Fear of the Lord
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household. 12 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 to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. (2 Samuel 6:6-12)
Why would God be angry at Uzzah for doing what made sense, for trying to help, for trying to do the right thing? In Numbers 4:15, God commanded that even those who were to transport the ark were not to touch it, and the penalty for touching the "holy things" was death. It's shocking and frightening that God would not make an exception for good intentions, and it's tempting to try to find another explanation for God's wrath - perhaps we don't know Uzzah's intentions, or maybe his actions showed a lack of trust in God. But the bottom line may be that God meant what God said. King David was so thrown by Uzzah's death that for three months he did not allow the ark to reside in the city with him. David only changed his mind when he heard that the household
where the ark had been kept was greatly blessed.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
We like to focus on God's love, but God's power and mystery are also essential. We can't explain, understand, or fully wrap our minds around God. We have to remember that while we are made in God's image, God is not made in ours. Reverence for God begins with a healthy dose of awe and wonder. Uncertainty makes us uncomfortable, but perhaps a little discomfort will keep us from forgetting how amazing it is that God chooses to use God's power to save us from our sin rather than strike us down because of it. We can't explain that either, but we can praise God in gratitude. In humility, we can marvel that God gifts us with grace when wrath is what we deserve.
1 The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; 2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. 3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation. 6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah 7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah (Psalm 24)
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