THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #149 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #130
Lesson 3835
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #149
THE LIFE OF MOSES #130
MOSES AT MT. SINAI #29
THE TRANSFORMING GLORY OF GOD #13
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT ( Part 5)
IF THE ARK REPRESENTED THE PRESENCE OF GOD, HOW COME IT WAS CAPTURED BY THE PHILISTINES IN THE BATTLE OF APHEK? ( Part 2 )
Let us study the battle from the perspective of the Israelites.
THE BATTLE OF APHEK
1 Sam. 4:2-18 details how the Israelites lost the Ark of the Covenant to the Philistines at the Battle of Aphek.
In an earlier skirmish, Israel was defeated by the Philistines who killed about four thousand men.
In 1 Sam 4: 3-4 the elders of Israel responded with a superstitious trust in the Ark.
"And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim.
And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were
there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.
The elders of Israel, after the battle with the Philistines, decided the next battle could be won if they took the Ark of the Covenant with their soldiers.
The Ark of the Covenant was the representation of the throne of God in Israel.
Kept in the most holy place of the tabernacle, the people never saw it. Only the high priest entered and saw the ark, and only once a year.
The elders wanted to take this representation of the throne of God out of the holy of holies (it could be moved when the tabernacle was to be moved), cover it, and bring it into battle with them.
They hoped it would give confidence that God was really with them.
They remembered that the ark went into battle before.
A. It went in front of the marchers around the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:6-8).
B. Moses told the priests to lead the ark into battle against the Midianites (Numbers 31:6).
C. Much later, Saul would bring the ark into battle (1 Samuel 14:18), as did David (2 Samuel 11:11).
The elders rightly sensed they needed God’s help to win the battle.
But they were wrong in the way they sought help.
Instead of humbly repenting and seeking God, they turned to methods that God never approved.
They only cared if it worked.
They believed the presence of the ark would make God work for them.
“Their idea was that God should be forced to fight for them. If He was not willing to do it for their sake, He would have to do it for His honour’s sake.” (Ellison)
No doubt, it seemed like a brilliant suggestion. They were probably pleased to arrive at such a great solution.
They regarded the ark as the ultimate “good luck charm” and believed they could not lose with it there.
THEY LOOKED TO THE ARK TO SAVE THEM NOT TO THE LORD.
Instead of attempting to get right with God, these Israelites set about devising superstitious means of securing the victory over their foes.
OUR SPIRITUAL LESSONS
In this respect most of us have imitated the elders of Israel.
We think of a thousand inventions; but we neglect the one thing needful!
Like them, we tend to forget the main matter, which is to enthrone God in life, and to seek to do His will by faith in Christ Jesus.
“There are plenty of Christians, like these elders, who, when they find themselves beaten by the world and the devil, puzzle their brains to invent all sorts of reasons for God’s smiting, except the true one – their own departure from Him.” (Maclaren)
Likewise, in pre-Zoom days, there are many people in churches all around the world who think that they are right with God simply because they attend worship services, sing in the choir, volunteer on cleanup days, or otherwise participate in a congregation’s activities.
But one does not have to be converted to do any of that.
Let us not be among those who trust in what we do to be reconciled to God, but let us be among those who rest in Christ alone for salvation.
Acts 4:12 ( Amplified Bible )
And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation]
