JESUS today YOU will SAVE me.
Eat This Book
Read Proverbs Chapter 24
1 Samuel 6
1 And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
8 And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
11 And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord.
15 And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord.
16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.
19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
The POFW Daily Bible Reading 
I Samuel 6:20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
Psalm 24:3,4 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who Shall stand in his holy place? 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.
We must have a pure heart and obey God.
“The people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley. They looked up and saw the Chest. Jubilant, they ran to meet it. The cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth Shemeshite, and stopped there beside a huge boulder. The harvesters tore the cart to pieces, then chopped up the wood and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to GOD. The Levites took charge of the Chest of GOD and the sack containing the gold offerings, placing them on the boulder. Offering the sacrifices, everyone in Beth Shemesh worshiped GOD most heartily that day.”
1 Samuel 6:13-15 MSG
https://www.bible.com/97/1sa.6.13-15
These guys never worshipped God before but now that they need to get rid of something they’re gonna do whatever it takes. It’s sad to say that’s what kind of people we deal with on a daily. God wants a full time commitment not a part time. He’s not looking for your worship when you’re needing favors he’s looking for your worship all the time. The sunshine or rain Gods looking for you to appreciate Him for the least and for the most.
Verses 19-20 MSG “God struck some of the men of Beth Shemesh who, out of curiosity, irreverently peeked into the Chest of God. Seventy died. The whole town was in mourning, reeling under the hard blow from God, and questioning, “Who can stand before God, this holy God? And who can we get to take this Chest off our hands?” As they say “curiosity killed the cat”. These men irreverently (lacking or exhibiting a lack of reverence; disrespectfully) peeked into the Chest of God. A lack of awe, a lack of respect and reverence is seen so much today and it obviously was back then too.
Psalm 2:11 AMP says “Worship the Lord and serve Him with reverence [with awe-inspired fear and submissive wonder]; Rejoice [yet do so] with trembling.”
Thank you Jesus for today , let us pray for God’s will to be done
So these instructions were carried out. Two cows were hitched to the cart, and their newborn calves were shut up in a pen. Then the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart. But the Lord killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord . And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done. “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord , this holy God?” they cried out. “Where can we send the Ark from here?”
1 Samuel 6:10-11, 19-20 NLT
People are trying to take JESUS out of the equation. When he is the whole equation . When will people realize we can’t live without jesus. He’s the reason why we breathe , he’s our everything. Let us decrease so he can increase. Save room for JESUS . Get into the word first . Worship JESUS first .
Jesus+ us= everything
20. And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
Who is like You, Lord
In all the Earth
No one can compare
To Your great worth
Worthy of all praise
Matchless is Your Name
I’ll sing a song
Of Your great Name
1Samuel 7: 20 [ amp] And the men of Beth- she- mesh said, Who is able to stand before the Lord , this holy God? And go whom shall He go away from us?
Psalms 75: 7 You , even You, are to be feared [ with awe and reverence] Whi may stand in Your anger is roused?
[ Rev.4:11] Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and honor, and dominion, for You created all things by Your will they were [ brought into being] and were created.
In the day of trouble I will seek desperately required) my Lord stretched out [ my prayer] without slacking; I refused to be comforted.
I wil kept straight on a narrow path. I will not ever forget what Jesus has done for me and my church!
6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
I like this verse because is almost like I can hear him say DONT BE STUPID!!! Don’t you remember what happened to the Egyptians for being stubborn ??? 7 months they had the Ark and they have been afflicted all those 7 months. All they want is for God to lift His hand from over them. It is time to RETURN TO JESUS!!! I won’t promise that all your afflictions will disappear but I do promise that everything is a lot easier to do and carry when Jesus is on your side!!!
1 And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place
The Israelites did not have to defend God no do they have to go into the Philistines land to try to return the ark. The Philistines found out themselves that God will take care of his business. I cannot count the number of times that I’ve had people come against me and that because they attacked my faith, God dealt with him and I never had to defend myself because God had taken it into his hands. The Philistines new the power of God and knew exactly what brought the curse into their land. God knows exactly how to defend Himself and his children
19But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men,c and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter.
