6:72 Samuel 6:7

When the ark was being brought toward Jerusalem, the oxen stumbled at Nachon's threshingfloor and Uzzah put out his hand to steady it, and God smote him dead there by the ark for his error.1SP 410.1–2+2 His act was rash and presumptuous, laying an unhallowed hand on what God had commanded to be treated as sacred and touched only by consecrated appointment, as though God could not care for His own presence and symbols.1SP 410.1–2+4 The judgment guarded the ark because it was sacred as God's presence and as the container of His holy law, warning men not to meddle with holy things or treat what God calls holy as common.Ms 132, 1903, par. 33+4 To steady the ark today is to take God's work into finite hands and control it by human judgment without seeking His counsel, and it is just as great a sin, dangerous to the doer and disastrous to the cause, for God lives and will manage, direct and protect His own work.STA 108.2+4 Therefore men must keep hands off, trust God and wait for His leading, and not assume jurisdiction He never gave to dictate to His workers, block the light and message He commands to be borne, or reshape His principles and instrumentalities for popularity and success.STMW9 3.3+4

The death took place at Nachon's threshingfloor while the ark of God as the symbol of the divine presence was being brought from Kirjath-jearim toward Jerusalem with thirty thousand leading men of Israel amid exultant shouts and songs of rejoicing with musical instruments.PP 704.5–705.1 When the oxen stumbled and shook the ark, Uzzah impatiently put forth his hand to steady it, and God smote him dead there by the ark for his error and rash, presumptuous act, with angels attending the ark striking him down.1SP 410.1–2+3 The sudden stroke turned that season of triumph and solemn gladness into grief and mourning and brought sudden terror upon the rejoicing throng.PP 704.5–705.1 David was left astonished and greatly alarmed, questioning the justice of God in sending fearful judgment while seeking to honor the ark, so that feeling it unsafe to have the ark near him he let it remain nearby at the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.PP 704.5–705.1

Uzzah's act was rash, presumptuous and impatient, a sudden reach to steady the ark when the oxen stumbled and shook it.1SP 410.1–2+2 It showed distrust that God could care for the ark, even though God had brought it safely back from the Philistines, and angels attending the ark struck him down for presuming to touch it.1SP 410.1–2+1 He acted as though God could not care for His own sacred symbols, reaching out in a spirit of presuming unauthorized control over what belongs to God.STMW9 3.3+1 That same spirit is at work when erring mortals take God's human agencies under their own dictation and control, telling them what they shall and shall not do, as if those workers were under their command.STMW9 3.3+1 God has not given men that power and authority over His human workers, far less should such power be exercised toward them, and He will judge those who assume it, for men must leave God to rule His own work.Ms 7, 1895, par. 2–3

He touched the ark with an unhallowed hand contrary to the Lord's plain command to treat it as sacred with fear and trembling.ST Jul 24, 1884+1 Only a consecrated priest could touch it, and special purification and preparation were required.ST Jul 24, 1884 What God had forbidden him to touch he was forbidden to meddle with, and for that meddling he was removed from God's work.RH Sep 14, 1905+1 The ark was sacred because it represented God's presence among His people, so it was to be treated with reverence and according to God's directions.Ms 81, 1900, par. 19 Those serving God must obey His instructions rather than substitute their own plans, and disregarding them by following human plans shows unfitness for a position of trust in His sacred work.RH Sep 14, 1905+1

Laying hands on the ark without appointment from God kindles the anger of the Lord and brings His smiting and condemnation.Lt 212, 1902, par. 9+1 His judgment in smiting Uzzah guarded the ark and impressed its sacred character on the people.ST Jul 24, 1884 Men, whether ministers, general canvassing agents, or conference presidents, must therefore keep to their own line of work until God gives the orders, being sure the orders come from God and not from human judgment.Lt 212, 1902, par. 9 God never gives to any mortal man the burden and work of setting human wisdom over sacred things by sitting in judgment on the living oracles to decide what is inspired and what is not, what degrees of inspiration attend some utterances and what is wanting in others, and by cutting and carving the Scriptures.Ms 16, 1889, par. 3–6 To do that work is to act in self-exaltation and to dare to touch what God has made holy.Ms 16, 1889, par. 3–6

The ark was sacred as the symbol of God's presence among His people, and it was to be treated with reverence strictly according to His directions and not steadied by a presumptuous touch.8T 283.3–4+3 Uzzah was struck dead for presuming to touch it when he put forth his hand to steady it, showing that what God has declared sacred must not be handled irreverently.8T 283.3–4+2 His meddling was touching what God had forbidden him to touch, and those who serve God must obey His instructions rather than substitute their own plans.Ms 81, 1900, par. 19

