Understanding the Fear of God....

....but do we fear God. A 2016 posting on Linkedin.com from the Pastor presented with the NIV and CEV versions closing out. The full title of this from there: Understanding the Fear of God....

"We think that forgiveness is weakness, but it's absolutely not; it takes a very strong person to forgive."

  --- T. D. Jakes

There is a difference, and that difference was taught to us by King David whom served God but had to learn to fear God. I am not talking about a morbid fear. What I am talking about is a fear of God that will cause us to be careful not to disobey God. I am talking about a fear of God that will cause us to examine ourselves, our speech, our attitudes, our motives, our behaviors because we don’t want to displease God.

    We say we love God. We claim to serve God. But do we fear God so as to obey God.

I would like to take this second and share with everyone King David's story and how he learned to fear God.

It is actually an amazing story that is easily overlooked for the lesson that it teaches. Normally when we read this story our focus goes to God's reaction to an action that seemed so common. Who of us would not reach out to try to catch and steady something that we see to be falling. It’s a natural reaction right. But in this story the natural reaction was punished, and for years I wondered why until most recently when my question of why was answered. The answer was so profound to me that I want to share that answer with everyone. But before we do so, let’s look at what happened.

I always invite everyone to grab their bibles and follow along with me as I read from my translation. Being that I am writing this out instead of videotaping it or speaking it, I ask simply that you take the time to read that which I am posting here from the New International Version.

1 Chronicles 13:1-14

New International Version

Bringing Back the Ark

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. 3Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.” The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.. David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim -- the ark that is called by the Name.

They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13 He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.

David loved the LORD. He was a servant of the Most High God. As a matter of fact, what we know about David was that he was a "man after God's own heart". God chose David to be king over Israel in place of King Saul whom was chosen by the people. Yet, David did not know what it meant to fear the LORD - yet.

In this biblical account, David, who was now king, wanted to restore the worship of the true God in Jerusalem. He wanted to bring back the Ark of the Covenant.

In verse #3 of 1 Chronicles chapter 13 he stated:

"Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.”

There was nothing wrong with what David wanted to do. In verse #7 we see that David provided a new cart for the ark to be transported on and he set Uzzah and Ahio to guide it. (Uzzah was in the rear, and Ahio was in the front.) David and all of the Israelites were excited and celebrating before the LORD GOD over this and about having the Ark of the Covenant back in their presence.

But something happened that turned this day into a day of sorrow. What?

Verse #9 states that the oxen, who were pulling the new cart that the Ark was on, stumbled and so the Ark became unsteady. Uzzah did what was a normal reaction. He reached out to steady the Ark and God killed him.

Now many people focus on the reaction of God to the action of Uzzah when telling this story. David, when seeing this, became angry with God and decided not to take the Ark into the city with him.

Have you ever become angry with God over his actions?

Have you ever wondered about this account in the bible when reading it as to why God struck Uzzah? Have you ever wondered what did Uzzah do that caused God to react the way he did?

I have always wondered this whenever I would read this account and on Sunday, October 19, 2014, God, through HIS Holy Spirit answered me.

Let’s look at this account again starting at verse #1:

1 Chronicles 13:1-4

New International Version

Bringing Back the Ark

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.”

The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

David had a desire in his heart. His desire was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into his city that he had built. The Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of God. Yet we see in verse #1 that David did not consult with God about this. Verse #1 tells us that David consulted with his officers and then with the people. When David spoke to the people his concern was if it seemed good to the people first and second he stated "and if it is the will of the Lord our God". Not only was God considered second, but also God's chosen ones out of the Israelites, the priests and the Levites, were considered last. They, the priests and Levites were not even considered in reference to having a role in the transportation of the Ark. They were simply to come and join in, come and participate in celebrating the bringing of the Ark to the City of David.

This is where David went wrong - he didn’t consider the Lord God in reference to how the Ark was to be moved.

David tried to show honor. He provided a new cart for the transportation. He even set guards one at the front and one at the back to walk with the cart. But that was David's standard for how to worship God. That was not God's standard. Therefore, when the Ark carrying the presence of the Most High God stumbled and Uzzah reached out to steady it, though Uzzah's reaction was normal, it showed a lack of reverence for the presence of the Most High God. Yet, Uzzah was placed in that position by David.

This speaks volumes to me.

