The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1889-10-11
THE ARK TAKEN TO ZION.
LESSON II, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATloNAL SERIES, OCT. 13.
Text of the Lesson, II Sam. vi, 1-1e-Com-
nit Verses IL, 12-Go1den Text, Psalms
lxxxvii, e-Commentary by the Rev. d.
NJ. Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission Of Fl. S Hoffman, publisher, Philadel.

NJ. Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per-
mission of f. S Hoffman, publisher, philadel.
phia.]
David being now king over all Israel, end
having taken the stronghold of the Jebusites,
which up to this time had been continued
disgrace in their midst, he at once thinks of
the Ark of God, pitches tent for it in
Jerusalem ". 10 and proceeds to bring it
thither.
l. "Again, David gathered together all the
chosen men Of Israel, thirty thousand. -
The previous chapter tells in its closing
verses of the gathering of Israel to defeat
their renemies the Phlistines, and how David
on two different occasions and by different
methods, successfully overcane them, being
guided by the Lord in answer to prayer
Chap v, 1923; but this is a gathering not
to overcome enemies, but to rejoice in the
Lord; and it was held after due consultation
with the captains of thousands and hundreds
and every leader. Il Chr. xiii, 1-5.)
2 "And David arose, and went with
all the people y to bring up
from thence the Ark of God.n The mar
gin of this verse, and also Chr. xiii, 6, says
that they went to Baalah that is, to Kir-
jath- -jearim; the ark had been here in the
house of Abinadab since the time when the
Philistines sent it home in a new cart drawn
by two milk COWS, leaving their calves shut
up at home. 1t had been with the Philistines
seven months, the Tabernacle being at Shiloh,
from whence thea had been taken. QSam.
iv, ~ (Which is called by the Name, even
the Name Of the Lord of Hosts that sitteth
upon the cherubim." R.V.) Here is the most
intimate association of the Ark with the name
of Jehovah; it is q wondrous type of the
Lord Jesus Christ rs the end of the law for
Righteousness to every one that believetb
Rom. x, ~; as our mercy seat or propitia-
tion for sins compare Heb. ix, 5, and Rom. iii,
%, r. V. margin); and as one with His
church, the light and glory of earth
in the days of the New Jerusalem. The
wood and gold are suggestive of tho hu-
nlanity and divinity of Christ; the mercy
seat is explained by the passages already
given; the tables Of testimony, safely kept i'll
the Ark, speak of Him who came to fulfill oil
Righteousness, and of whom it is written: 81
delight to do Thy will, o my God; yea, Thy
law is within my heart" tPs. Il, s., while tho
thought that the cherubim represent the
church, His body, is sufficiently established
by the fact that they were beaten out of tho
| same pieces of gold which formed the mercy
| seat ok. XIV, 10, margin). That Israel saw
all this significance in the Ark we do not pre-
tend to say, nor do we think it. 1t may be
that their principal thought was simply that
of their God, the Lord of Hosts who dwelleth
between the cherubim q Sam. iv, 4; II Sam.
vi, 2; II Ki. xix, Is; 1 Chr xiii, 6; Ps.
Xxx, Il xcix. 1; Isa. xxxvii, 1G. But surely
it is tiino that the church of Christ with all
her light should know more than she seems
to about this, the most wonderful and signifi-
cant vessel Of all Scripture.
3. "And they set the Ark of God upon
new cart" David failed to inquire of the
Lord in this matter, else we should not have
had TIL; sad record. Heknew better, for hear
him: sThen David said, none ought to carry
the ark of God but the Levites, for them hath
the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and
to minister unto him forever q Chr. XIV, 2.
4,5. "Ahis went before the Ark; and David
and all the house of Israel played before the
Lord on all manner of instruments" 1t was
a grand display and in q good cause, and the
man who would dare to find fault, simply be-
cause the Ark was in a cart drawn by oxen
instead of being on the shoulders Of the Le-
vites, would deserve to be called narrow
minded and a croaker; nevertheless he would
stand in the minority with God, and be
blessed man even though against the king
6. "Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of
God, and took hold of it; for the oxen Stun
bled." (Margin and R. w The worst Stun
BILE was on the part of David when he en-
ployed this method, but that was not so
manifest nor did it seem to endanger the
safety of the Ark as much as this stumble of
the oxen. The danger Of wrong step does
notalways appear at first, and thesi is often
made manifest only through failure on the
part of those not directly responsible
Z. "The anger Of the Lord was kindled
against Uzzah, and God smote him there for
his error" Uzzah signifies strength, and
strength is a good thing, but tho work of the
Lord is not dependent upon the strength of
men; His strength is made perfect in our
meekness and His work is accomplished not
by the might or power of man but by the
Spirit of the Lord of Hosts
8. "And David was displeased." It is a
sad affair when the servant of the Lord, be
he king or peasant, becomes displeased with
his Master. 1t shows how disobedience al
ways leads to other sins and strikes at the
very root of fellowship with God. A God of
Love can do no wrong, can by no means
make q mistake, and the only right thing for
His children to do is to walk with Him in
cheerful submission. David had no one to
blame but himself; had he done right this
would not have happened; and now that
Christening has come, he should have been
displeased with himself, and have said, with
Eli: SIT is the Lord; let Him do what seem
eth Him good"
g. "And David was afraid of the Lord
that day." Another result of his sin, which
prayer and obedience would have saved him
from. "There is no fear in love; perfect
love casteth out fear; fear hath torment"
10, II. "The Lord blessed Obed-edom and
all his household" David refused at that time
to have anything more to do with the Ark,
and so it was carried into the house of Obed-
edom, where it remained three months. A
three months blessing for Obed-edom and a
three months loss to David, for the inference
is that David did not return to the Lord with
out of fellowship with God. How many
Christians are losing the privilege and bless
edness of fellowship with God and happy
walk with Him in the joys of His salvation,
because they refuse to accept meekly some
Christening which He has lovingly sent them
for their good, or because they are disobedi-
ent and will not humbly confess their sin and
turn from it. How many blessed households
there are, on the other hand, where Jesus is
welcomed and honored as Saviour and friend
and cheerfully submitted to us King over all.
l2. $50 David went and brought up the
Ark of God from the house Of Obed-edom
into the city OF David with gladness" He
hears of the blessing that has come to the
house Of Obed-edom, and now does what he
should have done three months before. He
confesses his sin, saying to the Levites, as he