Treating what God has made holy with irreverence or as common is a serious offense that brings severe judgment, even death beside the ark for handling it improperly.ST Feb 21, 1911+2 God struck Uzzah dead for his rash act against something holy, for the ark represented His presence and rash, irreverent touching incurred the penalty of death.ST Feb 21, 1911+2 God sees both actions and the motives behind them and records them, so sacred things treated as common stand as an offense against Him.Lt 33, 1899, par. 16–18

The death by the ark warns men to beware how they seek to look into and meddle with the mysteries and holy things of the Most High, as Uzzah did while the ark was being taken from Kirjath-jearim and the anger of the Lord was kindled against him.Ms 132, 1903, par. 33 God requires implicit obedience to His plain command to treat the ark as sacred with fear and trembling, and reverence for the methods He has appointed.RH Sep 14, 1905+1 Substituting human plans and disregarding His instructions shows unfitness for a position of trust in His sacred work and leads to removal from it.RH Sep 14, 1905+1 The warning about holy hands bearing the ark applies this lesson to a time when faithful bearers are no longer present, when woe will come upon the people.5T 77.2

The stroke that guarded the ark guarded what was inside it, for it contained the holy law, and by that judgment its sacred character was impressed upon the people.ST Jul 24, 1884 The law expresses perfect character and love, so that to despise the law is to despise its Author.ST Jul 24, 1884 Though ordained for life, the law brings death to the transgressor, and only because Jesus honored it and satisfied its claims by dying for sin can sinners through His imputed righteousness be reconciled to God and escape the punishment due to disobedience.ST Jul 24, 1884

The third angel's message to the world is the ark of God, sacred and not to be touched by human hands.Ms 6, 1889, par. 11–12 To cavil over what is plainly revealed and to force decisions on momentous subjects in open meeting by pen and vote, without prolonged earnest seeking of God with prayer and fasting and the descent of the Holy Spirit, is to lay presumptuous hands on the ark in blindness, and such meddling is the greatest folly and brings God's displeasure as did the error at the threshingfloor.Ms 6, 1889, par. 11–12 Mortal man is never given the burden and work of setting human wisdom over sacred things by sitting in judgment upon the living oracles to decide what is inspired and what is not, and to state what degrees of inspiration attend some utterances and what is wanting in others.Ms 16, 1889, par. 3–6 To cut and carve the sacred Scriptures in that way is to act in self-exaltation and to dare to touch what God has made holy, and the hand laid upon the ark in that spirit kindles the anger of the Lord and brings His smiting and condemnation.Ms 16, 1889, par. 3–6

Touching the ark warns against laying a sacrilegious hand upon the Bible by dissecting the Word, telling what is revelation and what is or is not inspiration, and saying this will be rejected and this will be received, or that is not inspired because someone else has said so.Ms 13, 1888, par. 43–45 The Bible as a whole and as it is must be held with implicit faith that inspires faith, with not a jot or tittle ever taken from it.Ms 13, 1888, par. 43–45 Hands off means not meddling with God's Word by man's ideas but letting God move with His own power and giving Him room to work to compass salvation instead of binding Him about, for those who meddle do not know what they are doing and are not able to comprehend the things of the mystery of God.Ms 13, 1888, par. 43–45

The ark belongs to God and is under His special supervision, and God Himself manages His own work, for He lives and reigns and will care for His holy ark.Lt 212, 1902, par. 9+4 Human hands must keep off the ark and give Him opportunity to direct it, to fashion and mold it according to His will, and to bring it to the place where it belongs.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+3 To undertake what God has not appointed is Uzzah's error, so ministers, general canvassing agents, and conference presidents must keep to their own line of work until orders come from God and not from human judgment.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+1

Reaching out to steady the ark was a grave sin for which God struck Uzzah dead, and taking control of what belongs to God according to human judgment, contrary to His will and without seeking His counsel, is just as great a sin.STA 108.2+4 Laying a human hand upon God's great instrumentality to place a human superscription and a human mold upon it repeats that sin, and every such movement to take control is dangerous business to the one who does it and disastrous to the work of God, imperiling souls with terrible loss.STMW6 43.3–44.2+3 God's sovereignty stands supreme above all human authority, however great, and presuming to interfere with or judge His work risks His wrath.STA 108.2+4

Steadying the ark means human interference with what God has placed and ordered, taking into finite hands what God alone is competent to accomplish and limiting the power of the Holy One of Israel.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+1 Even when moved by pity, love, or fear that jostling will hurt the ark and its bearers, such meddling intrudes upon work He Himself can protect and direct.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+2 It steps in with human ideas and judgment between God and the channel He provides, cutting off and diverting the means He has appointed to meet necessity, as though He cannot manage His own work in His own time and in His own way.Lt 82, 1894, par. 17–18+1

