A FAILED COLLECTIVE ATTEMPT TO BRING THE ARK OF THE LORD BACK TO JERUSALEM DAVID AND THE ARK OF THE LORD (Chapters 13 – 16); In (2 Samuel 5: 11-25), we see David build his palace, enter into a battle against the Philistines, and enjoy conquest, before making Jerusalem the religious center of the kingdom. Here, the author cares to show David’s flaring zeal to bring the ark of the Lord back to Jerusalem, representing the divine throne. He intends to show that bringing that ark which was disregarded by Saul back to Jerusalem was considered as the first and main task for David. David cared for gathering all the tribes together, and for the unity and the presence of the people (2, 5, 6). Chapters 13-16 tell us about that holy zeal. The reader may remember that during the period of the judges, the Philistines took the ark of the Lord; but having brought limitless troubles on them, they put it on a new cart, and returned it to Israel (1 Samuel 6). Since then, the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Abinadab in Kirjath Jearim, until David decided to attempt bringing it back to Jerusalem, to make the capital of his kingdom, the royal city, as well as the holy city. The first attempt to bring the Ark back: David did not ever seek his personal honor, nor hastened to sit on the throne, despite having a divine promise for that since his youth; he was only preoccupied with gathering the people and the leaders together around the ark of the Lord, being a representative of the throne of God, where the ‘Seat of Mercy’ was. David gathered together all Israel to make a collective and sound decision concerning that task, by the leaders of the army, the chiefs of the tribes, the priests, and the Levites; But because they did not seek the counsel of the Lord; that supposedly joyful task turned into bitterness, when Uzza who touched the ark to keep it from falling from the cart, aroused the wrath of God. David feared to make another attempt to bring the ark back to Jerusalem. 1- David seeks the counsel of the leaders and all Israel 1 - 4 2- All moved to bring the ark back to Jerusalem 5 - 6 3- A great celebration for bringing the ark of the Lord back to Jerusalem 7 - 8 4- The death of Uzzah 9 - 11 5- David feared to make any further attempt to bring the ark back to Jerusalem 12 - 13 6- God blesses the house of Obed-Edom 14 1- DAVID SEEKS THE COUNSEL OF THE LEADERS AND ALL THE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL: Why did the talk here concerning the achievements of David begin with moving the ark of the Lord from ‘Jearim’ to ‘Jerusalem’, although, as it came in (2 Samuel 5-6) that he did many achievements before moving the ark? By this the author tends to confirm that all the works and achievements of David had one goal, namely, the enjoyment of the divine presence. The ark of the Lord had preoccupied David’s heart even before he becomes a king. And moving it to Jerusalem was not something new in his mind. … The author was also preoccupied, not by the historical parade of events, as much as proclaiming what was in David’s mind, heart, and behavior. “Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader” (1) Once David settled down on the throne, he thought about moving the ark of God; with two goals: 1- To give honor to God, being the true Leader, and to show honor toward His ark, that represents His presence. I wish the first and greater care of those who enjoy authority, honor, and riches, is to give honor to God, His ministry, and ministering to His kingdom among men. 2- To get the true comfort, happiness, and benefit, of the presence of the ark in the capital….. It was wise of the rulers of the world to take the ark of God in their depths, to enjoy His wisdom, counsel, and laws; for those who start by the fear of God will enjoy His grace. David was used to consult the Lord in everything, to seek His blessing and intervention; but counting that moving the ark does not need consultation, being a blessed act that would undoubtedly bring pleasure to the heart of God; he failed, because he depended upon the collective decision, and upon his own understanding, disregarding to resort to God. David forgot that the ark of God, representing the throne of God, does not depend upon human arms or zeal. David learned that, but unfortunately, not before the actual work, but after the funeral of Uzzah and his burial in the grave. We notice that in the book of Samuel, he mentioned how David, beside seeking the counsel of the leaders, he wisely sought the counsel of thousands, hundreds, and every chief among the people, so that all would feel that this work concern both the leaders and the people, and not just the king. Yet he erred that he did not seek the counsel of the Lord, probably because he felt that the work does not need God’s counsel, for it implies the love for God. And on another aspect, he did not seek the counsel of the priests and the Levites, concerning how to move the ark of God according to the law. It was good to seek the counsel of the people; for, although David was the king, and it was in his authority to command, yet he chose to seek counsel, and to let the others partake of leadership; that made all trust in his wise decisions, and feel comfortable with his behavior with such spirit of humility. No wise leader can take his decisions without seeking counsel. Although David was very shrewd, yet he sought the counsel of his leaders; “For in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 24: 6). But, if David sought the counsel of the Lord, or