1 Chronicles 13:7-10 – “So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. And when they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.”
There is quite a party going on! The people have recently established David as king. Remember, God selected him as king a long time ago but you aren’t fully functioning in the office of king unless the people recognize you as king. David has admirable aspirations of bringing the ark of God into his administration because it had not been utilized as an instrument of inquiry at all during the reign of the previous king, Saul. There is a great pomp and celebration accompanying the processional. Then the unimaginable happens. The oxen drawing the cart stumble, which causes the ark to become unstable, and Uzzah’s reflexive action is to reach out his hand to steady the ark and keep it from falling. Bad move. God gets angry and kills him on the spot. Seems pretty harsh for a guy who seemingly had good intentions. What’s going on here?
I’ve heard this quote over and over from teachers and seminar leaders that has become cliché in our modern quest to present relevant ministry to our culture: “It’s not the method that’s sacred, it’s the message.” Oh yeah? Tell Uzzah that. God seemed pretty concerned about the method. I think we should think twice before we abandon our vehicles we utilize for ministry to rush ahead, grabbing the “cutting edge” method to accomplish spiritual results. I think God is interested in the way we do things. We should consult His guidance before we decide on a possible course of action. David successfully brought the ark back to headquarters at a later time but he chose a totally different method of doing it; one that God obviously approved of for the move was successful. Let’s be careful. The method may not be sacred, but it sure is important.