Today was the story of how Israel got back on track. It starts off with them not following God and ends with a huge celebration and the bringing home of the Ark of the Covenant. It is the literal and symbolic transfer of the presence of God back into the heart of Israel. it says that God was enthroned between the cherubim on the ark (1 Chr. 13:7).
At first they try to bring the ark back by waging war against Kiriath Jearim. Then they put it on an ox cart and haul it toward the city. Well, at one point that ox cart tipped or something, and the ark started to tip maybe to the point of falling over. A man named Uzzah reached out to grab it before it fell. It says that the LORD's anger burned against Uzzah, and the LORD struck Uzzah dead. At first this seemed really drastic and unnecessary. I have not decided if I still think it was. But I think the LORD was making a point very clear. He is holy. Holiness cannot stand impurity. I mean, this is the presence of the LORD we are talking about. This is not a small deal. This was God's manifest immanence among the people. Also, note that they were not carrying the ark, the glory of the LORD, properly. Recall that the Ark was to be carried on poles of acaciah wood by the priests. Here, they loaded the Ark on an ox cart. Like Brian Hardin from the Daily Audio Bible said in his commentary on this passage: we as Christians carry the glory of the LORD with us everyday thanks to the grace of God through the love of Christ. How are we carrying that glory? On an ox cart of our own ways? Or according to the ways that God wants us to, that honour him and develop our character like the acacia poles? The ox cart or poles? How will I carry God's glory?
Finally, later in the reading, they bring back the ark on the poles like they were supposed to, and God makes a covenant with David of prosperity and blessing of his descendants because David turned to the LORD. David sings a song recorded in the psalm in the passage. I love these lines, "Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." (1 Chr. 16:11) "Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm." (1 Chr. 16:22) "Tremble before him, all the earth!" (1 Chr. 16:30).
In chapter 17, there is a really cool line in David's prayer after God blessed him. He says, "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?" (1 Chr. 17:16) It reminds me of one of my favourite worship songs, where the chorus goes, "Because I'll never hold a picture of the whole horizon in my view, because I'll never rip the night in two, it makes me wonder, 'Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? And great are You!'"
1341 pages to go!
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