God Disposes (1 Samuel 6:10-18)

4/27/2010 8:23 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  God disposes

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  1 Samuel 6:10-18

 

            Message of the verses:  “10 ¶  Then the men did so, and took two milch cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11  They put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the box with the golden mice and the likenesses of their tumors. 12  And the cows took the straight way in the direction of Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh. 13  Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark and were glad to see it. 14  The cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stood there where there was a large stone; and they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. 15  The Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the LORD. 16  When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day. 17  These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron; 18  and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages. The large stone on which they set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.”

            In the very beginning of the book of Isaiah the prophet in speaking words that were rightfully harsh on the nation of Israel writes something that pertained to what these cows did, because these cows knew who their Owner was.  “3  "An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master’s manger.”  Isaiah goes on in that verse to speak of the nation of Israel not knowing who their God was.  What these cows did was in the wonder providence of God, and so it was the Lord who led his cows to the town of Beth-shemesh, which was a priestly town.  There were priest in this town which of course were from the tribe of Levi and so the Levites took down the Ark of God and because the Lord had the cows stop at a large stone where the priests split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a sacrifice, however the Lord did not command that cows should be offered as a sacrifice, only the bulls.  Psalm 51:15-17 speaks of the heart of the repentant sinner and not necessarily the letter of the Law.  “15  O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. 16  For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

            With all of this said the priests should have known the Law and covered up the Ark of God because it was only the high priests who should have look upon it, and thus the Lord became angry with them.  This is a story for the next edition of my Spiritual Diary.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  David wrote the 51^st Psalm after sinning with Bathsheba, for there was no sacrifice under the Law that could be offered by David that would cleanse him from the murder of Bathsheba’s husband whom he had killed.  God is a God of Grace, but also a God of justice and He receives glory from His grace and glory from His justice.  There are times in the Scriptures that I see His grace and times when I see His justice and there are times when I am surprised when seeing these attributes of God.  One thing I know and that is God is God and can do whatever He wants to do.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Trust the Lord completely in all circumstances of my life.  Stay close to Him by the reading of His Word each day and the studying of His Word, and through prayer and one thing I don’t do that I should and that is meditate on His Word more.

 

4/27/2010 8:57 AM