Get It Out of Here!

O. T. #582 "Get It Out of Here!"
August 20, 2015
1 Samuel 6
What shall we do with the Ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.
1 Samuel 6:2

LET IT GLOW

There were Jews who were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, on just an ordinary day, doing ordinary things. When they looked up, their eyes saw the Ark. Can you imagine the excitement? Now the cart had stopped beside a large rock in the field. Remember, 7 months had passed since the battle with the Philistines, when they captured the Ark. The Levites took down the Ark and gold objects, then placed them on the large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord there. The Philistines had destroyed Shiloh, where the Tabernacle was located. (When the 5 rulers of the Philistines, who had followed the cart, saw this, they returned to Ekron.)

When we have received a blessing, an answered prayer, a miracle, do we acknowledge God as the giver, thank Him, and worship Him? Or do we fluff it off as a coincidence, the doctors' abilities, or our doings?

How great is our God! He gives and He takes away.



LET IT GROW

Even though the Philistines won the battle with  killing 34,000 Israelites and capturing the Ark of the Covenant, their victory dance was soon changed into mourning. All 5 cities where they sent the Ark was plagued with tumors. God used rats to send these tumors upon the people, which resulted in death of many Philistines. The Ark was with the Philistines for 7 months. The people had had enough of God's judgment. They wanted it out of there. What could they do to appease the God of Israel so His hand of judgment would be removed? Where should they send the Ark?

They inquired of their fortunetellers for the answer:

• Send it back to Israel, but not empty handed.
• Send a trespass (sin) offering with it.
• Make 5 golden tumors and 5 golden mice to send with it. These were symbolic of the plague and a ransom money.
• The plan for transporting the Ark included using 2 newly mother cows, and a new cart. Pen up the calves so their mothers would go looking for them, pulling the cart. They did and the cows kept on the road, lowing all the way, not turning to the right or to the left. The Philistines followed behind the Ark.
• Funny how the pagans still recalled the plagues God brought upon the Egyptians, some 379 years earlier. Finally the Egyptians sent the Israelites out so they could go on their way.(v. 6)

The Philistines thought their problems were the result of their gods being angry. (They worshiped several pagan gods, and acknowledged the God of Israel as a god along with theirs.)
Are we crying on a road of misery, pain, or sorrow?
It was God who directed those nursing cows to the place He where He wanted the Jews to see the Ark.
Do we design our own methods of acknowledging God rather than serving Him in the way He requires, as the Philistines did?
Apparently the faith of some of the Israelites did not waver since they made an offering to God. It had been 7 months and many men's lives lost.

LET IT GO

Do things God's way.

Rejoice when God does extraordinary things.