I find that sometimes when we are not chosen by God and we don’t follow the instructions of God through the man of God, then this can possibly happen to each of us. When you are not chosen to step before the glory of God, the scripture states that no man can see the face of God and live. We find that we have to be sanctified and cleansed to be able to stand before the glory of God. Only God can choose and anoint those to come as a petition before the men of this world. We have an avenue to go to the altar and repent and find the grace of God that will allow us to become renewed to be drawn to the glory of God.
We have to make sure that we are not just going through the motions of trying to please God and then trying to please this world. We have to choose this day whom we will serve. As for
Me and my house we will serve the Lord.
3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
I Samuel 6
12 Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
These cows had a mission to accomplish. The Israelites and the Philistines . Both had rejected God.
God used this miracle of two cows to show the people He was still in control . God will reveal His glory in the midst of chaos. He is going to use the miraculous.
These cows were led by God they knew exactly where they were headed they never looked to the left nor the right but kept walking straight to their destination.
We must keep our eyes on God .
Proverbs 4:26
26Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
iLove Jesus
1Sa 6:9 If they cross the border of our land and go to Beth-shemesh, we will know it was the LORD who brought this great disaster upon us. If they don’t, we will know it was not his hand that caused the plague. It came simply by chance.”
When will folks stop thinking God is a joke. These folks knew the testimony of what had happened hundreds of years earlier with the Hebrews and Pharaoh but struggle to believe this same God is bringing the plague on them now. They confess that the God of the Hebrews is stronger than their own gods, but they refuse to serve him. They give a trespass offering as they send the ark away. How many Christians do this same thing today? How many of us have these “gods” and “idols” in our hearts and yet all we do is offer a trespass offering on Sunday so God will bless us and take away the plague? It’s not good enough to know of God’s mighty power…It’s not good enough to just give him a trespass offering and keep these other gods in our lives, God desires a relationship with us. He is our Husband. Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
The husband and wife relationship should be just like the God and church relationship. Just like husbands and wives should honor each other, so too should we honor God.
But the Lord killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord . And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done. “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord , this holy God?” they cried out. “Where can we send the Ark from here?”
1 Samuel 6:19-20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1sa.6.19-20.NLT
The Presence of the Lord has become so foreign to people that they are running around like wild animals in this hour. God is a God of order, not chaos. He is a God of understanding, not confusion. He is a God of peace, not fear. If we can quiet ourselves and listen to His Voice He is letting us know this is all happening with His realm of control. Our God is an awesome God.
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
Questioning the holiness of God will get you nowhere.
There is none that can compare to Him. There is none that is worthy to stand before Him.
In this chapter the Philistines were planning to send back the ark of the Lord to its rightful place. But there decided to send a gift as well.
1 And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
The ark of the lord is with the Philistines😎😎😎😎😎😎
19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
The Israelites knew how to deal with the ark of the Covenant, but did not do it correctly.
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
I learned that the arkThe Lord was in the country of the Philistines four seven months.
LIVE – GIVE JESUS
GOD OR CHANCE
7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
8 And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
People without FAITH go to extremes to avoid GOD. Here these creative minded people come up with a great idea. “LETS GET RID OF GOD AND SEE IF THE TROUBLE STOPS”.
WOW
Lets build a NEW CART and get some cows and see if the presence of GOD is causing us all of this trouble. If the trouble stops when we move the cart then we are free from GOD and HIS presence…
WOW
How accurate this scenario describes the lives of multitudes. GOD uses HIS creation to get our attention and rather than submit to GOD, people run GOD out of town on a cart.
Remember the CART concept didn’t begin with GOD. There are special Rings and Poles to move the ARK. The Philistines came up the cart concept.
Now we see what happens when the Church becomes like the carnal world.
1Chr. 13:7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.
1Chr. 13:10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.
