1 Samuel 6:1-21

The Holiness of God and Human Responsibility

Introduction:

In this narrative, we see God’s Providence in the Return of the Ark of God back to Israel. In doing so, God revealed that He is the sovereign God who works out everything to accomplish His purposes - to show to all the nations that He is the One True God and that He has no rival! He is set apart!

The overarching theme of 1 Samuel is the Holiness of God. God is holy (set apart and free from any impurities and sin). On the subject of God’s holiness, it is something that every created being must fully understand because it has dire consequences should we violate God’s holiness.

The Philistines did not treat the Ark of God with honor, what happened to them?

The Israelites did not treat the Ark of God with honor, what happened to them?

God said in 1 Samuel 2:30 (NLT) “But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.”

May we listen intently so that we may avoid dishonoring God and may we listen with excitement as we learn about How powerful and how sovereign our God is as He reveals Himself to us through His Word.

The Chronological event and the significant implications:

I. The Plan to Return the Ark of God (vv.1-9)

• The Ark stayed in the land of the Philistines for 7 months and they were so afraid of it! (v.1). It took them 7 months to realize that they needed to send it home!

• Sinners lengthen their miseries by refusing to part with their sins

• What’s troubling to me is that the Israelites did nothing to recover the Ark of God because it stayed in the Philistines for 7 months already. They were so afraid for their safety that they neglected the Ark of God.

• Oh how many of us would choose to be safe and comfortable rather than be troubled by standing in the truth for God?

• The Philistines devised a plan to send the Ark of God back to Israel. They consulted their priest and diviner. (v.2).

• The unbelieving heart does not have a care for God’s presence. The unbelieving heart does not want anything from God. He would want to run away from God.

Consulting diviners (forbidden Lev. 19:31, 1 Sam 28:6-7)

• They Prepared a GUILT OFFERING believing that in doing this they will appease God and remove His heavy hand (vv.3-5).

An act of admitting that the God of Israel is superior, acknowledging guilt, and compensating for the offense of taking the Ark.

Giving gifts to God without changing the heart. Bribing God to remove the bad things. It did not do any good for them. They should just have bowed and down and submitted to God but they continued to harden their hearts.

Romans 1:18-23 - The foolishness of the heart of man.

• The effect of the hardening of the heart (v.6). A lesson about that they should have learned from the Egyptians.

• To check if the plague and death were God’s doing or just a coincidence, they put the Ark on two nursing cows. The mother cow’s instinct should be to be with her young. (vv.7-9)

Practical Atheism (FCF):

• Thinking that everything happens by chance/ coincidence. Proverbs 16:33

• Failing to believe in the sovereignty of God.

II. The Sending of the Ark of God back to Israel (vv.10-12)

· They did as they were told by the diviners and observed. (v.11)

· The cows went directly in the direction of Beth-shemesh (a temple of Shemesh), a border town of Israel. (v.12)

Divine Path - The maternal instinct of these cows should be towards their calves. But instead, they head towards Israel, taking the ark home.

God is sovereign in controlling the direction of the cows. Like how God appointed a giant fish to save Jonah.

Reflection:

God does not need our help. On the other hand, we need God’s help to set our directions because we get lost very often and we swerve to worldly pleasures.

III. The Ark of God received by the Israelites (vv.15-18)

• A happy event. They were glad to see the Ark (v.13)

• They celebrated by making a burnt offering and sacrifices (the wood and cow). (vv.14-15)

• The Philistine lords saw it and they returned. (v.16). They have confirmed that it really and truly was the God of Israel who struck them with plague and death.

Reflection:

- Truly, unbelieving hearts need evidence.

IV. The Ark of God dishonored by the Israelites (vv.19-21)

• Great slaughter - 50,070 or 70 dead? Why?

First, they sacrifice cows when they should have sacrificed bulls (Leviticus 1:3)

Second, they parade the Ark, placing it on a large rock for all to see, when they should have covered it (Numbers 4:5).

Third, they looked inside the Ark (Unprescribed handling of the Ark).

They might have had good intentions of looking at the inside of the Ark but it was not an excuse. Good intentions with wrong actions will yield unfavorable results.

Ex. Uzzah (2 Sam. 6:7-8), the two Sons of Aaron (Lev. 10:1-3; Lev. 16:1)

To pass the exam, I will cheat.

To secure the business deal, I will resort to bribing.

To get the job done, I will lie.

• In the New Testament, the Lord’s Prayer, begins with adoration to God - and it is a command that says “Hallowed be Your name”. To revere and honor the name of God more than anyone else.

• They can’t risk their lives being near the Ark of God so they want it transferred. (v.21)

The Ark of God was dangerous for the Philistines- but it was just as dangerous for the Israelites. At the beginning of the story, we think the Philistines are a threat to Israel. But it turns out that God himself is just as much of a threat.

Thus, we cannot take God lightly.

Connecting the Gospel Truth:

A. The Holiness and the Grace of God in Christ.

We can’t stand before the holiness of God because we are sinners and we sin often even now that we professed to be believers. We should have been dead by now and what keeps us alive is the amazing grace of God.

The amazing grace of God is displayed in the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

Those who are in Christ are now reconciled to the Father and are now part of God’s household, freed from the wrath of God. We are exhorted to come draw near to God with confidence - Hebrews 4:16 “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

B. The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ

The priest got it wrong and it resulted in the death of many people. Praise Jesus because He faithfully followed the plan of the Father and his sacrifice brought eternal life to many.

Application:

A. The holy God must be treated with utmost respect.

It means I will not take God lightly. I will be careful with my actions.

B. Those who have offended the Lord must honor him rather than harden their hearts.

To admit our sins and repent.

C. Let us come to Christ for grace every day.

D. Let us rejoice in the fact that our salvation is not a coincidence nor a chance but because of the sovereign will of God through Christ.

Conclusion:

Just as Israel desperately needed to recover a sense of the holiness and the power of God, it was only when the people of God honored Him again could He brought His people blessings.