PROCLAMATION
“And the men did so; and took two milch
kine, and tied them to the cart … and they laid the ark of The Lord upon the
cart … and the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-Shemesh … 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 Beth-Shemesh.” 1 Samuel
6:10-12 (KJV)
EXPLANATION
These words were written under the influence
of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel. The people of
Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron had been afflicted with tumors because
the Philistines had brought the ark of The Lord into their cities and they
wanted it taken away. The Philistines asked the priests and the diviners
what to do with the ark and how should they send it back to Israel. They
were told to send it back along with a guilt offering of five gold tumors and
five gold rats, one for each of the five rulers and cities which were stricken
with the plagues. They were told to put the ark on a new cart, hitched to
two cows that had never been yoked, along with a chest containing the gold
objects, and send it on its way. (1 Samuel 6:1-10) They did as they were
told and they watched the cows take the ark straight to the city of Beth
Shemesh. The people of Beth Shemesh rejoiced when they saw the ark.
The Levites took the ark and the people chopped up the cart and sacrificed the
two cows as a burnt offering to The Lord. The Philistines followed the
cows at a distance and when saw this, they returned to Ekron. (1 Samuel
6:11-18) The Lord God struck down seventy people of Beth Shemesh because
they looked into the ark of God. Then they sent messengers to the people
of Kiriath Jearim to come and take the ark to their town. (1 Samuel 6:19-21)
APPLICATION
The Lord God was in control and guided
the two cows and the ark from the Philistine territory in Ekron to the
Israelite city of Beth Shemesh. Just as The Lord controlled and guided
the cows, He can control and guide all of the other events and actions in this
world. The wind and the waves even obey His will. (Mark 4:39) The
people, however, are not robots and have the free will of choice regarding
their behavior and beliefs. (John 3:16) He wanted that all people would
be saved, (1 Timothy 2:4) but He gave us the choice to accept Him or not.
Whosoever will, let him come to The Lord. (Revelation 22:17)
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