Who can teach us more about the Ark – the Philestines, the Bethshemites, or those of Kirjath-jearim? I guess it all depends on the condition of our particular heart. We’ve already considered the Philistines and their heathenistic treatment of the Ark. Tonight let’s concentrate of Bethshemesh and Kirjath-jearim. We may have more to say about Kirjath-jearim next week.
We can learn from the people of Bethshemesh.
Out of the three groups of people I’ve mentioned, these are the most privileged – at least by nature. First of all, they were Israelites, unlike the heathen Philistines. As Paul says in Romans 9 – to the them “pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” The point is – the Ark, in a sense, belongs to the people of Israel and not to the Philistines. These people grew up with the history and reality of God among them. They were like some of us – raised in the Word; brought up in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.” In addition to that, verse 15 reminds us that these people were Levites. Among their privileges were exemption from war and special cities and homes in which to live. They were fed through the tithes, offerings and some of the sacrifices of the nation. But more importantly, they had more time to be occupied with the Lord than most others. They should have known the Lord better than nearly every other group in Israel. But even beyond that, these Bethshemites were not even ordinary Levites. Joshua 21 shows us the residents of this city were called out from among the Levites to be priests. No single bunch of people should have been closer to the Ark of the Covenant than these people. No one should have better known the laws and ordinances which were given about the Ark. But apparently the adage was true: “familiarity breeds contempt;” at the very least it breeds irreverence.
On the other hand, we have reason to commend these people for some things. For example, they were apparently industrious people. Their relationship to the Tabernacle didn’t make them lazy. There they were in the midst of a good wheat harvest. Their hands were tough, and sweat was beading up on their foreheads. They were dirty and smelly with the grime that testifies of good, honest labor.
As to their spiritual condition, I think we can see that in their response to seeing the Ark. There was great joy at the return of that symbol of the presence of God among them. They stopped what they were doing and offered burnt offerings and shouted their praise. It was like standing to read the Bible, or taking their hats off.
Unfortunately, high above the deserved praise is deserved criticism. Mixed into their religion, I smell the decaying garbage of secularism among them. These religious leaders should have been in mourning at the destruction of their worship. Why weren’t these men, whose city bordered the land of the Philistines, going about to get the Ark? Why weren’t they plotting to rescue or ransom that sacred chest? Why weren’t they willing to give their lives for the Name of the Lord? Why weren’t they calling for a national congress for repentance and the petitioning of the Lord? Why is there no word of their constant attendance upon Samuel, the Prophet? Why aren’t they rebuilding the Tabernacle destroyed the Philistines after Ebenezer? It is because they are like so many religionists playing church only for what they can get out of it. They may wear the linen ephod, but they really wish it was $1,000 three piece business suit. Their minds are more on what’s on TV than on the service of God. They care more whether the roast is burning than if the Lord is dealing with souls in a long service. The world had swamped their little row-boat, and now they were drowning in secularism.
Evidence of that was seen in their spiritual lethargy and their overt sins. Some commentators think that these priests’ only offering was that pair of cows. Verse 5 may indicate other sacrifices were made, but it is open to debate. If only the cows were sacrificed, then the words of David need to be brought to mind. David said, “Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.” Giving pennies out of our plenty, comprises no sacrifice to God at all. Secondly, some commentators complain about the fact that these were cows. Indeed, the average Levitical offering was supposed only to be males of the species. But this wasn’t a Levitical offering; it was a Philistine offering. Besides who was going to try to keep these cows to augment his own herd? How were they to be divided up among so many residents of Bethshemesh? God forbid that we put God’s offering in our own pockets.
The primary problem with these people was not their offering, but what followed. They took into their city the Ark of the Covenant, and felt that now God was indebted to them. Despite knowing the rules in regard to the Ark, they felt justified in irreverence. So someone slowly lifted the Mercy Seat off the box-like compartment. There was no immediate explosion or lightning bolt from heaven. There was no Steven Spielberg “Raiders of the Lost Ark” special effects. They didn’t die as did Uzzah who later steadied the Ark under David’s direction. Perhaps they justified peeking inside, to verify if the Philistines had stolen anything. Soon others were joining in looking at the ancient copes of the law. Did one of them reach in and touch some of the still fresh manna? None of them had ever eaten manna, so maybe they bent low to smell. Was Aaron’s rod still there? But it seems that more and more prying eyes wanted to peer into the Ark. Neighborhood children were invited to take a peek. Perhaps someone said, “This is something you’ll be able to tell your grandchildren.” Hands started fondle the golden crown around the lip of the Ark and the golden creatures on the top. Some wanted to weight and measure such a large quantity of gold, just out of curiosity. They were becoming more and more inquisitive, irreverent and bold.
