1 Samuel 6:19-21
And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow. Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to you.”
This story of seventy men being struck to death by God comes on the heels of the ark of the covenant being returned to Israel after it had been captured by the Philistines. God had graciously given the Israelites the ark to remind them of his special presence. They exchanged its true meaning for "rabbit foot" theology and took the ark into battle to guarantee victory. God would not be trapped and allowed the ark to be captured by Israel's enemy.
The Philistines moved the ark between three cities. Each city was infected with some kind of disease which the bible is somewhat vague in describing (some scholars believe the plague was hemorrhoids). Whatever the plague, the Philistines wanted the ark out of their home and back in Israel. So, they put the ark on a cart, placed five golden mice and five golden tumors (possibly golden hemorrhoids) on the cart, connected the cart to some milk cows, and watched as God directed the cows back to Israel. This is the context of the scripture quoted above. (You can read the story in 1 Samuel 4-6)
When the ark reached Beth-shemesh, the citizens should have rejoiced. They should have celebrated. They should have worshiped in awe. They didn't, and God struck seventy of their men with immediate death.
This is the type of passage that causes modern people to want to reject the bible. The striking and smiting doesn't sit well with most "decent" people. However, if we are going to take the bible seriously, we have to try to understand what passages like these teach us about God.
I read a commentary about this passage this week. The author wrote about two theories describing the sin of the people in Beth-shemesh. One idea is that the men looked inside the ark which was strictly forbidden in God's law. The other idea is simply that they men looked upon the ark without reverence and awe. They thought ii commonplace to have the ark (the symbol of God's glory and presence) in their midst. Either way, the heart of the disobedience was failure to worship God in the manner he demanded and deserved.
The terrifying truth of this passage is that all of humanity is guilty of this same sin. We have all failed the demands of our holy and righteous God. He is the creator of heaven and earth. He is the sustainer of all life. There is not a person alive who has taken a breath that was not a gift from him. He is worthy of all adoration, praise, and glory. He alone is holy, awesome, and terrifying.
What response is appropriate to these truths? Nothing less than complete worship and amazement. But we don't give it to him. Like the men of Beth-shemesh, we find ourselves looking without awe and neglecting the due worship of God. Because of our neglect, we deserve the same judgment the seventy received.
The glory of the gospel is that God's judgment was handed down on his Son. Jesus, the only one to ever give God the full glory, adoration, and praise he deserved was struck to death. The only reason God can accept our inadequate worship is because Jesus was crushed.
Once again, I am humbled and amazed at my glorious Savior. Why he would willingly be judged because of our sin is beyond me. There is nothing good in us. The only explanation is his own goodness and mercy.
Alas and Did My Savior Bleed by Isaac Watts
Alas and did my savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
Was it for sins that I have done
He suffered on the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut His glory in
When Christ, the great Redeemer died
For man the creature's sin.
Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.
But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
'Tis all that I can do.
2 comments:
I like the below quote - which was made about the Uzzah event - but applies here:
“I am not surprised that Uzzah died – but that the rest of us are still alive.”
-Hans Kung
John Cantrell
was that hans kung, or dr. pettis?
Post a Comment