A Winning Hand

Mother's Day has been in recent weeks and while with family, we played cards with our granddaughter. The game proved intense and sometimes with a roaring sound, sometimes laughter, sometimes not, but fun was enjoyed by all who played. What is the winning hand? Well if you talk with one person, you must play this amount of times coming up with the less number scored from a  losing hand. That is: if Uno card, the last played went out and you are holding cards, count them and they count against you or else help you to win in the long run with many games played and hopefully with using the 'high cards'  very early in the game !

Another thought is that you won this one game due to how the cards were played strategically or by spite. Not so great an example and when thinking of family, one would desire the child to win, but you cannot play their cards for them when they are desiring to play them on their own!
Is there a dilemma? There is if you desire to keep the presence of God. You play according to the rules and play to have fun, not out for blood, right? And when we do engage in any activity, do we keep God in mind?

Again, our game was a 'family' game but I think about many who play to "win", out for blood, to take the high honor and leave the loser at a loss, leave the loser in the dirt, kicked to the curb and to fan the hand with a wave toward hopefully indulging the crowd for more accolades.
What makes us tick? Are we mindful God is watching us in activities, as well as our job, our home life and if we drove safely on the Interstate on the way home today after a 'full' day at the office ?

Was thinking of David wanting to move the Ark and how there were men who desired to move the Ark of God in their own style and ambition. 2 Samuel 6:1-16 gives us some details on how some thought the job should be done.

The Ark Being brought to Jerusalem:  2 Samuel  6:1-16  NKJV Again David gathered all the choice 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, whose name is called by the Name the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. 3 So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which is on a hill, and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

Names have meanings:    Uzzah ( STRENGTH, BOLD, POWER).   Ahio( BROTHERLY,  COURTEOUS), the sons ........  Abinadab( THE VOLUNTEER, AS OF A SOLDIER)

With the meaning of these men' names, we think of Abinadab, the father and how he was to look over the two boys he had raised hopefully for the LORD! But these two proved to be careless following their own pursuits of how to move the ark as the father did not appear on the scene to do his duty.

David has brought  30 thousand men……..carrying the Presence of God forward to Jerusalem: choice men….gathered in peace to give respect to the Ark of the covenant.  Yet these two have chosen to set the ark of God on a new cart:  It is important to note that transporting the ark on a cart was against God's specific command. The ark was designed to be carried (Exodus 25:12-15) and was only to be carried by Levites of the family of Koath (Numbers 4:15).  And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. — Exodus 25:14-15 ...........At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day. — Deuteronomy 10:8

2 2 Samuel 6: 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.

    Certainly some chaff was blown away……..for they had come to Nachon’s threshing floor and the oxen stumbled. Of course, Uzzah tried to steady the oxen when the cart and ox were not to be used in this procedure of moving the Ark to the city of David.

   It was  Uzzah who committed an error!   Even though the ark was in his father’s house, he presumed to know the best method for moving the ark and it proved fatal. And  Uzzah saw no different between this article and most likely anything else he moved for his father or the king. Yet no man was to touch the ark with their hand.

  Uzzah erred in thinking it didn't matter who carried the ark.  His opinion in thinking of how the Ark was to be carried was wrong. And his opinion that he knew all about the Ark because it was in his father’s home for so much time was dead wrong! And the greatest of these was that he erred thinking God could not take care of the Ark Himself! Yes, it was Uzzah’s intentions  to help, but there was a certain irreverence to how the sacred Ark, on which even its Levitical bearers were forbidden to lay hands that he should do so! 

 2 Samuel 6:  8 And David became angry because of the LORD's outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. 9 David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?"           10 So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 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. 

David knew they were not following the rules…Abinadab and his sons did not revere God… The very  account given in 1 Chronicles 15:13-15 tells us that during these three months David investigated the Scriptures to see how the ark was to be transported. He was going to find the instruction needed to move the Ark in safety for all men! So David leaves the Ark in the home of Obed-Edom.

In 2 Samuel 6: 12 Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness.

If we look at the history of Obed-Edom before the Ark of the Covenant we find that the field his home stood on was dirt with rocks.  THERE was NO grass. There were Broken down fences, no livestock…and.....his family wore ragged clothes! They were "the desolate, the poverty stricken…and ....after only a 3 month period, Obed-Edom had increased with livestock, servants, fences, and the house looked newer. They dressed in finer clothing……AND was something that  people could SEE…….

 2 Samuel 6:   13 And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. 14 Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. 

16 Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

1 Chronicles 15:11-15 shows us that David specifically commanded the priests to carry the ark the right way - on their shoulders. We often think that a "new cart" or "strength" or a "friendly" manner is the way to bring the presence and glory of God. But God always wants His presence and glory to come on the shoulders of consecrated, obedient, praising men and women.