Do you remember how sin was first introduced into the race of ours? Wasn’t the problem related to seeking forbidden knowledge? “Ye shall be as Gods, knowing…..” According to Deuteronomy there are secret things which belong only to the Lord. What He reveals to us is ours, and we shouldn’t pry into what is His. If we stare into the sun, we shall loose our ability to see anything, including the sun. He that pries into every cloud will some day be struck by lightning.
Reverence for the things of God had been lost through the generations of Israel. And I fear that it was been lost today among the New Testament children of God. In our church advertizing we use several different phrases – which point fingers toward our doctrines. But I noticed that another local Baptist church advertizes: “Pot luck dinner every month.” We, too, have a pot luck dinner every month, but I don’t want to be known as the Pot Luck Church. That is them, but I fear that we have our secularism too. Maybe it’s that our Bibles are no more to us than any other book. Prayer is no more important than talking to our in-laws on the telephone. This place is less a house of worship than a place of fellowship. I have heard a tradition about Zaccaeus. In his old age, he bought the garden near the road. Every day Zaccaeus would to into the garden and sit under a hug old tree and pray. “What’s to special about this place that you spent so much money to own it?” “Because from the boughs of this tree, I first say my Lord and heard His words.” That garden became the most sacred place in his life. Too many professing Christians are more like the Bethshemites than the people of Kirjath-jearim.
But the Lord judged those people severely. There is a controversy among the experts about the number of people who were slaughtered. Some experts play word games to change the meaning of the Bible. Things like 70 priests died and they were more important than 50,000 common men. I’m sure God sooner take 50,000 common Christians that 70 liberal preachers. Some say that 50,000 Philistines died and 70 of the town of Bethshemesh. I’m going to take the Word at its Word, 50,070 people died here. But perhaps many were visitors who had come on hearing that the Ark had been returned.
When we looked at the Philistines, I pointed out that God gave warnings before the wrath fell. Even when the wrath arrived, it was in the form of a painful disease before death came. But there is no sermon or warning in this case; they should have known better. “That was a terrible thing which God did to those poor people.” “And who art thou, O man that repliest against God?” Remember that our sinfulness tends to make us all minimize sin. No one knows the severity of any sin as the Lord does. Always our judgment is less than our iniquities deserve. These people should have known better than anyone else that looking into the Ark was forbidden, but they didn’t care. And besides these who died, the point was made to perhaps millions more. The lesson was learned: “Who is able to stand before this holy God?”
The backslidden Christians of Bethsehmesh came to the same conclusions as the Philistines. “Get rid of this illustration of the presence of God.” Who is willing to living close to Christ while still practicing overt sin? As a general rule, the most miserable people in the world are Christians who are living away from God.
So the Ark was shipped to Kirjath-jearim.
Maybe there was some thought that it would be passed on to Shiloh. Kirjath-jearim was about half way between Bethsehmnesh and Shiloh. But it was the will of God to keep it out of that city now that it was covered in shame. Besides there doesn’t appear to be a Tabernacle in Shiloh any longer anyway.
What about the privileges of these new folk? They too were members of that race of men we call Israelites. But they were not Levites or priests – just common everyday children of God by faith. They had nothing to boast which made them more fit than the Bethshemites. In fact they were undoubtly inferior to the their neighbors down the road.
It seems that despite the judgment on Ashdod, Gath, Ekron and Bethshemesh these people longed to have the Ark and the Lord who owned it. The judgment upon others couldn’t keep these folk from the Lord. After the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira there were a couple of differing reactions. Some folk quit church while others just snuggled up closer to the Lord. There is no reason to fear the Ark; but there’s plenty of reason to fear our own sin.
These people treated that Ark with the utmost respect. They set it in the most obvious place in town; the house on the highest hill. And they selected one of their own – another sinner save by grace – to minister before the Lord.
What was Eleazar’s job? Probably it was to care for the room in which the Ark was being kept. He saw to is that the room was tended properly, dusted and sept out. And perhaps he governed who could come into the room and who must be kept out. Eleazar’s job was not the same as Samuel’s and not the same as deceased Eli. His was very simple. But what is done for the Lord is not forgotten by the Lord.
A preacher visited the home of one of his members and was invited into the kitchen for coffee. He saw over the sink a plaque which read: “Divine services here three times a day.” I picture Eleazar as being full of prayer, talking to the Lord whenever he was in the room. And I don’t doubt that he often consulted with Samuel.
And the Lord blessed him, his family and even his city.
What are the lessons?
Forget about the outward privileges that you have, and start a fresh everyday with the Lord. Be sure to have the right attitude towards the things of God. If you put the Lord first in your life, He will bless.
In what town do you live – Bethshemesh or Kirjath-jearim?