HCLM BLOG

Yesterday I mentioned a story that several people remarked on as they left church. It was the one about the guy that died as they brought the ark up to Jerusalem. That is actually one small piece of a really cool story.

David had set up Jerusalem as capital in the newly conquered promise land and agreed with the men of Israel that it was time to bring the ark, "the place where the Ancient of days sits enthroned between the wings of the cherubim" up to it. God had prescribed a way for it to be carried, poles through the rings on the side, but David probably wanted something more grand. He had a new cart built for it, and they rolled it down a path. That's when the guy, Uzzah, died. He reached up to stabilize the ark. The text says that God's anger burned because of the irreverence of touching the Ark, but it's what happened next that gets cool.

David is afraid and a little upset so he leaves the ark in a guy's house near there and seems to abandon the plan. Then he hear's word that everything about the guy whose house holds the ark is being blessed. So he decides God really is present in the ark and he ought to be in the city. He pulls together a group of levites this time, and they make poles to carry the ark the right way. They take six careful steps, when no one died they paused made sacrifices to God and praised him. Then they picked it back up and made their way to the capital city. Here's where it gets crazy.

Not only did David carefully pick who would carry the Ark, but he appointed people to be waiting to praise and worship as they brought it in. When they get to Jerusalem they're all going crazy praising God, with all the instruments and voices they can find. David is dancing all around and celebrating, he is so excited to bring the presence of God into the city, and to offer sacrifices to the one God who is God. It's for this occasion that he writes psalm 24 where it says, "Lift up your head, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battle." He gets so carried away in his dancing and celebrating that his outer robe comes off. A woman of the court is offended and tells David that he's not being dignified enough for a King, and he replies "I will become even more undignified than this in the praise of my God!"

I love that story. God is holy, perfectly pure and set against sin. God is mighty in battle, big enough for any of your problems. Knowing that he's on our side ought to drive us to reckless abandon and lives that are dedicated to his praise!