In The Word
Read: 1 Chronicles 13-14
Peril in Transporting the Ark
13 Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, with every leader. 2 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 word everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they meet with us; 3 and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, since we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”4 Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for this was right in the eyes of all the people.
5 So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the Lord who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called. 7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly overturned it. 10 But the anger of the Lordburned against Uzza, so He struck him because he had put out his hand toward the ark; and he died there before God. 11 Then David became angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzza; and he called that place Perez-uzza as it is to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13 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 Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months; and the Lord blessed the family of Obed-edom and all that he had.
David’s Family Enlarged
14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, masons, and carpenters, to build a house for him. 2 And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted, for the sake of His people Israel.
3 Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
Philistines Defeated
8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; and David heard about it and went out against them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and carried out a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. 10 David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You hand them over to me?” Then the Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will hand them over to you.” 11 So they came up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there; and David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore they named that place Baal-perazim.12 They abandoned their gods there; so David gave the order and they were burned with fire.
13 The Philistines carried out yet another raid in the valley. 14 David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs. 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baka-shrubs, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 16 David did just as God had commanded him, and they defeated the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David spread in all the lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him on all the nations.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
In chapters 13 and 14, we see a comparison as David leads the people of God. In the triumphant parade of the ark of God, Uzza reaches out to stop the ark from falling over. In this moment, God struck Uzza because of his disobedience in touching the ark. David gets angry with God and leaves the ark in someone else’s home. Then, we see that God blesses David and gives him two overwhelming victories against his enemies.
What we can see is the difference when God is against us and when God is for us. In both cases, God’s anger exploded. The difference was toward whom it exploded. God’s wrath does exist. We live in a social climate that wants to minimize this part of God because it calls into account our part in the matter at hand.
We can either have God fighting for us or against us. What determines this is whether or not we follow His commands. When we rebel, God loves us enough to correct us and to bring us back into His presence. It is in this position that He begins to fight for us. Scripture tells us that God is for us! Scripture also tells us that we must be holy as He is holy. How we follow God determines whether we will see the victory or the discipline. I do not know about you, but I want to be more than victorious!