14. The Ark at Bethshemesh; or, God's Presence Contemned

Chapter 14 - The Ark at Bethshemesh; or, God’s Presence Contemned THE experiment, made by the lords of the Philistines resulted in no doubtful issue. The kine, though unaccustomed to the yoke, took as "straight" a course, as if broken in to obey the rein; they "turned not aside to the right hand or to the left," but" went along the highway" as steadily as if the green fields on either side had no attraction, and pursued "the way of Bethshemesh," although their "lowing as they went" proclaimed that the calves which had been left behind were unforgotten. Instinct was strong, but an overruling Pro­vidence was yet stronger. Onward they trod the unknown path, and rested not till they reached "the field of Joshua the Beth­shemite." 1 Samuel 6:12-21. The gathering in of the wheat harvest had drawn together a large supply of reapers into the valley, who, lifting up their eyes, beheld the approaching cart. Attracted, probably, by the unusual spectacle of a vehicle thus drawn at will by animals that were not recognized as having grazed in their fields, or passed along their road, and the still more wondrous sight of a stranger-group following it,---men of a foreign nation and of distinguished aspect,---they looked yet more closely, and sought to learn what it might portend. An­other glance revealed the truth. They saw the ark itself, their long-lost treasure, return­ing to its original possessors. Whether, as we incline to think, it had still remained covered with its veil of bluish purple, and was hence known to them as having been borne in their midst to the battle-field of Ebenezer; or, whether its covering had been lost, and it was looked on by them as no Hebrew eye, save that of the priests, had beheld it, since the artificers of Sinai had made an end of fashion­ing it, we cannot with certainty decide. But when they saw it, and, either from memory or from description, perceived what it was, we are not surprised to learn that "they rejoiced." The glory which had departed was restored; the God that had forsaken their land was now favorable to His inheritance. The Levites, numerous in that locality, for Bethshemesh was a sacerdotal city, assigned to the priestly branch of the family of Kohath, Joshua 21:10-15. came forward, took down the ark and coffer, and laid them upon a great stone, which was close at hand. Then they "clave the wood of the cart" as fuel for the sacrificial fire, and offered the kine for a burnt offering, that neither the one nor the other might be afterwards employed in a less hallowed service. The peculiarity of the occasion might justify the substitution of kine in the place of bullocks, especially as more regular sacrifices were subsequently presented: "The men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord." Not, indeed, in Bethshemesh, strictly speaking, ought such oblations to have been made. This was not the appointed place; no tabernacle was here; no superior priest; no brazen altar; but there was here that symbol of the Divine presence for which the tabernacle was but a curtained palace,---that on which the high priest himself was but an attendant,---that which was needful to sanctify both the altar and the gift. These truths rightly apprehended by the Bethshemites, there had been little to blame in this their act. It would have been a departure from the outward form, to express the more promptly and heartily those inward feelings which the external rites were designed to excite. It would have been a recognition of the great principles on which the minor precept was based. It would have been relinquishing the letter of the law, to drink more deeply into its spirit. But we are not clear, that our charity may in the present instance accord so much. We fear there was more of selfishness, than of spirituality, in the course they took. Puffed up with the honor of having the ark in their midst, it seems that they dreamed of retaining it. We read not that they took counsel to send it on to Shiloh, or to whatever place the tabernacle then occupied. The very act of their sacrificing for themselves would appear to have been prompted, not so much by pious joy at having once more the opportunity of en­gaging in a long suspended privilege, as by the elation of heart which led them to imagine their own city might for the future be made the center of Israel’s national worship. This supposition easily explains their sub­sequent conduct. How long the ark abode among them, is not positively stated; but as we are not informed of its having been even temporarily lodged in any of their dwellings, it would seem probable that their trans­gression almost immediately followed on their act of worship. Priding themselves on the distinction made in their favor by the staying of the cart, when it might have passed them by and gone further on towards its former sanctuary, they entertained self-complacent no­tions of their own worthiness. Informed pro­bably of the mischiefs the ark had wrought among the heathen, they plumed themselves on their superiority as belonging to God’s chosen people---a people among whom He had dwelt for so many hundred years, and to whose midst He had proved himself so anxious to return. Hence, when curiosity arose in refer­ence to a chest which they had never before approached, they were prepared to listen to the tempter’s voice. Secure in a fancied immu­nity, buoyed up with an idea of their special acceptableness to God, and fancying that the arrival of the ark among them had invested them with new privileges, they rashly drew near to the sacred symbol; they put forth the hand of disobedience to lift the interposing cover,

[There seems to us a little uncertainty as to the right interpretation of this act, literally considered, however clear may be the moral animus which characterized it. The question arises, whether the covering which the Beth­shemites must have lifted, was the veil or the lid. The lifting of the former would enable them to look upon the ark; of the latter, to look into it. Our version conveys the second idea, but the Hebrew is susceptible of being rendered, "they looked on the ark," This, indeed, would seem, on consideration, to have been a sufficient pitch of daringness. It is difficult to think they could so easily be emboldened to look within, when a mere touch was strin­gently forbidden and condignly punished; unless, indeed, they were urged on by the vain pretext of examining whether its contents had returned from Philistia, un­destroyed and unimpaired. It is more easy to understand how they could venture gently to raise the pall, that they might satisfy the ardent desire which longed to gaze on the glorious cherub-forms beneath.] and irreverently gazed on that which was to them prohibited. But the gratification was soon over. The triumphing of the wicked was short. They had despised the presence of Him who dwelt between the cherubim; and from that presence came forth a swift destruction.

