2 Samuel 5:11-25; 6
And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. – 2 Samuel 5:12 NLT
A lot has been written and said about David over the centuries. He is held up as an icon of faithfulness and a man after God's own heart, despite his many faults and flaws. He was the prolific composer of many, if not most, of the Psalms. He was a successful king, but also a less-than-successful father. He ruled and reigned well. He was a mighty warrior and a skilled musician – kind of a renaissance man. He was powerful, yet humble. His kingdom was expansive and yet he didn't seem to have an ego to match.
But 2 Samuel 5-6 reminds us that this isn't about David. He is NOT the star of the movie. He is just another bit player in God's incredible play about the redemption of mankind. Even David recognized that God was the central character of this drama in which he found himself. It was God who had made David king over Israel. It was God who had blessed David – all for the sake of His people Israel. This was not about David. It was and is, as always, about God. We so easily lose sight of that fact. We become confused and begin to think that this event called "life" is all about us. We begin to believe that the universe revolves around our lives and our decisions, so we view everything from our very limited perspective, convincing ourselves that everyone and everything, including God, is here to make our lives more enjoyable and comfortable.
But God reminds us that we are walk-ons in His great drama of redemption. We will come and go, much like David did. He was a tool in the hand of God to accomplish His will and establish His kingdom on earth. God's divine plan continues on long after David has been gone. No man, including David, is allowed to play fast and lose with God's will and ways. Just because David was a man after God's own heart did not mean he could interact with God however he wanted. He learned that lesson the hard way when he attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, but chose to do it without following the strict guidelines provided by God. Rather than transport the Ark on poles carried by the Levites, David decided to expedite matters and put it on a cart pulled by some oxen. He even made sure it was a NEW cart. But when the cart became unbalanced and Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark with his hand, he was immediately struck dead by God. He had violated God's command. Disobedience had brought death. But wasn't David just trying to do right? Wasn't he simply attempting to return the Ark of God to the city of God? What's the big deal? Why did Uzzah have to die? Because God is holy and His Word is law. He is to be feared and obeyed. David may have been king, but God was the sovereign ruler over Israel. His word was not to be violated or altered in any way. David's clever plan for transporting the Ark could NOT replace God's commands. Any attempt to do so would end in disaster – and did.
Chapter six ends with David celebrating the arrival of the Ark into Jerusalem. They eventually got it there when they did it God's way. And David led the festivities as he danced before the Ark in joyful celebration of the goodness and greatness of His God. David knew that his position was completely dependent on God's will. He was nothing without God. He would not survive without God's protection, guidance, and presence. He would not succeed without the help of Almighty God. This was His kingdom, not David's. These were His people, not David's. This was His story, not David's. And it is still His story today, not ours.
Father, it has been and always will be about You. Forgive me for trying to make it about me so much of the time. Give me the ability to see the world through Your eyes. Give me a greater and grander perspective. Help me get my eyes off of me and onto You. I would not be here without You. Amen