The Ark Is Returned (Part 2 of 2)

The Philistines may have conquered the Israelites and captured the ark of God, but they couldn't capture or conquer God himself today on Truth for Life we find out what happens when God's holiness is taken for granted by his enemies or by his own people. Alastair biggest teaching from first Samuel chapter 6 second question that comes in the text is endorsed for they said, what is the guilt offering that we shall return to him and they recognize that they were guilty. Woodhouse is a wonderful sentence when he says why would you pay a debt you cannot access to a God, you do not know and that's what they were going to have to do and so there told the well this is this is what we suggest you do the answer comes there, and now were in a world that is very different from our own five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the Lord to the Philistines, and so on, and we suggest that you make them in gold because it's not wise in these circumstances to appear to be stingy in our little plastic my sora will paper maximized will I do nice golden mice because after all we're trying to explain you are trying to buy our own efforts deal with the predicament.

How are we going to deal with God. What will I offer God if I'm indebted to God, what would I possibly produce pathetic isn't, but is understandable in the timeframe. What they were doing. This is, this was standard pro forma. They would they would take that which represented the predicament, which in this case was placed and expressly tumors and then they would make forms of those tumors and then they would present them to the deity in this way they were predicting they they were they were providing an image of what their problem was and they were also pleading for the removal of their problem.

That's why they're doing what they're doing. We know what our problem is and we made these in the hope that you fix this for us is as pathetic actually.

I mean who modeled for the tumors they had like it like I'm trying to do the database you know so we're having on Monday if you low, and show your tumors were looking for were looking for some nice tumors that we can that sounds ridiculous as in who knows whether tumors were but will leave that to the medical people notice that there is no indication there is no indication that they thought that this was going to be foolproof. Perhaps the set. Perhaps it's no guarantee but it's worth a try. What we have to lose.

And then the next question verse six. Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts now in the background to this story here, both in chapter 5 in chapter 6 invite all the way into chapter 4. The background picture if you like. If it if there was if there is a movie running in the background as this unfolds in real time.

It would be the picture of the Exodus from Egypt and would be the picture of the people of God being set free from Egypt. As a result of the plagues that work brought upon the nation, and so on. And that is the background to and there are echoes of that, all the way through the defiance of Pharaoh and the people had brought the judgment of God, and only when God's judgment was executed where the people then free to go and in the same way now were going to return the ark to its own place is only sensible to do this so just as you have the picture of the people being exited from Egypt.

So now were anticipating the are being removed from the cities of the Philistines, and how is it to be done or this is where it gets exciting him… Some wonderful stuff to read at with your children. And here we have the record of a new cart and two milk cows. They had prepared the gold contents for the box which the cart was going to carry and the cows were going to pull it is insignificant that it was a new cart will surely otherwise it would be described as a new cart that they didn't simply go and and bring out one of their old claptrap vehicles in order to get rid of this thing now you think about that you may make you think forward.

Jesus attended few go you will find the fall of a donkey hunt which no one has ever written.

It's a brand-new donkey in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea in which they laid Jesus was a tomb in which no one had ever been late. These people are clever enough to realize that it is at least a matter of respect. To do as they've done, but it was more than that, as you see I hope as you read it you pick this up. They were setting this up as a test to see whether the events that are just unfolded in chapter 5 with her in those events. They were really dealing with a heavy hand of the God of Israel, or whether they were dealing with coincidence and in words said they were trying to determine was this providence, or was this coincidence, and the test that they set up is pretty straightforward and it is stacked against it, showing that God is in charge.

His ability first Kings 18 in their in their encounter with the prophets of bail. Remember when God says he says to Elijah cover the third going to light a fire now we'll see if the prophets of bail can light it or if God will light and God says cover the whole thing with water drenching and water make it such that there is no possible way of this turning into flame unless I am God. That's what they're doing here will take care the new cart and will take to cows that have never been yoked and cows that have an understandable maternal instinct to look after their accounts.

The cobs now have been sequestered and the cows are yoked up to the front of the car. The test is very simple, the greater the difficulty, the greater the clarity, the greater the certainty they thought of the God of Israel was responsible, but they weren't certain so why admitted without checking what are the chances then of this happening that's the question that you have to ask yourself. You may not know a lot about cows and neither do I but I understand what it what I'm told. Here, that cows ever actually I spent a month I spent three weeks one summer as a boy on a farm on the Isle of Butte, I was out. It was a dairy farm wheat we spent three weeks instead of four because of rain for every single day and eventually we would we decided without enough. Let's go home but I remember the sound of those cows twice a day. They were making what is described as the looming noise is like nothing else. That wasn't a very good rendition.

