I
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. XIII.
In
the foregoing chapter we have David made king, by which the civil government
was happily settled. In this chapter care is taken about religion. I. David
consults with the representatives of the people about bringing up the ark out
of its obscurity into a public place; and it is resolved on, ver. 1-4. II.
With a great deal of solemnity and joy, it is carried from Kirjath-jearim,
ver. 5-8. III. Uzza is struck dead for touching it, which, for the present,
spoils the solemnity and stops the proceedings, ver. 9-14.
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The Removal of the
Ark.
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B.
C. 1048.
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1 And David consulted with the captains of
thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. 2 And David
said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and
that it be of the LORD
our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are
left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and
Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may
gather themselves unto us: 3 And let us bring again the ark of our
God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul. 4 And
all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in
the eyes of all the people. 5 So David gathered all
Israel
together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the
entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. 6
And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to
Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of
God the LORD,
that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.
7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab:
and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. 8 And David and all
Israel
played before God with all their might,
and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and
with cymbals, and with trumpets.
Here is, I. David's pious proposal to bring up the ark of God to
Jerusalem
, that the royal city might be the holy city, v. 1-3. This part of the
story we had not in Samuel. We may observe in this proposal,
1. That as soon as David was well seated on his throne he had thoughts
concerning the ark of God: Let us bring the ark to us, v. 3. Two
things he aimed at herein:-- (1.) To do honour to God, by showing respect to
his ark, the token of his presence. As soon as he had power in his hand he
would use it for the advancement and encouragement of religion. Note, It ought
to be the first and great care of those that are enriched and preferred to
honour God with their honours, and to serve him, and the interests of his
kingdom among men, with their wealth and power. David said not, "What
pompous thing shall I do now?" or, "What pleasant thing?" but,
"What pious thing?" (2.) To have the comfort and benefit of that
sacred oracle. "Let us bring it to us, not only that we may be a credit
to it, but that it may be a blessing to us." Those that honour God profit
themselves. Note, It is the wisdom of those who are setting out in the world
to take God's ark with them, to make his oracles their counsellors and his
laws their rule. Those are likely to proceed in the favour of God who thus
begin in the fear of God.
2. That he consulted with the leaders of the people about it, v. 1.
Though it was without doubt a very good work, and being king, he had the
authority to command the doing of it, yet he chose rather to do it by
consultation, (1.) That he might show respect to the great men of the kingdom
and put honour upon them. Though they made him king, yet he would not rule
with a high hand. He did not say, "We will and command, and it is our
royal pleasure, that you do so and so; and we will be obeyed," but,
"If it seem good to you, and you think that the motion comes from
the Lord our God, let us send out orders for this purpose." No prince
that is wise will covet to be absolute. The people's allegiance is best
secured by taking their concurrence in their representatives. Happy then art
thou, O Britain! (2.). That he might be advised by them in the manner of doing
it, whether just now, whether publicly. David was a very intelligent man
himself, and yet consulted with his captains; for in the multitude of
counsellors there is safety. It is wisdom to make use of the wisdom of
others. (3.) That, they joining in it, it might pass the better for a national
act and so might procure a national blessing.
3. That he would have all the people summoned to attend on this occasion, both
for the honour of the ark and for the people's satisfaction and edification, v.
2. Observe, (1.) He calls the common people brethren, which bespeaks
his humility and condescension (notwithstanding his advancement), and the
tender concern he had for them. Thus our Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call his
people brethren, Heb. ii. 11. (2.) He speaks of the people as a remnant that
had escaped: Our brethren that are left in all the land of Israel. They
had been under scattering providences. Their wars with the Philistines, and
with the house of Saul, had wasted the country and cut off many. We now hope
to see an end of these troubles. Let those that are left be quickened by late
judgments, and present mercies, to seek unto God. (3.) He takes care that the
priests and Levites especially should be summoned to attend the ark; for it
was their province in a particular manner. Thus Christian magistrates should
stir up ministers to do their duty when they see them remiss.
4. That all this is upon supposition that it is of the Lord their God.
"Though it should seem good to you and me, yet if it be not of
the Lord our God, we will not do it." What ever we undertake, this
must be our enquiry, "Is it of the Lord? Is it agreeable to his mind? Can
we approve ourselves to him in it? May we expect that he will own us?"
