Obed-Edom                                                      1 Chronicles 13:1-14

You’ve heard me say before that I see the Old Testament as a shadow of what will come in the New Testament. We’ve see how the story of Joseph points us to Jesus. They were both hated and rejected by their own. They both suffered for things they did not do. And they both rose to rule over others; Joseph as second in command over Egypt and Jesus at God’s right hand over all humanity. We saw in Exodus 21 how a servant who has his ear pierced at a door post becomes a servant forever. This is a picture of Jesus pierced by nails at the cross forever becoming our advocate with God.

This morning this account of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem can be seen as a shadow of the future. When David was a young man he had a desire to bring the Ark to Jerusalem but King Saul had no interest in the Ark at all.

We’ve discussed the Ark before but as a refresher, it’s made of wood and gold representing man and God as one; Jesus. It contains manna, Aaron’s staff and the stone tablets representing man’s grumbling at God, man’s rejection of God and man’s sins. Together the Ark is a representation of Jesus embracing us while knowing full well our transgressions. And the mercy seat where the sacrificial blood was sprinkled on top demonstrates for us that Jesus sacrifice is always above and always more powerful than our sin.

David wanted the Ark close. He was dedicated to God and he prospered in his life. Saul kept the Ark and therefore God at arm’s length and he became a jealous man, an egotistical man and he ultimately died in the desert.

The Ark was the physical representation of Jesus and salvation. We as believers are now the physical representation of Jesus and salvation. Those that push God away like Saul will face the consequences for it and will eventually die and spend eternity in the desert outside of God. When we keep Jesus in our lives we will prosper and live in heaven.

When David became King of Israel he went to Kiriath Jearim to get the Ark and to bring it back to Jerusalem. Karaith Jearim was a city with a population of people who were Jewish and Gentiles; it represents the world. The Ark being there represents God being in the world where all people of all backgrounds can see him.

In Genesis we are told the Ark is a holy object entrusted to the Levitical priests of Israel. In the Book of Numbers chapter 7 we’re told how the Ark is to be carried by poles on the priest’s shoulders. Now when the Philistines captured the Ark years before they transported it in a cart pulled by ox. This is a big no-no and yet God did not destroy them for it. All this shows us that faith in Jesus Christ is a holy state for us to be in. Because of this we must not rely on earthly things to represent our faith, we must not rely on earthly trinkets to represent our faith; we must rely on lifting Christ up and living as he tells us to in order to demonstrate the faith in our hearts. I wear a cross that I was given by my family when I graduated seminary. It’s special to me. But I do not show it to people to prove I’m a Christian, my words and actions hopefully let people know I am a follower of Christ.

Now I said the Philistines did not hold God high and yet God did not destroy them. God gives us free choice to accept Christ or not to accept Christ. If we don’t God is not going to smite you into a pile of ash. God gave us free choice and he will let us live with the consequences of that choice. If we accept Jesus as our savior we are given God’s grace and mercy. We are glorified, sanctified and forgiven. If we choose not to accept Jesus we will ultimately be condemned for our transgressions.

We can see that in our reading David is transporting the Ark in a cart and not on the priest’s shoulders and it has consequences.

The ox stumbled. Ok, the ox stumbled but by now you know nothing is just that simple, there is meaning behind it. The ox stumbled because David had copied the ways of the Philistines. When we rely on the ways of the world, when we chase money or fame over God, we will stumble. We will miss out on the glory God has for our lives because we’re looking for glory in places other than God.

Our story tells us how when the ox stumbled a man named Uzza reached out to steady the Ark, and he died. This seems like an awful harsh punishment but it has meaning for us.

Uzza means “man’s strength.” Uzza reaching out is a picture of how when we follow the way of the world, when we rely on our own abilities to keep the law and earn God’s blessings, we will fail and the result is our spiritual death.

We cannot live a sinless life but the amazing thing is God gives us his grace through faith in Jesus; unmerited, unearned favor and grace. Romans 8:1, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Jesus took our place and died for us at the cross.

Verse 12, “David was afraid of God that day…” David doesn’t ask God what went wrong. He didn’t pray. David feared God and his retribution. This is not what the Bible means when it says in Psalm 147:11, “the Lord delights in those who fear him.” This is one of those times when I don’t like our English translation. The original Hebrew word we translate as fear actually translates more like respect or revere. God does not want us to fear him, God wants us to believe, trust and respect him.

Verse 12 again, “How can I bring the Ark of God to me?” Remember the Ark represents Jesus and God’s mercy.  David just saw Uzza die, when he asks how he can get close to God he is asking a question all humanity has asked. With all our mistakes, all our transgressions, all our sins, how can we get in a relationship with a holy and perfect God? How can we bring Jesus into our lives?

I’ve talked with people who told me “I’m divorced; God’s not going to welcome me, I’ve done some horrible things; God’s not going to forgive me, “I’m LGBT; I can’t be a Christian.” None of these are true. David shows us how we, all of us, how everyone can be gifted God’s grace and mercy and he does it in the next few lines. Verse 13, “Instead he took it to the house of Obed-Edom.”

You’ve heard me say enough times that nothing is in the Bible as filler. It doesn’t say the Ark was left outside of Jerusalem, it mentions this man specifically. Obed-Edom; Obed means servant. Edom means red however its root word dom refers to blood. Obed-Edom refers to the servant of the blood. In a sense we are all servants of the blood. We trust in the sacrificial blood of Christ and we serve him with our lives.

The Ark as we know represents Christ and it is left in the house of Obed-Edom;  the servant of the blood. This paints a picture of Jesus living in the heart of his followers. How do we get into a relationship with God? How do we live in God’s love and his grace? By believing in and serving his son Jesus.

Verse 14, “The Ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months…” We know three is the Biblical representative of God in all his glory. When we accept Christ, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all dwell within us. Someone asked me once, “Who do I pray to; God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?” I say it doesn’t matter. I go back and forth between them all because they are all the same God.

So according to our scripture, what happens when we trust in the blood and allow God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit into our hearts; “…and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.”

When we accept Christ several things happen; we’re saved, we’re glorified, we’re sanctified, we are blessed and our lives are blessed. When we accept Christ what we have and what we do are uplifted and bring honor and praise to God.

I found that this story of David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem is also found in 2 Samuel chapter six. There it describes how after three months David went back to Obed-Edom and brought the Ark to Jerusalem. This time however, David had the Ark carried on poles by the priests as it is supposed to be as described in Exodus 37.

2 Samuel 56:13, “When those who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull…” It was approximately six miles from Obed-Edom’s home to Jerusalem and every six steps they stopped to make a sacrifice to God. This kept their minds and hearts on God and his mercy and grace.

When we accept Jesus God will bless us. I can’t tell you it will be with wealth or influence. I can tell you it is with salvation and glory in heaven for eternity. David’s sacrifices remind us that as we enjoy the blessings of God in whatever form they may take in our lives, we must never forget where those blessings come from. We must never forget our salvation came at the cost of Jesus blood at the cross.

I had a professor that liked to say the Old Testament is Jesus concealed and the New Testament is Jesus revealed. I admit I used to avoid reading in the Old Testament but I found that if you read it with a heart open to Jesus you will find him there. The Old Testament stories tell us what will happen and why it happens in the New Testament. The more I read the Old Testament the more it proves to me the Gospels are not just good stories, they are a testament of Jesus Christ. And he is who he says he is and he accomplished what he said he did.

Now, Paul’s prayer in 2 Thessalonians is my prayer for you, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 The 3:16)

Amen.