Vers. 9, 10.- Warnings againsl irreverence. The incident here recalled to mind is one full of difficulties. Uzza seems to have been struck dead for what was, in intention, an act of consideration and care for the safety of the ark. To human view his sin does not readily appear, and some explanations are necessary in making it clear. Uzza's death was not, mainly, a judgment on Uzza, but a lesson, taught in a very solemn manner, to David and the people. They had not been associated with the ark for a long time, and so may have lost some of the due solemnity of feeling concerning it. By the Mosaic rules, the ark was on no account to be touched by human hands. It would not have needed any steadying if, in obedience to the Law, it had been carried by poles on the priests' shoulders. So God permitted this one man's death to teach the solemn lesson of reverence. The sin was really David's in neglecting the due order and regulations, but it pleased God that be should receive his warning through the suffering of another. One tradition says that Uzza was struck by a lightning flash; another represents his death as occasioned by the withering of his hand and arm. " We cannot folly explain this judgment from the side of Uzza. We must add that man, in life and in death, may be used by God to teach his lessons and accomplish his work; and Uzza, in bis sudden death, was God's appeal to a king (and to a nation) who had forgotten his holy Law, and were 'following the devices and desires of their own hearts.' That which was a judgment to Uzza was a merciful call to repentance and right-heartedness given to king and people." I. ATTENTION TO FORMS HAY EXPRESS REVERENCE, Illustrate by the way in which kneeling aids in securing the spirit of prayer. Herein lies the importance of care in arranging the externals, the ceremonials, of Christian worship. '!'he associations of God's house should both secure and cultivate a due o.nd becoming reverence. II. THE NEGLECT OF FORMS MAY TEND TO NOURISII IRREVERENCE. Some pride them- selves on freedom from forms. But while it is quite conceivable that overdone forms may crush out spiritual life and feeling, it is even more likely that a despising of religious forms may lead to undue familiarity with God's No.me, and sanctuary, nnd worship, and sacraments. If to some it may seem that undue attention to ritual is replacing a. true reverence by a mere formalism, to others it appears that the nge is singularly and perilously irreverent, and sorely needs o.gain the warning of U zza's death. III. 'l'HAT WHICH IS DONE FOB GoD MUST BE DONE IN GoD'e WAY. A lesson which every age and every individ11al needs to learn. David mnde the very common mistake of trying to do God's work in his own way. lie must be impressively shown that the fully obedient spirit waits on God to know the how as well as the what. It not only says," What wouldst thou have me to do?" but o.lso, "How wouldst thou have me do it?" To win willingness to take God's way is often, as with David, the issue of humiliating failures; and it is precisely the lesson which life-failures are designed to teach. IV. BY SOLEMN PROVIDENCES SOLEMN LESSONS MAY BE IMPRESSED. Our Lord taught us that we must not venture to convict public sufferers of special sins bringing on them judgment (Luka xiii. 1-5). God often teaches the mass of men by his dealings with a few. The victims of so-called accident vicariously suffer for the good of others. Illustrate by those who die of diseases caused by neglect of sanitary laws. They awaken attention to existing evils, and are the means of saving men. Uzz:, really saved the judgment that must have fallen on David and the nation if they had kept on acting in this self-willed way. Make final appeal to modern feeling respecting worship. There are signs of the danger of losir.g the WO'Tshippi11g idea, and overdoing the instruction ic\rl\, in our puLlio services. We need recalling to a due reverence.-Il. T, 214, THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [on. xiv. 1-17.
Ver. 14-.-0bed-edom's blessing. The subject introduced here is" God in the home, God cherished in the home, and God blessing the home." God was pleased to te11ch Israel by symbols, by incidents, by personal experiences, and by actions, as well as by words. Here is given a picture of Obed-edom's home, and we see that God's cherished presence is assured blessing for the heart and the home. I. GOD'S PRESENCE WITH US CAN BE GRANTED AND REALIZED. Man can be, and know tliat he is, the temple of the living God. 'l'he possibility of this is the ,assurance given •1s in the incarnation of Christ. God can dwell with men; for he has dwelt in the '' Man Christ Jesus." • II. GoD's PRESENCE WITH us CAN BE CHERISHED. So David, fearing the Divine removal, prays," Take not thy Holy Spirit from me." We cherish the Divine indwelling by (1) daily openness; (2) dependence; and (3) prayer; but especially by daily follow- ing, in simplicity and loyalty, the consequent inward Divine leadings. Compare George Macdonald's se.ntence, "If any man will do the truth he knows, he shall know all the truth he needs to know." God only stays with the obedient. III. GoD'S PRESENCE TAKES GRACIOUSLY HELPFUL FORM IN CHRISTIANITY. It is the presence of Jesus Christ, and from the records of his earthly life we know what an infinite charm and help that presence can be. Our Lord promised," I will come to J,im, and sup with him," and be left this last assurance," Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." IV. GoD'S PRESENCE STILL ENSURES PERSONAL AND FAMILY BENEDICTIONS. It does not ensure freedom from care, but it does our sanctification through the care. We cannot be alone in any trouble. It brings a gracious actu.al reward of (1) soul-pros-- perily; (2) family peace and success. Plead for the recognition of God in the home, by maintaining the habit of family prayer. And show the mystery of grace in God's even using the incentive of promised rewards of godliness, and giving Scripture examples of such rewards.-R. T,