Bible Text: 2 Samuel 6:1-19 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: David: Abiding in the Lord
This is the kind of biblical history that can create fear and insecurity in our relationship with God
And this event seems to disconnect us from:
Romans 8:16 For you did not receive the spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received a Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry out Abba [or papa], Father.
Ark of the Covenant
Exodus 25:22 There I will meet you! 
Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
David’s heart—to ABIDE in God, not just to have knowledge about God, but also to live with God.
Is the Lord the Almighty Improver?
BUT Uzzah DIED?
God made it clear that there were certain boundaries or rules for moving the Ark:
God said that it must be carried
God said it had to be carried by the Korahites
God said that no one was to touch it
Exodus 25:10-22 …Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it. These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them…
David got ahead of himself, he disregarded these KNOWN boundaries; and this in part led to the death of Uzzah.
Many of us live with a deep-seated dread that our relationship with God is based on keeping the rules…
…and we break rules or boundaries every day!
Touching the Ark on that fatal day was the final straw, not the singular sin.
Was God harsh and mean with Uzzah? No!
Uzzah knew that you can’t just come crashing in to God’s presence, nor can you work your way into God’s presence by being a good, moral person.
And when the Ark was seemingly about to fall he stepped in to manage and control God.
God had made it very clear: DO NOT TOUCH the Ark and if you touch it, you will die.
God never said the Ark would blow up if it fell or touched the ground. If we don’t live the way God intended us to live—with absolute love and integrity and trust then we have committed treason against God!
The Uzzah Syndrome
Entitlement and arrogance and pride and control
Uzzah was dead before he touched the Ark
Now King David was told, The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God. So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.
David is reminded of WHY he wanted to ABIDE with God
There are two important differences:
The Ark was now being carried by the Priests
David sacrificed a bull and a calf every six steps
Radical Change
This time there is genuine worship and sacrifice. Rejoicing and reverence; Worship that praises God’s goodness and
is humble before God’s holiness and grace
2 Samuel 6:19 Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.
David sent them home to celebrate
Peace Offering:
covering of sin
forgiveness by God
the restoration of a right and meaningful relationship with God.
There were three kinds of Peace Offerings:
thanksgiving in response to God’s grace and blessing
commitment to God
worship and praise remembering and being thankful for the grace and mercy and love of God!
C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Lucy says: Oh, I’d thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion. That you will, dearie, and make no mistake, said Mrs. Beaver, if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without the knees knocking, they’re either braver than most, or else just silly. Then he isn’t safe? said Lucy. Safe? said Mr. Beaver. Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.
Jesus has paid our debt! We no longer have to carry the burden of our sin. Do you know that in Christ, through Christ, with Christ, every sin has been nailed to the cross…
You are free! You can approach God—the holy God, the same God that met David, the same God that struck Uzzah You can approach the Holy God and say, Father, I’m hurting today. Father, I’ve fallen into sin. Help me!
Save me! Cleanse me! And HE will!