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Sending the Ark back to Israel… (4 things)
Because God was for Israel as long as Samuel was judging the nation!
1st – Testing the Plague… vs. 1-9 Read: I Samuel 6:1-9
1st – The Philistines were stubborn – they did not want to submit to God… vs. 1-6
God ruined their land with rats (ate their crops) / and their people with disease…
Even their god – Dagon – had been decapitated by the God of Israel…
Yet the Ark remained in Philistine for a total of seven months!
Finally the Philistines asked their priests how to send the Ark back to Israel…
The priests told the people to send the Ark back with a ‘peace offering’…
They were to make 5 golden tumors (hemorrhoids) – and 5 golden rats…
Representing the plague that was decimating their cities!
There were 5 of them because of the 5 rulers / cities of the Philistines…
It was not enough for them to just sent the Ark back – they had to show repentance!
When we sin we can say sorry – but if we go on sinning was their real repentance…
True repentance means admitting what we did was wrong – sin against God…
True repentance needs to come with a ‘peace offering’ – a changed heart!
Do not be stubborn – like Pharaoh of Egypt (350 years later they still remembered)…
The Egyptians did not let Israel go until their land was completely ruined…
Better to send the Ark back now – before it was too late…
Too often rather than repent – we stubbornly hold on to our sin…
The only question is how much trouble do we need to get into before we give up…
It is always wiser to turn back to God sooner than later – before its too late!
2nd – Instructions for the offering… vs. 7-9
The priest told the people to put the Ark on a new cart pulled by two milk cows…
The cows were to have never pulled a cart – and they were to have young calves…
The young calves were to be kept pent up – the cows hitched to the cart…
They would then place the Ark – along with the offerings – on the cart…
If the cows did not leave – stayed with their young – the plague was not from God…
But if the cows headed straight for Israel – then God was behind the devastation…
It was a test to see if the plague was a coincidence – or the hand of God…
We often wonder why we are going through tough times – sin or just coincidence…
There are no coincidences with God – He uses all thing in our live – Romans 8:28
Our hardships might be a consequence / result of some sin in our life…
Or our hardships might be a trial God has allowed into our life – I Peter 4:12
But it does not matter the reason for the hardship – the important thing is why…
We try to label things in life – we call them either Good or Bad…
We might think that not being punished is good – but then we might never learn…
We might think going through a trial is bad – but in truth is shows our hearts…
The truth is – it is all about drawing us closer and closer to Jesus!
3rd – Do not follow the example of the world…
King David wanted to move the Ark into Jerusalem…
His desire was good – he wanted bring God closer to the people…
But to do it he looked to the example of the world – rather than to the Lord…
In II Samuel 6:1-7 – King David brought the Ark on a cart drawn by two cows…
He was following the example given here by the Philistines – pagan sinners!
At one point on the road – a cow stumbled – the Ark tipped and almost fell…
A man named Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark – God struck him dead!
Because according to the Word – the Ark was only to be carried by poles – priests…
Because King David followed the example of the world – it brought death…
Unfortunately today many people look to the World rather than the Word…
They think in order to be used by God you need a college degree…
In order for a church to grow in size you need to entertain the people…
To get money – hold fundraisers to raise money for the church…
All ideas that come from the world – nowhere to be found in God’s Word…
As a result many churches are not looking to the Lord/Bible – spiritual death!
2nd – The return of the Ark… vs. 10-21 Read: I Samuel 6:10-21
The moment the cows were set free – they headed straight for Israel… vs. 10-16
The cows were lowing – crying out for their calves – but they did not stop!
The leaders of the Philistines followed the Ark to the border of Beth-Shemesh…
They were looking for an answer – they wanted the plague to stop…
People will go to extreme lengths to try and find peace / forgiveness from God…
Hindus who pull heavy carts with hooks attached to your back…
‘Christian’ who practice flagellation and crucifixion (usually during Lent)
But all of men’s ideas – all their rules and religion – lead to destruction / hell!
Beth Shemesh (house of the sun) – was a city of the Levites in southern Israel…
The Israelites were harvesting in the fields when the saw the Ark – and rejoiced!
The cows stopped by a large Rock in the field of a man named Joshua…
The Levites in the city took the Ark down – and put it on the stone…
The people broke apart the cart for wood – offered the cows as a burnt offering!
Seeing this the leaders of the Philistines went back their cities…
Ultimately forgiveness only comes when we come to THE Rock / Jesus…
There is no other way to heaven – it is only through grace by faith in Jesus!
I Timothy 2:5 – “For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.”
