Daniels

...................

__________________

Eccle 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep

his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret

thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Boanerges

Whenever man tries to control a move of God the result is always death.
Whenever man comes in contact with a holy God outside of the blood covering of Jesus Christ the result is always judgement and death.

violet

Boanerges

The flesh must always be put to death :

1Sa 6:7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
1Sa 6:8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
1Sa 6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
1Sa 6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
1Sa 6:11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. Would these mother cows follow their natural instinct and go to their calves or would they bring the Ark of God home?
1Sa 6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

Against every natural instinct these cows were walking the way of God- much like you and me when we follow the path that God leads us on our flesh is "lowing as we went"- but like these cattle we are to turn our back on our natural insticts and walk the journey that God sets before us- one that (like these cattle) will lead us to the place were we will sacrifice our flesh on the alter of God's will !

Daniels

Whose mistake?

__________________

Eccle 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep

his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret

thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Boanerges

Also because God prescribed only one way into His presence- that way being the foreshadowing of the sacrifice of the lamb of God Jesus Christ. God's way is the only way to salvation, man's way allways leads to destruction.

Boanerges

Who tried to direct the Ark (God's presence)? You could go back and blame Israel or even Eli the high priest as the Ark should have never been brought into battle without first seeking God's will and blessing. All our actions have impact on others but it was Uzzah's lack of faith in God's abilities that made him think the Ark would fall and fail to reach it's destination. Yes others do impact our lives but we are each ultimately responsible for our own choices.

Rumely

Uzzah was a bit like the straw that broke the camel's back, only he was the one that got broken. First of all is the question of whether Israel consulted God before marching off to battle in the first place, which probably explains their defeat. Then, apparently again without consulting God, they grab the Ark to use as a talisman in battle. Later, when the ark shows up in Beth-shemite, some of the locals looked into the ark and were struck dead by God for their presumption. The ark was then taken to Kiriath-jearem where it remained for twenty years. During this time, Israel was involved in idolatry. And other stuff happens. Finally, King David and his men go to fetch the ark. They put it on a cart, like the Philistines did, rather than have the sons of Koneth carry the ark as prescribed in Numbers 4. Finally, Uzzah touches the ark, thinking to prevent it from falling.

The thing is, the law forbade both looking in the ark, which resulted in the death of (disputed number) men, and touching the ark, which resulted in Uzzah's death. They should have known better, these things were explicitely forbidden in the law and it specifically stated that the penalty would be death. So, a number of factors are involved here. Violation of a specific prohibition with a specifically stated result. Casual, familiar, and cavalier treatment of the representation of the Most High God. Failure to consult said Most High God at several points in the whole affair.

I think a lot of people have the idea that Uzzah was just a well-intended fellow, just trying to be helpful and ZAP! Mean ol' God just threw a hissy and overreacted. Moses was prevented from entering the Promised Land because of a similar error. When God instructed him to speak to the rock to produce water, he struck it angrily instead (Numbers 20:1-13). I'm speculating here, but I'm guessing that Moses himself narrowly escaped death because of the position in which God had placed him.

Frankly, I don't think the average Christian really has any concept of just how holy God is. For me, I appreciate His grace so much more, because I realize the magnitude of His love and condescencion in offering it to us. And to further encourage us to come to Him as children to their beloved Father, their Abba! What Glory!!

Jasher

God is love and everything he does is through love. I'm wondering if we haven't put the cart before the cow - in this case. He is also a Holy just God and is to be feared - when we disobey him.

If a mother is ironing her clothes and a child approaches and starts to reach for the hot iron - she will tell them not to touch it. Behind her back - the child touches it - and is badly burned. Is the burn the mothers punishment for his disobedience? Or is it a loving mother who is warning her child of a natural danger? I think Uzzah was warned about the intense anointing of the Ark and the fact that the unpurified, unsanctified should not touch it - just like the iron. His disobedience to a Holy God caused his death. David was unhappy about this for sure - probably thinking he should have been "excused" under the circumstances.

The priests lived very holy and purified lives and had actually learned how to stand in God's presence, while ministering in the Tabernacle and later the Temple. God is doing the same today when his power falls on people in Church. It's a learning process to be able to stand in his presence instead of falling down as we all seem to do.

>

humblespirit

I've often entertained questions concerning some of God's judgements in the Old Testament myself. I've often wondered "Why all the genocide?, "Why do children have to be annhiliated? The answer I always appear to get is "I'm God, and you're not". That may be simplistic to many but if we believe God is who he says he is in scripture, then he being God, creator of heaven and earth, can do as he pleases. To imagine at times that I think I know better then God makes me quite ashamed. Besides that, God has no obligation to sinful man whatsoever. He didn't have to sacrifice his only begotten; he could have easily terminated the human race. As Christians, we simply do not get to ask the questions concerning God's decisions. He owes man nothing, and it's only due to his mercy and love that we had any hope of escaping his wrath. I've stopped asking God why he ordered disobedient children stoned to death in Deuteronomy, and just accepted that he knows best. Uzzah disobeyed the most powerful being which exists, and for that, he died.

God Bless you