David’s New Ox-Cart

Introduction

I invite you to turn in your Bibles tonight to 1 Chronicles chapter 13. I want us to spend some time tonight pondering an Old Testament story from 1 Chronicles chapter 13. Before we get to the story itself, let me say a couple of things by way of setting the historical context of the story we want to consider. Our story falls on the hills of what had been some pretty dark days for the children of Israel, God’s people in the Old Testament. Our story comes not long after the death of Israel’s first king, Saul. Saul had been such a disappointment. He looked like a king, had the physical appearance of what one would think a king would look like, and initially had even done some good things as king, but he had trusted in his own wisdom rather than God’s, and ultimately rebelled against God and was rejected by God as king.

And in his last days, Israel had been overrun by her enemies, the Philistines, and in battle Saul and his sons had been killed, and what followed was a period of chaos that threw the nation into civil war, and it was indeed a dark period in their history. But before we get to the story that we’ll consider this evening, the fortunes of the nation would change. God, in fact, even before Saul was killed in battle, had chosen another man to be king, a man described as a man after God’s own heart. And so after the death of Saul, it was David, whom God had selected to rise to power and unite the nation and become the king over Israel. And with his ascension to the throne, the fortunes of the nation began to change.

After becoming king, David took his armies and went up against the city of Jerusalem and captured it and made it his capital. There he built for himself a palace. He turned his armies against the Philistine, their notorious enemies, and thoroughly routed them with the help of God. Under his leadership, the nation once again began to prosper militarily, and political stability was returned to the people. But remember that David is a man after God’s own heart. And his current concerns are not simply political. He has not only political ambitions and military ambitions. David was concerned about the spiritual condition of the nation as well. And in fact, it is that concern with what is happening spiritually that brings us to 1 Chronicles chapter 13 and the story we’re about to consider this evening.

1. Let Us Bring Back the Ark of Our God

David sought not only to take action against their enemies and to take political control of the empire, but David as well chose to take action on a spiritual front as well. And here in 1 Chronicles 13 and verse 1, we’re told one of the things he did. Read with me from chapter 13 and verse 1. It says, Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, if it seems good to you, and if it is from the Lord our God, let us send everywhere to our kinsmen who remained in all the land of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may meet with us, and let us bring back the ark of our God to us.

For we did not seek it in the days of Saul. Then all the assemblies said that they would do so for the people, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. David said, You know what we need to do? We need to get the Ark of the Covenant. And we need to bring it back to Jerusalem. In the midst of all his other activities. David is determined to bring spiritual revival to the nation. He notes in verse 3 that they had neglected the Ark in the days of Saul, and perhaps that represented a general spiritual decline in the nation in those days. But David wants to do something about that. He wants to revive the spiritual fervor of the nation. And as a focal point of that effort, he said, you know what?

We need to get the Ark of the Covenant. And we need to bring it to Jerusalem. Now, before going any further, let’s talk a little bit about the significance of this ark. The Ark of the Covenant was actually just a small golden chest. I would say roughly the size of the communion table, but really it would be just a little bit smaller than that. And this gold chest was covered with a lid that was called the mercy seat, and the mercy seat would have two winged cherubim facing each other. I think this artist’s depiction may be a pretty good illustration of what the ark may have looked like. The ark was very special to the Israelites. In fact, in reality, the most sacred piece of furniture associated with their worship.

It was inside of the Ark of the Covenant that the tablets of stone on which God had written the Ten Commandments were stored. The Ark itself was kept in the most holy place, in the innermost sanctuary of the tabernacle, that tent-like structure used for worship. But perhaps most significant, if you’ll be turning in your Bibles over to Exodus chapter 25, God had told Moses that it would be here at the ark that he would meet with him and give to the people his laws. And Exodus 25 and verse 21, as God is giving instruction for the construction of the ark. He says, And you shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I shall give to you, and there I will meet with you, and from between the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

So, in a sense, it was the contact point of God with the people. So, as you might anticipate, the ark held for the children of Israel great spiritual significance. Although it had seen some rough years in the hands of the Israelites.

