MAKING CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES

1. Making Choices Have Consequences

a) Why Uzzah was killed?

1 Chronicles 13:9-10 

And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.

@1. As the ark was being transported, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, and Uzzah took hold of the ark. God’s anger burned against Uzzah and He struck him down and he died. 

@2. Uzzah’s punishment does appear to be extreme for what we might consider to be a good deed.

@3. However, there are the reasons why God took such severe action.

i) God had given Moses and Aaron specific instructions about the Tent of Meeting and the movement of the Ark of the Covenant. 

Numbers 4:15

After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting.

ii) See how David took men with him to collect the ark, rather than allowing the Levites to bring it to him. That was a great mistake, since it ought never to have been put upon a cart, old or new. It was to be borne upon men’s shoulders, and carried by Levites only, and those of the family of Kohath (Exodus 25:12-14; Numbers 7:9), using the poles prescribed.

iii) The ark had stayed for a period of time at Abinadab’s house (2 Samuel 6:3), where his sons, Uzzah and Ahio, may well have become accustomed to its presence. 

iv) Uzzah, having been around the ark in his own home, could very likely forget the holiness that it represented. Thus he was too familiar with an irreverent attitude.

v) The account tells us the oxen stumbled but the he cart didn’t fall and neither did the Ark. No matter how innocently it was done, touching the ark was in direct violation of God’s law and was to result in death. 

@4. In the time of Moses, the people knew the awesomeness of God’s absolute holiness. They had witnessed great miracles when the ark was with them. They respected that God’s ways and thoughts are much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). 

@5. Something of God’s presence in the Ark of the Covenant seems to be lost in the church today. 

@6. In truth, the more we try to bring God down to our worldly way of thinking or reasoning, the further away He will seem to us. Those who would draw near to God and have Him draw near to them are those who approach Him in reverence and holy fear. Uzzah forgot that lesson, and the consequences were tragic.

b) Why Obed-edom was blessed?

1 Chronicles 13:13-14 

So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.

@1. Obed-Edom was a Levite, so by leaving the ark in his house, David ensured the ark was within the priesthood. Obed-Edom proved to be a faithful steward of the ark in his house so much so that in 90 days, God fell in love with him and blessed him and all his household.

c) Making Choices

@1. There are so many things we can lean from the choices in life. Though some choices are bad, yet we can learn great lessons from it.

i) Uzzah who God struck dead because he wanted to help God but God didn't need his help. His choice cost him his life! 

@2. Life sometime is like that, the help you think you are doing good may cost you, your fortune wasted!

i) Obed-edom who profited from the mistake of Uzzah and David by being blessed with his household by accommodating the Ark of God in his house for 3 months.

@3. Favour don’t know anybody address except the person favour decides to favour.  Hospitality plays a good role in the life of anyone that is hospitable.