Have you ever heard of “doing a right thing in the wrong way?”Pure motives … but bad mechanics?

David had a wonderful idea, bringing the holy, revered Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. So, the King organized a work team to do the job. Here’s part of the Bible account …

“And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, 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

Simply put, God killed Uzzah (whose Hebrew name means “strength”) for “touching” the Ark! He tried to stabilize that special Piece of Furniture so it would not topple.

Yet God killed him on the spot!

Even David did not understand the immediacy and apparent harshness of God’s surprising Judgment! “And David was displeased (the verb means ‘hot, angry’), because the LORD had made a breach (a breaking forth) upon Uzzah.” 2 Samuel 6:8

Why?

Why did God act in such a way?

We all know that His Judgments are always Righteous, Revelation 19:2, but still … WHY?

First of all, the Ark was meant to be manually carried by an elite group of Levites, not hauled on a cart! According to Exodus 25:13-14. Had that simple injunction been obeyed, Uzzah would have not died!

But most important of all … that Ark was the God-given Seat of Mercy on which Almighty God dwelt with His people Israel.

The Ark was a symbol, the foremost symbol of approaching Almighty God! Granted, once a year and by the High Priest only … but still the Way to God. Blood had to be sprinkled and poured as this worship was conducted!

The “point” of today’s Lesson …

Dear readers, if one misses the Way to God, the Blood of the Lamb, the Mercy Seat of Divine Revelation … the result will be an eternity in a literal Hell Fire and Brimstone!

Uzzah, Israel cannot be allowed to mar that symbol!

The immediate death … that of Uzzah … is a teaching tool (an object lesson) showing the vital importance of getting Salvation, the Blood Atonement, the way to God right!

Exactly right!

If not … DEATH!

Wow!

Are YOU saved?

Washed in the Blood of Jesus?

Born again?

A possessor of eternal life?

How, Preacher?

Let’s allow Jesus to answer … “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24

Avoid death!

Believe on Jesus!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Really David is known as a musician. The Prophet Amos, under Divine Inspiration, spoke of men who “invented to themselves instruments of musick, like David.” (See Amos 6:5.)

Add to his love of music David’s love for the Lord, and you end up with worship and praise and (very often) thanksgiving.

Historically David had a passion to move the Ark of God (the Ark of the Covenant) to Jerusalem. He actually longed to build a House there to enclose the Ark, but the Lord forbade it. (More about this later.)

Today’s Bible Text describes the initial effort to transport this Holy Piece of Furniture to Jerusalem. Remember, that Ark represents the very Presence of God! The Mercy Seat Lid on the Ark is where God is said to “sit” and “abide” with Israel.

“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.” (Quoting 2 Samuel 6:5.)

What a melodious sound!

What David did not know was that an unexpected death was about to occur, a man named Uzzah, yet the King’s heart was set to worship!

And even after those death issues were resolved, David was again found singing and praising God!

My point today … get some Chrisitan music on your mind and heart! A favorite godly song or chorus … and sing it unto the Lord!

Make a joyful noise unto Him!

Paul believed that if we were truly Spirit filled, we would do such! “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:18-19

I once read of a historian who thought … “My, what songs those Chrisitan have, what music!”

I agree.

Now let’s use that heritage, those songs, to the Glory of God!

What’s your choice for the day?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I think much less of visible “signs” today, spiritually speaking, because we have a completed Bible! There are no more chapters to be added! Jude calls our Bible “once delivered unto the saints.” And that Greek word “once” (spelled “hapax”) really means “once and for all!”

But God did give David certain “signs” from time to time, the young King having no New Testament and not a complete Old Testament either!

One strikes me as particularly interesting. According to 2 Samuel chapter 5 the Philistines had again attacked Israel. Yes, repeatedly so!

And David, just as habitually, asked the Lord what to do, when to fight the enemy. One day the Lord gave a “sign” to charge the Philistines.

“And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 24 And let it be, when thou hearest THE SOUND OF A GOING in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. 25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.” 2 Samuel 5:22-25

What a “sign!”

When the wind blows in the tops of the nearby trees … “bestir thyself!” The verb “bestir” means “to determine,” or “to decide.” Fight with all your might!

And God that remarkable day delivered the Philistines into David’s hands!

“When the wind blows!”

Now, as I said earlier … we do not major on “signs” today. We live by faith, not by sight!

But I need to say this. Wind in the Bible is a picture, symbol, type (and yes even a sign) of the Holy Spirit of God!

Here’s one example … “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty WIND, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And they were all filled with the HOLY GHOST …” Acts 2:2-4!

Now that Wind, Breeze, Air … the Holy Spirit Himself … I wish to sense, hear, love, obey and befriend all my days on earth!

I want to be indwelt by Him!

I want to be filled by Him!

I want to never grieve or quench him in any way!

And when He “blows” (be He gentle or fierce) I want to be ready to move! Ready to take on the enemy!

So maybe David and I are not all that unalike, not all that dissimilar!

Come, Holy Spirit, we need Thee!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Several years ago a psychologist devised a “test” to determine if “patience” (here meaning “learning to wait” on something) was a determining factor in later success in life. The procedure he “invented” later became known as the “marshmallow test!”

A child was given a marshmallow and told that if he (or she) did not eat it for ten minutes, he would be given three more marshmallows as a reward! (A total of four … just for waiting that little while!)

The conclusion, children who did not wait were far less likely to
get a higher education, land a better job, etc. Those who could wait, did wait, excelled later in life in many areas!

The Bible indeed does say a lot about “waiting,” especially “waiting on the dear Lord!”

Now to David, who was anointed to be King (in the place of Saul) as a young man. Samuel the Prophet did this in 1 Samuel 16, verse 13 to be exact.

But David had to wait and wait (for years) … until Saul was dead … before his anointing became an actuality, before mounting the throne of Judah, then later of Israel.

David learned well.

He could even write sincerely, having prayed in faith … “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:5

A few Poems later … “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

Isaiah agrees … “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Job learned to wait!

Habakkuk did as well!

So must we!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” Psalm 130:5

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Periodically through David’s life as recorded in Scripture the Holy Spirit gives us a “progress report” on the Son of Jesse’s spiritual growth.

One such occasion is found in 2 Samuel 5:10. “And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.”

Actually, I think we’ve just been informed of the “key” to David’s advancement!

See if you can “spot” it. “And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.”

That last Clause, surely … “and the Lord God of Hosts was with him!”

The little preposition “with” is important here. It indicates “fellowship” and “companionship,” says one lexicon!

Yes, God was “with” David as he wrote those dozens of Psalms!

As he fought battle after battle, beginning with the Goliath encounter, God was with him!

David so treasured that “closeness” that he begged the Lord (after he had sinned with Bethsheba) … “take not thy holy spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11, he longed for that nearness!

Samson, a totally different story, did not so treasure the Lord’s Intimacy in his life! For example … “And Samson awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out (against the enemy) as at other times, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.” (Judges 16:20) 

The Lord was NOT with him!

And what about King Saul, especially near the end of his reign, his life? “And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.” 1 Samuel 28:6, the Lord was not with him!

But David had this testimony with the Lord God! “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” Acts 13:22

Yes, the Lord was with him!

May He be with us too!

May we cultivate sand cherish that “fellowship, that “communion!”

Then we too will grow spiritually!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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