I understand so they make those noises because they're saying take care of this relieved me of this burden, I have produced all of this milk and I need to get to the cobs here who will then be fed by this milk. So let's take to that her situation that they almost inevitably want to turn around and go back and let's take to that of never ever let a card anywhere at all and so they do and the question is if they go straight then will know and if they don't then will know this was just coincidence chance universe there. Stan the man did so to the two milk cows you open to the cart, shut up put the ark on the on the cart the box in the thing and the Catlin's and the cows went straight in the direction of Betsy Imation along one Highway, lowing as they went, and then to make the point they turned neither to the right nor to the left when they sent him 1/2. The guy said to his friends as this is going be amazing when you see this bit note that they will turn around. I guarantee you they will turn around within 50 feet and then he watches while I'll tell you there no make it or they will not make it 100 something going on here that I don't quite get what I find quite wonderful is that he turned neither to the right nor to the left and the lords of the Philistines went after them. As far as the border of Betsy Hamish.

This is a 7 mile journey. They will eventually get to the foothills of the central mountain range lords of the Philistines have the ignominy of having to walk behind this process to cafs new cart and art their tumors and off they go.

What are you doing well were we think it's coincidence we were not sure but I mean will find out eventually. While they found in because of what happened straight as a diet went like the Exodus like the people coming out of Egypt. The ark emerges from the lands of the Philistines and the cart came into the field of Joshua is verse 14. Josh is a famous name Joshua remembered led the people into the land after the Exodus and a great stone was there.

Honestly significant because, as mentioned again later on and then look at what they did. They split up the wood of the cart of the offer the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. Who are these people whether the people in verse 13 they were reaping their fleet harvest in the Valley and when they lifted up their eyes, they saw the ark and they rejoiced to see it because you see seven months previously. Phineas is window had to clear that the glory of God was gone. Ichabod is over you can see that the end of chapter 4 verse 22 the glory has departed from Israel the ark of God is been captured, finished some sometimes when you move around Christian people that they've got a can of Ichabod Ian mentality you you you meet them lately. There was all you should've been around in the 50s. Although you should've read the section. Such an era. All thing is overlook it eyes look at our predicament we are so small we're so ineffective and so on. The glory of God is bliss. God may just take two milk cows in a brand-new car and do something significant. That's the kind of God he is. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we can ask or even imagine in the cart starts. How did it stop. This isn't GPS that just stopped. How do cows know when to stop.

The stopped I guess were here yes sacrifice. The reapers rejoiced course, they rejoiced and actually were doing better.

Looking back to Egypt. It also looks forward to the exit after the exile. Remember when he had been taken away in the Babylonian captivity and all the people of God, sat down and he said you know there's no point in singing or doing any rejoicing is where in a foreign land. It looks like the glory is gone. Everything is is is finished and then in the Psalms of Ascent you have that wonderful hundred and 26 when the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongues with shouts of joy. The Lord brings the Council of the nations did nothing. He frustrates the plans of the people. So verse 16. The five lords of the Philistines saw it and he returned that day to Akron.

Unlike Ruth remember the Moabitess who didn't return.

Remember, Naomi said to her go back go back to the land where you came from your not from here this this, you fat enough sadness in your life.

No she said I will go back I'll go on with you. Your God will be my God, your people will be my people. Where you die I will die, but the five lords of the Philistines returned. I wonder do they talk on the way they had to have talked on the way one said to the other. We capture the ark. We destroyed Shiloh, but we haven't conquered God. Maybe there's something in this you may be here today and that's exactly what you say I haven't resolved this but maybe there's something in this one final question, incidentally versus 17 and 18 gift to us that the details of the tumors and so on. And then in verse 19 it just comes right out of the blue doesn't just win if we were writing this story would say, and the reapers all rejoiced and then he had a big celebration party and all the Israelites said sorry to God and and live happily ever after. No verse 19 and he that is God struck some of the men of Betsy Hamish because he looked upon the ark of the Lord. You see, you don't escape the judgment of God because you're an Israelite, you don't escape the judgment of God because of your heritage goes only way one way in which we escape the judgment of God and that is because he is poured his judgment out on his dearly beloved son know at this point, people get very concerned we have the same conversation as last time but I don't like the Old Testament God. I like the New Testament guard to which we have to say it is the same God is the same holiness the same law is the same pattern we don't know just in what way these characters looked at this are commentator spent a long time on it, but they don't really get you anywhere at all was a simply arrogance, indifference, irreverence. We don't know. But the consequences are clear. 70 men of them were struck down and the people mourned because Lord instruct the people with a great blow and then they sent will who is able to stand before the Lord, the holy God and and you know to whom shall he go up away from us.

