Uzzah and the Arc of the Covenant

[Nancy]

I have been reading 2 Samuel and always have a difficult time getting past the fact that Uzzah, (one helping to carry the Arc) instinctively reached out to steady the Arc as the Oxen stumbled. He (I thought) was doing what he thought the Lord would want, to prevent the Holy Arc from falling on unholy ground.

In 2 Sam 6:7
"And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God."


This seems a bit out of place for our God...I'm sure I must be missing something as it looks like Uzzah had no nefarious reason for doing what he did. Why does God get so angry at him? It seems natural human instinct.

Okay, show me what gives my brothers and sisters, was Uzzah being outwardly or inwardly "irreverent" intentionally?

Thanks for any and all answers...Please, no jokes, put downs or insults...thanks :)

 

[amigo de christo]

I have been reading 2 Samuel and always have a difficult time getting past the fact that Uzzah, (one helping to carry the Arc) instinctively reached out to steady the Arc as the Oxen stumbled. He (I thought) was doing what he thought the Lord would want, to prevent the Holy Arc from falling on unholy ground.

In 2 Sam 6:7
"And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God."


This seems a bit out of place for our God...I'm sure I must be missing something as it looks like Uzzah had no nefarious reason for doing what he did. Why does God get so angry at him? It seems natural human instinct.

Okay, show me what gives my brothers and sisters, was Uzzah being outwardly or inwardly "irreverent" intentionally?

Thanks for any and all answers...Please, no jokes, put downs or insults...thanks :)

It too caused great fear to come upon even david . David questioned this too .
But we gotta all remember something . By grace , when you read a bit more you gonna see
what david next did to get the ark back to its place .
YOU SEE , IT was THE PRIESTS alone who could touch that ark . not just any man . Uzzah may have meant well
but GOD IS ALWAYS in CONTROL . Uzzah disregaured the warning that GOD had given about WHO could touch the ark .
David later moves it knowing certain levities , priestly could do such a thing . The moral and the key to the STORY IS
IF GOD SAYS SOMETHING , DO IT . IF HE says not to , DONT .
Now lets forward too today . FOR many within christendom now believe to warn and to correct those in error and sin
IS NO longer needed . TO warn other religoins to even repent and believe on JESUS CHRIST is no longer needed .
BUT ALL WHO PARATKE of , ALL WHO TOUCHTHAT FALSE INCLUSIVE ARK , IS GONNA DIE . DIE .

 

[amigo de christo]

I have been reading 2 Samuel and always have a difficult time getting past the fact that Uzzah, (one helping to carry the Arc) instinctively reached out to steady the Arc as the Oxen stumbled. He (I thought) was doing what he thought the Lord would want, to prevent the Holy Arc from falling on unholy ground.

In 2 Sam 6:7
"And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God."


This seems a bit out of place for our God...I'm sure I must be missing something as it looks like Uzzah had no nefarious reason for doing what he did. Why does God get so angry at him? It seems natural human instinct.

Okay, show me what gives my brothers and sisters, was Uzzah being outwardly or inwardly "irreverent" intentionally?

Thanks for any and all answers...Please, no jokes, put downs or insults...thanks :)

The ox did stumble and the ark did shake , but had no Uzzah touched it , it still would not have fallen .
Men might act instivictly at times as to what they THINK can help , but IF GOD says something
and they do contrary to it , DEATH AWAITS

 

[Cassandra]

The Ark was never designed to be carried like that but carried with poles on shoulders The Kohathites were supposed to carry the Ark with the poles.. David did not consult the Lord or ask how the Ark was to be moved even though God gave instruction
If he wouldn't have had anything done, it may show that God didn't really care about all of the rules He put on the elements of the sanctuary, esp the Ark of the Covenant. The move was doomed from the get go.

 

[Nancy]

The Ark was never designed to be carried like that but carried with poles on shoulders The Kohathites were supposed to carry the Ark with the poles.. David did not consult the Lord or ask how the Ark was to be moved even though God gave instruction
If he wouldn't have had anything done, it may show that God didn't really care about all of the rules He put on the elements of the sanctuary, esp the Ark of the Covenant. The move was doomed from the get go.

I thought about those poles, and then the oxen came to mind and I realized it was not on the poles. Thanks

 

[Pearl]

I have been reading 2 Samuel and always have a difficult time getting past the fact that Uzzah, (one helping to carry the Arc) instinctively reached out to steady the Arc as the Oxen stumbled. He (I thought) was doing what he thought the Lord would want, to prevent the Holy Arc from falling on unholy ground.

In 2 Sam 6:7
"And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God."