Innocent people die when the church follows the worlds plan instead of GOD.
iRepent
iPraise
iPray
iWork
iGive
iReap
iGo
iBlessYouInTheNameOfTheLordJESUS
God’s way is the only way, listen to him and stay close to him.
“The men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?””
1 Samuel 6:20 AMP
They got themselves into a bit of a hole and instead of seeking god and asking what they need to do they are asking the wrong people and trying to solve it themselves. That’s how some of us are when we find ourself in a hole instead of reaching out to the one who can truly heal us and deliver us we try and figure it out ourselves.
9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
Our god it’s not a got a chance is it a yes or Amen, So don’t take a chance with God He has not take a chance with us.
A.L.M.A.
When there is an open door take it and dream big..
6:20 and the men of Bethshemesh , said who is able to stand before this holy Lord God ? And to whom shall he go up from us?
——
Death from the beginning and death at the end….
When we start walking and maki g decisions by the flesh, we know things will not work out. Whatever the plan is, will not stand. ….
Let’s put God fist, let’s seek Him, and wait and see what He wants us to do.
you can release yourself of bondage so your heart can be free from the distractions of the world, to worship the Lord with a renewed and pure heart.
13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
Do we rejoice when the presence of the Lord comes into our midst? His presence is something that all of us should treasure. Today, we do not have the privilege that we have shared afore to worship together corporately as a church body, but His presence is still the same. As His child, we have the opportunity everyday to experience His presence, no congregation needed. But this should be nothing new us, we should have a set apart time each day that we spent in His presence, getting our minds right and direction for the day.
I’m caught up in Your presence
I just want to sit here at Your feet
I’m caught up in this holy moment
I never want to leave
Oh, I’m not here for blessings
Jesus, You don’t owe me anything
More than anything that You can do
I just want You
I’m sorry when I’ve just gone through the motions
I’m sorry when I just sang another song
Take me back to where we started
I open up my heart to You
I’m sorry when I’ve come with my agenda
I’m sorry when I forgot that You’re enough
Take me back to where we started
I open up my heart to You
I’m caught up in Your presence
I just want to sit here at Your feet
I’m caught up in this holy moment
I never want to leave
Oh, I’m not here for blessings
Jesus, You don’t owe me anything
And more than anything that You can do
I just want You
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
7“Now build a new cart, and find two cows that have just given birth to calves. Make sure the cows have never been yoked to a cart. Hitch the cows to the cart, but shut their calves away from them in a pen.
This goes to show, God was controlling the cows. I would assume cows that just gave birth to calves would not leave them behind. And a cow that never been yoked, probably would have gone crazy after feeling the yoke around them for the first time. But God, wanted to make sure that the Philistines knew it was God himself who sent the plagues. For the cows went directly to Beth-shemesh to deliver the Ark.
Allow God to lead and guide you through life.
Psalm 31:3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me.
Thank you Jesus!!!
And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
“And he smote the men of Beth–shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.”
1 Samuel 6:19 KJV
“And the men of Beth–shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?”
1 Samuel 6:20 KJV
His rules stand for all. The only ones able to touch the Ark we’re the Levite’s, as they were the priests. Just because we are in the faith, does not mean we are exempt from His principles and statues He has set for us. His word is a two-edge sword, in the sense that it points people to Christ but it also speaks to those that are already in Christ. I thank God for the accountability He provides, through His word and through our brothers and sisters. I pray we continue to embody our theme of Live+Give Jesus, examining ourselves not making sure we are walking in the Spirit.
And sure enough, without veering off in other directions, the cows went straight along the road toward Beth-shemesh, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.
1 Samuel 6:12 NLT
Whenever there’s opportunity for God to show off, believe He will. It’s like they already knew and that’s why they chose this avenue. God doesn’t dwell in a sinful place, He will gladly go find a hungry vessel to fill. Be careful which side of this story you may find yourself on.
