Our 2 Samuel passage begins with the disturbing account of Uzzah's death. At first reading, it seems unjust to us. Uzzah was only trying to protect the ark, why would God strike him dead?
Back in Numbers God made it clear that the ark was to only be moved by Levites (as far as we know, Uzzah was not a Levite) and they were not to touch the ark itself, they were to carry it using carrying poles. Instead, David placed the ark on a cart, following the example of the Philistine's mode of ark transportation, rather than God's commands. Though Uzzah's motive was right, his action was still wrong, and he still had to pay the consequence for his sin. In order for David to bring Israel back into relationship with God, God had to remind the people in a dramatic way that enthusiasm is no substitute for obedience. The next time David tried to bring the ark back to Jerusalem he made sure to do it correctly, according to God's law.
There are many ways to sin - and we cover them all! We can sin by doing the wrong thing. We can sin by not doing the right thing. We can sin by doing the right thing for the wrong reason. And we can sin by doing the wrong thing for the right reason. What it comes down to is the simple fact that sin, no matter its form, is sin. God decides what is right and wrong, not us. We don't get to change the rules because we're excited. And ignorance is no excuse. Sin is a big deal. So often we don't think it is a big deal. We certainly live that way anyway. But sin is a really big deal to God. Every act of sin is an act of rebellion against God.
Thankfully, as our NT passage tells us, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins when we confess them to Him. There is no sin so great that it cannot be covered by the grace of God. Thanks be to the One who brings us into the Light and places the Light within us. May we shine that light to those around us every day.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: 2 Samuel 9-11; 1 John 2
3 comments:
Another thing that stood out for me was how King David humbled himself by not caring what anyone thought about how he looked when he worshipped the Lord. His wife ridiculed him for it even,
David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor
It would be great if we took this attitude more often, and didn't care what others thought about how we live for God. Often we're concerned about how we appear to others, rather than how we appear to God.
23 And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
The harsh consequences for Uzzah's sin and David's humbleness also stood out for me. A good reminder that sin kills us spiritually, and the fact that God's grace is greater than sin, we should feel like David and celebrating and not caring how we look to others.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
I agree that too often we think sin is no big deal...and we live like it isn't. While forgiveness is possible, sin is still bad and has consequences.
Post a Comment