August 3, Day 215 – Clinging Too Tightly to This World
- Dr. Eric Stricker
- Aug 2
- 3 min read
In yesterday’s reading from 1st Chronicles, we read that Israel gave David its full support to make him the king, and then we saw a list of David’s mighty men and other warriors who wisely joined David’s army. In today’s reading of chapters 12:23-14:17, we read that others joined David in Hebron – “men armed for battle from Judah, from Simeon, from Levi,” and from the other tribes of Israel (verses 23-37). They came “fully determined to make David king over all Israel” (verse 38). Next, in chapter 13, we learn about David’s desire to bring up the ark of God “because we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul” (verse 3). Although David “conferred with his officers, and though “it seemed right to all the people” (verses 1 and 4), nevertheless, there were strict regulations that governed everything about the Ark of the Covenant (cf., Numbers 3:31 and 4:1-15). These regulations were overlooked. David’s motivations here were honorable and excellent, but his subsequent actions were carried out in ignorance. The ark was not to be moved on a cart, but rather to be carried on the shoulders of Levites – specifically – the Kohathites. In 1 Chronicles 13, we read nothing about a Kohathite presence in the movement of the ark. Nevertheless, “they moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart …” (verse 7). We read that the “oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark … and the LORD struck him down because he put his hand on the ark” (verses 9-10). Why? Why such a severe penalty? In Numbers, God warned the people in advance of severe judgment about mishandling the ark (cf., Numbers 3-4). Uzzah’s misguided attempt to “help” God was actually a sin of arrogance and presumption. Somehow, he believed that his hands – though corrupted by sin – were cleaner than the soil upon which the ark would fall. But sin is not associated with the soil. After all, we were created from soil – before sin entered the garden – and man’s first sin came by way of hands that “took the fruit of the tree” (cf., Genesis 3:6). Sinful hands may not touch God’s throne on earth. May I say to you, this is serious business, and we may not trifle with God’s rules. We read further that “David was afraid of God that day” (verse 12), and rightly so. We note a strong contrast between chapter 13 and 14. David inquired of the LORD directly before going into battle with the Philistines – something we didn’t see before he tried to move the ark.
Psalm 90 – of Moses – reminds us that, before the eternal God, this life is fleeting. God is forever, but we are just passing through – “like a watch in the night” (verse 4). Our time on earth is short. According to verse 10, God has already blessed me with the normal lifespan allocated to man, so now I am living “by strength.” This is another way of saying that I am only alive today by God’s grace, and I am abiding on borrowed time. We should read Psalm 90 every day. Because of sin, even the best of our years “are but trouble and sorrow” (verse 10). May we never forget our transient mortality in this life, and may we never become too comfortable here. Clinging too tightly to this world leads to disappointment.
We also see this in Romans 15:1-33. Paul writes, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (verse 1). If we find ourselves living by strength, we need to share our strength with those who lack strength – in whatever domain our strength manifests itself – if physical, then physically; if spiritual, then spiritually; if financial, then financially; etc. We see that Paul’s plan to stop in Rome before taking the gospel to Spain is his practical example of this kind of love in action. No biblical record confirms whether or not Paul ever fulfilled his goal to go to Spain.
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