“The Ark of the Lord remained in Philistine territory seven months in all. Then the Philistines called in their priests and diviners and asked them, “What should we do about the Ark of the Lord? Tell us how to return it to its own country.” “Send the Ark of the God of Israel back with a gift,” they were told. “Send a guilt offering so the plague will stop. Then, if you are healed, you will know it was his hand that caused the plague.” “What sort of guilt offering should we send?” they asked. And they were told, “Since the plague has struck both you and your five rulers, make five gold tumors and five gold rats, just like those that have ravaged your land. Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land. Don’t be stubborn and rebellious as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were. By the time God was finished with them, they were eager to let Israel go.”
1 Samuel 6:1-6 NLT
We often fail to give God this glory because we ignore His judgment or write it off as fate or bad luck.
1 Samuel 6:20-21
“Y dijeron los de Bet-semes: ¿Quién podrá estar delante de Jehová el Dios santo? ¿A quién subirá desde nosotros? Y enviaron mensajeros a los habitantes de Quiriat-jearim, diciendo: Los filisteos han devuelto el arca de Jehová; descended, pues, y llevadla a vosotros”
*” ¿Quién podrá estar delante de Jehová el Dios santo?
Al faltarle el respeto a Dios, los hombres de Bet-semes ofendieron la santidad de Jehová. Ahora ellos sabían que Jehová era santo, pero no los hizo querer estar más cerca de Dios. Los hizo querer distanciarse de Dios.
” La idea principal detrás de la santidad no es pureza moral (aunque la idea incluye pureza moral), sino la idea de ser apartado – de que Dios es aparte, diferente de su creación, tanto en su esencia natural como en la perfección de sus atributos.
* Cuando los hombres se encuentran con la santidad de Dios, no necesariamente se sienten atraídos hacia ella. Cuando Pedro vio el poder santo de de Jesús dijo “Apártate de mí, Señor, porque soy hombre pecador” (Lucas 5:8). Cuando en otra ocasión los discípulos vieron al Jesús santo brillando en la transfiguración, tuvieron mucho miedo (Mateo 17:6). Cuando nos encontramos con el Dios santo, nos emocionamos y atemorizamos al mismo tiempo. Es como ir subiendo en una montaña rusa – usted quiere estar ahí, pero al mismo tiempo no quiere estar. Muchos de los placeres excitantes del mundo moderno no son más que simples intentos de imitar la plenitud que solo podemos encontrar teniendo un encuentro con el Dios santo.
Even though the ark had been absent from Israel for seven months God had not removed His blessing of fertile crops from His chosen people during that time. This indicates His grace.
The certainty of God”s presence is always a sign of hope, however dark the circumstances may be.
“So these instructions were carried out. Two cows were hitched to the cart, and their newborn calves were shut up in a pen. Then the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart. And sure enough, without veering off in other directions, the cows went straight along the road toward Beth-shemesh, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.”
1 Samuel 6:10-12 NLT
This was a remarkable miracle. Two cows who never pulled a cart before, either alone or together. No driver led them, yet they left home, and marched the ten miles or so to a city they had never been to. They left their own calves behind and went straight on a certain road, with never a wrong turn, never a stop, never turning aside into the fields to feed themselves, never turning back to feed their own calves. As the cows went on the road back to Israel, we can imagine the Israelites mourning over the loss of the ark. Perhaps at that very moment they cried out to God, grieving because they thought the glory had departed. God’s glory had not left anywhere! The Israelites and the Philistines both resisted Him, so the LORD found a few cows to show His glory through.
When people don’t believe there is a loving God who sits enthroned in the heavens and has a good plan for our lives, you can’t blame them for being afraid, for being proud, for being miserable. But for those who believe in the God of the Bible, there is no excuse for fear, pride, or misery. God is still on His throne! “As we go forth into the world, let us believe that the movement of all things is towards the accomplishment of God’s purpose.”
The Ark had left Israel for seven months. The Philistine’s decided to return the Ark due to plagues they were being afflicted by. They consulted their priests and diviners. They hooked up two cows that have never been yoked with the Ark to see if they would make it to the Israelites with the help of the God of Israel. They went straight to Bethshemith which showed our Lord was always in control!
1 Samuel 6:6, “Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?”
“Ye Hardened Your Hearts”
God does not want us to have a hardened heart.
