Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-10-01
Gf7e
. Se"7'oY-Scf7oof
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
NIENTS FOR OCTOBER 4.
Subject: David Brings the Ark to Jc-
rusalen1, Sam. 6-Golden Text.
rs. 1OO:4-Commit Verse 12-
Read Chron. Chapters Is, is, 10.


rusalem, 2 Sam. 6-Golden Text.
Ps. 1OO:4-Commit Verse 12-
Read 1 Chron. Chapters Is, Is, 16.
TIME. -1O45 B. G. PLACE
Kirjath-jearim.
EXPOSITION. Il. Bringing Up
Gods Ark in Mans Way, 10. This Is
one of the most solemn and searching
| passages in the entire Bible. 1t
teaches a lesson needed to be learned
in our day. 1t shows us how neces-
sary it Is to serve God in Gods way.
| Davids desire to bring up the ark or
=, Gods presence into his own city, the
very centre of the national life. was
most commentaries; but he should
have inquired from Gods own book
the proper way in which to bring 1t
up. 1t was declared there with per-
I feet plainness (Nu. 4:5-12; 79.
His neglect to consult and obey the
, Word of God got David and Others as
we'll into great trouble. Neglect OF
Gods Word has gotten many well
meaning man into great trouble, and
| his friends also. The ark was the
symbol OF Jehovah's own holy and
glorious presence. Men must be
taught to treat it with the reverence
due to His great and holy Name. 1t
was the ark of God which is called
| by the Name, even the name OF the
| Lord of hosts" The ark was also a
remarkable type of Christ. Christ Is
Emmanuel, God with us. and the ark
| was the symbol of Gods presence
with His people. Moreover. in the
| ark the law of God was perfectly
kept, and in Christ the law of God is
, perfectly kept. Further still, over
/ the perfectly kept law was the blood
sprinkled mercy seat where God met
| Ills people (Ex. 5:1S-22). In Christ
we have our blood-sprinkled mercy
seat where God meets and communes
with us. David had no intention or
not comforting due honor on the ark
| of God. He made great and costly
PREPARATIONS. He gathered together
al the chosen men of Israel. thirty
| thousand" 1t is often said that 1t
does not make any difference what a
man believes or does If he Is only sim
cere. David was perfectly sincere.
| but he was wrong - and 1t made
! great deal OF difference both to him
and to Uzzah. David was tc blame
| for his ignorance. He had the means
of enlightenment. II men to-day are
| ignorant of what is In the Word or
| God and suffer for 1t, 1t Is their own
fault They cannot blame God for 1t.
though they would often like to. The
ark had been in Kirjath-jearim twen-
| ty years Il Sam. I'D. Men always
| get into trouble when they try to I'M
nrove on Gcj's way. God had given
| explicit command that the sons or
Kohath bear the ark upon their shout
ders (Nu. 4:4-12; 7:0. and new
| cart under the circumstances was no
| better than an old cart. David had
| really learned this Improved plan
from the heather ;cf. Sam. 6:7. 81.
| That IS whare all improvements upon
| Gods way come from.
II. Gods Judgment on Disobcdi-
cpce and Irrcvercncc, 90. David's
folly was soon made manifest. He
had sown the seed Of disobedience
| and soon reaped harvest Of greater
F., disobedience and death. A cart drawn
by oxen. even though it was new
cart, was no place for the ark; and
| trouble soon comes: the oxen STUN
bled." OF course they did, but what
had oxen to e with drawing God 8
ark? Tho plcce for that was upon
the shoulders Of fit men. 1t was quite
natural for ITazah to put forth his
hand to steady the ark, but 1t was al
together wrong. 1t was an act Of eN-
illicit disobedience tc God, and CT
gross irreverence. EYen the sons of
Kohath, who were divinely appointed
TO bear the ark, were not permitted
To touch the ark, or even to look at 1t
| M, TX
w. Those are very solemn words
with which the 7th verse opens. IT.
reverence towards God and His holy
name Is an awful sin, and Goa Ill HIS
great mercy often deals very sternly
| with 1t in order that we may Know
| how He regards it (cf. Lev. 24:11-16;
1913; Sam. GID. Even in the
Christian dispensation men are cut
OF when they approach the table that
sets forth the solemn truth about
Christ's atoning death In thought
loss way Il Cor. 11:27-3O). We do
not need to suppose that Uzzah was
eternally lost. He simply suffered
temporal punishment for his sin, even
unto death (cf. / Cor. 11:3O-S2; t.
81. David was dlspleased at Gods
Judgment: he might much better nave
been displeased with his own FOLLY
that made that Judgment necessary.
| When he had taken time to think 1t
over he put the blame where 1t be-
longed, on himself Il Chron. 15:11-
13). We are often tempted to. be
displeased at Gods judgments when
a little honest reflection would show
us that we are to blame ourselves,
and that Gods Judgment Is only a
merciful way of bringing us to our
senses.
III. God Blesscs the Home In
Which He Dwells, 1912. We have
Just seen God dealing in Judgment,
and now we see Him dealing in mer-
cy. A moment ago all was death,
now all is blessing. Obed-edom was
only a heather by descent, Gittite
(cf. oh. 1919, but he welcomed the
presence of God in his home, and
God blessed Obed-edom and all his
household" Nothing else brings
such blessing to a house as the pres
ence of God in 1t. That ark In his
home was the symbo! Of Christ in ouI
homes. Where He is there Is bless
ing for all (cf. Acts 16:S1)a
Sleeping in Churches.
, Manning at the Wrencayillo Sun.