The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-05-26
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for TsaeAers. aNd Puplls
Edited by Charles K. Meyers.
NAV SO-Dayid Brings the Arb

May 3O-David Brings the Ark to
Jerusalem. Samuel &; l-19; Psalm
"a. y
Our lesson today relates to the cir
cumstances under which King David
brought the holy ark to Jerusalem. and
the words Of praise of God which it
is believed he sang at that time. 10
have full Understanding OF the lesson
it may be well to call to memory what
the ark was, and what part 1t had in
the religious worship of the Jewish
people. =
All will recall that the Jews wan.
dered for some forty years in the viii
derness of Arabia between the time
OF their leaving Egypt and safely rest
ing in the Promised Land. AS the
worship OF God was their principal
business, 1t was most fitting that they
have form OF worship, and place
to perform it, AS they went from
place to place there could OF course
be no great editice put up, and SO it
was arranged otherwise. God gave to
Moses detailed Instructions as 10 the
putting OF material together for the
place OF worship which Is known to us
as the tabernacle This, generally
speaking, was large enclosure made
of heavy curtains held in place with
rings on poles. The interior was di-
yided off into. humber of parts, and
the last and most precious one, far
thest from the entrance, was called
the 'I.oly of Holes" The remarkable
thing in the last enclosure was the
ark 1t was a box made OF most
precious wood. 1t was OverIaid with
in and without with gold. When in
position there rested upon it The
Mercy Seat" which according to di-
rections was of pure gold. Above
the mercy seat stood two angels with
Cutstretched wings. 1t was said with
clearness that this ark was 70 be
moved from place to place by the
means of slaves or rods which were to
pass through rings fastened at the
four corners of the same. Those in
terestcd can read in Exodus rs further
about the ark.
AS told in Numbers 4, men from a
certain tribe We're alone to carry the
ark and the holy things generally
which sat in the tabernacle. 1t was
specially said "rhey shall not touch
any holy thing lest they die and
that this was the fact was we'll known
to the Jews at the time. 1t was the
holy ark which was first borne into
the Jordan by the priests when the
crossing of the stream was made. God
promised His special presence about
the mercy seat. 1t will be remembered
how the Jews took the ark into bat
tie once upon time, expecting 1t to
give victory by its presence, and how
it was captured, and that it became
such a source oil annoyance and ter
ror to the captors that they We're glad
to send it home. 1t will be further re-
called that the Jews, into whose hands
the ark came. so Tar forgot the COM
mand as to it's sacred character that
they ~f.fo0ked in," and the record
says an immense number were struck
dead because of this sin. The sur
yiyors called out for some one to take
the ark, and it was taken to klrJah-
jearim and put in charge of q sanctl-
fled man named Eleazor. There 1T re-
NAMED until the events Of the lesson
today.
David was now we'll on his throne
and he began looking about to do hon
or to the God who had thus helped
him. 1t may be also he took pains
TO strengthen himself by having the
scat of the religion at Jerusalem, his
capital city. He decided to bring the
ark there. David went about the mat
ter to make MUCH display. He chose
thirty thousand men and with these
went to bring up the ark to Jerusa-
lem, They made for it new cart
and attached oxen to draw it. David
himself went before with others dane
ing and playing on harps and cymbals.
One Uzzah, who was driving the oxen,
thought the ark was about to fall from
the cart and put ont his hand to steady
it. when To- he was struck dead. At
once the Joy and enthusiasm of the
occasion faded away. David and all
the people knew there was something
wrong and that God was displeased.
The record says David was afraid of
the Lord that day" and 1t was decid-
ed to leave the ark at that place and
the great crowds of soldiers and peo-
ple sought their homes. Some three
months later David went down in q
more quiet manner to bring the ark to
the city and this time 1t says Iney
that bare the ark" showing that the
lesson OF the former occasion was
not in vain and that David saw that
God meant just what He said, as to
the sacredness of the ark and the man
ner of handling it.
Yes, God meant just what He said.
This is lesson hard for us all to
learn. OF course in physical affairs
we in time get to know the laws Of
nature and act accordingly. II we
lump off high elevation we expect
to light with force which may kill or
injure: if we grasp a wire charged
with strong electric current, we en-
pect death unless instant relief is
given; five get in the way of quickly
moving bodies We ;expectt0 be struck.
When death comes from these things