Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-10-01
David Brings the
Ark to Jerusalem

lOe by revised chronology OF the Asay-
rian Eponym canons. Prof Beeeher
points out the fact that David'a reign of
q years In Jerusalem r. divided up into
three periods: l. A period OF war and
conquest, about II years. 2. period OF
rest and upbulldlnE. about seven years.
J. A period OF domestic troubles. about
a. years. This lesson probably belongs
TO the second period. or TO period of
rest during the conquest. But the exact
order OF events n not easily obtained
| from the narrative.
PLAcE.-tD The ark had been for q
long time at Rirjath-J earim. about IL
| miles west Of Jerusalem. in the valley OF
Sorek Cwhere Dolilah lived. a valley
which leads up from the Philistine coun-
| try toward Jerusalem. (O At house Of
obed-edom between Kirjath-jearim and
| Jerusalem.
DAvID's OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
. 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 cente" OF re-
liglous worship had lain in partial neg.
lect. Soon after the settlement of the
Israelites In Palestine Joshua de.
posted the ark at Shiloh. 20 miles
north OF Jerusalem, and ten miles
north Of Bethel Josh. 1S:l). II was
still there at the close OF the period
OF the Judges Il Sam. 1879; and Sam
| uel lived ut Shiloh with ELL The sons
Of Eli had carried the ark from Shi.
lob into n battle against the Phllls-
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
II. 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 up the Sorek valley as far as
Kirjath.jearim, IL miles southwest OF
Jerusalem, in the house of AbInadab
on the hill Il Sam. 7:1), who put II
under the charge OF one OF his sons.
The neglect of the ark and fits separ-
alton from its place In the tabernacle
at Shiloh, with one high priest follow
Ing Saul and another David, shows to
what a 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
q decline in the spirit of religion. II
Is both a sign OF the decline and q
means toward IT,
v. 1. Again" For a different pur.
pose from the former gatherings for
war. Thirty thousand" representa-
l tiyaa ~ tho uyhoe, Y,annga A,no.5Ino,
to Chronicles, they came as far as
from Shihor, 80 miles south OF GAIA,
and from Klamath in Lebanon, $50
miles north Of Jerusalem. The restor-
alton must be a national act, or II
would lose much Of its unlfying power.
The joyful procession and the re-
ligious 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
| parts are not at all adapted for
wheeled conveyances," and when the
procession had reached Nachon's
threshing-hoor. the oxen shook" the
ark. were throwing It down." and
(6) "Uzzah put forth his hand to the
ark of God" to keep II from falling
to the ground. II he had carried the
ark as he was commanded, he would
not have been tempted to this second
disobedience.
" z. And the anger of the Lord
was klndled." Not passion. but rath-
or indignation-that feeling which
makes him hate sin and compels him
10 punish II. All that was loving and
good in God was aroused against the
act. And God smote him there"
Why this severity? "a II was n d.
rect, double disobedlence. (2) The
wrong was enhanced by the fact that
II was committed by a man who as a
son Of Abinadab had been with the
ark, and should have known the law
go II was a public disobedlence in
matters OF religion. II was a desecra-
ton of the hottest symbol of their re-
ligion. II was needful at the outset to
prove 20 the people the necessity or
exact obedience. and hence the careful
study OF Gods law.
A Note Of Encouragement. /. There
Eas real encouragement In the fact
that God was 30 careful Of the religion
OF the Jews that he expressed by his
act the value of religion. and I'm
pressed II so deeply on their hearts.
2. The blessing that rested upon the
family of obed-edom through the pres
snce Of the symbol OF religion In HIS
house was a foretaste and a promise.
and a prophecy OF what It would DO to
the nation.
A fuller description OF this festival
procession In given in Chronicles IS
and 10.
1T was the greatest day OF David's
| gta~ Ia. .aaulaaanna a. IA. aorrn. a.