July 1927
448
T h e K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
joined. This invested him with full au thority. 1 Chron. 12:23-40 tells us that no less than 300,000 men gathered in convocation to express their desire of national unity; to call to mind the days in which David had so valiantly led the armies of Saul, and to frankly admit and gladly accept his divine appointment. Let us not miss the lesson that without advantage of birth, without personal scheming or violence—at the moment he was most needed, thé greatest man of that age came into headship over all Is rael. Are WE ready to walk with ..God, experience the trials of solitary watching, the hardships of the wilderness, and even jealous plots against us, in order that we might come into the place of service in God’s own time and way ? In no other way may we,hope to have God’s blessing upon us. The first essential was the restoration of the Ark of the covenant to a fitting place. The Philistines had taken it upon the defeat of Israel, but had dropped it like a hot cake when-God began to visit them with disasters. In comparative neglect it had since remained at Kirjath- jearim, several miles from Jerusalem. To Jerusalem, which was henceforth to become the royal as well as the holy city, the ark must be brought (2 Sam. 6). With elaborate ceremonies David planned to make this move in order to reinculcate upon the long forgetful people the solem nity and need of their appointed religious observances'. The ark was the symbol'of God’s presence, as Christ is now to be lievers the realization of it. Many another nation has had to learn through bitter experience that it is the recognition of God and regard to re ligious duty which alone can give value to other reforms, and vitality and per manence to all national institutions. Was it not to be expected that the devil would be on the job to cause some slip-up in so important a proceeding? Too much haste in the proceedings caused them to fail to. notice the simple ordinances of God concerning the bearing of the ark. It was to be carried on the shoulders of Levites, and not to be touched in any other way (Num. 4:1-15). Times had changed; why not transport it on a cart? A new cart was made, and hitched to it was a team of oxen, driven by Abinadab’s sons. Perhaps the drivers had become a bit too familiar with the ark to give it the reverence which was its due. With banners flying and brass bands playing (2 Sam. 6:5), the parade was pro ceeding to Jerusalem. Someone got a bit careless, for the ark was about to be jig gled off the cart when Uzzah, one of the sons, grabbed hold of it to steady it. He fell dead instantly (v. 7). To begin with, they had disregarded the Word of God, and, like many a mod ern church, introduced heathen methods into the doing of God’s work. Further more they had lost the reverence due to God in losing all sense of His presence in symbol and ordinance. The wonder of God’s grace is that more religious triflers are not struck dead in our days. There can be no doubt that God used the inci dent to invest Himself and the institu tions of worship with a higher sacred ness in the minds of the Israelites. David, true to human nature, was both afraid and displeased that God had made the great occasion a failure. For three months he left the ark in Obed-Edom’s
house. With all his spiritual training he dropped to lower ground, as many sup posedly devout people have sometimes done, and indulged in hard feelings against God (vs. 9-11). A: few weeks’ reflection, however;» brought David to his senses. It became known that signal blessings had come upon the whole family of the man who had received and reverently watched over the ark (v. 12). What faith Obed-Edom must have had to take into his house that dreadful ark which Da,vid himself feared to harbor! There was one man who would bid God welcome. God will not fail such a man. Never was a man the loser for having the Ark of God in his house. David came to his senses. We knew he would. A true Christian will not long re main peeved, but will, like David, frankly admit his error and repair it as quickly as possible. And so with a retinue of priests, and the gathering of -all Israel, the ark was reverently », brought from • Obed-Edom’s house to the city of David with great gladness. With one heart and voice, the people rendered praise to the Lord. The outstanding lesson is that God’s Word and work cannot be safely tam pered with. We cannot handle the Ark of God as though it were a bag of feed, and hope that God will advance our cause. No speed can be made on Philis tine carts. Every ^household and every church may share a kindred blessing with that bestowed on the family of Obed- Edom, if they will properly regard the authority of His Word and worship him in the way appointed. We are not left to our own; choices in such matters. —o— P ith and P oint .y The only way to walk with the Lord is to talk with the Lord (2:1). .We will see farther ahead when, we go ahead as far as we see (2:1-2). God will have His own way with His own work—-not the Philistine way (6:3). Trying to make God’s work move on a heathen cart is a modern folly:, Those who fail in their unscriptural service are sure to be peeved with God ( 6 : 8 ): God pays liberally for His lodging (6: 11 ) . The arm of the flesh is not .needed to sustain the ark of the Lord (6:6). :—Or— S uggestive Q uestions If we are to have God’s direction of our paths, what must we. do? (5 :1, cp. Prov. 3:5-6). Who, long before David, had sancti fied Hebron, by fellowship with the Lord? (Gen. 13:18). How do Christians reach the place called Hebron (fellowship)? (1 Jn. 1:7). What had David consistently done, rather than seek the crown by an act?. (Isa. 25:9). What explicit directions had God given as to how the ark should be borne? (Num. 4:5-12). Does the modern church need any warnings against Philistine ways of do ing service for Christ? (2 Cor. 10:4). Can we expect the blessing of God upon a Church where carnal methods are employed? (1 Cor. 11:29-32).
G olden T ext I llustration We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple (Psa. 65:4) . A lady was once speaking in a gather ing of friends, of the pleasures of attend ing the theatre. There was the pleasure of thinking of the scenes to be acted be fore going. There was the pleasure of witnessing them when there. There was the pleasure of remembering them after they were over. An old man who heard the remarks said : “There is one pleasure ¡you’ve forgotten.” “What is that?” in4 qiiired the lady. “The satisfaction of thinking of the theatre when you come to die.” How much greater are the pleas ures of God’s people ip going to His housè ! They have all of the pleasures stated above, and the pleasures of happy reflections in the dying day. T TPON the death of Jonathan and Saul in the battle of Gilboa, David sang the “Song of the Bow,” which was the pouring out of the kindly feelings and been, anointed by Samuel. By this time David had thoroughly learned the lesson that he should wait on God and move only at His orders; hence, he inquired of Jehovah, saying: “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” The Lord’s im mediate reply was that he should go to Hebron and establish that as his capital. As it was with David, so should it be with every child of God: he should first ascertain whether it is God’s will for him to do thus and thus. The Lord may not immediately work out events to indi cate His will, neither may He always give His peace to rule in the heart (Col. 3:15), upon our first presenting the case before Him. (See Luke 18:1-8). He who has faith in God and His lovej; will not be in haste (Isa. 28:16). Let no man say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and get gain;” (Jas. 4:14) for “What 'is your life?. For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.§|jf. Being established as king oyer Judah in Hebron, he reigned for a period of seven years and six months. During this time Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was reign ing over the house of Israel, with his capital in Mahanaim, east of the Jordan. There was continual strife between these rival kingdoms. During these years David’s kingdom increased in power as that of Ishbosheth decreased. These facts are what one who knows the truth, the Word of God, would naturally expect for it is written, “A man can receive nothing except it hath been given him from God.” God had taken the kingdom from the house of Saul and had transferred it to the house of David; hence, these facts. The waning of the star of Ishbosheth and the rising of the glorious sun of the reign of David reminds one of the words of John the Baptist when the crowds were sentiments which he bore toward both his enemy and his closest friend. A f t e r S a u l ’s death, circumstances seemed to indicate that David should take s t e p s toward gaining the throne for which he had
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