This seems a bit out of place for our God...I'm sure I must be missing something as it looks like Uzzah had no nefarious reason for doing what he did. Why does God get so angry at him? It seems natural human instinct.

Okay, show me what gives my brothers and sisters, was Uzzah being outwardly or inwardly "irreverent" intentionally?

Thanks for any and all answers...Please, no jokes, put downs or insults...thanks :)

Something I've always felt was very unfair. But how can God be unfair. I think Uzzah must have acted purely instinctively. After all it was a very precious object that was about to be tumbled on the ground.

It's interesting that the scripture doesn't say how it would have been righted or what would have happened if Uzzah had not reached out. Intriguing post @Nancy

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Not trying to make a joke. But I think we all assume he was in heaven a second after his death.

Was he complaining?

Something i never thought of before..

 

[Stumpmaster]

I thought about those poles, and then the oxen came to mind and I realized it was not on the poles. Thanks

Hi Nancy,

Yes, this incident can be used as an analogy for the error in the first place of using man-made structures and worldly programs instead of seeking God's Kingdom and Righteousness, and in the second place of trying to remedy the resulting failures by presumptuous means.

Quote from BingChat:

In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was a significant object in Old Covenant worship. It was a box overlaid with gold in the Most Holy place. The Ark contained a golden urn holding the manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant1. The Ark was a picture of the Person and saving work of Christ. The manna in the golden bowl represented the life-sustaining food that God gives His people in Christ. Aaron’s rod was placed in the Ark to show that Christ was the LORD’s chosen and anointed Priest (Isaiah 42:1; Heb. 5:4). The Ten Commandments were also placed in the Ark, representing that the moral Law of God would forever stand before the presence of God. The mercy seat was set on top of the Ark1.
1: Feeding on Christ

Blessings.

 

[amadeus]

The ox did stumble and the ark did shake , but had no Uzzah touched it , it still would not have fallen .
Men might act instivictly at times as to what they THINK can help , but IF GOD says something
and they do contrary to it , DEATH AWAITS

In the OT under the laws given through Moses, there is no redemption available for intentional sins. For sins committed through ignorance, there is. This makes me believe that Uzzah's infraction was intentional even though that is not specifically stated in the give text. The price for intentional sins is death or being cut-off from God's people.

Nu 15:28	And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
Nu 15:29	Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
Nu 15:30	But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Nu 15:31	Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

 

[ScottA]

I have been reading 2 Samuel and always have a difficult time getting past the fact that Uzzah, (one helping to carry the Arc) instinctively reached out to steady the Arc as the Oxen stumbled. He (I thought) was doing what he thought the Lord would want, to prevent the Holy Arc from falling on unholy ground.

In 2 Sam 6:7
"And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God."


This seems a bit out of place for our God...I'm sure I must be missing something as it looks like Uzzah had no nefarious reason for doing what he did. Why does God get so angry at him? It seems natural human instinct.

Okay, show me what gives my brothers and sisters, was Uzzah being outwardly or inwardly "irreverent" intentionally?

Thanks for any and all answers...Please, no jokes, put downs or insults...thanks :)

Your question is not unlike this one:

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:1-2​

To which Jesus answered, saying: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." John 9:3

 

[Deborah_]

Why should God react so harshly to such a ‘minor’ breach of protocol – especially when Uzzah had only acted with the best of intentions? Like David, modern readers feel angry and bewildered; how can we reconcile this kind of thing with what we know of God’s love?

In fact, Uzzah is not the only person in the history of God’s people to be punished severely for not respecting God’s holiness. Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1,2), Uzziah (II Chronicles 26:16-21), and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) all paid a high price for not taking God seriously enough. None of them had any excuse; they all knew (or should have known) that what they were doing was wrong. If David and the priests had only bothered to consult the Book of the Law, they would have realised that the Ark was not to be touched under any circumstances, on pain of death (Numbers 4:15) – because a human being simply cannot survive physical contact with holy things. This was why the Ark was meant to be carried on poles, not placed on a cart! They had completely ignored God’s “heath and safety” rules; and so Uzzah’s death was their fault, not God’s.

The problem was, in fact, Biblical illiteracy. They had the Law in their possession – but it seems that no-one had read it for decades! And so real knowledge of God had gradually been replaced by assumptions, half-remembered traditions, and folk religion. Their hearts might have been in the right place, but their heads were somewhere else – and it was a recipe for disaster.

 

[quietthinker]

I have been reading 2 Samuel and always have a difficult time getting past the fact that Uzzah, (one helping to carry the Arc) instinctively reached out to steady the Arc as the Oxen stumbled. He (I thought) was doing what he thought the Lord would want, to prevent the Holy Arc from falling on unholy ground.

