18. The Ark in the House of Obed-Edom; or, God's Presence a Blessing to the Right-Hearted

Chapter 18 - The Ark in the House of Obed-Edom; or, God’s Presence a Blessing to the Right-Hearted THE first effect of Uzzah’s death upon the royal mind was to produce in David vexation of spirit. 2 Samuel 6:8-19. He could not brook this unexpected cross, coming (as it did) just when he thought he was doing God service. Instead, therefore, of being humbled by a sense of sin, he was "displeased," as though the dispensa­tion of divine wrath had been ill-timed and undeserved. So erroneous a view of Jehovah’s dealing led to the indulgence of a slavish fear. Under the spirit of bondage, David "was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark come to me?" Put in a different frame of mind, and intended in a different sense, this inquiry would have been proper enough---"How shall the ark come?" What are the injunc­tions God has laid down? "to the law and to the testimony;" in His appointed way let Him be served, and no longer after the devices of human wisdom! Not thus did the king speak. "How shall the ark come to me?" was the language of his terror; and he resolved that it should not come at all. "David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David; but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite." This worthy Levite, [1 Chronicles 15:17-18.] a native of the Kohathite city, Gath­rimmon, [Joshua 21:20-25.] received it with gladness.

He was acquainted with its past history; he knew how the Philistines had been smitten, how the men of Beth-shemesh had been slain, how Uzzah had been struck dead, and how David’s soul was filled with apprehension. But none of these things moved him; since he was well aware, that for each of these judgments there had been a cause. He knew that the ark was in itself a symbol of mercy, not of judgment; and that if, in its behalf, the latter had been displayed by God, it was because the former had been abused by man. Belonging to the tribe and family set apart for attendance upon the ark. and conscious of a heartfelt reverence for Jehovah, no less than a firm affiance on his protecting care, Obed-edom was devoid of all alarm. He had that holy fear which would lead him to honor the token of God’s earthly presence; he had not that sinful fear which would have led him to shrink from it. The event fully justified his joyous confidence: "the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months,"---a period not merely exempt from evils, but espe­cially crowned with good, for "the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household." We might dwell here on the importance of domestic religion. We might recommend the establishment of a family altar, that in united devotions the presence of God might be invoked, and a family blessing besought. We might dwell on the responsibility resting on the heads of fami­lies, and the blessing or the curse which their piety or their worldliness is likely to entail on their children. But these remarks are so ob­vious, and have been so often handled, that we shall pass on to the main theme which we have proposed for the improvement of this section, and for which we shall pave the way by no­ticing the yet more widespread effect which Obed-edom’s example ultimately produced. So sudden and surprising was the prosperity of this heaven-blessed household, that the attention of their neighbors was excited. It became the subject of public talk; till even­tually the rumor reached the palace, and even the ears of David himself. There was no mis­representation, no concealment of the truth. The king was plainly told, that this had oc­curred "because of the ark of God." The intelligence was received in a proper spirit. Renewed desire took the place of abject fear; but it was a desire which was now regulated by the word and will of Jehovah. Preparations were carefully made, that the solemnity of bringing the ark to Zion might be according to rule. 1 Chronicles 15:1-29. It was not enough that a new tabernacle should be made for its reception; due provision must be made for its conveyance. At the king’s command, 862 Levites were assembled in addition to the descendants of Aaron. Then addressing himself to the two senior priests, and the six heads of the Levi­tical families, he uttered words of monitory exhortation: "Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it; for because ye did it not at first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought Him not after the due order."

