Recovering the Fear of the Lord: The Anointing and Victories of David and the Death of Uzzah

2 Samuel begins with David hearing of Saul’s death. After a time of lamenting the loss of Saul and Jonathan David is anointed the king of Judah, and Ish-Bosheth, Saul’s son, is made the king of Israel. Through a turn of events Ish-bosheth is murdered. The only other living descendent of Saul at the time was Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, who was dropped by his nurse and crippled when he was five years old (more on him later).

After the death of Ish-Bosheth all of the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and there David was anointed king of Israel. The two kingdoms of God’s people finally united under one king.

Immediately David goes on a battle spree. He reclaims Israelite cities and strongholds. He routs and defeats the Philistines. David even has the Ark of the Covenant brought to Jerusalem. Well, not directly.

The Ark of the Covenant was not just a symbol of God’s presence, but God himself literally manifested his presence in a special way wherever the Ark was. Therefore, the Ark should be treated reverently and in accordance to God’s commands.

While the Ark is being transported on a cart by oxen, and not by the Levites with poles as God commands (Ex. 25:14-15), the oxen pulling the cart stumble and the Ark tips over, as if to fall. A man named Uzzah put out his hand to catch or steady the ark on the cart, and he was immediately struck dead. At that moment, David was fearful of God and was not willing to take the Ark to Jerusalem.

Lucky Obed-Edom

Afraid of God’s manifest presence with the Ark, David is unwilling to take the Ark home and instead sends it to Obed-edom the Gittite. During the three months the Ark resides with Obed-edom, he and his household experience great blessing. David is no fool: he would love that blessing for his household, and so he sends for the Ark.

God is holy and his presence brings blessing. But he is so holy that man cannot interact with him, or even touch something that he has manifested his presence on, without dying. Yet, his presence brings blessing.

Look at what David does next. This time the transport of the Ark of the Covenant is much different. David carries out this operation in the fear of God. He obeys God’s instructions and has the Ark carried instead of being placed on a cart. And this time David offers a sacrifice after every six steps of the men carrying the Ark. David wears an ephod, the garment worn by priests in the presence of God. All the while David is rejoicing at the reality that God’s presence will bring to his city.

The turning point

What has changed? David’s fear of God.

What caused the change? The wrath of God killing a man who did not fear him.

The fear of the Lord led David to obey what God had commanded.

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

The fear of God in Christian discipleship

Now we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken and the presence of the Lord is in us finally because of the good news of Jesus Christ. Our sins have been paid for, and our eternal life secured. As Christians, the fear of the Lord is the right way to worship God. In Romans 11:19 Paul tells the gentiles not to become proud in their belief and acceptance by God, but to fear Him.

The fear of God is always the opposite of pride, arrogance, and self-sufficiency.

To fear God is to humble ourselves before him, pray to him, worship him, live for him, be guided by his word, and to obey him. For the greatest evidence that no fear of God exists in us is that we are self-sufficient in our learned facts about God, or in our Christian label, but we have not personal need for God.

Like Uzzah, we can be sure that if no fear of God exists in us then when we come into his full presence we will surely die. But where there is faith in Christ there is great fear of God. For in Christ we have the perfect man who always treated His Father as we ought to; therefore our position before God is secure. But let us imitate Christ in fearing God the Father in all that we do.  

Joey Turner
Pastor of Student Ministries