Unlike All Others
In 1 Samuel 4, the Israelites went to battle against the Philistines, and they lost terribly.
So they came up with a new battle strategy. "Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord's covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies" (v. 3).
When Israel went out to fight the Philistines again, they took the ark with them this time. Even the Philistines were alarmed when they heard the battle shout of the Israelites and heard that the ark of God was in the camp. "We're in trouble!" they said. "Nothing like this has ever happened before" (v. 7). You might think that the presence of the ark of God would make a difference, but it didn't. The Israelites were still defeated by the Philistines. Round two lost. In fact, the ark was captured by the Philistines.
When reading this story the other day, I was puzzled by the fact that the presence of the ark of the Lord did not win the battle for the poor Israelites. But then I realized that the ark isn't what saves; God does. Israel confused a love for God with the love for an object, a commitment to a mere symbol. Even in this Old Testament story, God is showing His people that He doesn't live in a box.
Unlike other gods made of wood and stone, the God of Israel is alive. Unlike foreign gods made of wood and stone, God's presence dwells in men and not in temples made by human hands. Unlike false gods made of wood and stone, the God of Israel does not offer peace or luck through rituals and symbols. He desires obedience, not appeasement.
Israel had not been faithful to God. He showed them through the loss of their battle that He does not desire sacrifice and ritual even through something as powerfully symbolic as the ark of the covenant. Rather He longs for obedience and love from His chosen people.
The Philistines, who had the ark of the covenant in their possession, kept it in the temple beside their false god, Dagon. When they checked on the gods the next morning, they found Dagon knocked over and kneeling before the ark. They set him back up thinking it was an accident, but then it happened the next day, too! Soon, the people began to get tumors, so they shipped the ark off to another city, and then those people got tumors. At this point, they begin to say, "This is no ordinary God! We have to get rid of this ark!"
Unlike other gods made of wood and stone, the God is Israel is alive. Unlike foreign gods of wood and stone, the God of Israel is able to bring both victory and destruction. Unlike false gods of wood and stone, the Almighty God is worthy of all worship. All things in heaven and on earth bow before him in submission.
When the Philistines returned the ark to the Israelites, you might expect it to be a day of great celebration; however, the people actually mourned. God struck seventy men, putting them to death because they looked inside the ark. After this "heavy blow", the people said, "Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God" (6:20)? In other words, "Who is this God? He is no ordinary God!"
Who is this God? When Israel asks this question, they wonder...what kind of God would let them lose a battle? What kind of God would not be appeased by ritual? What kind of god does not dwell in an ark, a holy box, or a temple? What kind of God causes other gods to fall before him, who causes tumors to inflict those who do not know him? What kind of God would strike down seventy men because they disobeyed?
Indeed, this God is unlike all others! But what Israel may not have understood at that exact moment was that God is even more unlike other gods than they could ever grasp. Little did they know how much unlike other gods our God is. The Almighty God is alive and active, working in the world on behalf of His people for the weight and worth of His glory. He does not desire appeasement, but rather heart-worship and loving obedience. His presence is not in a box, but in human hearts! When we are unable to meet the requirements of His law, He makes a way for us to fulfill righteousness by becoming righteousness for us. Through Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, our sins were covered and our adoption as sons and daughters sealed in stone. We now have access to Him by grace through faith. What is more, He loves us with an everlasting and unconditional love that can never be measured or fathomed by us. He desires relationship with us and pursues our wandering hearts. Now He has placed His spirit inside us to empower us to love and follow Him with all our hearts.
All this leaves me awestruck, asking, "Who is this God? He is so unlike any other!" And I am so thankful that He is not capricious of human-like as other gods of wood and stone are. His high holiness and deep unexplainable love bring me to my knees yet make me want to get up and dance. This kind of matchless God demands and is entirely worthy of my soul, my life, my all.
So they came up with a new battle strategy. "Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord's covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies" (v. 3).
When Israel went out to fight the Philistines again, they took the ark with them this time. Even the Philistines were alarmed when they heard the battle shout of the Israelites and heard that the ark of God was in the camp. "We're in trouble!" they said. "Nothing like this has ever happened before" (v. 7). You might think that the presence of the ark of God would make a difference, but it didn't. The Israelites were still defeated by the Philistines. Round two lost. In fact, the ark was captured by the Philistines.
When reading this story the other day, I was puzzled by the fact that the presence of the ark of the Lord did not win the battle for the poor Israelites. But then I realized that the ark isn't what saves; God does. Israel confused a love for God with the love for an object, a commitment to a mere symbol. Even in this Old Testament story, God is showing His people that He doesn't live in a box.
Unlike other gods made of wood and stone, the God of Israel is alive. Unlike foreign gods made of wood and stone, God's presence dwells in men and not in temples made by human hands. Unlike false gods made of wood and stone, the God of Israel does not offer peace or luck through rituals and symbols. He desires obedience, not appeasement.
Israel had not been faithful to God. He showed them through the loss of their battle that He does not desire sacrifice and ritual even through something as powerfully symbolic as the ark of the covenant. Rather He longs for obedience and love from His chosen people.
The Philistines, who had the ark of the covenant in their possession, kept it in the temple beside their false god, Dagon. When they checked on the gods the next morning, they found Dagon knocked over and kneeling before the ark. They set him back up thinking it was an accident, but then it happened the next day, too! Soon, the people began to get tumors, so they shipped the ark off to another city, and then those people got tumors. At this point, they begin to say, "This is no ordinary God! We have to get rid of this ark!"
Unlike other gods made of wood and stone, the God is Israel is alive. Unlike foreign gods of wood and stone, the God of Israel is able to bring both victory and destruction. Unlike false gods of wood and stone, the Almighty God is worthy of all worship. All things in heaven and on earth bow before him in submission.
When the Philistines returned the ark to the Israelites, you might expect it to be a day of great celebration; however, the people actually mourned. God struck seventy men, putting them to death because they looked inside the ark. After this "heavy blow", the people said, "Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God" (6:20)? In other words, "Who is this God? He is no ordinary God!"
Who is this God? When Israel asks this question, they wonder...what kind of God would let them lose a battle? What kind of God would not be appeased by ritual? What kind of god does not dwell in an ark, a holy box, or a temple? What kind of God causes other gods to fall before him, who causes tumors to inflict those who do not know him? What kind of God would strike down seventy men because they disobeyed?
Indeed, this God is unlike all others! But what Israel may not have understood at that exact moment was that God is even more unlike other gods than they could ever grasp. Little did they know how much unlike other gods our God is. The Almighty God is alive and active, working in the world on behalf of His people for the weight and worth of His glory. He does not desire appeasement, but rather heart-worship and loving obedience. His presence is not in a box, but in human hearts! When we are unable to meet the requirements of His law, He makes a way for us to fulfill righteousness by becoming righteousness for us. Through Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, our sins were covered and our adoption as sons and daughters sealed in stone. We now have access to Him by grace through faith. What is more, He loves us with an everlasting and unconditional love that can never be measured or fathomed by us. He desires relationship with us and pursues our wandering hearts. Now He has placed His spirit inside us to empower us to love and follow Him with all our hearts.
All this leaves me awestruck, asking, "Who is this God? He is so unlike any other!" And I am so thankful that He is not capricious of human-like as other gods of wood and stone are. His high holiness and deep unexplainable love bring me to my knees yet make me want to get up and dance. This kind of matchless God demands and is entirely worthy of my soul, my life, my all.
Comments
Post a Comment