Gospel Reflections #1050: Receiving the Presence of God

2 Samuel 6:11 ‘For three months the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.’

This is a passage that marks a crucial turning point in the Bible, illustrating the contrast between ‘fear’ of God and ‘blessing’.

Uzzah was struck down and killed on the spot by God for his irreverence (a breach of the Law) towards the holy object.

Shocked by this incident and filled with fear of God, David abandoned the plan to transport the Ark and temporarily entrusted it to the house of Obed-Edom, which was nearby.

Uzzah’s death had filled those around him with the fear that ‘the Ark of God is a dreadful thing (an object of a curse) that brings death to anyone who touches it’.

However, during the three months it remained in Obed-Edom’s house, that household received not calamity but an overwhelming blessing.

This proved that God’s nature lies not in destroying people, but in blessing them abundantly.

Obed-Edom is described as a ‘Gittite’, meaning he was originally of Gentile descent or, at the very least, a socially unremarkable figure.

It must have required tremendous courage and resolve to welcome into his home the ‘terrifying Ark’ from which someone had just died.

Because he did not reject God, but welcomed the Lord’s presence (the Ark) with reverence despite his fear, his faith was rewarded.

This passage challenges us to consider ‘how we treat God’s presence’.

It teaches us a spiritual lesson: whilst problems arise if we ignore God’s rules and treat Him selfishly, if we welcome Him into our hearts with proper reverence, our lives and families will be filled with blessings beyond our imagination.

Depending on whether our relationship with God is based on fear or on joy, the way we receive God’s presence will differ.

Whether we fear God or rejoice in Him is founded on our attitude towards Him.

It is worth taking this opportunity to reaffirm what kind of God He is to each of us personally.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.