In other words there doing what we saw three weeks ago when Terry preached in the letter about the demoniac in the land of the garrisons and remember that they said after Jesus had displayed his power and put the man all the way back together again in the dramatic evidence of his office grace and goodness they said get Jesus out here get get him out of here this exactly whether say no.

They're going to do with the ark. What the Philistines were doing with the ark. They said we better get the ark out of here. Moving to Gath movement send for the curious German people, let them come down and get you see we can violate God's plans and patterns without dealing with his judgments. The reason that we stumble with this, as many of us do is because we have a wrong view of God we have a God of our own invention, a domesticated guard and easy-going God tolerant God helpful more interested in our happiness than our holiness.

A God who likes those people always say he likes me just the way I am. What is not strictly true, he doesn't love us as we are.

He loves us despite what we despite what we are, says Matthew Henry that will not fear his goodness and reverently use the tokens of his grace shall be made to feel his justice and sink under the tokens of his displeasure. While our time is gone. But what is the answer to this immense trilemma that is set up will. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to remind ourselves again that the Bible is a book about Jesus that we lose our way around the Bible.

When we take our eyes off Jesus. How can we as sinful men and women as these were and in the eternal presence of the God who has made us for a relationship with himself.

Answer not on the strength of our being able to try and close the gap by our endeavors well and how how could you ever be safe in the arms of Jesus.

Well how about the man on the cross next to Jesus by his own testimony, a mass guilty deserving of all that came his way and Ginny said this man on the middle cross apparently does not deserve any of this. We are getting what our sins deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong and the hands that should discard old wounds that bid them, and so he says what would you remember me when you come into your kingdom and Cynthia. Not only that, but today you will be with me in paradise. There is no refuge from God except the refuge that is found in God, that refuge which is provided in his dearly beloved son to all who come to him in penitence and faith.

What shall we do, why harden your hearts, who can stand before a holy God the answer. All events is wrapped up in Jesus listening to Truth for Life. Alistair Begg making it clear that the only way to stand before a holy God is by taking refuge in his son, Alister, big returns to close the program with prayer just a minute if you want to know more about what it means to take refuge in God's son. Visit our website where you can watch a helpful video that explains how Jesus sacrifice on the cross frees us from sin and grants us salvation God's saving grace is nothing we can earn on our own. It's a gift freely given to those who believed visit Truth for Life.org/the story to learn more. You can also listen to thousands of Alister's messages for free on our website.

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Church has changed for a lot of people. Some have opted for reading the Bible at home and watching the church service online. Others aren't affiliated with local church at all, but the New Testament teaches we are to be united together with fellow believers in the context of a local church. It's in the local church where community is formed where we read God's word. Together we fear the Lord's supper we teach God's word to the next generation COBIT has certainly changed the landscape over the past couple years and the way we attend church is no exception may be online church has changed your involvement. If you feel like you been more unconnected than you have in the past. If so, the book love your church will offer some encouragement and help to get reconnected. This book gives three powerful motivations directly from Scripture to help you reengage request the book love your church today when you donate to support the teaching you hear on Truth for Life to find the book on our mobile app or online at truthforlife.org/donate. If you'd rather mail your donation along with your request for the book right to truthfully at PO Box 39, 8000, Cleveland, OH 44139. Now here's Alister the closing prayer. Gracious God write your word in our hearts grant that that which is helpful may be retained in nothing that is unclear. May the words of my mouth. The meditation of our hearts found acceptable in your sight, they retained refuge in your dearly beloved son in his name we pray on. I'm Bob Lapine sure to listen tomorrow. This will find out what causes God's people to move from despondency and corruption to victory and consecration Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life with the Learning is for Living