The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-10-02
David Brings the
Ark to Jerusalem
unday School Lesson for Oct. 4, I90
Specially Arranged for This Paper

| GOLDEN TENT.-'F1ter INTO his gates
with Thanksgiving and into his courts
| with praise. Psalm 1904.
| TIME.-Either b. G. 1898 tUssher); or
| 1902 by revised chronology of :he Assy-
| rian Eponym Canons. Prof BeecheI
| points out the fact that Davd's reign of
| 70 years in Jerusalem is divided up into
three periods: 1. A period OF war and
| conquest, about IA years. . period of
| rest and upbuiding. about seven years.
| g. A period of domestic troubles, about
IL years. This lesson probably belongs
| to the second period, or to period OF
rest during the conquest. But the exact
| order of events is not easily obtained
| from the narrative.
| PLACE.-D The ark had been for
| long time at Kirjath-j earm, about IL
| miles west of Jerusalem, in the valley of
| Sorek (where Delilah lived, valley
| which leads up from the Phillstine coun-
| try toward Jerusalem. ~ At house OF
Obed-edom between Kirjath- jearim and
| Jerusalem.
DAVID'S COUNSELORS.-Ahith
a very shrewd man; Nathan. the proph-
ct; and Joab, his chief general.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
| The Long Period of Decline.-For
| 70 years the ark as the center of re-
| ligious worship had lain in partial neg
| lect. Soon after the settlement of the
| lsraelites in Palestine Joshua de-
| posted the ark at Shiloh, 20 miles
| north of Jerusalem, and ten miles
north of Bethel Josh. 1S:D. 1t was
still there at the close of the period
| of the Judges Il Sam. 1885, and Sam
uel lived at Shiloh with Eli. The sons
| of Eli had carried the ark from Shi-
| lob into a battle against the Philis-
| tines, hoping that God would give
them the victory for the sake of this
symbol of his worship. But God did
not reward wickedness in that way.
The lsraelites were defeated, and the
Philistines captured the ark. But the
Lord would not permit them to retain
it. Their idol, Dagon, fell before it.
The people were smitten with severe
sickness wherever the ark was sent.
Finally it was restored 10 Israel. and
sent up the Sorek valley as far as
Kirjath-jearim, IL miles southwest of
Jerusalem, in the house of Abinadab
on the hill q Sam. I'D, who put II
under the charge of one of his sons.
The neglect of the ark and its separ
alton from its place in the tabernacle
at Shiloh, with one high priest follow
ing Saul and another David, shows to
what low and divided state religion
had fallen in Israel under Saul. The
neglect of the means of religion, OF
places of worship, and set times fol
devotion is generally accompanied by
a decline in the spirit of religion. II
is both sign of the decline and
means toward It,
V. /. Again" For a different pur
pose from the former gatherings for
war. Thirty thousand representa-
tives of the whole people. According
to Chronicles, they came as far as
from Shihor, so miles south of GAIA
and from Klamath in Lebanon 25(
miles north of Jerusalem. The restor
alton must be a national act or il
would lose much of its unifying power
The joyful procession and the re
ligious enthusiasm were married by
an act of disobedience, where a goot
thing was done in a wrong way.
The first error was committed by
transporting the ark by cart insteac
of in the way ordained by God Mum
bers ~. The ark was to be carried by
Levites.
The next error grew out of this first
one. THE jagged bridlepaths of those
parts are not at all adapted foi
wheeled conveyances," and when the
procession had reached Nachon''
threshing floor, the oxen shook" the
ark, were throwing it down." and
CO. "Uzzah put forth his hand to the
ark of Cod to keep it from falling
to the ground. If he had carried the
ark as he was commanded, he would
not have been tempted to this second
disobcdience.
V. Z. And the anger of the Lord
was kindled." Not passion, but rath-
err indimation-that feeling which
makes him hate sin and compels him
to punish it, All that was loving and
good in God was aroused against the
act And God smote him there
Why this severity? Cd 1t was d.
rect, double disobedience. (2) The
wrong was enhanced by the fact that
it was committed by man who as n
son of Abinadab had been with the
ark, and should have known the law.
(3) 1t was public disobedience in |
matters of religion. 1t was a desecra.
ton of the hottest symbol of their re-
ligion. 1t was needful at the outset to |
prove to the people the necessity of |
exact obedience. and hence the careful |
study of Gods law.
A Note of Encouragement l. There |
was real encouragement in the fact |
that God was so careful of the religion
of the Jews that he expressed by his
act the value of religion, and inn
pressed it so deeply on their hearts.
9. The blessing that rested upon the
family of Obed-edom through the pres
ence of the symbol of religion in his
house was a foretaste and a promise
and prophecy of what it would be to
the nation.