Worship God in His Ways

Hey, hey, good morning, good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This morning we're going to be at 1 Chronicles chapter 13.

We're going to talk about David bringing the ark, or at least trying to bring the ark into Jerusalem.

What happens though, some details you may want to look back at 2 Samuel chapter 6 video, where we talked about that before.

So let's have some coffee. We'll pray and we'll get into God's Word.

Let's pray.

God, you are a remarkably gracious and wonderful God.

You are compassionate and merciful, even in giving us your Word.

You are a good King.

We pray that you would please help us.

Help us, Lord, to understand your Word.

Help it to be applied to our lives.

We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

We've got 1 Chronicles chapter 13.

Then David consulted with the captains

of thousands and hundreds and with every leader.

And David said to all the assembly of Israel,

If it seems good to you,

and if it is

of Jehovah our God,

let us send out our brethren

everywhere who are left

in all the land of Israel,

and with them

to the priests and Levites

who are in their cities

and their common lands,

that they may gather together to us

and let us bring the ark of our God

back to us,

for we have not inquired of it

since the days of Saul.

Then all the assembly said

that they would do so,

for the thing was right

in the eyes of all the people.

So David gathered all Israel together

from Sihor in Egypt

to as far as the entrance of Hamath

to bring the ark of God

from Kirjath-Jerim.

And David and all Israel

went up to Baalah

to Kirjath-Jerim,

which belonged to Judah,

to bring up from there

the ark of God,

the Lord,

who dwells between the cherubim,

where his name is proclaimed.

So they carried the ark of God

on a new cart

from the house of Abinadab,

and Uzzah and Ahio

drove the cart.

Then David and all Israel

played the 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 Chittan's threshing floor,

Uzzah put out his hand

to hold the ark,

and the oxen stumbled.

Then the anger of Jehovah

was aroused against Uzzah,

and he struck him

because he had put his hand

to the ark,

and he died there before God.

And David became angry

because of Jehovah's

outbreak against Uzzah.

Therefore, that place

is called Perez-Uzzah

to that day.

David was afraid of God

that day,

saying,

How can I bring

the ark of God to me?

So David would not

move the ark

with him

into the city of David,

but took it aside

into the house

of Obed-Edom,

the Gittite.

The ark of God

remained with the family

of Obed-Edom

in his house

three months,

and Jehovah

blessed the house

of Obed-Edom

and all that he had.

We need to ask ourselves

our three questions.

A, what is this about?

B, what's the best verse

to summarize this?

And C, what are we called

to do in response

to these words?

So, A, what's this about?

Well, this is David

desiring to bring

the ark of God

into the city of David.

It seems right

to all the people.

It seems right.

Definitely to the captains

of thousands

and of hundreds

and to their leaders.

They're all,

Yeah, let's do it.

They're all there anyways.

Let's bring up the ark.

Let's bring up the ark.

They're bringing up the ark.

And here we find out

more details.

Now, I think it's helpful here

that we understand

it's Uzzah and Ahio

who are driving the ark.

Right?

They're leading the ark.

And this is in an

honor-shame culture.

Right?

There's more than just

honor-shame

in the Old Testament,

but it's definitely

an honor-shame culture.

And the ark is supposed

to be the throne of God.

Right?

Where he sits in between

the cherubim.

Enthroned upon the cherubim.

Right?

His name is proclaimed.

He is holy.

And he is the Lord of hosts.

And so,

when

the oxen stumbles

and Uzzah reaches out

to almost hold the ark,

it's

an offense

to the king.

It's kind of hard

for me to

put this into

into...

Have you ever seen

the movie Mulan?

There's a point

to Mulan

in the Disney version

when I was a kid.

I don't know,

back in the 90s

or something.

The dad

who's old

and has already

been injured in war.

His name is called

and he's supposed

to go

and take

his inscription notice.

And as he's walking

he kind of limps

and he almost falls.

And Mulan

runs out

and chases him

and almost tries

to pick him up

and the point here

is that no,

I'm strong.

And he looks at her

like,

you shouldn't shame me

like this.

At least give me

my honor and dignity

to know

I'm strong enough

to do this.

Now,

the Lord's not

a sinful

character

like Mulan's father.

But the point is,

right,

the Lord doesn't

need Uzzah's help.

the ark

was

nothing more

than

just

a symbol

of his presence

and of his grandeur

and of his holiness.

Of his exalted place

above all the people.

That's why

it was

acacia wood

hammered out

in gold

or innate

supposed to be

covered over

with the linens

of the tabernacle

limited access

to him

and yet

here they are

driving it

on the ark.

As it dies

and David is angry.

But David hasn't

honored the Lord

either.

Even though David

did all this

with his own

sincerity,

right,

he thought what

he was doing

was good.

He was even

out there

with all of

his might

dancing like

a wild man

and playing

the music

and singing

and yet

this isn't

how the Lord

designed it

and it's not

glorifying God.

There's many

things that

and I'm just

going to jump

into sea calling,

right?

There's many

things that we

can do

that we think

are sincere

and good

and yet

do not

please our

heavenly father.

He's sovereign.

He's the one

who says

how he is

to be worshipped,

how he is

to be served,

how he is

supposed to be

treated.

And here

where we

find is

that they

had good

intents.

And the

Lord will

allow the

ark to be

brought into

Jerusalem.

We'll get

there.

But not

this way.

Not however

they want to

serve him.

But as he's

prescribed.

Because it's

his prerogative.

It's his

glory.

So maybe

we should

take a

step back

and think

about how

we serve

him.

Both in

this life

but especially

in worship.

Do we

serve him

the way

that he's

told us

to or do

we think

our sincerity

gives us

a bypass

to do

what we

want?

Let's

pray.

Father,

we do

desire

to bring

you glory.

And we

know when

we try to

do that

by our

own

pathways.

It is

not glorifying

to you

but is

setting

ourselves

up

and our

will

as

sovereign.

Lord,

we pray

that you

would

please

help us

to walk

in your

paths,

to trust

in you,

to go

in your

ways,

to honor

you and

glorify

you all

of our

lives.

Lord,

you are

such a

wonderful

God.

What a

privilege

it is that

we even

get to

be called

your

servants

and to

be a

part

of your

kingdom.

Father,

please help

us to

serve you

well.

In Jesus'

name we

pray.

Amen.

Well,

may God

bless you.

May you

walk in

the joy

and in

the peace

of Jesus

Christ.

And I'll

see you next

time.

Bye.