2 Samuel 6

Verses 1-5, “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. 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. 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. 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, and on cymbals.”

David wanted to bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem, but rather than doing so in the way God prescribed, they found a new way. Exodus 25:12‭-‬14, “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. And you shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them.”  The Levites were to carry the ark, not transport it on a cart. They had themselves convinced it was okay with God, and played music to celebrate the occasion. New ways creep into the church all the time, with whole movements believing they are okay in God's eyes. Because they are not judged instantly, they stay in their deception. There is only one way...God's way!

Verses 6-11, “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. 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. 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. David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, 'How can the ark of the Lord come to me?' 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. 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.”

Uzzah had lived with the ark long enough that it had become a common thing to him, and he did not have the proper reverence for God. Christians today have likewise lost their fear of God. They think they can do whatever they like and grace will cover them, treating Jesus more like their equal than the Christ our Lord and Savior.  Hebrews 10:26‭-‬29, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the  testimony  of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”

David's response to God's righteous judgement should have been humility and repentance, but instead he is angry. Rather than correcting his approach to move to ark in the way God commanded (in righteousness), he decided not to move it at all. Believers should have faith like a child, but not act like one. Our childish thinking and understanding should be put behind us. We need to yield to God's discipline, and be trained by it, knowing the outcome for us is the fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit ofl righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Verses 12-15, “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. And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.”

After some time, David realized that you cannot have God's blessing if you refuse to obey His commands. Obed-Edom was a Levite, and David could see the blessing upon his household. So his second attempt to move the ark was accepted by God, because he did what was right. Listen to what God said to Cain after He rejected his offering. Genesis 4:6‭-‬7, “So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.' ”  Like Cain, many will refuse to correct their ways and act as though God is harsh and unpleasable. These people do not know God or understand His love for us, which has already been demonstrated on the cross.

Verses 16-20, “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. 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. And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 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. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, 'How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself'!”

David's wife Michal, the daughter of Saul, is not pleased with his display of singing and dancing before the Lord. She accuses him of acting in an undignified manner before his servants. When you have enjoyed a spiritual high, after time in the presence of God, do not be surprised if Satan uses those closest to you to knock you down and get your focus back on the physical battles. David came back more humble, with greater love for God, while Michal increased in hatred for David.  Matthew 5:11‭-‬12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Verses 21-23, “So David said to Michal, 'It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.' Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” 

What David was doing was not for show, but between him and God. He was willing to let God accept or reject his worship, and Michal had no business judging him in this area. Romans 14:4, “Who are you to judge another’s servant?  To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” As long as you can do something as worship, wholeheartedly unto the Lord, you can dismiss the negative comments from your critics. Those inside the church in sin, however, must be judged.