1 Samuel 6:1-6
As one who has entered into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, it seems incredible to me why a follower of Christ would not have a passion for the Word of God. I’ve heard people say dumb things like we read or studied that book two years ago as if it was a book written by a man, and not God breath, and a living document.
So as I ponder on that it makes one wonder, why has it not come alive, why has it not brought about change, why is not conviction and application? It requires the Spirit of God to understand the word of God, and if you go to 1 Corinthians 2:12-14, that is made very clear. “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
The ark of God has been in the country of the Philistines for seven months and to say it not been good fall short of the situation; it has been a disaster. So the leaders call the priest and diviners and ask how do we solve this problem. Now we find this counsel in verses 3-6, “They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.” And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land. Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?”
What are these pagan priests telling them? What can we learn from these Philistines priest? First to acknowledge you are at fault, and make confession and that is what they did with a guilt offering, now I know that is a novel thought in our culture of it is not my fault. They were giving something of value to God, something of worth, and when we confess, if it not from a broken and contrite heart it has no worth to our Father. But something else jumps off the page, they were watching, and the council did not do as the Egyptians; we have seen what happens to people who harden their hearts as Pharaoh did.
Yes, the world is watching, and when they see us who go by the name of Christ, do and act like the world, it has only the disdain of man. But when they know our Lord part the Red Sea, they take notice, until His Word comes alive with us and we look only to Him, we will not be a light in this present darkness.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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