Text:         II Samuel 6: 1-15

By:             Bro Daniel Idogar

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INTRODUCTION

I want to tell you a fascinating story. It is the story of a man named Obed-Edom. He is not so common to many. You can say he is a minor character who made a major impact in the Bible. This is the man whose life, as well as the lives of his family, was changed in ninety days when the Ark of the Covenant of God was placed in his house. This is the story of a man with God in his house.

THE NARRATIVE

Our story really begins several years earlier when Hophni and Phinehas, the wicked sons of Eli, believed that taking the Ark of the Covenant with them into battle would protect them from the Philistines as told to us in I Samuel 4.

They were sadly mistaken. God will never be used as a superstitious good luck charm to overcompensate for the evil lives of those who attempt such a folly.

The two sons of Eli died and when the news was brought to Eli, he was so distressed that in a state of panic he fell over backwards and died. Even Phinehas’ wife, upon hearing the news, was traumatically induced into labor and died in childbirth, but not before she named the child “Ichabod” meaning, “The glory is departed from Israel.”

And so, the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in the house of Dagon, their wicked deity.  This is funny because God, whose presence is associated with the Ark, doesn’t share space with any false god.  Soon after, the Philistines woke up early the next morning to find Dagon on his face with his head and hands cut off and only “the stump” (I Samuel 5:4) remaining.

God cursed the Philistines and they were struck with disease and ultimately, before they got the Ark back into the hands of Israel, 50,070 men died as recorded in I Samuel 6:19.

Once the Ark of the Covenant was recovered, it was taken to the House of Abinadab and stayed there until David became king. David came to Abinadab’s house to take the Ark to the Hill of Zion. While transporting the Ark, Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, had set the ark on a new cart. David and many of his people were in a celebratory mood, everything seemed to be joyous until they came to Nachon’s threshing floor and the oxen jolted and shook the cart. Uzzah reached forth his hand to steady the ark and God struck him dead (II Samuel 6:1-9; I Chronicles 13:1-14).

Let’s pause for a moment to know more about the Ark and understand how it was designated to be carried. In the Old Testament days, the Ark of the Covenant was understood to be the presence of God among His people. When the Ark was present, the people knew God was with them.

In Exodus 25:12-15, special rings and staves (poles) were built to carry the Ark. Numbers 4:15 says,

“And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.”

We see the method was never to change as revealed in I Chronicles 15:15.

The Ark was never meant to be touched or carried with bare hands that is why poles had to be crossed through and the priests would carry it on their shoulders.  But maybe Uzzah got too familiar with the Ark. The Ark had been in their possession for years after the philistines returned it. He must have felt too personal or too common about it, that he forgot God’s commandments concerning it.

As the story continues, David was in great fear and would not dare at this time take the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David, but orders it instead to the House of Obed-Edom, a Levite living in Gath, which is why he was called a Gittite.

For three months the Ark of the Covenant, the most sacred piece of furniture on earth was in the House of Obed-Edom. And the Bible said God blessed Obed-Edom. 

APPLICATIONS 

• There is power in the presence of God.

This man had God in his house and the blessings became the talk of the town. In His presence, there is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11.

Do you have God in your dealings? Is He the center of attraction in your home, school, business, career?

• God is committed to those who are committed to Him.

Obed-Edom and his household had their eyes and hearts fixed on the Ark of God for three months. Took care of it and its contents. God was pleased and He blessed Obed-Edom.

What God has committed to you, entrusted to you, how are you nurturing it? 1 Sam. 2:30 – Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

• Some blessings wear the garment of problems when they come. They come in unusual situations. What was meant to be a death sentence for Obed-Edom became a blessing.
• When God blesses you, you still have a choice to stick to Him or to leave.

Obed-Edom never left. He stayed!

There is something about the presence of God, about the sweet fellowship of the Holy spirit. If you experience that, like Obed-Edom did, you will never leave God’s presence. 1 Chron. 16:5, 38; 15:18, 21, 24.

• Obed-Edom solved a generational problem.

There is blessing in solving generational problems.

Obed-Edom wasn’t just any man; he was the man who made the difference.

What difference are you making this year? What sacrifice are you willing to pay for the cause of Christ, the church, or the brethren? Are you a problem solver or you’d rather chicken out like David?

• If you are not afraid of what others fear, you will attract blessings that others shun.

Divine breakthroughs do not come from doing nothing. The deep things of the spirit that others fear to engage in, if you do, you’d attract blessings that others have shun.

• Finally, Obed-Edom was a family man.

He didn’t joke with his family and relatives. His family was as involved in the work of the Ark as he was. He was a man of influence. Somehow, he managed to influence about 68 of his household and relatives –1 Chron. 16:38.  Are you a family man? Are you a family woman?

CONCLUSION

Obed-Edom was a man lifted by affliction. When a death sentence was pronounced on him, it did not stop him from doing what was right. He acknowledged God’s presence and he was blessed. We too, can be blessed like Obed-Edom. The blessings that we seek this year may come in different packages, but the most important lesson of all is that, these blessings will come only when we are deep in the presence of God.  Open your homes. Open your hearts. Open your lives. Let the presence of God manifest. If you honor God, He will bless you!

Remain blessed in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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