asked any Levite about the lawful way of moving the ark of God, the task of moving it would have been done with peace and joy. “And David said to all the congregation of Israel: ‘If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and the Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us’” (2) He called the whole people to attend that occasion, to honor the ark, and to please and enlighten them. He called the common people “our brethren”, a sign of humility, and of the extent of love he had for them; the same way the Lord Jesus called us His brothers (Hebrew 2: 11), for the sake of His amazing love for us. David made one condition that the task had to be according to the will of God; as though he says that, even if it seems good in your sight and mine, yet, if it is not according to the will of the Lord, we should not do it. I wish, we, as well, in all what we do, should ask ourselves: [Is this work from God? Is it according to his will? Can we give a good report about it to God? Do we expect that it brings pleasure to God? Have we sought the counsel of God before starting doing it? “And let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul” (3) He calls “the ark of the covenant” “the Ark of our Lord ”, or “the ark of our God”; He intended to bring it back to the capital, to make out of it a center of worship for the whole people. He intended to confirm that God is the center of life of all believers. In the days of Saul, who disregarded the ark of the covenant, the Philistines took it over for a duration of seven months; then brought it forth to Kerjat Jearim, to be kept in the house of Abinadab the Levite (1 Samuel 4-7), where it remained several years; a sign of the lack of care for the divine presence, the attachment to God, or the acceptance of God as the center of life. The desire to move the ark of the covenant back to the capital, however, bears a desire that God would be the first in the life of the congregation, and at the foremost position. So it is befitting of us to have the Holy Book, being the Word of God, in the foremost position in our lives. David’s heart was preoccupied with gathering Israel together with all its tribes, leaders, priests, and Levites, to bring the ark of the covenant back from Kerjat Jearim; and with gathering together all the worshippers of the Lord for that purpose; saying with bitterness: “for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul” (3). David perceived that the secret of Israel’s failure in the days of Saul, was that the ark of God was altogether forgotten. Since the Philistines brought it back to Israel, no one cared for it (1 Samuel 14: 18-19)…. We should notice that David did not say anything bad about Saul; he did not say that Saul never cared for the ark of the covenant, at least during the end of his reign; but with humility, he said: “for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul”; counting himself together with others, guilty of that slothfulness. … It is better for us to condemn ourselves, before condemning anyone else; for the humble and the good, count their portion in the general guilt, and refer the reproach to themselves (Daniel 9: 5, etc.) “Then all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people” (4) 3- ALL MOVED TO BRING THE ARK TO JERUSALEM: “So David gathered all Israel together from Shihor in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kerjath Jearim” (5) Shihor in Egypt: meaning (black or turbid), refers to the River Nile, which divides at the end into a delta of two branches, the eastern one is the boundary between Egypt and Israel, referred to here. The entrance of Hamath: The land around ‘Homs’, an open plain to the north of Hamath, to east toward the wilderness of Syria; to the south toward Rablah and Bakaa; and to the west toward the sea. It is an entrance to all these locations. Shihor was toward the extreme south, and Hamath toward the extreme north. “And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, to kerjath Jearim, which belonged to Judah to bring up from there the ark of the Lord God who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed” (6) The ark was in the house of Abinadab in Kerjath Jearim, after the Philistines brought it back to Israel (1 Samuel 4: 3). The tabernacle of meeting was in Shiloh in the days of Eli the priest (1 Samuel 1: 3); In ‘Nob’ in the days of Saul (1 Samuel 21: 1-9); In Gibeon in the days of David, when Zadok was the high priest; And finally in Jerusalem in the days of Solomon, before the temple was built. 4- A GEAT CELEBRATION FOR BRINGING THE ARK BACK TO JERUSALEM: “So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; and Uzzah and Ahio drove the cart” (7) A cart drawn by oxen was a convenient way for the Philistines to move the ark (1 Samuel 6: 7); But the people of God, given definite commands in this concern (See Numbers 4: 11, 15), in spite of their great celebration of bringing back the ark, yet they disobeyed God’s commands, hence failed to recognize the presence of the Holy God among them. Who could imagine that David, with his great understanding of the law, would commit such a mistake, to use a cart to move the ark?! Because the Philistines moved it that way, and God allowed it to be, David assumed that he could do the same. But we should abide to the divine command, and not follow the lead of others when they disobey it; even though the divine will might allow it in specific circumstances . That is why, when Uzzah touched the ark, God stroke him and he died. Uzzah’s sin warns us against prior assumptions, haste, and the lack of awe in dealing with he sanctities; We should not assume that good intention is an excuse for a faulty act. When we approach to have communion of the Holy sacraments, we should examine our hearts, lest the long intimacy would lead to lack of honor. I wish we would not take approaching God, easy ; but to approach with daring to the throne of grace through Christ; for we are now under the ordinance of freedom and grace, and not under bondage and servitude. … I wish the depression that altered the joy of Israel to grief, because of the punishment that came upon Uzzah, would perpetually remind us to worship the Lord with fear and trembling, while serving Him with joy and gladness. I wish David’s anger on that occasion would warn us, to watch ourselves when we come under the divine chastisement; lest we get into conroversy with Him instead of submitting to His will. “Then David and all Israel played music before the Lord with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets” (8)’’ Beside making all his decisions in everything, even in the religious issues, with seriousness, balance, and reverence, David put in his heart to let the spirit of joy prevail on all the people. According to the scholar Origen, the use of music is an expression of joy, with the spirit of unity and harmony in the Lord. With the tunes of music, those wishing for unity could be in harmony with the others; whereas those rejecting unity, would never enjoy the music. That was what strongly appeared in the parable by the Lord Christ of the prodigal son who returned to his father; When the son, encountered his father, who ran and fell on his neck and kissed him (Luke 15: 20); music was played in the house (the church); and there was dancing (a symbol of the amazing unity between the father, full of compassion, and the son who returned with his whole heart); but unfortunately, the older brother was offended by all that (Luke 15: 25-28). + The word ‘symphony’ precisely refers to the harmonized sounds of music; an expression well known in the Holy Book. As it was befitting with the harmony that happened between the father and his son who was lost and is found by repentance, to hear a symphony in such a joyful occasion… That likens what came in the second book of Samuel, when the sons of Abinadab preceded the ark of the covenant, and David and all the children of Israel played before the face of the Lord a superb music and songs (see 2 Samuel 6: 4-5 LXX). (The scholar Origen) 5- THE DEATH OF UZZAH: “And when they came to Shidon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled” (9) “Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark, and he died there before the Lord” (10) The Lord had already given specific instructions concerning the way the ark should be carried and moved (Numbers 4: 5-15). It was the duty of the priests to carry the ark without touching it, lest they die. They should carry it by two poles of shittim-wood overlaid with gold, inserted through four rings of gold two on each side -- – which are not to be removed). The law forbids even the priests to touch the holy thing (Number 4: 15). Uzzah died because he touched the ark of the covenant; whereas the house of Obed the Edomite where the ark was kept, was blessed. The apostle says: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrew 10: 21). We look at God, being the merciful Father; Yet we are committed to revere Him, being the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. Uzzah died because he took by force the rights of priest, which he should not do. According to Josephus, If Uzzah died on account of what he did, out of ignorance; Those who take communion of the body and blood of the Lord, while unworthy, will be condemned, even if they do not perceive the seriousness of their act. God allowed for the death of Uzzah, because he touched the ark, that he should not do; to tell us not to take any divine commandment slothfully. Together with God’s exalted love of man; it is befitting of man to be committed by obedience to the divine commandment, even the simple ones. + Whoever perverts, even a little bit, from the pure faith, is counted as though had committed a major sin, and would be counted as utterly corrupt. The lack of zeal in the little things is the cause of all our tribulations; Because of the little sins, the big ones crawl into man. The same way the slothfulness in treating the wounds of the body would cause infection, fever, and probably death. (St. John Chrysostom) + Seeing how ignorance may be punished by the wrath of God, David, the godly man, the prophet, the anointed king, whom God chose according to His heart to consummate His will in everything; was grieved; and feared lest he would fall under a similar judgment (St. Jerome) “And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; therefore that place was called ‘Perez Uzzah’ to this day” (11) David became so angry and fearful; that he feared to make another attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem; on account of that his great celebration of moving the ark utterly failed, and ended in the death of someone, he thought as innocent. … God did not forsake him in his anger and grief, but opened his eyes up to see the blessings of the ark of the covenant that dwelt on the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite; that he desired to attach himself to the ark of the covenant, and to move it anew to the capital, but yet with the spirit of obedience to the divine commandment. 