been corrected. Wrong has to be judged and dealt with. A tempered enthusiasm is wise when a change is made to be sure we are acting in the mind and will of God. Joy is contagious; restricting it by insisting on a sober demeanor does not make it holy. An uplifted spirit after the weight of disobedience and failure has been dealt with is normal and should be encouraged. Zeal and enthusiasm for that which is right are of far greater value than false sobriety used to create an impression of spirituality. For twenty years, the ark had been in obscurity as far as the nation was concerned. "The glory had departed," but now God was again in the midst of His people. No wonder there was joy and gladness!
Michal, v.16; 20-22 However, there will always be critics regarding doing work for the Lord. "You should have done it this way.” “No, no! Not like that! I think this is the way it should be!" These are common expressions we have to face when engaged in and promoting the work of the Lord. Michal did not appreciate the things of God. She was only concerned about how things looked, particularly how her husband looked because it reflected her opinion of herself. She is called “Saul’s daughter,” perhaps showing how much she was like her father.
Saul had been more concerned about his position as king than he was about God, who had designated him the first king of Israel. Michal seemed to have the same mindset and thought what people saw was more important than what God saw. She didn’t seem to appreciate the event at all because, as an unbeliever who had no fear of God before her eyes, God was not as important in her mind compared to how David appeared in public and how it reflected on her.
Not everyone has the same appreciation for the things of God, but every believer loves the Lord and wants to see Him honored. How that is expressed depends on personalities, life experiences, the degree of appreciation of forgiveness, and how much one is willing to commit of their time and intelligence to communicating with God. The degree of fellowship with God and other people depends on how committed we are to them and their interests. Self-absorbed individuals will find it hard to express their joy in the Lord openly. Humility is never out of style for a child of God. When one is humbled in his sight and can identify with those of a lower social standing, that person has gained the respect of those who count. "God has chosen the weak things to confound the mighty."
Harsh criticisms may come, but we should not allow them to discourage us from honoring the Lord. Satan will use any means he can to hinder the work of God. Hindrances may come when we become careless about holy things. If we try to do God's things in our way, he will use that to condemn what we have done and discourage us from trying again. He will use the mockery and criticism of others to embarrass us and to get us to quit. God has His way of dealing with those people and things. Let us not be "weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." Sacrifices, joy, cautious optimism, and a careful observance of God's will bring blessings to many.
The love that Michal once had for David was obviously gone. Perhaps when Saull gave her to Paltiel, she figured he was as good as dead because Saul had every intent to kill David. She had made a new life for herself, and when she was forcibly returned to David and found she was one of several wives and concubines, she was very resentful, and bitterness settled in her soul. Whatever the reasons were, she felt contempt for David, the consequences of her bitterness were that she was childless for life.
Suppose we allow bitterness and resentment to remain when we think we have been treated unfairly. In that case, we need to quickly define the reason for our bitterness, consider the consequences if we do not deliberately deal with them, and forsake them. Otherwise, not only will that bitterness take root in us, but it will also find ways to defile other people who see our faces, body language, tone of voice, and overall attitude toward the object of resentment. Bitterness and resentment will seriously affect our commitment and communication with God. Unhappiness cannot be hidden; even a brief smile has no meaning when allowed to continue. Fellowship with others is broken because of “the elephant in the room.”
The Tabernacle David pitched, v.17-19 The Tabernacle of the Lord, which had been made in the wilderness, and the altar on which burnt offerings and peace offerings were made to the Lord was at Gibeon, about six miles northeast of Jerusalem. For twenty years, the ark had been removed from the Tabernacle and was in the house of Abinadab. Perhaps they forgot to read the Word to learn how God had planned the appropriate way to transport holy things. It was supposed to be done by holy men from the tribe of Levi, who had been designated that role hundreds of years before. Surely, among the 30,000 gathered there, some Levities were qualified to carry the ark. Instead, they chose the Philistine way and put it on a cart in the modern worldly way.
We, too, have a book of clear instructions as to how God wants things done in our assemblies and our personal lives. It is inappropriate to do God’s work our way independently of what God arranged to be written for our learning. There are many new ways to copy the modern religious world, much done by men's ideas. We must remember that when involved in God’s work, we are to do things as it pleases Him. We know it is God’s will that a plain message of the Gospel to men be preached publicly, scripturally, and consistently. The problem in our day is that fewer people seem to be reached with the truth of the Bible, so to attract people, they resort to entertainment to “make church fun.” They say it is the way to get folks into a meeting. And when you preach, don’t mention “hell” or talk much about sin.
But sin is the fundamental problem; it must be faced, or sinners will end up in hell. When we preach the Gospel, we are responsible for warning of the consequences of sin and the things guilty sinners are responsible for. We must be faithful to God’s truth and compassionate, but we must plainly say that sin will keep a soul out of heaven, and Jesus is the only Way to heaven.
Teaching the Word is needed; believers must understand that where we live and work, we are pilgrims in a foreign land. There must be a separation between what is false and true. The commitment to the truth of the Bible takes saints safely through the snares and pitfalls that can cause us to stumble and observers to reject what we preach. Baptism, as the scripture teaches, symbolizes a believer’s death from sin and the world and being raised to walk a new life. Comparing it to circumcision is denying what the scriptures teach regarding our identification with Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a place of remembrance where we publicly declare the truth of Christ’s death as our substitute, paying the price of our sins by His sacrifice. It has nothing to do with forgiveness of our sins nor sets the guilty sinner free.
God has His way of doing things today as in days of old. We know what He has already told us by reading and learning God's truth. His will and way for us to represent Him is to apply ourselves to His service and tell His truth so others can live by learning God’s message through us and receiving eternal life by putting their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
By this time, David would have learned how essential it was to do God’s work in God’s way. He made a “Tabernacle” and “pitched” it in Jerusalem, where it remained until Solomon built the temple. So, when we read of him offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he would have had a priest to present his offerings in an appropriate, prescribed way. The peace offering was partaken of by the ones who offered, the priests, and the people who were there as a fellowship meal. Men and women each had a portion of the bread, meat, and wine of the peace offering.
Fellowship among God’s people is nurtured and maintained when worshippers who have been at “the altar, and witnessed the Lamb burnt wholly to ashes for me.” When we sit together in harmony and joy to commune together about what we have just been involved in, we want to talk about all of our blessings in Christ. Such fellowship is like the peace offering, strengthening our faith and resolve to serve the Lord. When we leave and “depart everyone to his home,” we go home differently than when we came.
Communicating with other believers sharpens our focus on spiritual things, God’s truth, and pleasing our Lord. It also reaffirms our reason for living for Christ daily. We go home challenged to make sure we represent our Lord in a good light. We are conscious that what we do and say when working with unbelievers affects our brothers and sisters in Christ who are part of the same assembly.