In 2 Sam 6:7
"And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God."


This seems a bit out of place for our God...I'm sure I must be missing something as it looks like Uzzah had no nefarious reason for doing what he did. Why does God get so angry at him? It seems natural human instinct.

Okay, show me what gives my brothers and sisters, was Uzzah being outwardly or inwardly "irreverent" intentionally?

Thanks for any and all answers...Please, no jokes, put downs or insults...thanks :)

This is an example of the writer's bias. Hebrews believed that everything both good and bad was God's doing. Here God is blamed/ given responsibility for Uzzah's death.....as he was for Saul's death, as he was for the death of Ananias and Sapphira, as he was for the genocide of those Israel moved in on.

They were wrong in their assumption. Jesus reveals to us the hidden agency of the Devil is the one who brings about destruction.

 

[Aunty Jane]

The incident regarding Uzzah reminds us of the man who collected sticks on the Sabbath who was also penalized with death…..seems like a trivial thing, but God’s laws are never trivial or without sound reason.
The penalty delivered was deserved as it was already understood that death was the penalty for even a seemingly small thing…like picking up sticks…..and yet it wasn’t small to Jehovah.
It showed gross disregard for the one who made those rules and why he made them in the first place.
David is responsible for the death of Uzzah, reminding us that our actions can have consequences for others.

Picking up sticks on the Sabbath showed disrespect for the Sabbath because the man was apparently intending to light a fire, which was also forbidden, as was meal preparation, which was to be done the day before….so his actions showed intent to break the Sabbath laws disregarding them completely.

We also have no idea of Uzzah’s motivation in reaching out to steady the Ark…..was he perhaps thinking that he would be hailed for saving the Ark? Jehovah knows, we do not. All we need to know is that obedience to God is always rewarded by him, if not in this life, then in the new world to come.

 

[Lambano]

Okay, show me what gives my brothers and sisters, was Uzzah being outwardly or inwardly "irreverent" intentionally?

I checked Blue Letter Bible. The Hebrew word translated as "irreverent" is שַׁל ("shal"). It's only used one time in the Bible, and its meaning is uncertain. The KJV translates it as "error".

I don't like it one bit. This whole incident has all the earmarks of an educational killing, of God sending David a message, "I am NOT safe." David goes from celebrating the coming of the Ark of the Covenant in verse 5 to being afraid of God in verse 9. Message received.

I guess I don't have to like it. God never asks my opinion anyway.

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)

 

[Windmill Charge]

Good intentions are not enough for God or even for our own laws.
example one might be driving safely but either in an unsafe car or on the wrong side of the road.
Both of these ' innocent' error could cost one your driving licence or someone else their life.

God expects obedience to his commands and as has been already said.
David did not consult or obey the commands of how the Ark was to be transported.
An act full of good intentions and meaning no disrespect cost Uzziah his life.

There is a lesson in this story, do we learn from it?

 

[amigo de christo]

Good intentions are not enough for God or even for our own laws.
example one might be driving safely but either in an unsafe car or on the wrong side of the road.
Both of these ' innocent' error could cost one your driving licence or someone else their life.

God expects obedience to his commands and as has been already said.
David did not consult or obey the commands of how the Ark was to be transported.
An act full of good intentions and meaning no disrespect cost Uzziah his life.

There is a lesson in this story, do we learn from it?

Oh there is a LESSON all right . IF GOD said it DO IT . Follow the pattern of instruction HE gave the church .
Yet its rather odd indeed that so many have left off the original pattern of instruction given us in scriptures
and well if not following the pattern could cost UZZIAH his life
IF Under the old covenant a man could be put to death
ANY GUESSES on how much WORSE a punishment awaits those WHO TROD JESUS UNDER FOOT .
who left off HEEDING HIS WORDS , the apostels words and pattern for the church .
DEATH DOES AWAIT many my friend and when i say death i speak of THE SECOND DEATH .
we bess bible up for ourselves and learn THAT GOD , HIS CHRIST , the very pattern for all things
THEY LEFT US IN SAID BIBLE .
For many now have kissed the golden calf of inclusivty and diversity for unity
For many have now placed their hand upon THE WRONG ARK .