Psalms 95:8 says, “Harden not your heart,…”
Hebrews 3:15 says, “… harden not your hearts,…”
He wants us to have a heart that is cultivated (break up the fallow ground of our hearts), prepared and soft, so that we can hear His voice.
If we find that our heart is becoming a little hardened, then it’s time to ask God to “Search us, and know our heart: try us, and know our thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in us…” (PS. 139:23-24), and then ask Him to “Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. (PS. 51:10). So that our heart will be ready to Hear His Voice.
“And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall it go up from us?””
I Samuel 6:20 NKJV
This Scripture means that, the philistines could not enter The Ark Of The Lord for It was Holy. And only The Priest was able to go in The Ark of The Lord.
12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
They chose the right avenue like if they had known. God wants to go to those who are willing and those that are hungry for him. The Lord wants those who are fighting for him, he wants to save them and fill them. Follow the right path you know the Lord has given you, give your all to him.
11 And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
The diviners felt quite sure that the cows, left to their own instincts, would, unless driven by some Divine power, come back to their young ones in the stall. What the priests and diviners advised was done, and the next two verses (10 and 11) relate how the restoration of the Ark was carried out in the way prescribed above.
10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
11 And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods
Only God can do this, the cows should’ve gone home,but they didn’t. They went were the Lord directed them to go. This is the same when God brings us to Church. God will continue to move in every heart. We must be ready for the lost to come home. Be ready
19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
Did they do this out of pure ignorance or curiosity? I not sure on that, but they should have known better. Although, in today’s society there really is people that are totally ignorant about the things of God. Just ignorance about all that pertains to knowing God. To the point that they have never upend a bible nor know how to get to the books of the bible. The Word clearly tells us that people perish for lack of knowledge. It is our jobs to be the ministers, the servants and tell the people and teach them making them disciples.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
A trespass offering? Could you imagine this being a question or statement in today’s society??!? “. . . said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?. . . “ People would go ballistic if this was a term used today or even a standard known.
8 And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
God doesn’t desire for us to take what’s Holy and He set in order and modify it to our liking. He doesn’t need our help to fulfill what He needs but He chooses us to be used to fulfill His will. Yet with or without us He will have His way. Let’s not follow our own will but the will of God in all things.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
The Philistines had thought they could overcome The Lord by fighting harder. They had defeated the Israelites but they now realized that they could not defeat Israel’s God. We have to open our eyes and realize that we can’t fight God. He has chosen us therefore we must listen to Him and follow Him.
3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
There is no real giving to God, it is more like proving that he can trust you. God is not impressed with the amount of an offering rather the intent of it. Given out of a heart of sacrifice I have proven that God will return and even bless abundantly more than I could ask or think. If I sewed money and reaped healing, I have gotten the better end of that deal for sure. God is the only one who can make that deal!
“And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.”
1 Samuel 6:3 KJV
People who don’t even worship God know that when you do something offensive to him that you need to give something to him to cover it. How much more should we who worship him know better about how to worship and show praise to God?
19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
That’s what cha get for being nosey. It’s funny how that when someone who does not worship the Lord comes into your life figures out that you belong to the Lord and then doesn’t want anything to do with you.
“The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed!”
1 Samuel 6:13 NLT
There’s nothing like being in the presence of God. It’s in His presence that our joy is complete. We can be made whole in His presence.
I feel that when sorrow fills our hearts we forget the promise of God and the words HE has spoken to our heart, because the sorrow out weights the voice of God it’s hard to go back to the reason we need a miracle (we just know we need a miracle)
Sometimes it’s easier to justify why I deserve the blessing before I even ask for it, or tell GOD I need this miracle and then I may focus more on why I FEEL I deserve it; feelings of entitlement because I paid my tithes and I didn’t curse and I’m living the right life…. I am being transparent, I know those feelings are NOT Godly this is why I fast/pray and have a Pastor sometimes I’m doing these things and don’t even realize what I’m doing..
1 Samuel 6:3 KJV
[3] And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you