“There are some spiritual technology involved here,” a preacher once said when explaining a certain part from the Bible.
We understand the term technology, but spiritual technology? We are acquainted with using computers, cellphones, tablets and whatever more in our daily life and work. We also know the frustration when a “seemingly insignificant mistake” gets the whole system to stop working. And often we need to call in an expert to find the “seemingly insignificant problem” before we can carry on.
We live in a knowledge-based economy. Sure, if you have enough knowledge about computers, you can fix the “seemingly insignificant problem” and I can carry on with my work and you can earn some money. But do we know enough about how to live wisely?
The One who created everyone of us, has given us a comprehensive Manual for daily living and yet we often find ourselves at a loss of answers to the questions of life. That is when some understanding about the technology of wise living will be very helpful.
A certain incidence happened in King David’s life that really caught him unawares. In 1 Chronicles 13 we read about how David decided to bring the ark of the Lord back to Jerusalem. In verse 7 we learn that they put the ark on a new cart to transport it. In verse 9 we see that at a certain point Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark because the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza because of his error and he died right there next to the cart. King David was highly upset about what happened and immediately called off the whole ceremony.
Then in 1 Chronicles 15:15 we read about David’s second attempt to bring the ark into Jerusalem. But this time “… the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the Word of the Lord. (Ex 25:14 & Num 4:15)
What changed? With the death of Uzza, David realized that although he had the best intentions, he did something wrong. There was some spiritual technology that was out of place and it triggered an unintended event. I suppose that afterward he told the priests to go and study the manual (God’s Word) to see how the ark of God was supposed to be handled.
Do we know God’s Instruction Manual well enough so that we can live wisely and with direction? Hosea 4:6 says “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Isn’t that why the world is in such turmoil?
Proverbs 9:10 teaches us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Yet people argue that the Foundation of Knowledge is no longer necessary in our post modernist knowledge based economy. Perhaps it is time to get back to The Manual.
Ps. E-Sword is a website where you can access different translations of the Bible as well as commentaries. Please visit www.e-sword.net.