 

[amadeus]

Pr 9:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

 

[amigo de christo]

Pr 9:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

and notice in another part of scripture is gives us a clear meaning , TO FEAR THE LORD is to depart from evil .
Yet many seem to rather embrace evil and yet claim GOD . THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD in them .
The HOLY SPIRIT would never lead us into rebellion against GOD . the flesh , now it is contrary and its
influence LUSTS of the world . GOD KNOWS what is best for us . HE SENDS the SPIRIT to guide and to lead
to draw unto HIM , unto CHRIST . the flesh , YEAH its contrary .
SO now the question remains , WHY do so many within christendom heed the flesh .
WHY do so many sit under men whose call for unity is destroying them and all that sit under them .
UNITY UNDER CHRIST GOOD
unity under man for common ground , BAD.
LOVE OF GOD , GOOD
the love of the world , BAD.
And yet i see slaves of the flesh walking high with no fear of GOD , honoring sins , hollering love
saying things like judge not , ye know not the muslims heart , judge not
you know not the heart of men . YEAH BUT I DO KNOW THE FRUITS . THE FRUIT OF THE WICKED IS TO SIN
the FRUIT of GOD , proves that which is ACCEPTABLE TO GOD . take note it didnt say that which is acceptable
to a certain time or age . IT says TO GOD . and SIN AINT acceptable to GOD nor ever will it be ACCEPTABLE to GOD
even if the churches and world try and say ITS NO LONGER SIN .

 

[amadeus]

and notice in another part of scripture is gives us a clear meaning , TO FEAR THE LORD is to depart from evil .
Yet many seem to rather embrace evil and yet claim GOD . THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD in them .
The HOLY SPIRIT would never lead us into rebellion against GOD . the flesh , now it is contrary and its
influence LUSTS of the world . GOD KNOWS what is best for us . HE SENDS the SPIRIT to guide and to lead
to draw unto HIM , unto CHRIST . the flesh , YEAH its contrary .
SO now the question remains , WHY do so many within christendom heed the flesh .
WHY do so many sit under men whose call for unity is destroying them and all that sit under them .
UNITY UNDER CHRIST GOOD
unity under man for common ground , BAD.
LOVE OF GOD , GOOD
the love of the world , BAD.
And yet i see slaves of the flesh walking high with no fear of GOD , honoring sins , hollering love
saying things like judge not , ye know not the muslims heart , judge not
you know not the heart of men . YEAH BUT I DO KNOW THE FRUITS . THE FRUIT OF THE WICKED IS TO SIN
the FRUIT of GOD , proves that which is ACCEPTABLE TO GOD . take note it didnt say that which is acceptable
to a certain time or age . IT says TO GOD . and SIN AINT acceptable to GOD nor ever will it be ACCEPTABLE to GOD
even if the churches and world try and say ITS NO LONGER SIN .

Even Solomon who wrote the proverb I cited as God inspired him to do so, later in his own life effectively despised what he had written to pursue his own ways. He chose to follow the ways of his own heart in place of the Way of God. Not very wise at all in the end... no longer fearing God. As went Uzzah so also went Solomon:

1ki 11:7	Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
1ki 11:8	And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
1ki 11:9	And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

1ki 11:10	And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
1ki 11:11	Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

 

[amigo de christo]

Even Solomon who wrote the proverb I cited as God inspired him to do so, later in his own life effectively despised what he had written to pursue his own ways. He chose to follow the ways of his own heart in place of the Way of God. Not very wise at all in the end... no longer fearing God. As went Uzzah so also went Solomon:

1ki 11:7	Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
1ki 11:8	And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
1ki 11:9	And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

1ki 11:10	And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
1ki 11:11	Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

And WHY do you suppose this happened unto one of even the wisest of all men at HIS time .
A hint .
REMEMEBER when i said IF GOD says to DO , OR IF GOD says NOT TO DO , we just gotta HEED GOD .
Solomon chose to have many wives whose hearts were after other gods . AND THUS being unequally yoked
HE FELL .
SO again i ask us a question . WHY ARE WE GONNA HEED MEN who tell us we need to find COMMON GROUND
with other religoins and peoples of the world . WHEN GOD TOLD US NOT to be unequally yoked together .
FOR what common ground does a believer have with an unbeliever . HE DONT . THE ONLY COMMON GROUND
i could ever have with an unbeliever IS THE FLESH , IS OF THE WORLD . BINGO . yet many
just try and find a way to get along and have common ground and unity .
DID not even GOD say , YE SHALL NOT hate your neighbor in your heart , you shall in any way REBUKE , CORRECT HIM
and not ALLOW Sin upon him . YET TODAYS LOVE says , OVERLOOK ERRORS , JUDGE NOT, CORRECT NOT
Just love and have fellowship and unity . WE BEING DUPED AMADEUS . DUPED BIG TIME too .
NOT on my watch . I am gonna expose the all inclusive sin accepting , sin tolerating , many path accepting FAKE LOVE
till the day i drop dead or the LORD do come . AND IT AINT CAUSE I HATE , ITS CAUSE I LOVE the peoples and desire ONLY GOOD for them .