Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to you.” 1 Samuel 6:20-21


The ark of God, the place of His presence among Israel, had been captured by the Philistines and remained among them for seven months. As the judgment of God broke out among their cities, they wisely decided to return the ark to Israel. The Scripture says that the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest “and when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it.”

What could have made any inhabitant of Israel happier than to see the ark of God returning? The people of Beth-shemesh called the Levites to come and handle the ark. They prepared a burnt offering for the Lord. So far, so good. But this is the end of their reverent obedience, for some of the men looked into the ark of God, prompting an outbreak of judgment upon them.

Rather than repenting before God when they see His displeasure over their disobedience, they try to find somewhere else to send the ark of God. They were happy to have the presence of God until it means their sin was going to be judged. And the thing that once brought them great joy, they now seek to be rid of.

They were right to ask the question “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God?” It is right to recognize and be in awe of the holiness of God. It is right to realize that, possessing no righteousness of our own, we cannot stand before Him, . Their question is right, but their answer is wrong – “come down and take it up to you.”

Many people say that they desire the presence of God not realizing that the nearness of God means that sin will be dealt with. Those pet sins that we have not yet repented of even though the Holy Spirit has brought conviction, will eventually be dealt with firmly. Inevitably we all come to the point that we must make a choice. Send away the sin or send away God.

Will you be offended when God deals harshly with you because of the sin you have cherished? Is so, you will surely be one who sends God away. But let us not be as the people of Beth-shemesh. Let us instead humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, prepared to send away anything and everything except Him. If only we may have His presence, the loss of all else means nothing. Nothing at all.

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Danielle

BrokenOne wrote:

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Clint Thornton

Another thought this A.M. in regard to BrokenOne’s post was that verse: Psalms 66:18 (NKJV) 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.


“Regard” here is translated from a Hebrew word that could just as easily be translated: “approve, enjoy, gaze upon, respect, view favorably”, etc. and then the word translated “iniquity” can also mean: “idolatry, wickedness, vanity, falsehood, mischief”, and etc.

[u]Bottom line[/u] is that there is a disconnect in our prayers and certainly in any kind of spiritual progress when any sin, or even any foolish, profitless, and vain thing is pursued or placed in competition with our affection toward God.
Exodus 20:3 (NKJV) 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

In front of His face…

The admonition and warning given in Isaiah was:
Isaiah 59:1 - 2 (NKJV) 1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that [b]He will not hear[/b].


Sadly there seems to be a disconnect in the thinking regarding the seriousness of sin. It is as if God is regarded as some sort of schizophrenic who “learned better” at the advent of Jesus Christ and just doesn’t feel the same way He used to about sin, even though Jesus Christ was put to death for our sins in such a brutal way, and even though the agony in the Garden, of sweat becoming like great drops of blood because of the ordeal of taking those sins upon Himself, and the separation because of becoming sin for us… “really it is no big deal to live in sin… no big deal to have your little hang-ups… nobody’s perfect you know…”

God help us (me) to realize, regardless of how much we have to struggle against this flesh, and against the culture and against the very powers of darkness, it is a [b]must[/b] struggle, because unless we are serious about putting away every known sin in our lives rather than excusing them, our prayers are an abomination rather than a blessing. And our witness is an embarrassment. And our lives are powerless. And we give the enemy occasion to blaspheme the name of Christ.


Proverbs 28:9 (NKJV) 9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

Clint

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Clint Thornton

Several months ago as I was reading through the gospels, I read one of the accounts of the trial and crucifixion of Christ. I read through it very slowly, letting all the details of the physical suffering He endured sink in. When I finally made it to the end I burst out in tears at the horror of the physical punishment He endured. I said “Why God? Did it have to be so horribly brutal?”

It did. Because that is how horrible our sin is. That is how offensive it is to a holy God. I think we have forgotten this. Many times we have just become comfortable with our sin and it becomes easier to keep it than to give it up.

I thank God for all the times He reveals things in my life that are not pleasing to Him. Not that I would be sent to hell if I didn’t surrender them….but there was a knowing that He would be pleased if I would surrender them – joyfully.

I have found that the fellowship that I enjoy with the Lord is so much sweeter than anything this world can offer, and I desire for my heart to be untainted (as much as possible) with those things that would hinder that fellowship.

For me, this is not about legalism, or rules, but about having a single-hearted devotion. When my life is focused on Jesus, everything else just seems to lose it’s appeal.


Danielle

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Danielle

liberty from sin is death to self.

1Jo 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.