First of all, what it tells me is that God must be considered first in everything that we do. We are told in the bible book of Proverbs to "Trust in the Lord with all of our heart and do not lean upon our own understanding." We are told that "in all our ways, take note of HIM and HE will make our paths straight." David did not do this. He consulted the people instead.

Next, as a leader of the people, David was accountable for the people. David's error caused the life of another. What this shows me is the power, authority and mostly the accountability of leaders to make wise choices. When a leader makes a bad choice in placing people in charge, that choice can have a negative effect on the person who was given the charge. Proverbs 26:10 says, "Like an archer who wounds at random, is one who hires a fool or any passer-by." Looking at the mistakes David made we can see where these Proverbial sayings originated.

Now initially, when I was considering these verses, the thought that I had was of a saying that I have heard said many times over the years, which is, "everyone fails at starting their own business at least once". But after reading over this account what I have come to realize is that no one has to fail at starting their own business and the key to not doing so is to seek the direction of the LORD GOD over all that we do. When we fail to do this, when we step out on our own initiatives, then yes we can expect to fail.

My husband and my father in law like to say, “Did you learn something from it?” and I thought of them with David’s blunder. Did he learn something from it?

I would like to say that David did. 1 Chronicles 13: 12 conveys, “David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?””

David learned the fear of God on that day. How do I know? Well, look at the next chapter.

In chapter 14 of 1 Chronicles, David was getting ready to go up against the Philistines, but before he did guess what David did? Can you guess? Did you say that he inquired of God first? That is correct. Let’s read it…

1 Chronicles 14: 8 - 10

New International Version

David Defeats the Philistines

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”

David consulted God first and God gave the Philistines into his hands. In chapter 15 of 1 Chronicles, David again desires to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to his city.

He never lost that vision that he had before. But he did do something different and it was through the difference he found success in accomplishing his vision. Do you know what that difference was?

Let’s look at it…

1 Chronicles 15:1-15

New International Version

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.”

David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:

From the descendants of Kohath, Uriel the leader and 120 relatives; from the descendants of Merari, Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives; from the descendants of Gershon, Joel the leader and 130 relatives; from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives; from the descendants of Hebron, Eliel the leader and 80 relatives; from the descendants of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives.

Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.”

So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.

And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.

So did David learn the lesson? YES HE DID! And so did I…

It is not enough to serve the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. We must fear Him (fear displeasing him). I have heard some say that it doesn’t matter if they go to church or not as long as they live right. I can honestly say that I do not agree with that.

After reading this account, it has become clear to me that it does matter how we worship God. Worshipping God has to be done in the manner that GOD has prescribed for us and not in the manner that we think it should be done. Regarding this Jesus said…

John 4:24 New International Version --  “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Well I hope that this has blessed others as much as it has blessed me.

Remember, it does matter

A Warning

Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!” --  Matthew 7:21-23 from the Contemporary English Version.

Author's Note

Originally from her LinkedIn.com

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Jodi shared this one on Linkedin.com and presented here with some interesting finds from wikipedia and rendered for fair use. HTML and formatting had been done by the publisher behind The Ethereal Gazette. He explained there’s a sermon within the overall examination of the fifth issue if she’s up for method research. The word count for this one runs about 2,567 words and everything with the visuals are under fair use for the purpose of educational purposes. Comments on the message can be left on Anointed Writers Group on Facebook.com.
    Jack T. Chick could really had learned something from this. Anyone who wants to leave pictures and such on Pastor Frank Noyes memorial page upload art and such then anything one can think of have fun but keep it work safe. This will conclude with the band Bloodline Severed to give this message a punch. Hope Jodi approves of the choice. The HTML was presented by The Ethereal Gazette's guilty party. The pray image was found on the facebook page with the church that saw the receiving end of that blunt force audio trauma.

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Reviews

[UncleFossil]

All right, I hope you approve of the presentation and the music choice. Some of your presentations that I am suggesting toy with the surrealism some with it as that's why I suggested the particular costume. Don't give me that look as don't ask where I find this either because my room mates at the Justice apartment had a weird hobby of finding unusual things on EBay.com. The presentation has a wallop for the quote choice in the beginning too; some of the aspects will get your foot in the door with Liquid Imagination's sister magazine if you study them hard enough. Issue Five you will find a sermon inspiration when you read the entire thing cover to cover -- with that one; quote minimal and concentrate on the narrative elements. I will give you an elaborate list of tips and the pdf I sent you as there's a few. They're from my findings and the research from the alumni over the years.