This meditation will build off yesterdays. Lest anyone think that the sacking of the ark of God means God’s defeat the author of Samuel gives us 1 Samuel 5-6. In these two chapters we have a description of how God decides to work by Himself for His own sake. God does not need His people to bring glory to His name. He is quite capable of winning glory to His name all by Himself. Indeed if we read our Bibles rightly we will understand that this is exactly God’s goal in all He does. We, God’s people, however have the privilege of being instruments in His hands. If, however, those instruments prove themselves worthless God is not obligated to use them.
Both with the pagans and with His own people God takes pains to cause His Name to be revered. The question asked in 6:20 is the main point of these two chapters, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this Holy God?” What is unfortunate is that those who ask this question do not intend to learn the ways of holiness and thus dwell with this Holy God. Rather, they ask this question as the preamble to getting rid of this holy God (the exact thing that the pagan Philistines did).
God will not be treated with contempt. It is sad however, when God tries to teach His people this truth and they respond by running farther away from Him. Are you being taught any hard lessons by the Lord right now? If so, is the “hardness” driving you toward Him or away from Him? (chew on Proverbs 3:11-12)
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