267
The Tabernacle sacred gold-covered chest. Moreover, it was in a~cordance with God's direct command that the ark was earned by the priests, as His people marched around Jericho once a day for six days; and seven times on the seventh day. Thus God gave to all who witnessed the strange performance an object-lesson to prove to them that He Himself was with His people. By the Presence and power of our crucified and risen Lord we may win the victory over sin and Satan and death; and by His Presence and power alone. "With God all things are possible." For our Lord Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." 3. Judgment upon the Philistines. In chapters four, five, and six of I Samuel we read of how Israel took the ark into battle against the Philistines; how the enemy cap- tured it, and placed it in the temple of their idol, Dagon, bringing a curse upon the Philistines; and how they re- turned it to Israel. Jehovah was not to be placed along with heathen gods, as if He were just another god I The ark symbolized His Presence; the idol was miraculously thrown down and broken; and the ark, supernaturally re- turned to the camp of Israel. Our Lord is the only true God! Nor can He deal other than in judgment upon all who reject His Son as the only Saviour! 4. Death for the Men of Bethshemesh. When the ark was miraculously returned to Israel, the men of Bethshe- mesh did a very wicked thing. They "looked into the ark of the Lord"; and 50,070 men died because of this sin. (See I Sam. 6:19.) They put aside the mercy seat! Leg- alists always put aside the mercy seat, a most dangerous thing to do! "Do not uncover that which God has cov- ered up!"
The Tabernacle
266
"I am bound for the Promised Land; I am bound for the Promised Land. 0 who will come and go with me? I am lxnmd for the Promised Land."
As one has beautifully expressed it, "An ark carried the elect family over the waters of judgment; an ark preserved an elect child from the waters of death; the ark of the cov- enant kept the law, which was 'the ministration of death' (II Cor. 3:7) ." (Rodgers). And the ark of the covenant went down into Jordan before Israel. Our Lord Jesus is Himself the Ark of God. He is our Ark of Safety from the waters of judgment, the only One who could keep the law unbroken in His heart; the only "Way" into the Prom- ised Land, which we call heaven. 2. Victory at Jericho. When Joshua led Israel into the land of Canaan, the first city they entered was Jericho; and that city they did not conquer in their own strength. God gave it to them in a miraculous way. We read the story in the sixth chapter of Joshua, although the first seven chapters of this book are related to this historic event in the life of God's chosen people. "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace" (Heb. 11:30, 31). It was faith in the "Unseen Captain" of "the host of the Lord" that led Joshua and Israel on to victory; and it was the mighty power of God which won the victory for Israel that day. His Presence in the midst of His people was symbolized by the "ark of the Lord," which "com- passed the city" of Jericho, as the priests went before that
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online