We are kings and priests for the Lord. We have received Him into our hearts and as such we carry His presence. Uzzah was strength and probably displayed his muscles and good looks.  Ahio was friendly and probably came out speaking and waving with the occasional great smile he displayed when putting on a production. I mean seriously, King David is here with how many men…..Ahio was going to play his cards for the winning hand.  

But the production to play out was going to be for God’s glory and not by man’s behavior, attitudes or plans. Learning what God desired, David put into play that which God desired for Himself. He paid attention to instruction of God’s word and move the Ark for God’s glory and not for King  David nor for Uzzah who died nor for Ahio the brother!

At the close of this chapter….it is David who danced before the LORD with all his might. And when we do anything in our life, may we know it to be important to do that activity that is bringing glory to God. Our heartfelt worship giving God glory is the hand that wins. For it will show in our hearts as it did for David that day the ARK returned to Jerusalem according to God’s Word and was displayed for all to see!

For whatever we do, it should be for the Lord, not because we are so smart, so beautiful, so handsome, or so witty, but that what we apply to do with family members will be fruit that is of the Holy Spirit and power in our lives that proves God is with us and He is for us....and will be with us everyday till the very END of the age! ( Matthew 28:20)

YOU have the winning hand when you do it God's way, indeed!

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A Good Thing Gone Wrong

What kind of production do we put on and expect God to bless it?
What thing do we really push out with the latest technology: like flashing lights and great colors to boot and leave God out of the event? When someone shouts: lights, camera, action, it this what God sees in a church service........when it is suppose to be about HIM!

And those who are trying to lead, or they doing it according to what is expected when serving God or.................?
Those of strength will lead and have "fellow friendly" person next to him, but they leave God behind on a cart driven by an oxen.
Well, read below what happened when the order of which God purposed is not followed. You have a Uzzah (strength) and Ahio (friendly) lead the way which was not order set by God Himself. And then of all things............they set the Ark of God..........on........(are you ready for this????) a new cart!!!!!

Yes that is what happened on the day David wanted to move the ark of God to the "City of David".

2 Samuel 6:1-11
6:1 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 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, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. 3 So they set 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, drove the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. 5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums (castanets), and on cymbals.

6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 And David became angry because of the LORD's outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. 9 David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" 10 So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 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.   NKJV

Now remember God has rules about moving His Ark of God.  And this fellow Uzzah must have thought he knew much about having this ark since it had BEEN there in his father's house for a long time. For we read it in verse 3, it was brought out of the house.

Numbers 3:27-32

27 From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and above, there were eight thousand six hundred keeping charge of the sanctuary. 29 The families of the children of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 And the leader of the fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31 Their duty included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, the screen, and all the work relating to them. 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, with oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary. NKJV

From the above authority in the care of the ark was given to a certain family. And it was this family that was to continue the care.

Exodus 25:10-17

10 "And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around. 12 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners; two rings shall be on one side, and two rings on the other side. 13 And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them. 15 The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. 16 And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.  NKJV

We must have a heart for the things of God and understand that He is holy. He desires them to be done in a manner worthy of honoring Him.

For it is with the mouth our heart speaks.......

Luke 6:45

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 

NKJV

Was Uzzah doing things he regarded as right in his own eyes? Must have, for we find him dying before the Ark of God. In just a short distance from where they started from, his decision to reach out and touch the ark has a detrimental effect on him.

So again, I ask, "is what we do for God, is it done out of the goodness of our heart for God"? Are we really pushing out with the latest technology: like flashing lights and great colors to boot and leave God out of the event?

Are we leading with the person regarded in strength to lead and have "fellow friendly" person next to him, but they leave God behind on a cart driven by an oxen?

In verse 8 of 2 Samuel 6, we understand David to be angry. He was angry because he knew great steps were missed  in moving the Ark of God to the City of David. He realized Uzzah had no honor for God. David knew the Presence of God and he decided to stop everything and move the Ark to Obed-Edom's house. David wanted to please God and to do that would take more time, and do it right that honored God.

Sometimes it is best to make sure before stepping out that what is being done is in the manner of worship to God.

Colossians 3:23-25
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.   NKJV

David waited. He heard the glad report that Obed-Edom had been blessed. Yes, he and all his house were the blessed. And people saw it as they passed by their property!
So David came and did the proper way of moving the Ark. He worshiped with burnt offerings and peace offerings. He danced before the Lord. The whole of those 30 thousand played an instrument and worshiped the Lord all the way to the City of David. The blew the trumpet!  And when David got there, we find he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. He fed an entire nation that day! Read down in verse 19.

2 Samuel 6:16-19

16 Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So they brought the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. NKJV

Worshiping God in the right manner, is honoring God for Who He is. He is holy and when He does something, it is in His power and not by anything man can use. May we make our boast in the Lord like David. May we host God's presence, and may other's see that He is with us and we are the blessed. Amen.

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