WHO CAN STAND?



  
 Image result for CLIP ART OF SOMEONE STANDING  The reader gets to Chapter 7 of 1Samuel and sees that the Ark of the Lord has a new home, and it is no longer in the hands of the Philistines.  It is first in the town of Beth-shemesh and they offer burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord.  It is   perhaps a sigh of relief to have the Ark of the Lord returned to them.  The towns-people decide to check out the contents of the Ark, and  they are immediately struck dead by the Lord.  Their curiosity and presumption cost them their lives.  A very pertinent question is asked by the men of Beth-shemesh,  "Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God?"  (I know you might be asking as I wondered...when the Philistines opened the Ark and put the golden mice and the golden tumors in it, why weren't they struck dead?  The Philistines were not Israelites  and would not have known the Levitical laws concerning the Ark, maybe they would not be "held accountable" by God?  The people of Beth-shemesh were Israelites and they had Levitical priests among them.  They knew the laws, but had become terribly lax in keeping of the laws.)

Interestingly enough, messengers are sent to Kiriath-jearim to come and take the Ark, and it is placed in the house of Abindab.  He "consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the Ark of the Lord."   The Ark is kept at this home for 20 years!  Since it represented the presence of the Lord, one wonders why it was left there and not returned to Shiloh?

Two thoughts: 1.  Psalm 15:1 and Psalm 24:3 ask nearly the same question as the men of Beth-shemesh, "Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God?"  Psalm 15:1.  "Who may dwell on Thy holy hill?" and Psalm 24:3 "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?"    Both Psalms give replies somewhat alike: ones with clean hands, pure hearts, one who practices integrity (no falsehoods, not swears deceitfully, speaks truth in his heart).  It is very obvious God's offense against any duplicity.  2.  It is interesting that the Israelites continued their worship at Shiloh without the Ark of God being present in their worship for 20 years. I wonder if we spend our day with its press of activities without any cognition that the Lord is present and He desires to be intimate with us in a time set aside just for Him?  Do we ever just go for days, maybe months, until the years have past and the heart has become cold and calloused because we are too busy and have not time for prayer or being in His Word?  If you are a Christ follower, you have a resident Holy Spirit who can be your Holy Discomforter.  If you have gotten lax or lazy in the relationship, may you have the courage to repent and allow the Spirit of God to fan the ashes of your heart to bring you alive again to His spirit for His sake, your sake, and your family's sake!  Just saying!!  #IHAVETHREESONS

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress
Read more

LAST THOUGHT ON LEVITICUS

Image
  For the first time in many years, I have enjoyed reading through Leviticus.  I have skipped it several times and read on.  This go round, I have sought to focus on some thoughts, words, phrases, or practices that God had instituted for the Israelites and their physical and spiritual well-being.  The Ten Commandments and many of the laws have real practical value for society and the Christ follower today.  The Lord God gave them a standard, a commandment, which is applicable for today, "You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees.  I am the Lord (Jehovah) your God (Elohim).  Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them.  I am the LORD."  Leviticus 18:4-5   My concluding thought from Leviticus is this admonition or commandment:  " You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."  Leviticus 20:26.  Even though spoken to Israel, the truth of being holy is directe
Read more

ORDER AND DESIGN

Image
    I do not have OCD, but I do confess that I like order in my home.  Now that I am retired, I am not so much into spotless, but "picked up" and "kinda" clean. (Do not open drawers and closets!) I might go to more trouble when I know I am having company, but otherwise, I remove the clutter that seems to reproduce on its own.   When I began the reading in Genesis in January, I was again taken with the with the orderliness and design of God in creation, and have seen Him use Moses and Aaron to ORDERLY marshal the Israelites to move out of Egypt. How do you move some 600+ males and that is not even wives and children? Animals also?  They have been one year+ out of Egypt, and have been camped at Mt. Sinai where God has given them laws for their spiritual and physical welfare.  God gives Moses the design of the Tabernacle and Moses is able to bring together the workers to complete the Tabernacle.   The clip art at the top is the positioning of the 12 Tribes and the
Read more