5. That thus it was requisite they should amend what has been amiss in the
last reign, and, as it were, atone for their neglect: "For we enquired
not at it in the days of Saul, and this was the reason why things went so
ill with us: let that original error be amended, and then we may hope to see
our affairs in a better posture." Observe, David makes no peevish
reflections upon Saul. He does not say, "Saul never cared for the ark, at
least in the latter end of this reign;" but, in general, We enquired
not at it, making himself with others guilty of this neglect. It better
becomes us to judge ourselves than others. Humble good men lament their own
share in national guilt, and take shame to themselves, Dan. ix. 5, &c.
II. The people's ready agreement to this proposal (v. 4): The thing
was right in the eyes of all the people. Nobody could say to the
contrary, but that it was a very good work and very seasonable; so that it was
resolved, nemine contradicente--unanimously, that they would do
so. Those that prudently proposed a good work, and lead in it, will perhaps
find a more ready concurrence in it than they expected. Great men know not
what a great deal of good they are capable of doing by their influence on
others.
III. The solemnity of bringing up the ark, v. 5, &c., which we read
before, 2 Sam. vi. 1, &c. Here therefore we shall only observe, 1. That it
is worth while to travel far to attend the ark of God. They came out of all
parts of the country, from the river of Egypt, the utmost part south,
to the entering of Hemath, which lay furthest north, (v. 5), to grace
this solemnity. 2. That we have reason greatly to rejoice in the revival of
neglected ordinances and the return of the tokens of God's presence. When the
light of religion shines out of obscurity, when it is openly and freely
professed, is brought into reputation, and countenanced by princes and great
ones, it is such a happy omen to a people as is worthy to be welcomed with all
possible expressions of joy. 3. When, after long disuse, ordinances come to be
revived, it is too common for even wise and good men to make some mistakes.
Who would have thought that David would commit such an error as this, to carry
the ark upon a cart? v. 7. Because the Philistines so carried it, and a
special providence drove the cart (1 Sam. vi. 12), he thought they might do so
too. But we must walk by rule, not by example when it varies from the rule,
no, not even by those examples which Providence has owned.
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The
Death of Uzza.
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B.
C. 1048.
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9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of
Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
10 And the anger of the LORD
was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the
ark: and there he died before God. 11 And David was displeased,
because the LORD
had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this
day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I
bring the ark of God home to me? 13 So David brought not
the ark home to himself to the city of
David
, but carried it aside into the house of
Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the
family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD
blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had.
This breach upon Uzza, which caused all the joy to cease, we had an account
of, 2 Sam. vi. 6, &c. 1. Let the sin of Uzza warn us all to take heed of
presumption, rashness, and irreverence, in dealing about holy things (v.
9), and not to think that a good intention will justify a bad action. In our
communion with God we must carefully watch over our own hearts, lest
familiarity breed contempt, and we think God is in any way beholden to us. 2.
Let the punishment of Uzza convince us that the God with whom we have to do is
a jealous God. His death, like that of Nadab and Abihu, proclaims aloud that
God will be sanctified in those that come nigh unto him (Lev. x. 3),
and that the nearer any are to him the more displeased he is with their
presumptions. Let us not dare to trifle with God in our approaches to him; and
yet let us, through Christ, come boldly to the throne of grace; for we
are under the dispensation of liberty and grace, not of bondage and terror. 3.
Let the damp this gave to the joy of Israel be a memorandum to us always to
rejoice with trembling, and to serve the Lord with fear, even when we serve
him with gladness. 4. Let David's displeasure upon this occasion caution
us to take heed to our spirits when we are under divine rebukes, lest, instead
of submitting to God, we quarrel with him. If God be angry with us, shall we
dare to be angry with him? 5. Let the stop thus put to the solemnity caution
us not to be driven off from our duty by those providences which are only
intended to drive us from our sins. David should have gone on with the work
notwithstanding the breach made upon Uzza; so might the breach have been made
up. 6. Let the blessing which the ark brought with it to the house of
Obed-edom encourage us to welcome God's ordinances into our houses, as those
that believe the ark is a guest that nobody shall lose by; not let it be less
precious to us for its being to some a stone of stumbling and a rock of
offence. If the gospel be to some a savour of death unto death, as the ark was
to Uzza, yet let us receive it in the love of it and it will be to us a
saviour of life unto life.
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