2nd Samuel 6:6 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. 7 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.
This passage of scripture teaches us the importance of strict obedience to all the commands of God, with no "good" excuses for violations being acceptable. In this instance it was Uzzah who knew of God's instructions concerning the ark, but who deliberately touched it, in order to keep it from falling. The commands concerning the handling and transport of the ark were given to the Hebrews in writing, and it was a well-known and established statute, that no one but the Levites were supposed to transport it. And even they were not permitted to touch it directly, but were instead ordered to put supporting rods through the rings on its side, by which four men could then lift it. Let's read:
Exodus 25:10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood".... 12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. 13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
1st Chronicles 15:2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.
Thus it was, that very specific instructions were given for the transportation of the ark, and these were to be meticulously followed, even though other circumstances may have caused disobedience to seem necessary. The question then is, what were they supposed to do if they saw the ark falling to the ground? Should dire circumstances then trump obedience in favor of saving the ark from falling? Or should they stand by and let it fall? The answer to this question is of critical importance, for it has serious implications for our relationship with God, and what we are expected to do in similar circumstances.
Uzzah should have let the Ark fall to the ground, if this was permitted by God, for the Shekinah glory of God's presence dwelt inside, and He is more than able to keep Himself from falling. The same response will ring true if we are faced with a situation, in which an emergency has come up, and we are tempted to use our tithes and offerings for uses other than that for which they are intended. The tithe is sacred and should not be touched for any reason, for God has reserved this for Himself, and there is no emergency that will warrant its use for that which it has not been designated.
A thorough understanding of this principle of obedience is very important, for it will play a big role in the very near future, when God will give specific instructions to His people on how to navigate the many spiritual minefields that will be set for the feet of the righteous. When Moses was about to return to Egypt to do battle with satan, he had followed the bad advice of his wife Zipporah, and had not circumcised his son. This then caused an angel to be sent his way with a sword drawn in his hand in a threatening manner, and Moses then and there got the message. If Moses was permitted to go on satan's enchanted ground with any disobedience hanging over his head, the devil would have torn him in pieces and shredded him like wheat, because God's protection never covers willful disobedience, never!
In our own experiences it is therefore necessary for us to cultivate a disposition to obey implicitly all the instructions of God, without turning to the right hand or to the left, for our very survival depends on it. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reiterates this sacred truth, and it is the will of God that our minds be conditioned by the renewal of His Holy Spirit, to obey a plain, "Thus saith The Lord". Let's read:
1st Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry"....
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. "Good night" and God bless!