1 samuel 6b Hot Potato with the Ark

1 samuel 6b Hot Potato with the Ark

• 1.
  www.rossvillechurch.com 781 SalemRoad, Rossville, GA 30741 Fifth Sunday October 30 October 2, 2011 Concert December 4, 2011 Not only the Philistines, but some Israelite s played hot potato with the Ark of God.
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  The Philistines returned the Ark to Israel.
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  13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it . 14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord.
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  15 Andthe Levites took down the Ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were , and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord.
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  16 Andwhen the five lords of the Philistines had seen it , they returned to Ekron the same day. 17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
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  18 Andthe golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the Ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.
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  19 And He smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord , even He smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 50,070 Israelites dead.
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  But truly theywere killed because of their indifference to the Word of God. God had told them how to handle His Ark. He had taught them how to show reverence . But they handled it like a novelty , Pawing through it with indifference to its holiness .
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  20 Andthe men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this Holy Lord God? and to whom shall He go up from us? 21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the Ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
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  When the reaperssaw the ark, they rejoiced; their joy for that was greater than the joy of harvest. The return of the ark, and the revival of holy ordinances, after days of restraint and trouble, are matters of great joy. Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary. Worship of the Great Provider is more important than working for provision. Psalms 127 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep.
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  Unfortunately the peopleof Beth Shemesh not only rejoiced at the return of the ark and offered... sacrifices in worship, but they desecrated it by opening it and looking inside perhaps to see if the stone tablets of the Law were still there. This violated the Mosaic statute that only Levites could handle the ark and not even they could touch it directly, to say nothing of looking within it . The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
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  The men ofBethshemesh responded wrongly to God's Judgment. They chose to get rid of the Ark because of the 50,070 deaths. What should they have done? Repented for their mishandling of the Ark, And learned to care properly for it.
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  When they sent word to Kirjath-Jearim that the Ark had been returned, They didn't mention the 50,070 deaths. They just wanted the Ark gone . If they had learned from their mishandling of the Ark, and studied the Scriptures to learn proper handling, They could have received great blessing .
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  Why is itso hard to admit culpability and accept responsibility for our wrong-doing? When we admit that we are wrong, we are confessing a need to change . Most people don't want to change.
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  Most people wanttheir circumstances to change. They want their troubles to end. But they love their own way.
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  God's Way is the Way of blessing. Every Word Power and Direction
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  When we goour own way , seeking peace, seeking joy, seeking love and affection through human logic and effort, We find, at best , a poor substitute. And we often find trouble , turmoil , and lust .
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  The Way ofblessing Proverbs 3 7-8 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.