It appears that the Israelites had sort of an Indiana Jones mentality about the Ark of the Covenant. They weren’t doing well in battle, and they believed, well, if we could just get the ark and take it into battle, we’ll defeat our enemies. Well, exactly the opposite happened. They brought it into battle, they were routed by the Philistines, and the Philistines took the ark. People were devastated. We’re told in chapter 4 of 1 Samuel that when Eli heard the news, he literally fell over backwards from where he was sitting, broke his neck, and died on the spot. He was so devastated by the news. His daughter in law, who was pregnant at the time, immediately went into labor and delivered the child. And it is said that they named the child Ichabod, which means no glory, because it was said the ark is gone and the glory has departed from Israel, verse 22.

It says something to us about how much they prized the ark, and the loss of it was utterly devastating. But it wasn’t gone for long. Philistines sure learned soon learned that the ark was not a prized possession for them to have. Everywhere they took it, in every city where they kept it, the people were tormented by all kinds of problems, and so in frustration, they finally sent it on a cart back to the Israelites. And upon its return, the ark was taken to the house of Abinadath and left there. And it remained there literally for years. I guess almost forgotten. David said that during the days of Saul, they had neglected the ark. Things are going to change under his leadership as king. David was determined, we’re told here in 1 Chronicles 13, to bring the ark to Jerusalem, to bring this centerpiece of their religious life to the center of the nation, to the capital city.

2. They Carried the Ark on a New Cart

You know, I don’t see anything in this text that would make us suspicious of David’s motives. That would lead us to believe that there was anything untoward about what he was seeking to do. Again, he had seen the neglect of the ark during Saul’s days and the spiritual decline of the nation, and I think David was trying to rectify that. He was trying to restore the nation back to faithful service to God. I don’t think there’s any questioning that David’s motives were sincere and pure. In fact, from what the text tells us here in 1 Chronicles 13, it appears that the occasion of bringing the ark to Jerusalem was an occasion for which David went all out. Look at verse 5 of chapter 13. It says, So David assembled all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt, even to the entrance of Haman, to bring the ark of the God from Kiraim.

And David and all Israel went up to Bala, that is to Kira Jerim, which belongs to Judah, to bring from there the ark of God, the Lord who is enthroned above the cherubim where his name is called. And they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Aoi drove the cart. And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and with trumpets. All Israel came out for it. Everyone was there. 2 Samuel 6 and verse 1, recounting the same story, tells us that 30,000 soldiers were assembled to accompany the ark on its journey to Jerusalem. We’re told that the ark was carried on a new cart.

I suspect perhaps a cart that had been constructed new just for this occasion, just to bring the ark to Jerusalem. Two men, Uzzah and Ahoy, drove the new cart, carried the ark. Man, that must have been an honored privilege. Do you imagine? Here the whole nation is there, 30,000 soldiers, everybody celebrating, and front and center are Uzzah and this other guy, I do wish I knew how to pronounce his name. Ahoy. We get the impression that this was an occasion of tremendous spiritual joy for the nation. Not simply irreverent exuberance, but genuine spiritual joy. But if you know the story, and I imagine some of you do, we know that this joy was short-lived, that soon their occasion for celebration would be turned to mourning. Because as they made the journey, something went drastically wrong.

3. Uzzah Put Out His Hand to Hold the Ark

Verse 9 gives us the first hint of it. It says when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark because the oxen nearly upset it. The threshing floor of Kidon would have been a place where the clay that we’re traveling over would have been hard packed and perhaps the road would have been somewhat rough and uncertain. Scholars tell us that actually the threshing floor of Chidon, although the exact location is not known, was very much near to the city of Jerusalem. They were almost there. The journey was almost over, and something went wrong. The King James translation says that the oxen stumbled. Whatever happened, something happened to that cart, carried the ark, it was jostled and began to be shaken.