6- DAVID FEARED TO DO ANY OTHER ATTEMPT TO BRING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT TO JERUSALEM: “David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?” (12) “And David would not move the ark with him into the city of David, but took it aside into the house of Obed-Odom the Gittite” (13) The ark remained for three months in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, and the house was filled with blessing. It is amazing that the book of the Chronicles that covered up serious and horrible sins of David, cared here to record his fault in not following the statute of moving the ark of the covenant. … Why? 1- It is well and good for David and those with him, to rejoice and praise God, while moving the ark of the covenant into the capital; Yet, together with the praise, they were committed to obey the statute of God; For the noncommitment to let the priests carry the ark, assuming that it is enough to carry it on a new cart, even if it seems to be a little thing, but the obedience to God is everything. 2- The comfort of the ark of the covenant is not in moving it into the capital, but in the obedience by man of the divine commandment; by which we would enjoy the presence of God. 3- Although the Philistines, when they returned the ark of the covenant to Israel, carried it on a new cart; and yet no one died; It was because they know nothing about that statute. What they did was according to their conscience and their perception by the natural law, because they did not have the Mosaic law. 4- David failed in moving the ark; and his confidence, together with the joy and praise turned into fear, anger, and bitterness; and even to accusation against God; Yet, the movement of the ark was realized when David came to learn how to obey the divine commandment. 5- God presented to us a practical lesson, not to seek to please Him according to our human mind, but by obedience to His divine Word and commandment, He granted to us. + It is befitting of us to believe that the delay in fulfilling the commandment, is counted as time of disobedience to it…. We should remember the saying: “Do not delay to turn back to the Lord, and do not postpone it from day to day” (Sirach 5: 7); and the saying: “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go and come back, and tomorrow I will give it’, when you have it with you” (Proverb 3: 28). (The scholar Origen) + The proof of love is to proclaim it through work. That is why John says in his epistle: “He who says ‘ I know him’, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2: 4). Our true love is in keeping our will in harmony with God’s commandments. He who goes to and fro through his evil covetousness, does not truly love God; because he acts against the will of God. (Pope Gregory the Great) + Every word of Christ reveals the mercies, righteousness and wisdom of God; and this word could have its strength in the soul through the ear, if it readily listens. That is why a man with a cruel and an evil heart, who does not readily listen to it, will not only fails to perceive the divine wisdom, but will crucify Jesus who taught it, again. That is why we ought to make sure if we readily listen to His Word; For he says: “If you love Me, keep My commandments … He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14: 16, 21). Do you see how He made keeping His commandments a condition to manifest Himself? The greatest commandment is to love God, and to love the neighbor, that come after we reject all the temporal things, and have our mind well-established. + The spiritual training is not separate from the commandment, but it is rather the commandment itself. Show me work that is not a commandment. If you talk about prayer, it is a commandment. If you talk about rejecting the evil thoughts, it is a commandment. If you talk about fasting and watching, … they are commandments. And if you talk about bringing the self to death, it is a commandment as well. (St. Mark the hermit) 6- GOD BLESSES THE HOUSE OF OBED-EDOM: “The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed- Edom and all that he had” (14) If death came upon Uzzah because he touched the ark of the covenant, regardless of the divine commandment; God, however blessed the house of Obed-Edom where the ark remained for three months; which confirms that God is the Source of uncountable blessings to him who holds fast to Him and who seeks Him. But he who does not care for His commandment, will hear the evangelic saying: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrew 10: 31) Let the blessing which dwelt upon the house of Obed-Edom because of the ark of the covenant, encourage us to welcome the rites of the church in our houses…. If the word of the gospel for some is “the aroma of death to death”; as the ark was for Uzzah; … But if we receive it with joy and love, it will be for us “the aroma of life for life: (2 Corinthians 2: 16). ---------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM 1 CHRONICLES 13 PROCLAIM, O LORD, YOUR DIVINE PRESENSE IN MY HEART + By Your Holy Spirit, set in my depths a temple for Yourself; Transfigure, O Lord, in my depths; To see You deep in me, deeper than my depths; And High, O Holy One, higher than my heights. + Grant me by Your divine presence, to be preoccupied only by You; Nail Your fear in my heart; and proclaim Your love in my depths; Together with the cherubim and the seraphim, I stand in awe before You; And by the cross, my heart flows with love and longing for You
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