1 Chronicles 13:14

The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.

Ark of covenant can be understood as the place where God’s presence dwells, from where God speaks to HIS people. Exodus 25:17-22 God gives HIS servant Moses instructions how to make tabernacle, mercy seat, the most holy place, and the ark of covenant. God used to speak to Moses from the most holy place and Moses brings God’s word to HIS people.

But as time passed, the priests of the Highest God did not follow God’s word diligently and so God rejected them. During the time of Eli, the priest, God let the philistines defeat Israel and capture the ark of God. They took it to their place (1 Sam 3:11-24, 1 Sam 4:21-22). But they couldn’t keep it for long with them, as the ark of God in the enemy’s camp brought disasters to them. (1 Sam 6:19;20) In fear and trembling the philistines wanted to send the ark back to Israel because they were not aware of the statutes of God in taking care of the ark. Philistine sent the Ark of covenant to Israel.

Now it was 20 years, none sought the ark of covenant during the days of king Saul (1 Sam 7:1,2). (1 Chronicles 13:1-2) But during David’s kingship we read here how David started seeking for the ark and planned to bring it back. We must also seek God’s presence daily.

1 Chronicles 13:7- so they brought the ark with great joy, singing and worship. But the end was sad, God strike down Uzza who touched it unworthily and he died. (1 Chronicles 13:10) Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.

Number 4:15 “And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.”

Because God had given statutes and instructions how to carry the ark of God. So, anyone who touches it unworthy will be killed same time.  Uzza’s fatal attempt to steady the ark of God is painful lesson underscoring the necessity of doing what is right in God’s eye, not our own eyes.

Leviticus 10:1-2 “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So, fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.”

God strikes the people as they disobey the proper instructions and do according to their desires (I Sam 6:19 )

Even today people don’t know how to worship God. (Deuteronomy 12:4;8, judges 17:6; 21:23) They prefer doing in ways that seems best to their knowledge and desires, but not mindful of what the scripture teaches. They learnt the ways of gentiles and worship God like the gentiles did, which is abomination to God’s sight.

1 Chronicles 13:12, Here seeing the judgement of God, David now was afraid of God. He did not take the ark to his house, but rather sent to OBED EDOM house. But successfully moved after correcting mistake (I Chr 15:1-28)

People of God forget to give reverence to God, ignoring the Church and not attending the Worship. Hebrews 10:25 says “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. ” So, there is God’s judgement on families, no peace at home and children’s future is questionable.

Hebrews 12:28-29

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Though God forgives us when we repent due to HIS grace and doesn’t destroy us, but the consequences of sin we need to suffer and so there is pain and losses.

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Now because God dwells in us, we need to submit each part of our body to God for holiness.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. God today speaks to us from within us.

Why did God bless OBED EDOM House? Because…..

1. The service which Obed-Edom rendered.
2. He followed the covenant, The Word of God.
3. He accepted the responsibility for the Ark even though there was visible deadly fear.
4. He led his family in regular worship and taught God’s statutes to his children and grandchildren.
5. He turned dead to life.

So, God blessed his house with grace and mercy.

1. David appointed him as minister before Ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank an to praise the Lord. 1 Chr 16:4-6
2. The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers Elihu and Semachiah were able men. All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, able men with strength for the work: sixty-two of Obed-Edom. I Chr 26:4-8
3. Generation after generation they served the Lord.

Now as new testament believers do, we take time to know what God teaches us?

How eager we are to teach to our kids the fear of God?

In all these verses, it is wonderful to see how God blessed Obed-Edom and his kids and even grandchildren and whole family of 62 members, due to their reverence and obedience to God.

Let’s decide to seek God with the due respect and obedience and be blessed.

Amen