Journal Through the Bible: Week 37 Friday

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I Samuel 5:1-6:21

The God who chose the Ark of the Covenant to represent His relationship to the Children of Israel did not show His presence to the Children of Israel when the Ark was in their possession but He did when the Ark was in the possession of the Philistines. God's hand was heavy on their god and on their bodies. Things got so bad that the Israelites did not need to fight another battle in order to retrieve the Ark. The Philistines gladly sent it back after 7 months of disease and destruction! But first, they devised a trial to see if it was God that was afflicting them or if it was only chance.

Does God issue any commands in this passage?

• God had previously given instructions concerning the handling of the Ark of the Covenant. The men of Bethshemesh trespassed by looking into it when it was returned by the Philistines. Only the appointed priests and Levites were to handle the Ark and its contents.

Does God make any promises? 

• No, God did not speak.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• The Ark of the Covenant was a picture of the relationship between God and man as sanctified by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men of Bethshemesh did not handle the Ark in a worthy manner. The Apostle Paul later reminded the Christians at Corinth that we are to take the Lord's Supper, which is a covenant sign between God and man sanctified by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, worthily. In other words, it is to be done properly in the right manner as instructed by God.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• Not that I identified.