6:62 Samuel 6:6

The ark of God was being carried with great rejoicing toward Jerusalem when the oxen shook it at Nachon's threshingfloor, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of it to steady it, but the Lord smote him with instant death beside the ark, turning gladness into terror and mourning so that David left the ark at the house of Obed-edom.1SP 410.1–2+3 The ark was the sacred symbol of God's presence among His people containing His law, which only a consecrated priest prepared by purification might touch, and irreverent touching carried the penalty of death.ST Jul 24, 1884+3 Uzzah's act, though meant to protect the ark, was impatient presumption and distrust as though God could not care for His own sacred symbols, and no good intention authorized his meddling beyond his place.1SP 410.1–2+4 Steadying the ark pictures men taking God's sacred work and cause into finite human hands by their own judgment and policy, running ahead of Christ and interfering with what is under His special supervision, to their own danger and to the disaster and loss of the work.STA 108.2+4 God alone is competent to accomplish and manage His own work in His own time and way, so men must leave room for Him, trust Him when the way cannot be seen, keep pure and holy, and carry out His plans according to a Thus saith the Lord instead of substituting their own plans or exercising dictation and control over His servants and means.STA 108.2+4

The ark of God was being brought with joy from Kirjath-jearim toward Jerusalem, amid exultant shouts and songs and harps and psalteries and timbrels and cornets and cymbals, a scene of triumph and solemn gladness not seen for long.PP 704.5–705.1 When the procession came to Nachon's threshingfloor the oxen shook and stumbled the ark, and Uzzah put forth his hand and took hold of it to steady it.1SP 410.1–2+3 He did so because he feared its jostling would hurt it.Lt 25, 1888, par. 1–3+1

The stroke of judgment turned that season of gladness into grief and mourning, and sudden terror fell on the rejoicing throng.PP 704.5–705.1 David was astonished and greatly alarmed and questioned the justice of God, since he had been seeking to honor the ark.PP 704.5–705.1 Feeling it would be unsafe to have the ark near him, he left it nearby at the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.PP 704.5–705.1

Uzzah reached out to steady the ark when the oxen shook and stumbled it, and his reaching came from impatience and distrust.1SP 410.1–2+1 He acted as though God could not protect the ark and could not care for His own sacred symbols.1SP 410.1–2+2 That distrust joined impatient presumption in daring to touch what was holy.SG4 111.1–2

His touch was rashness and impatient presumption in laying hold of what he should never have touched.SG4 111.1–2+1 It was meddling with God's arrangements and presuming to act beyond his place.Ms 51, 1895, par. 2–3+2 This stood against the Lord's plain command to treat the ark with fear and reverence, to look upon it with fear and trembling as the representation of God's presence among His chosen people, and to keep it sacred.RH Sep 14, 1905+1

He meant to steady and protect the ark because he feared its jostling would hurt it, yet that well-meant intention did not authorize him to handle it.ST Jul 24, 1884+2 His taking hold of it was a wrongful interference with God's work.Ms 21a, 1894, par. 20–22+1 Even with a motive to protect, the act was a violation and a grave sin.ST Jul 24, 1884+1

The ark was the sacred symbol and representation of God's presence in the midst of His chosen people, to be looked upon with fear and trembling, and it contained God's law.ST Jul 24, 1884+3 Only a consecrated priest was permitted to touch the sacred ark, and God had required purification and preparation for approaching it.ST Jul 24, 1884 Touching it irreverently carried the penalty of death.ST Jul 24, 1884+1

Angels attending the ark struck Uzzah down for presumptuously touching it when he reached out to steady it.1SP 410.1–2+1 The anger of the Lord was kindled against him for his rashness, and God smote him there with instant death by and beside the ark of God.PP 704.5–705.1+2 The judgment guarded the ark and taught Israel to treat God's law as sacred.ST Jul 24, 1884

It warns that it is dangerous to meddle with holy things and to make sacred things common.Lt 33, 1899, par. 16–18 Such profanation of what God has set apart for Himself shows obtuseness of spiritual discernment and is a high offense against His majesty that dishonors Him, especially when vanity and covetousness are shown in things belonging to His service.Lt 33, 1899, par. 16–18 One who so profanes sacred things becomes a dangerous influence to keep connected with the church.Lt 33, 1899, par. 16–18 God sees every action and the motives leading to action and writes all in a book.Lt 33, 1899, par. 16–18