And Uzzah, one of the ones assigned the responsibility of riding with the ark, perceived that the ark was about to fall. Talk about a public relations nightmare, Ralph. You’ve got the whole nation gathered. You’re almost there, and all of a sudden, boom, the ark falls off in front of everybody. Not to mention that the possibility of this could happen to the Ark of the Covenant.

When Uzzah perceives that the ark is about to fall, he acts, I suppose, almost instinctively. What would you have done? If you’d been there. And it had been your responsibility to transport the ark. And it was about to fall. He reached up and he grabbed it to study. What happens next in the story is at least initially utterly baffling. Verse 10 says, and the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, so he struck him down because he had put his hand to the ark and he died there before the Lord. God struck him dead. Can you imagine the effect that must have had on the crowd? I suspect was such a huge gathering, not everyone knew initially what had happened. Now, those right around it perhaps saw and knew, and word began to spread, the utter shock, how quickly the celebration must have ceased.

What must have been going through David’s mind? We don’t have to wonder about that because verse 11 tells us. Verse 11 said, Then David became angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, and he called that place paralyz Uzzah to this day. First instinct was to be angry. Why has God done this? We’re seeking him. We’re trying to revive devotion and dedication and service of him. And this is how we’re repay.

I understand the emotion better in verse 12 where it says, And David was afraid of God that day. Saying, How can I bring the ark of God home to me? What have I done wrong? Does God not want it there? What have we missed? At this point, undoubtedly unsure about what to do. They elect to do nothing. Verse 13 says, So David did not take the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed Edom, the Gidite. Thus the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months, and the Lord blessed the family of Obed Edom with all that he had. You know, I remember when I was a kid in Bible class.

Being told this story.

As a child in Bible class of five or six years old, it appeared to me that Uzzah was trying to do the right thing. How could God strike him dead for that? He was protecting the ark of God. It’s difficult to read this story as a child without being impressed that God was just mean and cruel in this case. Do you see how it could appear that way? I find it interesting as an adult that there are lots of grown-up people who have the same problem. I remember one new Christian was reading through her Bible. It’s amazing how it works out this way. She just happened to come across this story. And as soon as she read it, she was on the telephone. She says, Oh, I don’t get this.

4. God Did Exactly What He Said He Would Do

How could God do that? What a terrible thing to do. How could he be so cruel? And you know, folks, when we don’t get all the facts in the story. And we see God’s reaction to us as actions. It’s easy to be left with that impression. But at last there is more to the story, isn’t there? Actually, if you’ll flip back to Numbers chapter 4, the first thing I’d like you to notice with me is that God had shown no special unkindness to Uzzah and the penalty he exacted for us as crime. In fact, what we find if we go back to Numbers chapter 4, is that God, in fact, responded in exactly the way that he said he would respond and exacted the very penalty that he said would be brought against one who was guilty of the kind of irreverence of which Uzza was guilty.

You see, God had given very specific instructions about these sacred things, like all of the furniture that occupied the tabernacle, the holy place and the most holy place. God had given very specific instructions about how they were to be handled and how they were to be regarded by the people. And I think there’s a greater spiritual truth behind all of that. I think all of that worship associated with the tabernacle was illustrating the separation that existed between God and man because of sin. It was there in the most holy place, completely separated from the average Israelite, that the Ark and a covenant was where God met with the people. There was something being said here about the separation sin causes between God and man, I think.

There were greater spiritual truths behind these instructions. But in Numbers chapter 4, God had made clear that only the priest, only those who had been set apart to God and consecrated, had a right to go in and handle this sacred furniture, including the ark. In fact, in Numbers 4 and verse 15, Aaron and his sons were instructed that when they were breaking camp and moving on, that they were to first come in and to cover the holy furniture, lest those who were to move them would touch them and die. Look at verse 15. It says, and when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them, so that they may not touch the holy objects and die.