It was a useful lesson David had learned. God’s goodness had led him to repentance. The benefits conferred on Obed-edom had taught the monarch how to interpret the stroke which had fallen on Uzzah. No longer ne­glectful of duty, no longer resentful of the check he had received, no longer timorous of entertaining the ark, he now evinced a well ­regulated zeal. Every detail was looked to with his own eye, and carried out according to his command. The appointment of Chenaniah, as director of the music---the selection of He­man, Asaph, and Ethan, as leaders of the choir---the distribution of the eight players on the psaltery who should sing the treble, and the six harpers whose voices were to take the bass---the instructions given to the priests to blow with their trumpets---and the assignment to Berechiah and Elkanah, Obed-edom and Jehiah, of their respective positions as "door­keepers for the ark," to prevent the approach of unhallowed footsteps,---all these things mark the minuteness of care, with which every pre­liminary arrangement was made. The proces­sion was again public and joyous. Crowds having flocked to the metropolis, "David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with joy." And "the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord." Some trepidation there could not fail to be, at the first. The memory of the former ceremonial would be vividly recalled, when the festive throng was re-assembled, and the notes of joyous music once more re-echoed. Every eye must have been strained with an eager gaze upon the onward progress of those who were the bearers of the ark. But" God helped the Levites." The sacred burden was lifted, and no injury ensued; it was carried forth from Obed-edom’s house, and no judgment was poured out. There was hope for Israel now, though a hope blended with deep conviction of unworthiness. No sooner, therefore, had the ark been borne six paces, than the march was arrested; and in token alike of penitence for their past disobedience, gratitude for present mercy, and earnest entreaty for future accept­ance, seven bullocks and seven rams were offered as a sacrifice. Then was the ark of the testimony brought "with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals" into the city of David. Unconcerned spectators there might be, with hearts devoid of pious sympathy, like Michal, who looked forth from the window to gaze upon the show; but most bosoms glowed with a fervent gladness and a holy rejoicing. The streets of the city traversed, and the new tabernacle neared, the question might well be asked, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in His holy place?" Deeply solemn, yet sweetly re-assuring would be the responsive strain, "He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn de­ceitfully, he shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation," while another voice or chorus took up the theme, "This is the generation of them that seek thee, that seek thy face, Oh God of Jacob." Arrived at the sacred enclosure, the Levites had to demand admission: "Lift up your heads, Oh ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in." The inquiry was put, "Who is this King of glory?" and the bearers of the ark replied, "The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle." A second time, there­fore, was the right of entrance claimed; "Lift up your heads, Oh ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." Once more was the question asked, "Who is this King of glory?" and again was the impressive answer returned, "The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory." No musical composition could have been more fitted to impress the minds of the people with the greatness of Him who that day fixed his resi­dence on Mount Zion, than was this inspired ode of David, which we may fairly suppose to have been written for the occasion. Psalms 24:1-10. When the ark had been deposited at the inner end of the tent, the rites of public wor­ship were resumed. God was "gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet." He was sitting "on the throne of His holiness;" and "the princes of the people" were" gathered together, even the people of the God of Abra­ham." Palm 67. Burnt sacrifices and peace offerings were presented; while psalms of praise were sung in honor of Jehovah’s name. 1 Chronicles 16:1-43. "Seek ye the Lord, and His strength,"was a sound which fell appropriately on the ear: for such was the title whereby the ark was known. "Seek His face continually,"was a seasonable exhortation; for now the ordinances of religion were again to find a constant celebration. "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name, worship the Lord in the beauty of holi­ness," was a precept to which every heart would respond, when thrilled with emotion at the consciousness of the dangers to which an irreverent worship would that day have exposed them. "Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for- ever," was a summons which they would cordially obey, in view of that day’s special deliverance. Hence, when the singers had closed their strain with the ascription, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever," we are not surprised that the universal "Amen" of the people testified to their hearty concurrence. Then David invoked on them the Divine benediction; and each having received his portion of the meat of the peace offerings, together with a loaf of bread and a flagon of wine, "they de­parted every man to his house." Thus closed the day of solemn service; and thus was it clearly proved that while the ark was indeed a terror to the evil- doer, it was a minister of good to them who obeyed God’s law. As under the Old, so under the New dispen­sation, may one and the same thing be to some men a curse, and to others a blessing. It is thus with the gospel itself. "The preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us, which are saved, it is the power of God." "To the one we are the savor of death unto death, and to the other the savor of life unto life." "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them;" but "God, who commanded the light to shine out of dark­ness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." The Savior him­self was "set for the fall, and for the rising again, of many in Israel." "Unto them which believe, He is precious, but unto them which be disobedient, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence." The presence of God, like the truth of God, has a twofold aspect. As it is unwelcome to’ the sinner, and forebodes him ill, so it is a joy to the penitent, obedient heart, and betokens an abundant blessing;

"Yet is He still Himself the same, one form, one face, one will And these His twofold aspects are but one And change is none In Him; for not [in God such] change can be! The Immutable is He." The cause of the difference lies ever in our­selves. "With the pure," said the Psalmist, "thou wilt show thyself pure, but with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward." "Oh house of Israel," asked Jehovah, "are not my ways equal? Are not your ways unequal?" Then let us not be found shrinking from God with a guilty fear. Let us seek Him, but let us take care that it be in His own appointed way. To seek Him through any good works of our own, to entreat His favor as the re­compense of our fancied righteousness---this will provoke Him to jealousy, and expose us to deserved wrath. To seek Him through the Son of His love, according to the command given us that we believe in His name---to seek Him as penitent sinners, trusting in His pro­mise that He will cast out none who come through Christ-to seek Him, conscious of our own demerits, but confiding in the all­-sufficiency of Him who died as a sacrifice on Calvary---to seek Him with self-abasement, and yet with the full assurance of hope---to seek Him with the earnest clinging of reverential love---this is the only way to find Him. And thus to find Him will be to inherit the richest of blessings.

"Unto the righteous spirit how benign His awful countenance, Where, tempering justice with parental love, Goodness, and heavenly grace, And sweetest mercy shine!" When thus we view His character, as the God of our salvation, our" soul shall be satis­fied as with marrow and fatness, and our mouth shall praise Him with joyful lips: because He has been our help, therefore in the shadow of His wings shall we rejoice." We shall "walk in the light of His countenance;" in His name shall we rejoice all the day; in His righteousness shall we be exalted; the Lord will be our defense, and the Holy One of Israel our King.