The Ark Representing Our Spirit Can Not Be Held Up by Our Strength

And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error, and there he died by the ark of God. 2 Samuel 6.6, 7.

Before David was made king, the ark had been captured by the Philistines. At that time there had been no Uzzah to safeguard it; nevertheless, it was well able to defend itself. For recall that whenever it was removed from place to place, it never once faltered, although it did not have the care of either Uzzah or any other Israelite: the Philistines could not do anything to it.

Now, though, the ark was back among God’s own people. Did it therefore need any man to hold it? Here must we see the sin of Uzzah. The ark was well able to defend itself among enemies; would it now require the care of man among the Lord’s own people? God, you will remember, had always wanted the ark to be borne by the Levites, but the people of Israel had now put it on an oxcart. Yet should it fall, this would have to be its own business. Any stretching of the hand of man would only destroy God’s testimony. Hence God would not allow Uzzah to go untouched.

Christ, who is our life. Colossians 3.4.

Christ is victory! Christ is patience! What we need is not patience or gentleness or love, only Christ. He must have the preeminence in all things. Christ lives out patience, gentleness and love through us. What do we deserve but death. We are not fit for anything but death.

When God created Adam He gave the latter a command to keep. Yet God does not re-create us in the same fashion. He instead puts us in the place of death while He himself lives out His will in us. We should not only see that there is a Saviour who died in our stead on Calvary, but even more so realize that this same One lives in us and for us now.