Within the heart of many American—although may have been repressed by the passage of time or success where we live—is a pioneering spirit. It is what makes us fiercely independent (and sadly many independent even from God, even in Christian churches today). It is that “go get ‘em”, no one is going to stop me which is that pioneering spirit that sent men and women into space or to search the deepest oceans. It is that spirit that takes a family whose origins began in Missouri and very deeply rooted to take them to Texas (we can say that God was involved behind the scenes, but we can also say God is also adapting life’s plans due to our/life’s choices). What motivates or propels some people—a couple of years ago or so my wife and I talked to three or four women—who lived within an 8 to 15-mile radius of their birthplace and who hardly ever ventured beyond their world or an former aunt of mine who never drove beyond her nearest small town out of fear and had to be taken by family if she went to a larger nearby city (or anywhere else) and yet others (such as her children) can move to another state, across country, even across the globe without much of a thought to the impact that it had to their family’s roots? It is a pioneering spirit.
Despite what Hollywood portrayed decades ago in television shows like Wagon Train, families didn’t venture long distances nor did they carry heavy loads using horses. For short distances or a personal trip with a lone individual, a horse or mule was the method of transportation. But to bring families across distances especially with all their possessions took oxen. Oxen were stout, muscular, and like some of the early tractors of America, could just go and go. They were beasts of burden in the truest sense. And whether it was a wagon or a cart, oxen served a purpose to pull. The last half of Proverbs 14:4 says, “…But much increase comes by the strength of an ox”.
However the Bible provides us an event that never should have occurred. The event is shared in 2 Samuel 6 and 1 Chronicles 13 but for simplification, I will choose 2 Samuel. In 2 Samuel 6:3 it says, “So they set the ark of God on a new cart…and drove the new cart” and then 2 Samuel 6:6, “Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.” All preachers immediately fire the scriptures in Exodus 25 which provides instructions for how the ark is to be carried (verse 14), “You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them.” Uniformly that is the end of the argument. Some even chide David for being immature or irreverent for not having the ark carried versus being on a cart.
So let us step aside for a moment to think about something which is mindsets. Modern thinking is “self preservation at any cost”, “take care of number one”, and “path of least resistance”. Someone recently commented to me that if someone is Called toward pulpit (pastoral) ministry that God will wide open the path while if it is frustrated any, then obviously then that must be God telling us we are not Called and we need to stop fighting God. And although I can partly agree with that to a point, but a Bible verse contradicts that which says (in Matthew 11:12), “…the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force”. In short and tie associate that with many Called men, personal effort, consecration, and a determined mind pursues the plans and will of God, not just lay down when anything—the Devil, the world, or the flesh—says to quit. (It should be noted that this person who challenged me is not Called, never pastored, hardly shows up to prayer and outreach, and is consistently late to anything regarding church if he shows up at all.) But I digress. With the path of least resistance, what is the easiest, quickest, “best” way to accomplish a goal. As someone who has worked with wood for years and has done various forms of construction, plans, thinking, and patience or slowing down sometimes is truthfully the best way because things get accomplished that last and come out better in the end (and we’ll fix it later adds more time, effort, and cost). But because of zeal, what is the quickest way to get the Ark of God to the City of David? What way requires the least amount of consecration? After all, we want to worship God, not to be hindered by responsibility like carrying the Ark. This is where or how the idea to have the Ark carried by oxen came from.
So there are a number of takeaways concerning this. First, let us look at Exodus 32. The people grumbled because Moses delayed coming down from the mountain (verse 1). They were in a new land and a new land whose people devour their enemies (see Numbers 12:31-32). And where man fails, strength is found. And because these Israelites were not unaware of the Egyptian gods, one was an ox or cow as it represents strength. And by its strength, the people declared (Exodus 32:4), “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!” So when the ark would come into the City of David, what is the first thing the people will see? Oxen (cattle). So it would not be God (His favor, guidance, etc.) who brought the people this victory and reason for celebration. It would be strength of man and beast who delivered the people, despite where the ark was located.
Second and finally, the ark was to be carried (Exodus 25:14). First, this ark’s weight was to be felt so that the people understood that it takes effort to live for God. Scholars argue that the weight of this ark could have weighed between 183 to 288 pounds. Regardless of how much it weighed, it was heavy. It takes sacrifice. It takes commitment. It takes dedication. Secondly I would like to associate two New Testament verses to tie in this thought. John 3:14-15 says, “And as Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 12:32 says, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” When the ark was carried on the shoulders of the men, the ark was above the men. Simply the ark was above the people literally. Spiritually and figuratively when we tie in those verses in John’s Gospel, when Jesus—salvation, mercy, forgiveness, healing, promises, deliverance, etc.—is lifted up, this is where we find our help. This is where we find our answers. This is why God killed Uzzah when it should have been David who should had been killed because God wasn’t being hallowed before the people. Despite there being weight with this ark, it was not a structure or some common thing to be carried around by a cart. The ark (the presence of God) is to be hallowed.
So what do we elevate? Is it our house we’ve purchased? Our new car? Our career? Our ministry? Our position? Our President? Our results and resolve to get things done? Perhaps to tie and close, this is why Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” We fixate on the denial but ignore the reality of the cross. Yes, the point of salvation…but also the weight of the cross as well. May we endure that burden upon ourselves. And not just ourselves, but as Paul said in Galatians 6:2-3, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something (that pioneer spirit), when he is nothing, he deceives himself”. Remember that God never saved us for us, but He saved us for others (to come to know Christ as well).