Uzzah

We all know good people, those with a true heart of gold. They will go out of their way to help someone. Maybe give someone a ride to the store. Maybe they will babysit the kids when a mother is sick. Perhaps they will cook a meal for an elderly neighbor. Sometimes they will mow grass or shovel snow for others.

And these people read bible verses. They always "like" the religious stuff on Facebook. 

I would like you to take a few moments to read this account from the Bible.

And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household. And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. (2 Samuel 6:5-15 ESV)

What did the ark contain?

1. A golden urn holding some of the manna that God produced for the wandering Israelites. 

2. The staff of Aaron that had budded

3. The two tablets of God's commandments

Hebrews 9:4

The ark was important. God wanted it treated with respect and reverence. It was never to be touched. 

While carrying it with poles and oxen, the oxen stumbled, Uzzah touched the ark. Apparently he saw that God's precious item was about to topple and reached to steady it. He touched it. And he died instantly.

Uzzah had good intentions. He understood how precious the ark was. He did not want it to fall to the ground. 

He disobeyed God.

You can do all the right things for the wrong reasons. Or you can do wrong things with right reasons. 

Good intentions will not save you. Understanding the precious gifts of God will do you no good without careful obedience.