Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-10-02
The SABBATH SCHOOL
IN irrational Lesson Comments for OctOs
Der 4.
Srbjcc; David Brings Up the Ark, Sam.
vi, l.i2-Golden Text, Pisa. S4'4-Memory
Verses, II, documentary on the
Days Lesson.

land to the inhabitants everywhere, espe'
cially to the priests and Levites, to as.
semble together to assist in this Important
work. Read l Chron. 10. "Ark of God"
Notice the deep reverence in this phrase.
The ark did not belong to David or Israel;
it was Gods. Whose name is called"
Better, as in R. y, (Which is called by
hosts" "Dwelleth between the cherub.
ims." ''That sitteth upon the cherubim."
r.. v. "Cherubim" is the Hebrew plura!
form of cherub. The cherubs represented
Gods presence.
3-5. "They set the ark of God upon 2
new cart" This was contrary to the legal
requirement (Num. 7:9), according to
which it was always to be carried by the
Levites and yelled or covered from sight
In this case Israel probably initiated the
Phoenician or Philistine custom. In this
ders The Phoenicians had sacred carts
on which they carried their gods about,
and the oxen were secured to Baal. "Gib.
eah" A hill of Kirjath-iearim called by
that name. "Uzzah and Ahio." Probably
the grandsons of Eleazar, the son of Abina.
dab, who were set apart to keep the ark.
event before" While Uzzah walked at
the side, Ahio went before the oxen to
guide and manage them, as the Basques
may be seen at the present day doing IN
the south of France. Before the Lord"
The ark symbolized Gods presence: and
those who went before the ark are referred
to as going before the Lord "Instru.
ments" The whole procession, David at
and dance Il Chron. 1879.
II. Uzzah's error Tvs. 69). 6, 7. "Thresh-
ing-foor." A fixed threshing- floor, which
did not change it's place like the summer
floor dan. 2:35); and therefore probably
had roof and a stock of fodder. "Uzzah
. took hold" His conduct indicated
irreverence and presumption. The Levites
were forbidden to touch the ark on pain
of death Mum. 4:l5-20). "Oxen STUN
bled." The roads are very rough in Pal
estjne, and the ark was evidently about
to be thrown from the cart when Uzzah
took hold of it. anger of the Lord"
feeling which makes Him hate sin and
compels Him to punish it. "For his error"
The error consisted in touching the ark,
which, as the symbol of Gods presence Il
Sam. 40, none could look into (Num:
4:2O; Sam. 6:l9). much less lay hold OF
without peril of life For transportation
purposes it was first covered I'D by the
Levites to whom it was committed, and
that with faces covered (Num. AIS, 2O),
and carried on slaves. But supposng that
it had been overturned, would not Uzzah
have been as liable to punishment for sui.
fering that as for taking forbidden means
of preventing it? Surely not. He might
have been punishable for adopting mode
of conveyance which exposed the ark to
such an accident. but not for emitting
what he was forbidden to do in order to
prevent that accident. "There he died"
The reasons for this severity were: O
That it grew out of q procedure which
was in direct violation of an express statute
(Num. Ais; 100 which required that the
ark should be carried by Levites. David
known this law. 1t is quite possible that
in his delight in restoring the ancient
religion, he forgot the law, and felt that
the work itself was so good and glorious
as to make amends for any neglect as to
the way of doing it. (2) Uzzah, who had
long had charge of the ark, should have
been familiar with the law forbidding him
to touch it. Possibly long familiarity with
the ark had bred carelessness and irrever-
ence for the sacred symbol. (3) Uzzah
stood in representative POSITION. What
people. 1t was a fragrant violation of Gods
command. 1t was needful at the outset to
prove to the people the necessity of exact
obedience, and hence of careful study of
Gods law. A neglect now would lead to
greater neglects, to any changes individuals
might be inclined to make, and thus the
sacredness and teachings of the divine in.
stitutions of religion would be lost.
s, 8. 'Displeased." He was mortified
and chagrined at the sudden and unhappy
interruption of the triumphal procession.
He was not angry against God, but with
himself for neglect and carelessness in al.
lowing the ark to be removed in this way.
"Made a breach" Violently interposed in
a sudden stroke of divine judgment. "Pe-
rez-uzzah" The word HPerez," or
'ibreach," conveyed to the Hebrews the
idea of great calamity. Afraid" Fear
or terror followed his anger, lest the judg.
ments of God were not yet ended and
would be extended to himself and people.
lions of the law and prepared his people
for the solemn undertaking "How shall"
etc. Had David asked this question sooner
it would have been better. He now eX.
hibits humility and admits his guilt. He
sees the necessity of reverence and devo'
ton in his conduct.
III. The blessed household Tvs. l0-l3.
1912. "Would not remove" Not for the
present, fearing he might make some other
mistake. 'House of Obed-edom." Very
near the city. He was Levite Of the
SIOCh VI llc lNUIdHllcs, WHICH was u VI civil
of the family of Kohath. 90 The Lord
blessed" etc. Josephus asserts that during
this interval Obed-edom passed from pov.
erty to wealth, and that all who saw his
household, or heard the report of his
wealth, were agreed in considering him
specially favored by the Lord. David
went" Read l Chron. chapters 10, It.
David had taken three months to study
the law, and now he was prepared to bring
the ark to Jerusalem in proper manner.
~. The ark enters Jerusalem Tvs. 49,
l9). This was the greatest day in David's
life. 1t was a turning point in the history
of the nation. At every few rods of the
march the procession would halt. and
there were religious sacrifices at every
halt. "The ark advanced like the chariot
of a great conqueror, ascending the
sacred hill of triumph" There were
summoned to assist at this ceremony the
high priests Zadok and Abiathar. the heads
of the six Levitical families, with a large
company of their relatives, and many from
all the tribes of Israel. There were music
and singing, and David himself changed
his kingly garb for the priestly ephod and
Joined heartily in the music. Psalm "a il
supposed to have been sung when the pro-
eession was entering Jerusalem.