Did you see that? These sacred things were not to be handled lightly. And God had plainly said that for the common Israelite to handle them would be an act of irreverence, punishable by death. Keeping in mind the greater spiritual truths behind that. You see, God did not act unjustly in Uz’s case. He did exactly what he said he would do. He punished the crime in exactly the way he said he would. Someone says, but wait a minute. Maybe Uzzah didn’t know any better. Remember that David himself had said that they had neglected the ark, and maybe as part of their regular Bible class curriculum, I’m using that somewhat flippantly, but you see the point. Maybe they hadn’t included going back and remembering Numbers chapter 4 and verse 15 and how they weren’t supposed to handle these things.

Or maybe just in the rush of the moment, he kind of lost his head and forgot.

Maybe that’s true. But if he did not know, he should have. Perhaps the problem indeed resulted from the neglect of the ark that had taken place in previous years. But if that teaches us anything, brethren, it teaches us that religious ignorance is not a neutral, insignificant thing, that it can be a tragic thing. If he didn’t know better, he should have.

5. We Did Not Seek Him According to the Ordinance

An act that actually contributed to what happened to Uzzah and resulted in his death. Another act of religious ignorance. Except this time the mistake was made on the part of David. You see, folks, not only had God given very specific instructions about who could handle the ark and who could touch the ark and all of that, God had given very specific instructions about how the ark was to be moved and transported. You’ll notice on this drawing here that the Ark of the Covenant was constructed with little rings on the corners. And through these rings, wooden poles would be placed, so that the ark could then be lifted and borne on the shoulders of the Levites. That’s how the law instructed for the ark to be transported.

Now I think most would look at that and say, what? Cart, poles, what difference does it make? Well, David learned that it made a key difference. If you look at chapter 15 and verse 2, it said, Then David said, No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites. For the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to him forever. Did you catch what he said there? Someone says, What difference does it make how it is moved? Well, the difference is this. God spoke to the matter. That’s what difference it makes. God had given an instruction regarding this. And it was act of faith and obedience to heed the instructions God had given. God said that the Levites were to bear the ark, that that was his service to which he had given them.

Maybe David didn’t know any better.

Maybe he should have. Maybe he should have found out before he took action. And I think David acknowledges that. If you look at verse 11 of chapter 15, it says, Then David called for Zadok and for Abathar the priest, and for the Levites, for Ural and Asai and Joel and Shemai and Elel and Amenadab, and he said to them, You are the heads of your father’s households of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of God, the ark of the Lord God of Israel, to the place that I prepared for it. And then really notice verse 13. Because you did not carry it at the first. The Lord our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek him according to the ordinance.

Boy, that’s a Bible verse that just needs to be underlined. Do you catch what he said then? He said, Because we did not seek him according to the ordinance. I can get a sense of what happened to David. David is concerned about the spiritual revival of the nation. He gets this idea. We need to bring the ark back, and that’s a good idea. And we need to bring it to Jerusalem, the capital of the city. That’s where the ark of God ought to be. And he prepares a place for it. And he’s motivated and he’s excited, and he goes to work without ever bothering to stop and to consult the Word of God and to see how God would have him to do it. Oh, folks, his motives were pure, his heart was right.

But the text says that he didn’t seek God according to the ordinance. And the results were tragic. Our brethren have had to struggle learning that lesson. Our brethren down throughout our history have had in a mind the way that they’re going to go about evangelizing the world or taking on some good work, and they get so excited and enthusiastic about it that they fail in their fervor to stop and consider what has God said about how to do this? What has God laid out in his plan for how his work is to be done? And again, I think the results are tragic. You know, brethren, it is important to have the kind of fervor for God and for his work that was characteristic of David and Israel as they sought to bring the ark to Jerusalem.

