The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-09-24
David Brings the
Ark to Jerusalem
Sunday School Lesson Tor Oct. 4, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for his Paper

ory verse r.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Enter into his gates
with thanksgiving and into his courts
with praise. Psalm 1904
TIME.-Either Il. G.. 1898 Ussherl or
1902 by revised chronology OF the Assy-
rian Eponym Canons. Prof. Beecher
points out the fact that David's reign of
30 years In Jerusalem Is divided up into
three periods: l. a period OF war and
conquest, about u years. 2. A period of
rest and upbuildng. about seven years.
3. A period OF domestic troubles about
u years. This lesson probably belongs
TO the second period, or to a period OF
rest during the conquest. But the exact
order OF events Is not easily obtained
from the narrative.
Placed The ark had been for a
long time at Kirjath- Iearim. about IL
miles west OF Jerusalem. in the valley OF
Sorek (where Delilah lived, valley
which leads up from the Philistine coun-
try toward Jerusalem. CD At house OF
Obed-edom between Kirjath- jearim and
Jerusalem.
DAVID's coUNsELORs.-Ahi
a very shrewd man; Nathan. the proph-
ct; and Joab, his chief general.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Long Period OF Decline.-For
20 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. il was
still there at the close OF the period
of the Judges q Sam. 1881; and Sam
uel lived at shiloh with ELI. The sons
Of E'1l haI Oh h. all
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 Israelites 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 il was restored to Israel, and
sent mp 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 1t
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 for
devotion is generally accompanied by
a decline In the spirit of religion. II
is both a sign OF the decline and a
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. $50
miles north Of Jerusalem. The restor-
alton must be a national act. or it
would lose much OF its unifying power
The joyful procession and the re-
llgious enthusiasm were married by
an act OF disobedience. where a good
thing was done in a wrong way.
The first error was committed by
transporting the ark by a cart instead
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
wheeled conveyances. and when the
procession had reached Nachon's
threshing floor. the oxen shook the
ark. were throwing 1t down." and
90 "Uzzah put forth his hand to the
ark of Cod TO keep IL from falling
10 the ground IL he had carried the
ark as he was commanded. he would
not have been tempted TO this second
disobedience.
v. I. And the anger OF the Lord
was kindled." Not passion. but rath-
er indignation-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? "a 1t was d.
rect, double disobedience. (2) The
wrong was enhanced by the fact that
II was committed by man who as a
son Of Abinadab had been with the
ark, and should have known the law.
go Il was a public disobedience in
matters of religion. II was a desecra-
ton of the hottest symbol of their re-
ligion. II was needful at The ontset to
prove TO the people the necessity OF
exact obedience. and hence the careful
study of Gods law.
A Note OF Encouragement. 1. 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 i'm
pressed Il so deeply on their hearts
g The blessing that rested upon the
family of Obed-e6om through the pres
ence of the symbol OF religion in his
house was a foretaste and promise.
and prophecy OF what II would be to
the nation.
A fuller description of this festival
procession is given in | Chronicles 10
and 16.
"It was the greatest dav of David's