"Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand." (2 Samuel 6:1)
The 6th chapter records two great victories gained by the army of David,--one over the Jebusites, and one over the Philistines. Now he once more assembles the chief of his men, but for another purpose. The ark of God was to be brought to the capital of the kingdom.
In order to understand this chapter, it is necessary to go back in the history of the Jews about a hundred years. In the 4th chapter of 1 Samuel we have the account of a great battle between the Israelites and the Philistines, in which the Israelites were conquered, and the ark, on which they had depended for safety, was captured. At that time God showed the people that the mere possession of the tables of the law would afford them no protection when they were trampling upon the law itself; that to have the thing from which God was accustomed to manifest himself, was a vain thing unless He himself was enshrined in their hearts.
From this overthrow the Israelites did not recover for many years. The possession of the ark, however, proved disastrous to the Philistines, as we learn from 1 Samuel 5 and 6. God showed them that the things pertaining to His worship must not be handled irreverently.
They were glad to purchase rest from the afflictions which He sent upon them, by returning the ark. When it arrived at Beth Shemesh, the men of that place were smitten, because they presumed to look into the sacred chest, and they sent to the citizens of Kirjath Jearim, requesting them to come and get it. Here it remained until the time of the present lesson.
"And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, (The reader will notice, by the margin of this verse, that "Baale of Judah," from which David sent to bring the ark, is but another name for Kirjath Jearim) to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwells between the cherubims." (2 Samuel 6:2)
The margin of this verse gives the more literal rendering, and the one that makes sense:
"To bring up the ark of God, at which the name, even the name of the Lord of hosts, was called upon" "that dwells between the cherubim." (2 Samuel 6:2)
In Exodus 25:10-22, we have a full description of this ark, and the object for which it was used; there we find the statement that God would commune with the people from between the cherubim that were upon the mercy-seat--the cover of the ark. "And they set the ark of God upon a new cart." (2 Samuel 6:3)
This was contrary to the instructions given by the Lord: that the ark was to be borne by the staves; (See Exodus 25:12-14) the sons of Kohath were appointed to carry it and the other holy vessels, but even they were not to touch or look upon any of them. (See Numbers 4:4-15) In no case was the ark to be placed upon a wagon. (See Numbers 7:7-9) "And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals." (2 Samuel 6:5)
As Dr. Clarke says, this place should be corrected from the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 13:8. There it is said that they played with all their might, on harps, etc., and that makes good sense. The Hebrew letters of the two passages are nearly identical, which doubtless accounts for the difference. The Septuagint has in this place the reading as in 1 Chronicles 13:8, "with might." "And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God." (2 Samuel 6:6-7)
In this we have another illustration of how God, regards His work and worship. It may seem to some that Uzzah's punishment was too severe for so small an act, but such judgment comes from setting up our standard instead of God's. How do we know that Uzzah's error was a small one? From the punishment that followed we would suppose that God regarded it as a great sin. Indeed, we must so regard it unless we are willing to admit that God was unjust.
God is just; the punishments which He inflicts are always proportionate to the sin committed; therefore Uzzah's error must have been a grievous one. The whole proceeding was irregular, but Uzzah, in presuming to lay hands on the sacred ark; overstepped all bounds. Had not that swift punishment been meted out to him, the worship of God would have been degraded, as a common affair, and reverence for sacred things would have entirely died out among the people.
What was it that made that little box of wood and gold so sacred? Why was it to be approached with such awe and reverence, and only by persons duly set apart for that purpose? It was because it contained a copy of the law of God. That which God declares to be His own righteousness--a transcript of His own character--was enclosed in that ark. That law is the foundation of the government of God; it is that by which the loyalty of all creatures is tested. When men lose their reverence for that, they lose their reverence for God's Government, and for God himself. It was on this account that God had given such specific directions concerning the ark.
How do we know what is right and what is wrong? It is evident that it is only by being told. And what warrant have we for calling any violation of one of God's commands a little sin? Do we not by so doing become judges of God?
The lesson to be learned from this circumstance is that to disregard any one of God's requirements is a heinous sin; that sin of any kind is exceedingly displeasing to God. Familiarity with sin hardens us; we learn to excuse it, and our standard is lowered to correspond with existing circumstances.
But God is sinless, and the more sin there is committed the more odious it becomes to Him. If we, then, desire to do what is right, and thus to please God, it is evident that we must in all cases accept the standard of right and wrong which God gives. Our feelings are no criterion whatever, for that which we look upon as trivial, may be regarded by God as a terrible sin.
It is by His law that God reveals His will. Two texts will prove this. "I delight to do your will, O my God; yea your law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:8)
Here we find that to have the law of God in the heart, is to cheerfully do all His will. Again Paul says: "Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest in the law, and make your boast of God, And know His will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law." (Romans 2:17-18)
Here we learn that those who know the will of God are those who are instructed out of the law. But God does not change; we have His word for this. (Malachi 3:6; I am the Lord, I change not) His will concerning men is just the same now as it ever was. This being the case, it follows that His law is always the same. And so it is. Christ said: "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." (Luke 16:17)
And what has this to do with the lesson? Simply this: If God regarded it as so terrible an offense merely to touch the receptacle which contained His law, how much to look upon those who dare to trample upon the law itself? The pope of Rome has impiously presumed to change the law, especially that portion which enjoins the observance of the seventh day of the week, and millions of people have accepted his act. It is considered all right to labor upon the day which God sanctified, because "everybody does so." But the Lord says: "You shall not follow a multitude to do evil." (Exodus 23:2)
We are to make God's law, and not our feelings, or the practice of the multitude, our standard of right and wrong. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily [as in the case of Uzzah], therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." (Ecclesiastes 8:11)
But judgment, though long delayed, is sure to come, and when it does, it will be according to righteousness, or, in other words, according to the law of God.--Signs of the Times, June 26, 1884--Notes on the International Lesson, July 13--2 Samuel 6:1-12
E.J. Waggoner