[S]o David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD answered him, “Go, I will hand them over to you.” So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” 1 Chronicles 14: 10, 11c, NIV.
Gracious God, we recognize that without You we can do nothing. Please remain with us and help us as we seek to give You the glory that is due to Your name during the study of Your Word. Amen.
Our text for today is taken from a rather interesting time in the life of David and the people of Israel. Sacred Scripture informs us that David, suggested to his officers, “Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul” (1 Chronicles 13: 3). Why was the ark of God, not in the temple? It is interesting to see how wide spread, and far reaching, the influence of sin can become. It was during the period when the household of Eli was in charge of the priestly duties that the ark of God was taken from its rightful place – the place where God had told Moses to put it, when they were setting up the tabernacle. Today we will dedicate the first part of this devotional to study God’s instructions on how to care for certain furnishings in His tabernacle. We will dedicate tomorrow’s devotional to the study of our text. Let us listen to these very precise instructions:
“Then the LORD said to Moses: ‘Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the first month. Place the ark of the Testimony in it and shield the ark with the curtain. . .’ He took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it. Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD commanded him” (Exodus 40: 1-3, 20, 21). Emphasis provided. I have purposely highlighted several portions of our Scripture. Please note the frequency the words shield, shielding, shielded, appears in this portion of Scripture. Repetition in Scripture is very significant! God made us. He knows how we function. Human beings discovered that repetition is one of the most effective ways of learning. God knew it. After all, it is He who created our brain! He was trying to get the priests’ attention regarding the sanctity of His dwelling place, and everything that had to do with His worship!
It was above the ark covered by the Mercy Seat, within the protective “shielding curtain” that God chose to appear, in the “most holy” compartment of His tabernacle. It was for a reason that He had poles attached to the ark. God is God! He is the author, and the source of order and discipline. He had poles made for several pieces of furniture, among them the ark. These poles were to remain attached to the furniture, so that when the tabernacle was to be moved, these pieces would be lifted by the poles, and not handled with their hands! “Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. “Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites” (Exodus 25: 14-22, emphasis provided). This is so plain my friends, and we human beings, are so presumptuous!
God loves His creatures! “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3: 19). He has no desire whatsoever, to hurt us, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3: 17)! But He has standards, and He has set them high, because He has great plans for a great people! Hallelujah! If we, sinful as we are, can desire great things for our children, how much more the Almighty, and Everlasting Father! Oh, that He might open our eyes, and allow us to see that He is pruning us, and getting us ready, for great things!
We will continue tomorrow.