“The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:12
Dear Ones:
David made a big mistake when he sought to bring the ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem in a manner that was not in conformity with the way of God. The result was two-fold. The first was that a man named Uzzah reached out and touched the ark when the oxen which pulled the cart had shaken it. He was there struck by God and died. As tragic as this was, there was a two-fold benefit. First, David stopped in the pursuit of bringing the ark into the city, for he feared the Lord. But secondly, the incident with Uzzah also made David think, and seek an answer as to what was God’s way of transporting the ark. This he would later find.
There was a second, indirect effect, or result, of David’s mistake, and it had to do with the blessing of God upon a man’s house. His name was Obed-edom. Immediately after the death of Uzzah, David entrusted the ark to Obed-edom, to remain in his house, until he knew what and how he should proceed. Scripture tells us that God “…blessed Obed-edom and his household,” for three months. It would be upon hearing of God’s blessing upon the household of Obed-edom, that David would purpose in his heart again to bring the ark into Jerusalem, in the right way, as he desired the blessing of God, not only to be upon one house, but upon the entirety of the people. What does this story tell us about God, and His blessing?
We are so apt to forget the very nature and character of God, as we are so earth-centered, and “man-oriented” in our perspective. David feared God after the action of Uzzah, because he again was brought face to face with the fact that God is NOT a sinful man, or of this creation. He is God, holy and unique, and true. As such, His work will be done in HIS way, for HIS glory. When David heard of God’s blessing upon the house of Obed-edom, hope was revived in the fact of God’s mercy, goodness, and loving-kindness. David’s vision of God’s blessing was restored, not only in the essence of it, but in the fact that God desired to bless, and would bless. God is always desirous to bless an individual, as David had learned in his youth, and also as a man and leader of the people. But God is also the One who blesses the home, the household. He is desirous and willing to do so for the one who will come God’s way, seeking the fulfillment of His will and purpose in the home.
What was the blessing of God upon the home of Obed-edom? It was primarily the blessed influence of God by His Spirit upon the hearts of the family of Obed-edom, that “drawing” out of the heart towards God, that holy influence of His working. It is true that the members of the family, in particular the sons that are later mentioned, would be greatly blessed with strength and the capacity to serve God faithfully. But, undoubtedly there was the spiritual blessing upon the house of Obed-edom which was revealed in the short term. The eyes of the people about them were opened to see this blessing, this manifest spiritual and material goodness, of the Lord. They saw the very tangible effects of the wind of the Spirit blowing upon the hearts of the members of that home. The effects of the life of God were visibly seen in what they were, did, and accomplished. The primary reason for this blessing was “…because of the ark of God,” which was being kept in Obed-edom’s house. The ark of God was the physical object of the covenant that He had made to the people. It was the promise of God to be present with the people, and to bless them. This He did upon the house of Obed-edom, in response to faith.
Dear Father, Give us grace to live in the reality and blessing of Your covenant in Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad