A Heart for God’s Presence

A Heart for God’s Presence

By Pastor Gary Wayne

Text: 1Chronicles 15,16, 2 Samuel 6:1-17, 1Samuel 6:21-7:2

A side note: Abinadab was a Levite – the ark stayed at his place for 20 years.

2Sam.6:1-17
Uzzah wasn’t just someone they picked to transport the ark.
Abinadab had at least 3 sons: Eleazer, Ahio, and Uzzah.
The Ark of the Covenant had been at their house for about 20 years.
So Uzzah would have been accustomed to being around the Ark.
Ver.7 error = irreverence NASB - "his irreverence" NIV – “his irreverent act”
He was familiar with the routine, but missed the relationship of the Ark.

Uzzah being a Levite, should have been familiar with the Levitical ordinances regarding how to take care of the ark.

The Levitical ordinances were designed to secure the strictest reverence for it.
But it appears his familiarity with being around the ark might have caused him to view the ark as ordinary, rather than sacred.

To me the story line takes a turn at ver.10 with the person and heart of Obed-Edom. We read this story so casual.

I would love to have heard the conversation between Obed and Mrs. Edom that night before bed. – “I can’t believe you let the King talk you into bringing that thing into our house! What if one of the kids touches that thing! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?”

Obed-Edom was also a Levite, and in just a short time, things at his house began to change.

Having God in the center of his home, began to bring blessings – so much so, that in just 3 months, word got back to King David.

What I want to look at is the contrast between the house of Abinadab, and the house of Obed-Edom.

Abinadab, his sons Eleazar, Uzzah, and Ahio, all had the same opportunity that Obed-Edom had.

It appears that when King David took ark from his home, Obed-Edom went with it.

1 Chr.16:1, 4-5

I’m sure Obed-Edom loved the blessings of God, but it was God’s presence he wanted, not just His stuff.

His desire for the Lord caused him to do whatever it took to be close to the Lord. He became a gatekeeper, a musician, and a doorkeeper. (15:18, 21, 24, 16:5, 38)
Obed-Edom becomes a worship leader and is mentioned along with Aspah the Chief Musician. (Ver.5)

Obed-Edom and his 68 associates minister regularly before the Lord in worship. Yet, he still continues to keep the gates.

His desire for a relationship with God established a relationship not only for himself, but also for his children and grandchildren.

We don't know when it all started with Obed-Edom, but it appears that when he put God in the center of his living room, there was a life-change.

Obed-Edom did not wait for the Lord to tell him to do something, he just did it. He waited on the Lord by doing.

You will find as you are doing the work of the ministry, God will give you direction in what to do.

Abinadab, his sons Eleazar, Uzzah, and Ahio, all had the same opportunity that Obed-Edom had. But they all went back home.

Have you ever heard the phrase: Familiarity breeds contempt?
I wonder if Uzzah and his family became so familiar with the ark they didn’t maintain the relationship that Obed-Edom found.

Dick Iverson – founding pastor of Bible Temple in Portland OR.

How does this come out in our attitudes?
I’ve gone to church all my life – On a given Sunday morning, as I go to church, the familiarity of it causes me to be casual instead of reverent.

What I hear God saying to Faith Chapel is, don’t get so familiar with doing church that we miss the relationship we should be pursuing.

Instructions to the children of Israel were to follow the ark of God, when it moved, follow.
Put God in the center of our homes, and don’t become so familiar with religious routine that we miss relationship.