The Danger of Good Intentions

“Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6;6, 7 

After King David established Himself in Jerusalem he went with his soldiers to bring the Ark of God (called “God-of-the-Angel-Armies”) to the capital city.

They reverently placed the Chest of God on a brand-new oxcart and removed it from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were driving the cart...Ahio in the lead and Uzzah alongside the Chest. At some point, the oxen stumbled, so Uzzah reached out and grabbed the “God-of-the-Angel-Armies”. God blazed in anger against Uzzah and struck him hard because he had profaned the Chest. 

So...how did this “profane” the Ark and why did it anger God? We look at Haggai, chapter two, where the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, “Ask the priests for a ruling: If a man is unclean and touches something holy... will it become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.”

Uzzah’s contact with the Ark, regardless of motive, resulted in making the Ark (not God, Himself) unclean. Uzzah died on the spot, right alongside the Chest. This should be a sure reminder that you and I can never come in contact with Holy God unless we are first made Holy by the blood of a Christ.

David got angry and fearful. He decided not to take the ark to Jerusalem.

What happened? It’s difficult to fault Uzzah for trying to prevent the ark from falling. Why would God react with such anger? We need to return to the wilderness and review Numbers, chapter four, where God said...“When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and they shall take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it; and they shall lay a covering of porpoise skin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth of pure blue, and shall insert its poles. Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth and cover it with a covering of porpoise skin, and shall insert its poles; so that they will not touch the holy objects and die.“ 

Keil-Delitzsch are helpful in explaining what happened. David was not angry with God. He was angry with himself. In his enthusiasm for returning the Ark to it’s appropriate resting place he had neglected to research God’s rules for transporting His sacred presence. 

Some important lessons come to mind...

1. God does not need our help: God is the architect and creator of everything that exists. It was conceived in His perfect mind and established according to His perfect intent. It’s inconceivable that He would require the aid of His fallen creation to sustain His perfect will.
2. God has not asked for our help: God has given clear and specific guidelines for human faith and practice. These rules do not constitute God’s plea for help rather, they reveal His intent for how we must live in harmony with His design.
3. Perception is not reality: Human endeavor, in pursuit of obedience to God often feels like we’re “helping God.” We see problems and we rush to solve them...never stopping to ask if we are seeing things as God sees them. We criticize and condemn other believers as our way of keeping the boundary lines of faith in their correct place...as though God’s Holy Spirit is incapable of the task.   
4. God expects obedience: Nowhere are God’s rules presented as suggestions or options. We have not been authorized to usurp the mind of God simply because we prefer another path.
5. Opinion is not a substitute for facts: Human culture constantly dabbles in efforts to “explain” what God means by what He says. Inevitably these “explanations” create a God who looks far more like us than is healthy. “I think” is not satisfactory plan for following God. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
6. Ignorance do not excuse misconduct: God’s rules are “immutable”, meaning they do not change to match the circumstances. Circumstances must change to comply with the rule. We fail to study and learn at our own peril.

Someone once said “we live lives of quiet desperation.” This should not be true in the life of a believer. God’s design for His children is a life of perfect peace and rest, captured in the Old Testament account of the Exodus. What should have been a 30 day journey to that end turned out to be a forty year struggle with our human tendency to help God figure out a more preferable path. 

Uzzah becomes a “type” of all well intentioned believers who presume God needs their help. Let’s not make the same mistake. Let’s just keep our eyes on the “Author and finisher” of our faith and leave the results to Him.

Live boldly out there today...

David and Palti - Unintended Consequences

“David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed” 2 Samuel 3:14

When David returned to Judah after Saul’s death, a long war ensued between those loyal to David and those loyal to Saul. Eventually, David’s position became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker. 

Abner, military commander for the House of Saul, sent messengers to David to discuss a deal—to surrender the kingdom of Israel to him in exchange for becoming commander-in-chief of the combined armies of Israel and Judah. “All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring me my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter.” So Ish-bosheth, Saul’s Son, took her away from her husband Palti. He followed along behind her, weeping as he went. 

I’m guessing David had no clue who Palti was...nor did he care. Michal was his wife, whom Saul had taken from him and given to Palti. We know from 1 Samuel 18 that this was a marriage of love...not a political union...so when Saul broke it up I’m sure both Michal and David were devastated.

That was not Palti’s fault...

We’re not told Palti connived, in any way, to steal Michael away. More likely, Saul chose Palti on a whim to get at David. Even so, it’s clear that Palti loved Michal as well. I’ve counseled many married couples and it’s not common for a husband to cry at the prospect of losing his wife unless unless he truly loves her.

Palti wept...

I understand David’s claim to Michal...and his desire for her. We shouldn’t impute nefarious motives to either him..or Palti. I’m less sanguine about the actual legitimacy of David’s actions. After all, legally, Michal was bound to Palti. I’m reminded how we may often focus on what seems rightfully ours while remaining blissfully unaware of the chaos that may erupt if we successfully get it.

Chaplain Robert Taylor was captured in Bataan in 1941 and spent the entire war interred in a prisoner war camp. He survived the war only to discover, when he returned home, that his wife...believing he was dead...had remarried. I can only imagine the eruption of guilt, fear, anger and despair swirling on the hearts of three godly people. So...what did Chaplain Taylor do? He surrendered his most cherished earthly relationship, blessed his wife and humbly walked away.

Did he have to? I don’t know. I do know he demonstrated an uncommon grace that offered freedom for his former wife...and her new husband...to grow and heal from this unimaginable ordeal.

My question is direct. What are we demanding today...that we believe belongs to us even though we don’t possess it? Is it money? Is it a relationship? Is it property? Is it a job? Will we pursue it regardless of the cost to others? Or, will we gracefully defer our own desires for the sake of others? David was in the practice of asking God what he should do. In this case he chose not to and...Palti wept.

Remember what God could have demanded from us; our very lives...but didn't. Rather, He offered His Son's life in exchange for ours. We ought to emulate His mercy.  God blessed Chaplain Taylor for his humility. He became the Chief of Air Force Chaplains and retired as a Major General.

Live boldly out there today...