The story of Uzzah is the Lord's warning to us to keep our hands off the Glory of the Lord, to allow the Lord to establish His own Kingdom.

The Ark was returning to Jerusalem on a new cart, which typifies the strength and wisdom of men in doing the work of the Kingdom. According to the Law, the Ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites, not on a cart.

Because the Ark was on a cart and not on the shoulders of men, it came to a place where it was in danger of falling to the ground.

And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. (II Samuel 6:6)

One would think that the Lord would appreciate the diligence of Uzzah in seeking to prevent harm to the Ark. Surely Uzzah's intentions were good. But good intentions are not sufficient in the work of the Kingdom of God. Uzzah was struck dead for touching the Glory of the Lord.

The error of Uzzah was presumption.

Entering the rest of God. If we are to enter the rest of God, and thus escape from the self-will of Babylon, we must accept the fact that God knows precisely what He is doing, that His works have been finished from the foundation of the world all the way through to the new Jerusalem.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1)

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)

God made everything in six days and then rested on the seventh. The animal realm of Adam and Eve is but a prototype of what is in the mind of God. The Divine fiat, that man be in the image of God, male and female, be fruitful, and have dominion over all things, can be realized only in Christ.

When God finished His work, every detail of the new Jerusalem had been completed in His timeless vision. Every person is encouraged to enter that rest, that completed work.

We are not to seek ways to save ourselves, to create our own paradise, to accomplish our own destiny. Rather, we are to enter the perfect work of God and allow Him to bring us to the place prepared for us from the creation of the world.

It is difficult for us to merely allow the Lord to have His way. Our personal desires, the lusts of our flesh, the counsel of the world, fear, the feeling that we ought to be doing something, false teaching—all combine to remove us from God's rest.

The diligent saint finally comes to the realization that he knows nothing at all. His task is to lean not to his own understanding but to acknowledge the Lord in all that he thinks, all that he says, all that he does.

Babylon comes into being whenever we take matters into our own hands and go forth to do God's work without knowing what we are to do or when or where we are to do it.

To be continued.