The lesson is to trust God and not distrust Him, to believe the Lord can do all things, to pray for increased faith, and to wait for Him to act rather than run ahead in self-confidence.Lt 82, 1894, par. 17–18+1 The work is God's and He will do it, so people must follow their Captain, feel their own weakness as a broken reed, depend on the Lord Jesus alone, and walk with trembling before God in the sacred work.Lt 82, 1894, par. 17–18+1

This warning applies especially to the publishing work as God's great instrumentality, where undertaking what God has not appointed and entering into other men's labors with self-magnifying mismanagement repeats Uzzah's sin.Ms 40a, 1890, par. 17–20+3 Those who enter that labor are only to do their duty humbly, deal justly toward all employed, love mercy, labor conscientiously in the work entrusted to them, and walk humbly with God.Ms 40a, 1890, par. 17–20+1 Mismanagement by erring men must not shake confidence in the publishing work, for whatever a person's position or authority, even as much as Ahab's, God is above them and His sovereignty must and will be supreme.Ms 40a, 1890, par. 17–20+2

Changing the principles God has given and reshaping His cause for popularity, patronage, and larger success is doing a work which does not belong to men to do.Ms 29a, 1890, par. 11–13+2 Proposals to drop the words Seventh-day Adventist and say nothing about the Sabbath in The American Sentinel to gain the patronage of great men, become popular, do a larger work, and affiliate with unbelievers and non-professors are steadying the ark.Ms 29a, 1890, par. 11–13+1 Such altering of truth for popular success tampers with the very sum and substance of Sabbath advocacy and is the first step in a succession of wrong steps.Ms 29a, 1890, par. 11–13+2

When true religion is endangered by mingling with worldliness, and worldly policy takes the place of true piety and wisdom from above, God will remove His prospering hand and the ark of the covenant will be removed from His people.Ms 29, 1890, par. 7–10+1 The ark means God's presence and rule in the sanctuary and cause, the true doctrines and principles given by God which made His people what they are, and God's instrumentalities such as the publishing house.Ms 29, 1890, par. 7–10+1 Its removal means idols smuggled in, false principles and false precepts brought into the sanctuary, antichrist respected, true doctrines ignored, and a sacred instrumentality turned through blinded, unconsecrated men into a mere political, worldly institution.Ms 29, 1890, par. 7–10+1

Putting the hand to the ark brings woe, for it means those who claim to know the truth laying every obstacle so that the light God commands His chosen messengers to bear does not come to the people.Lt 19d, 1892, par. 45–46+2 To lay hands on the ark is to stand against God, to block His message in mighty power, and to hold others in that resistance, and those who do this will have an account to settle with God that they will not be pleased to meet.Lt 19d, 1892, par. 45–46+2 Those commanded to bear a message must declare what He gives without reservation and move out even when obstacles of a forbidding character are in the way, while others must get out of the way, take the hand off, and stop all human interference and control so the Spirit of God can come in and work freely.Lt 19d, 1892, par. 45–46+2

To touch the ark is for finite men in councils to assume a jurisdiction God never gave them by bringing the minds, talent, and liberty of God's human agents and workmen whom He is using and controlling under their own control.STMW9 3.3+4 It is telling them what they shall and shall not do, deciding what shall be brought before God's people and what shall be repressed, restricting their liberty, being conscience for them, and pronouncing judgment and condemnation upon the work of God and His workers because ideas do not coincide with their own supposed truth.Ms 51, 1895, par. 2–3+3 It is the same spirit as the Pharisees condemning Christ though He gave unmistakable evidence He was sent of God, even charging Him who made the Sabbath and is Lord of the Sabbath with being a Sabbath-breaker.Lt 78, 1896, par. 42–43

God has not chosen such men in positions of trust as He chose Moses as men through whom to communicate divine instruction, has not placed the lines of control in their hands, has not required this at their hand, and has never delegated to them Moses' responsibility of voicing God's words to the people.Ms 51, 1895, par. 2–3+3 Presidents of conferences and laborers in places of responsibility who make out with minute definiteness just what course workers in the harvest field must pursue repeat Uzzah's error and take on a false burden.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+2 The counsel is to humble the heart before God, leave God to rule His own work, leave room for the Lord to take care of His sacred work and direct it where it belongs, and leave His arrangements alone.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+2 Workers are not to be moved from where God put them by human judgment about health, climate, need, or danger, but God is to be trusted to protect, sustain, and bless those who have given themselves to do His will.Ms 100, 1894, par. 4–5+2