Apr 12, 2007 - Helping God

Apr 12, 2007

Yesterday we talked about the clear cut answer that we can not do a work to gain god's favor. Today, when someone did, the disastrous results that happened.

1Ch 13:9-10 KJVR
(9) And when they came unto the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
(10) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.


A little back story here. The Ark of God was not where David was and so he wanted to bring it to the capital city of Jerusalem. David made the plans to move it. Did he consult the rules Moses had told the Israelites while they were still wandering around the desert on how to move the ark? It is obvious that he did not. The rules were clear. It was to be carried by the Levites . They were to carry it by the poles sticking through the rings on its side. It was to be carried! David put it on an ox cart, I will grant you it was a new one, but it still was not the Levites, it was an ox cart.

So now we are at the beginning of these verse. The ox stumbled. If men had been carrying it, when one stumbled the others could have held it up, but an ox stumbling, it upset the oxcart, and sent the Ark tipping. And poor Uzza. I am sure he was a good man, paid his tithe, prayed reverently and all the other stuff he should do. He was most likely not a Levite or a Priest. Remember, only they could touch the Ark. He was put in a bad spot. His leader had not followed the rules and now the Ark of God was going to fall off the cart. What was he supposed to do?

Nothing!

What, let the Ark hit the ground? Look, don't you think that the God of the universe could keep the Ark from hitting the ground? Uzza , though well intentioned, was trying to help God, to do a work for God. Can you imagine if he had lived to talk about this. He would have been a hero, he helped God.

Years ago, when I would look at this story I would try to figure out how God did what He did? Was the Ark just a big radio transmitter like I read, or a static electric charge builder? I should have stopped looking at the how and tried to figure out the why?

Why did he get killed? Because he tried to do a work to get him into God's favour. He tried to help God, and God does not need help. The Old Testament and the Gospels are littered with people who tried to help God. From Abraham telling Sarah to tell the rulers that she was his sister to Peter cutting off the high priest servant's ear, it is all there. And how often today do we ask God for something and then try to help it along. Problems will happen when you try to help God. It is time to step back and see what God can do with you and not what you can do for God.