Do We Worship in Spirit and Truth?

A Reflection on David's Effort to Bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem-

Observe the worshipful celebration that surrounds this procession but let us always consider our hearts and ensure that we worship God in Spirit and Truth...

“3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.” (2 Samuel 6:3–6, ESV) 

So here we see the happy occasion of the Ark being brought to the City of David (Jerusalem) as David has recently taken the City for the Israelites under his newly established throne over all of Israel.  Notice, however, that there is a problem.  Compare their actions against God's specific direction regarding how to handle the holy things of the tabernacle and the movement of the Ark of the Covenant...

“15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.” (Numbers 4:15, ESV)

“13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.” (Exodus 25:13–15, ESV)

 “8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9 But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with the service of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulder.” (Numbers 7:8–9, ESV)

David and his men were ignoring God's law and they were perhaps more in celebration of their conquest and their own efforts, not realizing fully that God was greater than the blessings and more to be honored than His gifts and completely responsible for their strength?  Their eyes were not on the Lord as evidenced by this neglect of God's plain direction.  Do we tend to do the same?  Do we sometimes ignore God and His direction?  Do we act with motives more about ourselves that "doing all things to the glory of God"?  Do our actions tell of our heart?  Are we sometimes deceived?  Do we sometimes receive God's blessing only to value the blessing more than God?

Next we see the outcome of their misplaced effort that did not honor God and was not revering the truth of His Word...

“6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:6–7, ESV)

Let us learn to obey God and to seek to honor Him not by our own ideas but by the truth of His Word.  See how David's response to this chastisement by God is probably like our own can be...

“8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.” (2 Samuel 6:8–11, ESV)

So David interprets God's judgement against Uzzah as a breaking out from God's normal patient and merciful temperament with His people. Perhaps David considers Uzzah's action as righteous? Perhaps David thinks it better we break God's law than allow the Ark to be "defiled" by falling to the ground? In a sermon I recently heard by R.C. Sproul, R.C. suggests that Uzzah errantly assumed that his hand was less defiling than the dirt of the ground. He notes that dirt does not sin but honors God perfectly always in doing precisely what it was created to do. Uzzah did what the Apostle Paul condemns in Romans...

“8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.” (Romans 3:8, ESV)

Does God owe us mercy?  Do we have a posture of entitlement before God?  David sinned here and he was angry at God for reminding him that we are to hallow His name.   David needed time and space from his error for God to bring repentance and restoration.  Do we sometimes get mad at God and do we fear Him only after we are disciplined in some manner?  Only after we suffer a consequence to our sin?  Is this what it takes?  Perhaps we should fear Him naturally and live joyfully under His authority and carry the ark on our shoulders in the first place.

David got there after a few months and then he tried again with a new repentant, God-exalting attitude and he worshiped now in Spirit and in truth.  He offered worship to God on God's terms and he did not presume to make up his own rules.  David was quite over the conquest of his hand and surely gave God David humbled himself before the Lord and this fear of God is the beginning of wisdom...

   “12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.” (2 Samuel 6:12–15, ESV)

David writes Psalm 68 sometime following this and we see his heart giving glory to God for all power and strength...

“35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” (Psalm 68:35, ESV)

Let us check our heart and be certain that we are not feeling an entitlement to God's mercy.  Let us seek to live under His authority by submitting to it.  Let us search out His direction rather than making up our own ideas of what it is to follow Jesus.  Let us not do evil thinking that good will come of it.  Let us not dishonor God in how we live but let us always walk in surrendered obedience to His good will and let us be like the dirt- that we would fulfill our purpose as image bearers always.

Soli Deo Gloria!