The cross is the power of God to save sinners – the only way to be saved!
Some of the men of Beth-Shemesh looked inside the Ark – so God killed them… vs. 19-21
There is some argument over just how many people died as a result…
The Hebrew text reads that God killed ‘70 men and 50,000 men’…
But it is unlikely that there were even 50,070 people in the small village!
Some suggest that it means God killed 50 out of every 1000 men (or 20%)…
If the village had 1,400 people – it means God killed 70 men…
Whatever the number – the point is simple – a lot of people died…
It was forbidden for anyone but the priests to touch or look in the Ark…
Numbers 4:20 – “They must not approach the sanctuary and look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.”
The people of Beth-Shemesh asked – ‘who can stand before this Holy God’…
God is unapproachable by sinful men – we cannot look on a Holy God…
If we try to come to God on our own merit – our own good deeds – death…
Galatians 2:21 – “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the good works, then Christ died in vain.”
If we think that we can ‘see God’ / go to heaven because of our ‘Good’ works…
What we are saying is that Jesus did not need to die…
We do not need his righteousness (white robes) we can provide our own…
There are only 2 options as to what we can ‘wear’ as we stand before a Holy God…
We can stand in our own clothes – our own good deed – our righteousness…
And we will be judged by our works – standing speechless – condemned to death…
Or stand in the robes of righteousness given freely to those who believe in Jesus!
3rd – The repentance of a nation… vs. 1-6 Read: I Samuel 7:1-6
The people of Kiriath Jearim (Forest) came and took the Ark… vs. 1-4
Kiriath Jearim was the closest city to Beth-Shemesh – up on a forested hillside…
The Ark would remain there for over 40 years – until it came to Jerusalem!
The Ark (and Tabernacle) had been in Shiloh since the days of Joshua – Joshua 18:1
But it was not returned to Shiloh – because Israel was not right with God…
The name Shiloh means peace – and without God there was no peace in Israel…
As long as our relationship with the Lord is not right – we will have no peace…
If we are experiencing turmoil in our lives – it means we are far from God!
Israel mourned because they felt like God had abandoned them…
They had been constantly defeated by the Philistines in battle – lost the Ark…
And when the Ark finally came back – it caused death and destruction in Israel…
So Samuel told the people to put away their idols – and only serve the Lord…
God had not abandoned Israel – it was Israel who had abandoned God!
If we feel like God is not longer there – God did not leave us / we left Him…
The solution is to get rid of whatever is distracting us – and turn back to God!
Samuel called all of Israel together at Mizpah… vs. 5-6
He called on the people to draw water and pour it out before the Lord…
A symbolic act meant to reflect how they were to ‘pout out their hearts to God’…
Psalm 62:8 – “Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.”
If someone is not willing to be helped – there is not much you can do to help them…
But if someone is willing to open up and share their problems – now there is hope…
In order for God to help us – we have to be honest and open up our heart to God…
Samuel also called on the people to fast all day…
It was then that they admitted they had sinned before the Lord…
In order to be able to pour our heart out to God – we have to make time to share…
Too often we get so busy we never have the time to sit down and talk to Jesus…
Fasting in one way in which we can remove distractions – so we can hear the Lord…
Rather than rushing around to prepare a meal – we skip it to spend with Jesus…
Rather than staying up late watching TV – we get up early to talk to God!
4th – Defeat of the Philistines… vs. 7-17 Read: I Samuel 7:7-17
The Philistines heard all of Israel was camped at Mizpah… vs. 7-11
They marched out to battle against Israel – and the people were terrified…
Israel asked Samuel to cry out to God for them – save them from the Philistines…
So Samuel offered a Lamb to the Lord – and God answered him…
While Samuel was still offering the Lamb the Philistines arrived…
God thundered from heaven with a loud voice – sent the Philistines into disarray…
Giving Israel victory over their enemies – chasing them back to Philistine!
Samuel set up an Ebenezer (help) stone at Mizpah… vs. 12-17
It was to mark the place where God helped Israel defeat their enemy!
When God does something ‘AMAZING’ – it is easy for us to be excited…
But how long does that last – we tend to quickly forget about what God did…
When we have no money – and cry out to the Lord to provide – and He does…
The next time we have no money – are we confident in the Lord – or do we panic…
The next time a difficulty arises – we need to remember what God has done for us…
Write it down – take a picture – pick up a stone – anything to help you remember…
So the next time you are faced with a challenge – a raging river in front of you…
You will have the confidence God parted it once before – He can do it again!
Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life…
And for the rest of his life the Philistines were unable to come against Israel…
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