Steadying the ark pictures men taking up a work that does not belong to them to do, laying human hands upon what belongs to God and taking control of His sacred work and cause into finite hands by their own judgment and human policy, even under the pressure of apparent need.ST2 2.1+4 The ark belonged to God and was under His special supervision, so no human being was to interfere with it or seize direction of what He directs.STBk 108.2+2 To place a human superscription upon it and set a human mold upon it is the modern meaning of putting forth the hand to steer it.Ms 40a, 1890, par. 17–20+1

Such taking hold of God's work with human hands and running ahead of Christ is a great sin against God and presumptuous interference with what is under His special supervision.STA 108.2+4 It is dangerous to the one who does it and disastrous to the work of God, bringing terrible loss and imperiling souls.STA 108.2+3 Laying hands on the ark causes the wrath and displeasure of God to break forth upon the offender, and woe comes upon the man who puts his hand to it, for those who block the light and message He gives will have an account to settle with God that they will not be pleased to meet.LSEGW 320.2–321.1+3 This applies to finite, befogged men venturing in councils to pronounce judgment upon the work of God and to criticize men through whom God has spoken, a work never required of them, and to all who lay obstacles so that the message He speaks through whom He will shall not come to the people.STMW6 43.3–44.2+2 No human authority and no position places anyone above God's supreme sovereignty.STA 108.2+1

The ark is under God's special supervision because God alone is competent to accomplish and manage His own work in His own time and in His own way.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+2 Human interference takes into finite hands what God alone can do and limits the power of the Holy One of Israel.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+1 When no money is in hand and the way cannot be seen, as when human judgment interposes to cut off and divert the channel of means God provided so that His workers lack even the first payment, there is no reason for such interference, but the right course is to trust and not distrust Him, knowing the Lord can do all things.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+1 Men must leave room for the Lord to take care of His sacred work and fashion and mold it according to His will, leave God to rule and care for it, feel their own weakness, and make Christ their only dependence and Captain, for the work is His and He will do it.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+2 Those who trust God and His wisdom and not their own walk in safe paths, while assuming authority and jurisdiction He has not given and saying, You shall do this and You shall not do that, puts erring mortals in dictation and control over what is under the Lord's jurisdiction.Lt 82, 1894, par. 17–18+1

That the Lord Himself can direct it was shown when the ark was trusted to the kine and He directed them to leave their calves behind and devote themselves wholly to delivering the ark to the place where it belonged.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5

God's requirements do not change: His servants must keep pure and holy, reverence the methods He has outlined for guidance, carry out the plans He has devised to His glory according to a Thus saith the Lord instead of substituting their own plans, humbly do individual duty, deal justly toward all employed in the work, love mercy and walk humbly with God, and humbly seek His will, way and counsel.STA 108.2+3 Those who do not treat obedience as of the greatest importance show themselves unfit for any position of trust in His sacred cause, dishonor God, and must be removed from His work.RH Sep 14, 1905+2 For God's sovereignty is supreme above every position and responsibility, even authority as great as Ahab's.STA 108.2+1

Putting hands on the ark is done when those in responsibility dictate with minute definiteness what workers in the harvest field must do, repeating Uzzah putting forth human hands to steady the jostling ark.Ms 51, 1895, par. 2–3+1 Conference presidents, ministers, general canvassing agents, and laborers at the heart of the work are not entitled by position to control God's work or to decide what God's servants may do.Ms 51, 1895, par. 2–3+2 It is assuming authority and jurisdiction God has not given for erring mortals to place themselves in dictation and control over what is under the Lord's jurisdiction, saying You shall do this and You shall not do that.Ms 7, 1895, par. 2–3 Such exercising of unauthorized power over God's human agencies, who are in partnership with God, claims authority to control God's servants, to decide what may be taught or suppressed, and to restrict the religious liberty of God's people.Ms 7, 1895, par. 2–3+1 Far less of men's power and authority should be exercised toward God's workers, for God is able to rule and care for His work and men must leave God to rule and leave room for the Lord to fashion His sacred work according to His will.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+1

