There are three arks mentioned in the Bible, Noah’s ark, Moses’s ark and the ark of the covenant. The waters of the flood transported Noah’s ark, Moses’ mother transported the ark Moses was placed in and God gave commands concerning how the ark of the covenant was to be transported. It is this third ark we wish to use in this article to enforce a few truths concerning our obedience to God.
Let us first summarize the events concerning the transportation of the ark of the covenant that we are considering. When God gave instructions concerning the building of the tabernacle and all the items to be in it, He specified that the ark was to be carried by way of staves that would be placed through rings that were attached to the four corners of the ark (Exo. 25:13-14). Later it is specified that of the Levites, it would be the job of the sons of Kohath to bear the ark and that no one was to touch the ark, not even the sons of Kohath, the result of doing so was to die (Num. 4:15). From these two commands it should be obvious that the sons of Kohath, and only the sons of Kohath were to transport the ark and that by carrying it by the staves through the rings.
Yet, some might determine that would only apply to initially loading it upon some beast of burden or such. Yet, this is made clear when beasts of burden were donated to the priests, “But 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” (Num. 7:9), the items making up the tabernacle. Now fast forward some four hundred years and the ark of the covenant has been captured by the Philistines and then returned to Israel, but not back to where the tabernacle was. David saw fit to have it brought back. It is recorded that, “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” (II Sam. 6:3). At one point, “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” (II Sam. 6:4). So, now what can we learn about how to transport an ark, or really to carry out any command of God?
The first lesson that we might learn is that one must do whatever God has commanded in the way that God has commanded! Uzzah died because they did not follow the instructions given by God (I Chronicles 15:12-13). Nadab and Abihu learned that same lesson, and as Uzzah, and they learned it the hard way also (Lev. 10:1-2). We do not have any arks to transport in Christianity, but we do have commands to be obeyed. Always keep in mind that God said what He meant and He means what He said. Whether it be how to become a child of God, how to live as a child of God, how to worship God or how to deal with our fellow man, God has given us instructions on how it is to be done. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16). Also remember, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
A second great lesson to learn from this, and one that many in this age may have failed to realize is that sincerity of heart does not change disobedience to obedience. Good motives do not exempt one from obedience. There is no doubt that Uzzah had no intended slight against God by seeking to keep the ark from falling and possibly being broken up. But, that sincerity of heart did not alleviate the required obedience. King Saul tried the “good motive” argument with Samuel when told of his sin in failure to destroy all of Amalek. He said of the sheep and oxen brought back that they were brought back to offer as a sacrifice to God (I Sam. 15:21). To this, “Samuel said, hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (I Sam. 15:22).
One more great lesson to keep in mind is that time does not nullify or change God’s commands. It has been some four hundred years since God had given the commands concerning how the ark was to be transported, but though the Philistines used that method to get the ark out of their land, it was still an unauthorized method of doing something that God had given command on. We often hear one say when faced with a scripture from God’s word concerning that which God requires, “well things were different back then, that doesn’t apply to us in these modern times”. The fact is, God has not changed and His word and commands have not changed. Man may have changed in many ways, accepting and even making legal things that God condemned, but they are still condemned. God still means what He said.
Lots of lessons to be learned, but the main one that will cover it all is that the only right way to do the will of God is to do it the way He said!