David’s Failure

David is a person to whom God gave save points, opportunities for him to pick himself back up after failure, learn from his mistakes, and continue to pursue the dream God gave him. We celebrate all David’s successes, but how about his failures? We like to view our heroes in the best light possible. But it’s when we are honest about their failures that we have confidence to see our own failures through God’s sight.

In 2 Samuel 6 is a story about David’s failure. Here’s the context. While in the wilderness, God instructed Moses to build a tabernacle, or a tent, where God would meet with his people. They would sacrifice to him, and he would hear their prayers. The centerpiece of the tabernacle was the ark, a gold-covered chest that represented God’s throne and presence among his people.

Once they came into the promised land, the Israelites fought fiercely against their enemies. On one occasion, the Philistines were defeating God’s people. So the Israelites decided to march the ark into the field of battle (1 Samuel 4). However, the Israelites were not careful to consecrate themselves. Just because they had the ark didn’t mean they had God’s presence. They lost the battle, thirty thousand men died, and the Philistines captured the ark. The presence of God was missing from the tabernacle; the glory had left Israel.

Twenty years later, David was king, and he decided to return the ark to its rightful place in the tabernacle. What started out as a true calling from God turned into a failure. Finding the ark wasn’t hard, and carrying it back shouldn’t have been either. But David was not careful about the presence of God. David had his men place the ark on a cart, which two men, Uzzah and Ahio, guided.

That was probably a good plan. Except it wasn’t God’s plan. He had laid out very specific instructions for how the Israelites were to carry the ark—by priests using poles. Instead, David’s men put it on an oxcart, and Uzzah and Ahio were not priests. This is the exact same way the Philistines carried the ark away from battle. Instead of God’s way, David chose the world’s way. We can become so focused on success that we neglect to follow God’s clear guidelines. We see worldly success and decide to use worldly schemes and strategies. What we need to do is to listen closely to God’s Word and follow him.

David didn’t listen. And it cost his people a life. Along the journey the oxen pulling the cart stumbled. Uzzah reached out to steady the ark with his hands. This improper handling of the ark aroused God’s anger, and he struck Uzzah dead.

David’s mismanagement, his selfishness, and his arrogance cost him big time. But this failure is not the end of the story God was writing with David’s life. And your failure isn’t the end of God’s story for you either.