The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

1 chronicles 13:6-11

6 David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.
7 They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. 8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
11 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.


Today’s title is “Remember Uzzah! ”

David was a truly godly man and a humble king. Even though he became enthroned as a king, David never assumed that he now will rule the kingdom. He knew that the only true king is God. He was only a servant king for God and His people. He knew that he and his people should inquire of God who is the true ruler with regard to everything. So he persuaded all his officers and people to bring the ark of God that was abandoned in the reign of Saul back to Israel. In today’s passage, the bible says, “David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name. We can easily imagine the joy and happiness of the king and the people. No wonder they were all celebrating with all their might before God with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals, and trumpets. This was supposedly the greatest day of Israel in years. It will usher in the new godly era of the kingdom. But then, the unthinkable happened. The oxen that were pulling the carts stumbled. Uzzah who was assigned to guide the cart stretched out his hands to steady the ark. Boom! As soon as Uzzah’s hands touched the ark, he got instantly killed. Can you understand such upend of the joyous event? Why? What’s wrong with Uzzah? He was just trying to steady the ark. Every casual reader of the bible will be struck with questions like that. I had my share of surprises and questions. No one including David knew at the time what went wrong. He was upset and angry. No wonder! The joy and celebration suddenly turned into mourning and bewilderment. Who wouldn’t? What went wrong? Later they found the reason. David said later on, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.” (1 Chronicles 15:2). “ It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way (1 Chronicles 15:13) ”. The strongest stress must be on the last sentence that David said. He and the people wanted to bring the ark to Jerusalem to inquire of God for all that matters to their life. But in doing so, they forgot to inquire of God how to do it. What an irony! What a paradox! But we fall into this error frequently. We might have a great passion for God and His work. But we don’t inquire of God how to do it or become mindless even though God already prescribed it clearly. God gave us a stern warning through Uzzah. Don’t we need this warning? I do. We all do. Do your best to glorify God. But do remember Uzzah when you do it!