"The insulted ark, Jealous for God, flashed death on eyes profane," The Lord smote the men of Bethshemesh, even "fifty thousand and threescore and ten"---or, as perhaps it ought to be read, "fifty out of a thousand, even threescore and ten." The instant destruction of one twentieth of the population might well be lamented as "a great slaughter." But their chastisement wrought not a true repentance. Instead of acknow­ledging their guilt, they proudly asked, "Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?" Instead of urging His stay, they discontentedly enquired, "To whom shall He go up from us?" Kirjath-jearim was the next important town to the north-westward in the direction of Shiloh; and thither the men of Bethshemesh "sent messengers, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord, come ye down, and fetch it up to you,"---concealing the true motive which actuated the offer, and proving as selfishly anxious to part with the ark, as erst they had been to keep it. The error into which they fell was not one peculiar to their day. Even with us, what is at first mere idle curiosity, will, if unchecked, lead on to that which is impious and irreverent. There are still "secret things" that "belong to the Lord our God." There is much that is inscrutable in His ways, and much that is in­comprehensible in His nature. His revealed word is no unintelligible document, but the subjects of which it treats are deeper than human intellects can fathom. There is a veil drawn between us and the Infinite One,---a veil which hinders not our communion with Him, but which we may not dare to lift. He permits us to draw near and worship before Him; but He allows no slighting of His pre­sence, no careless waiting on His ordinances, no trifling with holy things, no intruding into those things which we have not seen, vainly puffed up with a fleshly mind. The human heart is proverbially addicted to extremes. The Israelites had lately erred in thinking too much of the ark; now they sinned in thinking too little of it. Anon they had viewed it with superstitious reverence; now they regarded it with unhallowed familiarity. Nor is it less so with ourselves. At one time, we almost deify our religious privileges; and then we ere long forget the sacredness which pertains to them. At one time, we are ready to ascribe actual inherent sanctity to material objects; and presently we are found overlook­ing the associations of sanctity with which they are wisely invested. Nothing is more common than to exchange the most groveling supersti­tion for the most daring recklessness. If it is needful at times to be reminded that the taber­nacles of the Lord of hosts are amiable only as we see His power and His glory in the sanctuary, it is as needful to listen to the cautionary words, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God." In the divine presence even angels veil their faces; and feeble, sinful man has far more reason to tread God’s earthly courts with a reverential footstep and an adoring heart. Solemnity is in no way opposed to a holy joy. That excitement of feeling in which God’s greatness and holiness are comparatively lost sight of, is a false flame. That rapturous delight which arises from con­templating God’s goodness apart from His glory, and His love apart from His condescen­sion, is no healthful sentiment. A well-founded scriptural joy is such as fills the redeemed above, who stand before the throne, but cast their crowns at the Savior’s feet. It is not allowed us to suppose, that solemnity in wor­ship is a duty which has passed away with the things of Judaism. "Receiving a kingdom, which cannot be moved," says the Apostle, "let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire." It is true that we are privileged to sing, "Jesus! where’er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy seat;

Where’ er they seek Thee, thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground:" But we must not let this valuable thought be abused. We must remember, that to make no "difference between the holy and the pro­fane" is not the way to improve our spiritu­ality; and that to treat the sanctuary as though it were an ordinary building, is not the best preparation for looking upon every spot as consecrated by God’s presence. We may come "into His presence with singing," but we must also "worship Him in the beauty of holiness." We may "enter into His gates with thanks­giving," but we must not fail to "praise His great and terrible name, for it is holy." We must "exalt the Lord our God," when we "worship at His footstool." We have already seen that familiarity with divine things is no excuse for indifference; we here learn that it affords no ground for presumption. The brightness of the light which beams on us from heaven may not make us forget that, could we have borne it, the radiance had been more effulgent. Our nearness to the throne must not make us forget that it is a throne. Our access to God must not tempt us to forget that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Real communion with Him will not entail this evil. It is when we call ourselves Christ’s without being partakers of His Spirit, it is when we view mercies from God’s hand as sure indexes of His favor, it is when we are entrenched in self-esteem and vain confidence, that we are in danger of falling under the same condemnation as the heedless Bethshemites, and so learning to our cost that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."