(1) The Philistine's priests and omen readers assumed that:
a. The fact that they took the ark from their defeated country, Israel, was wrong. They needed to send guilty offerings for what they did v.3-4. Returning it back would not redeem that sin, they have to compensate for what they did.6:3 They replied, “If you are going to send the ark of the God of Israel back, don’t send it away empty. Be sure to return it with a guilt offering.
b. They were not sure if returning the ark back plus the guilt offering would be enough. They said, "perhaps."
v.5b Perhaps he will release his grip on you, your gods, and your land
They needed to set up something to let them know for sure that it was the Lord's hand that struck them or it just happened to them by accident.
6:7 So now go and make a new cart. Get two cows that have calves and that have never had a yoke placed on them. Harness the cows to the cart and take their calves from them back to their stalls.
(NAC) If a team of cows that had never been trained or yoked could work together to pull the cart straight for a stretch of several miles, all the while ignoring their maternal instincts to respond to the cries of their unweaned calves, then Yahweh would indeed be accepted as the source of “this great disaster.” However, if the cows failed to pull the cart “as far as the border of Beth Shemesh,” then the whole series of recent Philistine catastrophes would be understood to have happened “by chance”
c. They learned from the Egyptians that God was supreme over all other nations. Repent and you will be released from the punishment.
6:6 Why harden your hearts like the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When God treated them harshly, didn’t the Egyptians send the Israelites on their way?
(2) Compared with the uncertainty of the Philistines, the Israelites in Beth Shedmesh knew better what to do with the ark. They offer the burnt offering with the cows and wood. The Levites took care of the ark.
However, where was the priest? What did the Law say regarding how to handle the ark? Did the Israelites being taught about the Law?
The lack of leadership from the period of the Judges until the time of Eli and his 2 sons was fully revealed in this incident. Israelites committed greater sin than the Philistines. They looked into the ark, and as a result, the LORD struck the people with a harder blow-many people died.
6:20 The residents of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”
Reflections:
The Philistines got the ark, but they did not know how to worship God or seek forgiveness from God. They sought the advice from their elders and their priests. The former ones just moved the ark from place to place. The latter ones gave advice out of uncertainty. They only knew that they needed to take action because of what they learned from the failure of the Egyptians. God accepted their arrangements and sent the ark back to Israel.
Israelites should know the LORD better, but they did not. They probably were overjoyed to see the ark coming back. They lost the battle, but they got the ark back plus the compensation. They did not follow the Law regarding how to handle the ark.
How about us? Do we know the Lord better than the unsaved? Compared with the time when you are not a believer how much do you know the Bible? Yesterday, I gave the children a test and asked them do you know 3 examples from the Bible that the children served the LORD? If not, that tells you that you need to study God's words more. (The answer is: Miriam who watched over Moses when he was a baby, the maid of Naaman's wife, and Samuel).
On the other hand, the responsibility of teaching the people regarding the Law falls on the shoulders of the leaders. The leaders at that time failed. How about us? Do we teach our next generation well?
Lastly, we need to do God's work in God's way. God is holy and He has a high standard. We cannot be sloppy in our ministry and it is deadly.
Audrey
Bright spots
The ark needed to be return with a guilt offering. Although the P’s priests and omen readers did not really know what the guilt offering should be they advised the leaders with no certainty. However, the concept of guilt offering was based on their lack of honoring for the God of Israel. At this point they are correct.
The main concept is if Egypt had kept the Israelites and not let them go would cause God harsh treatment then how much more if you now keep the ark of their God? This is the ultimate dishonor of the God of Israel.
Sin
Do I in any areas of my life dishonor God? Treating God as if He is nothing. Do not care about His judgment. Do I fear the consequent of not obeying Him?
v.13-7:1
Bright spots
The return of the ark first brought joy to the people of Beth Shemesh. They first offered up burnt offering and sacrifice to the LORD (why these 2 kinds of offerings??), and have the Levites handle it. Then they positioned it on a rock.
But, later on God struck them, and it seemed to be even harder than how He struck the P (depending if the number is 70 or 50,000, see NET notes). The same episode of finding another sites for the ark repeated even in the land of Israel.
In other words, Israel seemed better than P as far as they KNEW what to do with the ark, but they DID NOT HONOR God as the P.
Reflection
The people of BS asked, "“Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?" It is not a matter of do you know how to handle God or not. They were not ignorance. They knew only Levites were able to handle the ark, but they chose to look into the ark and were stricken by the LORD.
How about me? Do I act like I sin because I do not know and then I blamed God? Am I responsible for what I've already known? In what way, I dishonor God and not give God the proper fear?
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