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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 20 August 2025:
2 Samuel 6:1-2 — David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim.
David’s act of bringing the ark to Jerusalem can be viewed from two perspectives, and Scripture gives us space to wrestle with both. On one hand, it demonstrates his desire for the nation to be centered on the presence of God. Unlike Saul, who neglected the ark (1 Chronicles 13:3), David understood that the true glory of Israel was not in military strength or political consolidation but in the Lord who reigns from His heavenly throne. His decision reflects a vision for Israel that was theological, not merely political.
Yet at the same time, the narrative hints that David’s motives may have been mixed. By bringing the ark into his newly established capital city, David was also binding together spiritual authority with his political reign. In the ancient world, kings often used religious symbols to legitimize their rule, and while David’s desire to honor the Lord was genuine, it’s possible he also sought to secure divine favor as a kind of guarantee for his kingdom. His later failures, such as mishandling the ark’s transport (6:3–7) and his tendency toward pride, show that his zeal, though real, was not without mixture.
This tension reminds us that even sincere worshipers can approach God with motives that are both right and flawed. The prophet Jeremiah describes the human heart as “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9). David’s heart was after God (Acts 13:22), but he was still a man whose devotion could be mingled with ambition. The true test of his motives came when God’s holiness was displayed in Uzzah’s death, forcing David to realize that God’s presence cannot be manipulated or presumed upon.
For us, this raises a searching question: when we seek God’s presence, are we truly desiring Him, or are we sometimes seeking to secure His blessings for our plans? Jesus makes clear that God’s presence is not something to be “used,” but to be adored — He is Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). The incarnate Word came not to be controlled or confined to our agendas, but to transform us into His dwelling place through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22).
The lesson of David and the ark is that the right action (seeking God’s presence) must flow from the right posture (humble surrender to God’s will). When our motives are divided, God will often expose them, not to shame us, but to purify us so that our devotion becomes more wholehearted.
2 Samuel 6:3-5 — And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. 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.
David’s zeal for God was right, but the method was wrong. God had given clear instructions that the ark was to be carried by the Levites on poles (Exodus 25:14–15; Numbers 4:15), yet here it was placed on a cart like the Philistines once did. Israel celebrated with passion, but zeal without obedience is dangerous. This shows us that worship is not only about joy and expression but also about reverence and submission to God’s commands. In the church today, it is still possible to celebrate God with fervor while ignoring His Word, but true worship demands both spirit and truth (John 4:24).
2 Samuel 6:6-7 — 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.
Uzzah assumed that his sinful hand was cleaner than the ground. He had no business being anywhere near the Ark, and he died “because of his error.”
Uzzah’s reflex seemed natural, steadying the ark, but it revealed a deeper presumption. God had made His holiness clear: no one was to touch the ark. Uzzah’s act suggested that his hand was less defiled than the ground, but in truth, it was human sinfulness that defiles. God’s judgment was swift, reminding Israel that He is holy and must be approached on His terms. This passage confronts us with the seriousness of sin and the danger of casual irreverence toward God. It foreshadows the necessity of Christ, the only mediator who makes it possible for sinful people to draw near to a holy God (Hebrews 10:19–22).
2 Samuel 6:8-9 — 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?”
David was angry at God because God killed Uzzah, but ultimately it was David’s fault as the leader. In His rush to acquire the ark, perhaps in part to use God’s power for His benefit, He treated God irreverently and led his followers to do the same. David led his men in flagrant violation of God’s laws concerning the handling of the ark and set Uzzah up for failure by neglecting to model and demand obedience and respect for God’s holiness and God’s word. We all play a role in some way as both a leader and follower, and this account should convict us to follow Christ alone and to make disciples (followers) who observe all that He has commanded, being careful not to be led astray or lead others astray.
David should have taken responsibility for leading Uzzah astray, humbled himself and repented before the Lord, confessed his sins to the people, and led the people to follow God’s commands. Anytime you are not honoring, obeying and following God, you are likely leading someone else astray, and God takes this very seriously. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42)
The Ark of the Covenant was most Holy, symbolizing God’s throne — God was “above it” (Leviticus 16:2). The Ark was kept in the Most Holy Place in the temple where only the High Priest could enter, and only after much ceremonial cleansing. God gave very strict regulations for transporting the Ark. When the ark was to be moved, it was to be covered with at least three layers of cloth by the priests to protect others from seeing it (Numbers 4:5-6, 15, 18-20); the priests/Levites carried it, and everyone else had to stay about a thousand yards away (Joshua 3:4). These laws enforced the reality of the holiness of God, the sinfulness (unworthiness) of people, and, ultimately, pointed to the Gospel of Jesus who would cleanse us of our unrighteousness, give us access to His holiness, and make us “worthy” in Him.
“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.” (2 Samuel 6:5) David led the people in great religious celebration, right up to the point where The Lord’s anger kindled and He struck down Uzzah. True worship is not about emotional songs and much display; it is about a reverent, obedient heart and living lives holy and pleasing to God — “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1) “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) David should have led in true worship as a living sacrifice before the Lord, wholly obedient to Him, seeking only to please Him.
Perhaps, David did not know he was breaking God’s commands concerning the Ark, but ignorance is no excuse for a leader. Bad leadership hurts others.
