Monday Yr B Sunday between Jul 10-16
2 Samuel 6:6-12 (New International Version)
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
8 Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. [a]
9 David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” 10 He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.
12 Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.
Footnotes:
2 Samuel 6:8 Perez Uzzah means outbreak against Uzzah
Acts 21:27-39 (New International Version)
Paul Arrested
27When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” 29(They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.)
30The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.
33The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”
“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?”
39Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
Psalm 68:24-35 (New International Version)
24 Your procession has come into view, O God,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the maidens playing tambourines.
26 Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.
27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
28 Summon your power, O God [a] ;
show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.
30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may it bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush [b] will submit herself to God.
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,
Selah
33 to him who rides the ancient skies above,
who thunders with mighty voice.
34 Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the skies.
35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!
Obedience to God
“Mom?” Sarah waited till her mom looked up from reading the Bible. “Why does God have such harsh punishments for people?”
“Can you give me a for instance, Sarah?”
“Well, you were just reading the story of King David bringing the ark back to Jerusalem and how Uzzah touched the ark of the covenant and he died.” Sarah frowned. “Even King David was upset and didn’t finish bringing the ark to Jerusalem because of it.”
“It’s a hard question for us.” Her mother began. “I think it is because we don’t fully understand the nature of God. It is difficult.”
“I don’t get it.” Sarah picked up her mom’s Bible and scanned 2 Samuel 6. “Why should Uzzah die?”
Her mom smiled. “Let me ask you a question before I answer yours. Remember when we went to the Grand Canyon Caverns?”
“Yeah.” Sarah nodded emphatically, “The ones with the ancient fossils and the stalagmites and stalactites?”
“That’s right. We went deep underground in a convenient elevator and lights illuminated the paths, so we could walk safely through them.”
“Yeah, and we saw preserved animals that hadn’t rotted away because it was sealed off from air and sun.”
“Yes,” her mom met Sarah’s eyes. “The guide had us stand still and turned all the lights off. Remember how he asked us to hold our hands in front of our faces and we couldn’t see them? Then he lit one small light and we could see.”
“That was sooo spooky.”
“I know.” Her mom shivered. “It was eerie while it was dark. I felt so relieved when the lights came on.”
“Me, too.” Sarah laughed.
“Darkness and light are like that. No matter how you try, they cannot be in the same place at the same time. The second you turn on a light, the darkness must go…”
“You told me once that God is light.” Sarah interjected.
“Exactly.” Her mother smiled. “God had the Israelites create the ark so they would be able to have a space where the Spirit of God could be on earth; where the priests could receive instructions. Right?”
“Okay, so God’s Spirit dwelled in the Ark of the Covenant.”
“In the same way that light and darkness can’t be in the same place, so purity and holiness are unable to be in the same place as sin and contamination.” Her mom went on, “Uzzah disobeyed God’s law which said ‘Don’t touch the ark.’ His sinful nature could not be in the same space as God’s holiness.”
Sarah thought for a moment and looked over her mom’s shoulder and began reading,
“ 6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.”
Her mom looked up at Sarah. “We know that the Ark of the Covenant was made with poles that were always connected so Uzzah could have used them when the ozen stumbled. Instead, he disobeyed God and there are consequences for disobeying God. We think laws seem severe because we don’t understand about God.”
“That’s kinda scary, that the consequences of disobeying the law cause death.”
“There are many laws that result in death. When a drunk driver speeds a car out of control and crashes into a tree and dies, death is a consequence for disobeying those laws too.”
“What do you mean those laws?” Sarah shrugged her shoulders.
“Well, the laws which say ‘Don’t drink and drive’ for one. The laws of nature that say if you drive (out of control) into a tree and crash your body so badly, you’ll die.”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought about those kinds of laws.”
“We feel bad when someone dies in a crash, but we understand that people die when they have accidents like that.” Her mom added. “Since we don’t understand who God is, the laws about the Ark of the Covenant seem harsh. But two opposites can’t occupy the same space; one must cease to exist or die. There is a physical law that Light and darkness cannot exist together. The physical laws are such that people die in a horrible crashes. We have laws that result in death.”
“I guess I don’t understand God as well as I thought I did.” Sarah pursed her lips as she thought.
“There is much that we don’t fully understand about God. That is why we must have faith.”
“Faith is hard when I don’t understand.” Sarah admitted.
“Yes, but we have examples of God’s goodness to us when we are obedient. This helps our faith grow.”
“Like what?” Sarah’s face scrunched, puzzled.
“If you read further,” her mom read aloud. “Verse eleven says, ‘The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.’ So a whole family was blessed for obeying the Lord.”
“Cool. Maybe God will bless me if I obey.” Sarah suggested.
“I’m sure of it”. Her mother looked at her over her reading glasses. “I know I will reward you for obedience.”
“Aw, Mom.” Sarah whined, and then laughed. “I will try harder to do the right thing.”
“I’m glad to hear that you’ll do your best for God.” Her mom laughed with her. “Even moms have to work at being obedient to God, so I will work harder, too.”
Daily prayer: Almighty God, we recognize our limitations in understanding who you are. Your greatness is awesome beyond our belief. Forgive us for doubting your power and your word. Forgive our sinfulness. Build our faith so that we may be obedient to your will and honor you in our lives, everyday. Thank you for your love. In Jesus name, Amen.
Memorize: 2 Samuel 6:11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.
