You Were Born for SignificanceSample

David Modeled It

That is what happened to David when he saw the blessings of God on Obed-Edom and his family. Obed-Edom was a Gittite from Gath, a city of the Philistines. He was most likely one of the many Philistine expatriates loyal to David. (See 2 Samuel 15:18–22; 18:2.) This would explain why David would place the ark of the covenant (where the presence of God dwelt) in the home of a foreigner following the death of Uzza.

Uzza had extended his hand to steady the ark, which God called irreverent. He died as a result. Because of this loss, David was angry and afraid. I think it’s safe to say David was now afraid of God Himself. For this reason, he put the ark in Obed-Edom’s home, instead of pressing on to bring the presence into Jerusalem.

But something happened. Blessing upon blessing began to flow into Obed-Edom’s home. David heard about the favor that was resting on this family and decided the blessing was worth the risk. Therefore, he pursued God once again and attempted to bring the ark to Jerusalem. This time he followed God’s Word more intentionally and succeeded as a result. It is unnatural not to pursue blessings when we see they are available. A false sense of humility has killed that God-given desire for more.

Is it possible the death of Uzza caused David to rethink what God was like, causing him to withdraw from seeking His face? It’s possible and even understandable. But it was the blessing that re-calibrated his thinking, giving him the courage to take risks again and contend for what God had promised him.

I’d like to suggest that this was a key moment in David’s life and, ultimately, in Israel’s history. He moved past offense, self-pity, and all the other stumbling blocks discovered on the way to fulfilled purpose. Through David, the presence of God was restored to its rightful place: Jerusalem. Israel became more fully what God intended as a nation: a people of His presence. The blessing of God upon Obed-Edom awakened a passion in David to pursue more of God, made available through testimony and promise.