“How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” (2 Samuel 6:9) “…come to me…” Me, me, me. When we lose perspective on God’s holiness, we begin to place ourselves ahead of God and make ourselves the priority. We pursue, “My will be done,” rather than “Thy will be done,” and we expect God to serve us rather than the other way around. David failed Uzzah because David was too focused on getting what he wanted rather than simply honoring God. Again, God had provided clear, easily understandable instructions on how to transport the Ark, but apparently, no one bothered to review them. How a person treats God’s word reflects how that person truly feels about God. If the Bible is interesting but not compelling, the reader has minimalized God, which by definition is the same as saying God isn’t God.
“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.” (2 Samuel 6:13, 14) All of this was unnecessary and, to some observers, foolishness. All they had to do was obey the laws of Exodus 25. God desires obedience, not extravagant religious ceremony and sacrifice. “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14) “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:16, 17)
- Matthew 18:6 — But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
- Jeremiah 50:6 — “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold.
- 1 John 4:1 — Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- 1 John 3:7 — Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
- John 8:12 — Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Again, we all play a role in some way as a leader and a follower. We must be very careful not to be led astray or lead others astray. Leaders know the way, go the way, and show the way. Jesus is the way — the only way! (John 14:6) True leaders humbly and obediently follow Jesus and lead people to Him. If you are not following Jesus and guiding others to Him, you are not fit to lead. In fact, anyone who isn’t following Jesus is ultimately leading others astray, despite the temporal rewards they might seem to offer.
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 — But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
- Mark 13:5 — And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray.”
- Luke 9:23 — And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
- Matthew 10:38 — And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
- John 10:27 — My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
- John 12:26 — If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
2 Samuel 6:10-11 — 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.
Though David recoiled in fear, the presence of the ark brought blessing to Obed-edom. God’s presence is life and joy to those who receive it rightly. This demonstrates both God’s holiness and His goodness. The same presence that brought judgment to Uzzah brought blessing to Obed-edom. The difference lay in reverence and response. In Christ, God’s presence is no longer cause for fear but for joy, for through His righteousness, believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3).
2 Samuel 6:17-19 — And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.
David’s leadership here was priestly and generous. He not only worshiped but also led the people in sacrifice and blessed them in God’s name. His distribution of food reflected God’s provision, uniting worship with tangible blessing. This anticipates the greater Son of David, who offered Himself as the true sacrifice and gives Himself as the bread of life for His people (John 6:35). In Christ, worship overflows into blessing for others, as His people are nourished and sent out in peace.
2 Samuel 6:20-23 — And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” And David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD — and I will celebrate before the LORD. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
Michal’s disdain for David’s worship reveals far more than a simple moment of contempt. Human relationships are rarely that simple; they are layered with history, pain, disappointments, and often unresolved wounds. On the surface, Michal accuses David of indecency, of lowering himself before the servant girls. Yet beneath her words lies a deeper story. She had been given to David, then torn from him when Saul gave her to Paltiel, only to be torn again from Paltiel when David demanded her back. Scripture paints the heartbreaking scene of Paltiel weeping as Michal was taken away (2 Samuel 3:16). From her perspective, David may have seemed callous, arrogant, and self-serving, using her to strengthen his claim to Saul’s throne. Added to this was David’s reputation for bold and sometimes presumptuous actions, whether rushing into battles or multiplying wives. It is not hard to imagine that Michal looked at David’s exuberant dancing not as pure worship, but as yet another display of ego wrapped in religious clothing.
But was she right? Here we see the complexity of judging another’s heart. David was indeed a man of mixed motives at times, faith and ambition often intertwined in him. Yet in this moment, Scripture leans heavily toward affirming his worship as genuine. His response is striking: “It was before the LORD, who chose me…. I will celebrate before the LORD. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes” (2 Samuel 6:21–22). Whatever flaws he carried, here he revealed the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), one willing to shed royal dignity for the sake of God’s glory. His zeal may not have been perfect, but it was real.
Michal, in contrast, is never shown in Scripture seeking the Lord in prayer or praise. Her love for David earlier (1 Samuel 18:20, 28) seems to have hardened into bitterness, perhaps from her personal wounds, perhaps from disappointment in God, or perhaps both. Perhaps, the barrenness that follows in verse 23 is not merely physical but reflects a spiritual fruitlessness born of contempt toward God’s presence and worship.
What then should Christians take away from this? That judging motives is perilous, for only God truly sees the heart. Michal may have glimpsed David’s duplicity, but her error was despising his worship rather than bringing her pain and disillusionment before the Lord. David may have carried ambition, but his heart in this moment was to exalt God. Both remind us that human motives are often mixed — pain and pride, sincerity and self-interest, devotion and duplicity can all exist in the same heart. Yet grace teaches us not to despise, but to forgive; not to judge, but to love. Only Christ, the greater Son of David, worshiped with perfectly pure devotion and reigned with no duplicity. In Him alone we find the grace to see one another truthfully, to forgive one another’s failures, and to worship God sincerely while relying on His mercy.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 20 August 2025: When you see others worship or serve, resist the temptation to judge their motives through the lens of your wounds or suspicions. Instead, entrust them to the Lord and bring your own hurts to Him. Seek to love and forgive, remembering that your own worship is mingled with weakness too, and only by grace can it be made acceptable in Christ.
Pray: “Father, You alone know the depths of every heart. Forgive me for the times I’ve judged others harshly, assuming their motives while excusing my own. Heal the places where past wounds color how I see others, and teach me to extend the same grace You have lavished on me. Purify my worship, that I may seek You with sincerity even when my heart is mixed with weakness. And help me to walk in love and forgiveness, pointing others not to my righteousness, but to Christ’s. In His name I pray, Amen.”
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