October 2, 2025 - 2 Samuel 6:1-7 - "A Matter of Life and Death"

2 Samuel 6:1-7

"Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God."

Here we are given a matter of life and death. David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, 30,000 leaders and rulers throughout the land. He arose with the people to bring up from Baale of Judah the ark of God, called by the name of "the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims" The ark of the covenant with its mercy seat was a visible representation of the presence of the LORD. It was a type of Christ, for in Christ dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Christ is that Mercy Seat, and how He is approached is not to be taken lightly.

“They set the ark of God upon a new cart.” Everything seemed right to men, even the priests accompanied the ark, one before and one behind. David and all the house of Israel rejoiced with harps, psalteries, timbrels, cornets, and cymbals. Outwardly, there was joy, excitement, and worship. Yet, in verse seven, when Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark, the anger of the LORD was kindled, and God smote him there for his error. What seemed good to man was contrary to God’s appointed way.

Why was this so? Numbers 7:9 tells us, “Unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.” The ark was not to be set upon a cart but carried on the shoulders of the priests. To change this was to pervert the Gospel, for the ark pointed to Christ. Christ bore upon His shoulders the government (Isaiah 9:6). He bore upon His shoulders the weight of sin, judgment, and the salvation of His people. No cart fashioned by man, however new or respectable, could substitute for Christ’s shoulders.

This is the lesson: the best and most sincere of men are often wrong in the LORD’s work. Thirty thousand chosen men agreed, yet were dead wrong. The best works and preparations cannot satisfy God’s just requirements. Even the best worship, rejoicing with instruments and dancing, cannot stand if it is not in God’s Way. All the sincerity of David, Uzzah, and the people could not remove the fact that God had already declared how His ark was to be carried.

This matter points us to Christ and Him crucified. Even as Adam and Eve in the garden thought it a light thing to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but the consequence was death. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). When they sought to clothe themselves with fig leaves, God took away their work and slew innocent victims to cover them with skins. The blood of the innocent was poured out, pointing to Christ crucified, for “without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins ,”(Hebrews 9:22).

Cain imagined his offering would be accepted, but Abel came by blood. Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered strange fire, and the LORD struck them dead (Leviticus 10). Eli’s sons perished, and Eli said, “It is the Lord, let Him do what He will.” Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark, but even a high priest could not touch in a way God had not commanded. King Uzziah lifted himself up in pride, went into the temple, and the LORD struck him with leprosy. These are all matters of life and death. They declare that God will be approached only through His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ.

Christ bore it all upon His shoulders. He is the true Mercy Seat, the One Sacrifice, the One Mediator. Every detail of the ark, the priests, and the sanctuary pointed to Him. To alter God’s way is to pervert the Gospel, to take salvation off Christ’s shoulders and place it on the cart of man’s reason or works. But salvation is in Christ alone, through His finished work at the cross.

Hebrews 2 says, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:1–3). Uzzah’s death, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Aaron’s sons, Eli’s sons—all testify to the same truth. How shall we escape if we neglect Christ and His accomplished work?

Hebrews 4 warns, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:1–2). David profited when the LORD showed him his deadly mistake. He saw that only Christ, foreshadowed in the ark, bore salvation.

This is why the Gospel must be preached again and again, lest we let it slip. For even in eternity, the song of the redeemed will not be of their own works, but “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” Christ crucified, Christ accomplished, Christ bore it all upon His shoulders. Not Uzzah, not David, not the best of men—but Christ alone.

This is a matter of life and death. Let us therefore fear, let us give earnest heed, and let us rest only in Him Who has finished the work for His people.