But it is equally important that in our spiritual fervor we seek him according to the ordinance. What’s the word of God saying? How has God instructed us to carry out his work? It is interesting that when David got his emotion and his fervor lined up with God’s truth, everything came together. Verse 14 says, So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of God of Israel, and all the sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord. And the ark was brought to Jerusalem. May it ever be that everything we do is according to the word of the Lord, which he’s commanded. Someone says, Well, David, that’s sure a depressing story.

Why would you tell us a story like that? I tell you, it’s not one of those stories like some that we read this morning and talking about the power of prayer that kind of leave you feeling all warm and tingly about God and how he feels about us and what he’s willing to do for us. In fact, it’s one of those stories. I’m read it and I’m kind of struck like David was back in chapter 13 and verse 12. It’s a story at times that inspires fear of God. Why reflect on it? Well, I think because obviously the Holy Spirit saw some abiding value in choosing to preserve us’s story. He wanted us to stand up and take notice of it. And I think there are some lessons, key lessons for our generation that we need to stop and ponder as we think about what happened to us.

6. Do Not Dismiss God’s Instructions as Irrelevant Details

I want to share with you one such lesson before we close this evening. And that is, brethren, it teaches us that we must be careful not to dismiss God’s instructions as irrelevant details. I say that to you because I am increasingly fearful that we live in a religious world where that is exactly the things that is happening the thing that is happening. That too many times God’s instruction by the religious world generally is being dismissed and labeled as irrelevant detailed and ignored. Can I give you some examples of that? I think it’s happening with regard to the matter of salvation. You know, used to be, folks would get together in our religious community generally, and they would discuss and debate and argue an issue like baptism.

I’m sure Brother Folk and Brother Hindley can remember times where we would have public debates where folks of dissenting opinion would debate the necessity of baptism for salvation. And try to argue from the scripture. What is it that God has said to do? I’m fearful that we’re not living in days like that anymore. Where folks aren’t interested in debating the subject because to them, baptism is just a detail. Folks don’t want to argue with it. Because it doesn’t really matter. The disposition I encounter increasingly is look, the important thing is that you accept Jesus Christ in your heart as your Savior. And if you believed on Jesus as your Savior, that’s the key thing. That’s what matters. And baptism, well, whatever you want to do. If baptism is something that’s important to you and you feel the need to do it, by all means be baptized.

But if it doesn’t seem that important to you, well, then don’t worry about it.

And such folks would really scoff at the notion that it would actually matter to God how you are baptized. Whether you sprinkle a little water or pour some over the head or get them all wet, dipping them down in. Who possibly could imagine that the God of heaven cares whether you’re baptized at all, much less how much water is involved in it? It’s just a detail. Easily dismissed by many in our religious world as irrelevant. I think we see the same disposition toward how God is worshiped. I think an awful lot of people in our religious community today would argue, you know, the important thing is that you worship God and you worship Him sincerely. If you’ve got the right object, you’re worshiping the one true God and your heart’s into it and you’re doing it in a way that’s meaningful to you.

That’s what’s important. What possible difference could it make whether or not we have a piano up here? If you like just singing without musical instruments, great, then do that. But if you like it with a pipe organ, well, that’s okay. Or if you need a whole orchestra up here to go along with the singing, surely the God of heaven could care less with all the important things he has to concern himself with, whether or not we worship with an instrument. Is that not the disposition of people in our religious world? I’ve never found anyone come in here who was upset because we didn’t have a piano. But they would think absurd if we suggested there was a problem with having. It’s just a detail. Easily dismissed.

And I think the same point can be made, and sometimes we’re guilty on this one. About easily dismissing the things that the Bible would try to teach us on issues of morality. Even the day-to-day conduct of our lives. I mean, the important thing when it comes to living for Jesus, we would be led to believe, is that we be committed to a life of serving God, to be a faithful servant, do good things for others, and do good work in his kingdom, and help the needs of others as you’re able. That’s the important thing. But to start talking about dancing, do you really think the God of heaven cares? Whether or not Christians dance? Surely he has formed.