The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-05-28

GOLDEN IEAI-l was Bldu when Iuey
said unto me, Let us go unto the house
of the Lord.-Psalm 122:l.
This event probably occurred B. G.
1912, in the twenty-second year OF
Davids reign. 1t would be good
plan to assign to various pupils such
subjects as: (a) What the ark was
and how it came to be lost; (b)
Where it had been since the days of
Joshua; (c) What occurred to it while
in possession of the Philistines; Cd
Who was Obed-edom? (e) Uzziah? ()
Michal? (g) How Jerusalem came to
be the seat of government.
|. The Ark Recovered, w. is. David
realized that while God was the
God of all the tribes, still there was
no visible religious center; there was
the consequent danger Of confound-
ing the local place Of worship with
that OF some local Baal (god) and the
possible breaking up Of the national
reliance upon Jehovah. Where Kir-
jath-jearim was is not definitely
known, but perhaps it was eight or
ten miles west of Jerusalem. The ark
had lodged here for perhaps seventy
years. David and they that were with
him followed the example Of the Phil
istines Il Sam. 6:1-1S) in their mode
of transferring the ark rather than to
have it carried upon the shoulders Of
the priests Josh. $3.50. Preceded by
David and the house of Israel" l. e.,
leaders of the people and all others
present, they began the return jour
ney from the house of Abinadab.
II. The Ark Retarded, w. Gil.
They had reached one of the open
places used as threshing floor when
the oxen slipped and the cart was
shaken. Uzziah, one of the two into
whose charge it had been placed, laid
hold of the ark to keep it from fall
ing. Why was he slain therefore? We
have already suggested the reason.
How to carry the ark was plainly writ
ten Mum. 4:5-12; 7:9, Neglect of
Gods word gets many well-meaning
people into trouble, along with their
friends, also. The ark was the sym
Dol of Gods presence, and men had
to be taught to revere his holy name
and his glorious presence (see last
clause v. o. Uzziah's sin was the sin
of irreverence. He seems not to
have sensed the invisible God in his
visible abode. The result struck ter
ror into the heart of David and the
people, and the ark was left in the
house of Obed of Edom for a period
OF three months. David's improved
plan" was a proved failure.
III. The Ark Restored, w. 9-19.
David, by>thus abandoning the ark
seems to have resented the judgment
of God, yet he must have realized
that God had sufficient cause for his
acts. The ark is a type of Christ
who is Emmanuel, God with US. The
ark contained the law Of God, as
Christ enshrined the will of his Fa.
Their. Over the law was the blood
sprinkled mercy seat where God met
his people lex. 25:1S22). In Christ
we find our mercy seat where we
meet God. Though this ark brought
| judgment to Uzziah it brought bless
ing to Obed-edom ". 12). Even so
Christ brings judgment or joy accord
! ing to our treatment of him. Obed-
edom SO piously cared for the ark that
both he and his household we're rich
ly blessed. If Christ is really in our
hearts we will be blessed, and Christ
abideth forever.
w. The Psalm Of Praise, Ps. "a.
In the Jewish synagogue this psalm
is recited at the carrying back of the
book of the law to its shrine, and in
the Greek church at the conservation
of the church. The twenty-second
psalm presents the suffering Savior;
the twenty-third presents the risen
Savior as the shepherd caring for and
leading his sheep, and the twenty
fourth tells of the reigning, glorified
Lord. The whole earth is Jehovah's
". y and no incident better teaches
the converse, viz, that he is God Of
the earth and not mere tribal deity.
He founded" and established" 1t,
and all ''the fullness," and they that
dwell therein" are his by creative and
redemptive right. Since we belong
to him we owe him worship and serv-
ice-and a servant is one who
Stands" v. 81. The conditions Of fell
lowship with Jehovah are clean
hands and a pure heart" ". ~, those
who deal with honesty and reverence.
Vanity" and "idolatry" are frequently
synonymous terms.
The first and the fourth condition
relate to others, the second and the
third to ones inner life (see John
1:6, y.
The reward of acceptable worship
and service is blessing from the
LORD ". 81. In verse eight we find
Israels great name for God first used
in the Psalms.
He is gloriously strong, this Lord
of the hosts of heaven.
In / Cor. 2;S, Jesus who was cruel
fed is called the Lord of Glory" Even