We Should Seek God after the Due Order.
By John Nevins Andrews
Such was the conclusion of David, after receiving a lesson he could never afterward have forgotten. 1 Chron. 15:11–15. Soon after David was established upon his throne at Jerusalem, as king over all Israel, he determined to bring up thither the ark of God. It is likely that this decision was right. But in the execution of it a grave error was committed. The law enjoined that the ark should be carried whenever it was removed by the Levites of the family of Kohath. Num. 3 and 4. And even they were not to come near it and the other sacred vessels till after they were covered, lest they should die. Num. 4:20. And they were not to touch one of these even after they were covered, under the same penalty. Verse 15. By means of staves they were to bear these upon their shoulders, but they must not lay their hand upon them or touch them, for the sons of Aaron alone could do this. Verses 5–15. And because that the Levites of Kohath’s family were specially designated to bear upon their shoulders the ark and the sacred vessels of the sanctuary, when the oxen were distributed to the other Levitical families who had the sanctuary itself to transport, none were given to this family, and this very reason is assigned. Num. 7:9. But when David undertook to remove the ark all this was forgotten. And thus we read: “And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah; and Uzzah and Ahio, the son of Abinadab, drave the new cart.” 2 Sam. 6:3. The placing of this ark upon the cart was a direct violation of the law, and was a serious error. But we read further as follows: “And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error [margin, rashness]; and there he died by the ark of God.” Verses 6, 7. The law which expressly enjoined that the ark should be borne only upon the shoulders of the Kohathites, forbade also that one of them should touch it. When, therefore, this second act of disobedience came into the service of this occasion, the threatening of death upon the offender was instantly executed. But were not the intentions of Uzzah good? In some sense we may say that they were. They were at least as good as ours when we, from supposed pious motives, depart from the instructions God has given us. Uzzah intended to save the jostling of the ark. But if he had not already broken the law, the ark would not have been in danger of this shaking, and would have needed no such help as he bestowed. It should have been borne by the Kohathites upon their shoulders. He violated the law by touching the ark. He would have had no occasion to touch it, had the law not been already violated in the act of placing the ark upon the cart. David was displeased at this terrible rebuke which came in the presence of all Israel, and turned their triumph into lamentation and distress. 1 Chron. 13. So he relinquished his purpose to remove the ark to Jerusalem and deposited it in the house of Obed-edom. But the ark brought God’s blessing upon that house. Meanwhile David having time to consider, saw that there was just cause for the judgment which God had inflicted. And so he makes humble acknowledgement of the wrong which had been committed, and then directs the priests and Levites to bring up the ark in such manner as God had ordained. See 1 Chron. 15. In verse 13 he uses these impressive words in his charge to the Levites to sanctify themselves for this work: “For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.” Two reasons may be assigned for the errors here committed: 1. Some time before the Philistines had returned the ark to Israel upon a cart, and God had accepted their act. But they did it with the utmost reverence and with humiliating acts, and they could do no other way, for they had none worthy to bear it. See the wonderful story in 1 Sam. 6. 2. The ark had been in the house of Abinadab the father of Uzzah for twenty years. 1 Sam. 7:1, 2; 2 Sam. 6:2, 3, 4. Uzzah should have cultivated the deepest reverence for it. But in his mind it had become a common and familiar thing. We may draw many profitable reflections from this record which will suggest themselves to every mind. One wrong always leads to another. It many times even seems to create a necessity for another, and to furnish an excuse for that second wrong. Thus the Sabbath is changed from the seventh to the first day of the week to commemorate the resurrection of Christ. But if the ordinance of baptism which does commemorate Christ’s resurrection (Rom. 6:1–5,) had not been changed from burial in the water to sprinkling, would there be any chance for men to plead their present excuse for Sunday observance? J. N. A.