Daily Devotional

“And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled” (2 Samuel 6:6). 

The sounds of the celebration—trumpets blaring, cymbals clashing, the shouts of the people—quickly faded before Uzzah’s body hit the ground. All eyes focused on the dead man. Shocked and horrified, the people backed away from the Ark of the Covenant. A few had seen what had happened and, with quivering voices, explained it to their king, whose face became ashen. The oxen had tripped, they said. And Uzzah had put out his hand to steady the ark when it seemed that it might tip from the cart it was being carried on. 

King David was angry at God for striking Uzzah. He was also afraid to continue the journey and to have the ark in his possession. After all, he wasn’t perfect either. Maybe the ark would kill him too. 

Later, when he discovered that they had all ignored God’s instructions and done things their way, he realized that he had only himself to blame. He hadn’t asked God if this procession was pleasing to Him. He hadn’t bothered to read the special requirements for transporting the ark. If only they had carried the ark on poles as God had commanded, Uzzah would still be alive. David’s actions had dishonoured God and trivialized His holiness. 

Uzzah had known he wasn’t, under any circumstances, permitted to touch the ark. God had clearly stated that anyone who did so would die. Only the sons of Aaron could touch it. But Uzzah had lost a sense of its sacredness, and at that moment he presumptuously reached for it and died. Because of his death, the people repented of their lack of reverence. 

We serve a holy God. Without a reverence for the Lord, without respect for His sacred law, without understanding the importance of keeping all His commandments, and without the righteousness of Christ to cover our unworthiness, we would be without hope. 

Dear Lord, forgive me for any lack of reverence toward You. Cover me with Jesus’s righteousness right now.