The same steadying is done when ministers try to control an interest they began instead of welcoming the different laborers and gifts God sends to help perfect it.LSEGW 320.2–321.1+1 Keeping to no line of work until sure orders come from God and not from man's human judgment is required, especially in connection with the publishing work, and taking hold without divine appointment is forbidden.LSEGW 320.2–321.1+1 Urging laborers to leave the field where God's providence has placed and sustained them, even from pity, love, or desire for their help elsewhere, is putting a human hand to God's work as Uzzah did to the ark.21MR 321.1–322.3 Human judgment also interposes to cut off and divert the channel of means God provided for a necessity, leaving His workers without money for even the first payment, when with no money in hand and the way unseen the right course is to trust and not distrust God who can do all things.Lt 82, 1894, par. 17–18 As when the ark was trusted to the kine and He directed them to leave their calves behind and devote themselves wholly to delivering the ark to the place where it belonged, the Lord Himself can direct His sacred work in His own time and in His own way.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5

To put the hand to the ark is to interfere with God's own work by laying obstacles in the way so that light and the message He gives by whom He will shall not come to the people.Lt 19d, 1892, par. 45–46+1 God manages His own work and speaks to whom He will to carry His message, and those messengers must declare it without reservation and move out although forbidding obstacles are in the way.Lt 19d, 1892, par. 45–46 The hand on the ark means men at the heart of the work holding themselves against God, standing in the way and keeping the Spirit of God from working.Ms 9, 1890, par. 22 Taking the hand off the ark means getting out of the way and letting the Spirit of God come in and work in mighty power.Ms 9, 1890, par. 22 If those entrusted with sacred service no longer bear the ark in holy hands, woe will come upon the people unless they repent wholeheartedly, and those who block the truth will have an account to settle with God that they will not be pleased to meet.5T 77.2+2

Laying hands on the ark is also a mortal man laying his human wisdom on God's sacred things.Ms 16, 1889, par. 3–6 God has never given any mortal the work to sit in judgment on the living oracles, to decide what is inspired and what is not inspired, to assign degrees of inspiration, or to cut and carve the Scriptures.Ms 16, 1889, par. 3–6+1 To do so is to be on the wrong track, to become exalted, to dare what God never committed to mortal minds, to be led astray by the enemy, and to come under God's displeasure and condemnation.Ms 16, 1889, par. 3–6 God's ark is holy and human hands must be kept off it, for the ark is the third angel's message to the world.Ms 6, 1889, par. 11–12 Laying hands on it means caviling over questions plainly revealed in the Word and moving in blindness to decide momentous solemn subjects, which is the greatest folly unless preceded by earnest seeking of God with much prayer and fasting and nothing less than the descent of the Holy Spirit, receiving the Bible as the oracles of God and seeking counsel from the unerring Counselor.Ms 6, 1889, par. 11–12+1

Touching the ark is done when finite, befogged men venture in councils to pronounce judgment upon the work of God and to criticize and pronounce unsound judgment upon men through whom God has spoken, a work God never required them to do, just as the Pharisees condemned Christ.Lt 78, 1896, par. 42–43 Those who do this must humble their own hearts before God and keep their hands off the ark.Lt 78, 1896, par. 42–43 It is also human hands laying hold of God's great instrumentality, including the publishing work, to place a human superscription and personal mold upon it and to gather its control into finite hands.Ms 40a, 1890, par. 17–20+1 Such touching is dangerous to one's own soul and disastrous to the work of God, bringing terrible loss and imperiling souls, yet it must not shake confidence in the important interests at the heart of the work that influence churches at home and in foreign lands.Ms 40a, 1890, par. 17–20+2 Steadying the ark by human policy includes changing the principles God has given for advocating the Sabbath, suppressing Sabbath truth and dropping distinctive testimony in order to affiliate with unbelievers and gain popularity, patronage and success, and that policy of compromise for popular success is the first step in a succession of wrong steps.Ms 29a, 1890, par. 11–13+1