Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Could we turn tonight to First Chronicles chapter 12? First Chronicles chapter 12?
And verse 38. Then I'd like to read the 13th chapter and.
Also parts of the 15th chapter.
First Chronicles 12, verse 38. All these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel, and all the rest, and also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. Moreover, they that were nigh them even unto Isakar and Zebulun and Napoli.
Brought bread on answers, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen and meat meal cakes of pigs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil and oxen, and cheap abundantly. For there was joy in Israel. And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, if it seemed good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere.
That are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites, which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us, and let us bring again the ark of our God to us. For we inquired not at it in the days of Saul, and all the congregations said that they would do so. But the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David gathered all Israel together, from shy ***** of Egypt even unto the entering of hemisphere.
Ark of God from courageous theorem David went up, and all Israel to Bala, that is, encourage us Urim which belongs to Judah, to bring up France, the ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims whose name is called on it. And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the House of Abinadab and Aza and Ohio Dre the cart, and David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with salt trees, and with.
Rosen and with symbols, and with trumpets. And when they came under the threshing floor of China, other put forth his hand to pull the ark, for the oxen stumbled, and the angle of anger of the Lord was kindled against us, And he smiled him, because he put his hand to the ark, and there he died before God. And David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon us. A wherefore that place is called.
Perez Aza to this day. And David was afraid of God that day, saying how shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
So David brought not the ark home to himself, to the city of David, but carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the Gittite. And the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had. Now the 15th chapter.
And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it attempt. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever. And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it. And David assembled the children of Aaron.
And the Levites.
And.
The 12Th verse. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel, under the place that I have prepared for it, or because you did it not. At the 1St, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.
So the priest and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.
And the thief of the Levite bear the ark of God upon their shoulders, with the staves thereon.
As Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord, and David spake to the chief of the Levites, to appoint their brethren to be singers with instruments of music, Saul trees and harps, and symbols sounding by lifting up the voice with joy.
And the.
23rd verse in Barakaya and Elkanah where doorkeepers for the Ark, and Jebaniah and Jehoshaphat and Nathaniel, and Amosia, and Zechariah and Benny Ayah and Eliezer. The priest did blow with the trumpets before the Ark of God and Obed Eden and Jehaiya were doorkeepers for the ark, though David and the elders of Israel, the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the House of.
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Freedom of joy. And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they sacrificed 7 bullets and seven Rams. And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen. And all the Levites that bear the ark, and the stringers and the and Shin and I are the master of the song with the singers. David also had upon him an effort of linen. Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting.
And with the sound of the corner, and with trumpets, and with cymbals making a noise, with salt trees and harp. And it came to pass as the ark of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michael the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, talking, David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart. So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the 10th, and David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord, and he dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone, a loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag and of wine.
Well, I thought of this little portion, brethren, because in the end of the 12Th chapter here it reminds us of what has taken place in the last three days. Here it tells us that all the different tribes of Israel had come together to make David king over all Israel, and that they were one heart to make David king. And it even tells us that they there they were with David three days, eating and drinking.
Or their brethren had prepared for them. Well, I believe this has been the experience of many of us who are here tonight.
That is, we have enjoyed these happy 3 days, and we have thought to give the Lord Jesus His rightful place, the true David, the Lord Himself. And as we have been gathered together, we have been occupied with him, and we have been fed too, just as these people were fed abundantly, and the Lord used their brethren for this purpose too. Well, what a very, very happy occasion it is.
But I believe the lesson that perhaps we can learn is.
That there is often a great danger after such very happy occasion and that we sort of dwell on an experience and that we're not really before the Lord for his guidance in our pathways. So it was when the when the Lord took Peter, James and John up on the Mount of Transfiguration. That was a very wonderful experience, I suppose perhaps one of the most wonderful experiences.
In the lives of those three men.
But when they came down from the mountain, it tells us that they were not able to cast the evil spirit out of that boy. And when they found out how very weak they are were, they asked the Lord. And he said, this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting. And so let us bear this in mind, that we can have very, very happy occasions in our lives.
Where we're occupied with the Lord Jesus, where we're seeking to give him his rightful place.
We are enjoying what our brethren have prepared for us both temporally and what He ministers to us spiritually.
But this will never, never be a substitute for communion with God and with the importance of making His Word.
The guide for our pathway and I believe we learned this a great lesson here and I trust it will be a lesson to each one of our hearts. For just like Israel in another instance, they had a great victory, a jury call, such a great victory that they thought they were well prepared to meet the next conflict. And when they went against that little city of AI, they were defeated before the men of AI and they found out that the real reason was that they.
I have not been back to Gilda. Now what did this place Gilda represent? Well, and perhaps, to make it most simple, it was a place of circumcision. But shall I put it this way? It was the place where they lifted the knife upon self before they started the conflict of the land, And it pictures to us self judgment.
That is, we need to be constantly before God, for even the joy of Christian fellowship will never, never be a substitute, I say, for communion with the Lord.
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And after each victory, we need to get back to the place of self judgment and recognize that self can never be trusted in the best circumstances any more than in the world, because self has been utterly condemned before God. And it must always be kept in the place of death so that the Lord can lead us in victory by Himself being the leader, and by His word being our.
Well, I believe we see this lesson brought before us. Don't notice the way this 13th chapter begins.
And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader. Surely this was a very broad minded thing to do.
He wasn't just going to follow his own ideas. And so he gets the advice of the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader. He didn't miss one. He had plenty of advice because these men were famous men, leaders of the people. But what was a mistake?
Was it that he went to these people? No, I wouldn't say that. But the important thing was that he did not go to the word of God. And you know, brethren, we might go to the opinions of men, we might go to the opinions of godly men. We might go to the opinions of great leaders in Christendom and say, what do you think should be done in this or that? And we might get.
An opinion from men.
That was not according to the mind of God. And David must learn that it was not by going and consulting all these men that he was going to get the mind of God. It was to go to the Word of God. It was to make the Word of God the guide for His pathway. And so each one of us can ask.
Have we just gone around and asked the opinions of others in certain things? Are we satisfied because of the meaning?
Have listened to that ministry which has shown us the exercises of heart of our brethren. Well, the Scripture says prove all things.
Hold fast that which is good. And how can we prove all things? Do we have a sure measuring stick that we can go by? Yes, the Word of God lives and abides forever through the lawn to the testimony. If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Preached at Berea, he was very pleased that the people didn't accept his word.
It says they were more noble than the others because they searched the scriptures daily.
To see if those things were sold and nothing would make me more happy than if you should say, well, brother Hayhoe, I'd like to get it from the word of God. I'd like to have it from him. The Lord Jesus when he was here said, and they shall be all part of God. They shall be all part of God. In reality, we never have truth for our own souls until we have received it in communion with God. Now I don't say.
May not use others. I'm indebted to others for things that I have learned, but I can say this, that the only things that have really been made my own have been the things that although I've learned them through others, they have pointed me to the scripture and I have received it from the scripture. Hello God may use an instrument, just like when those disciples were sent to find the place where the Lord wanted that last Passover and His supper to be prepared.
Now they were to find a man bearing a pitcher of water for her burnt man would represent to us the Holy Spirit of God. The water would represent to us the the word of God. But what about the picture? Well, where are some pictures? Gideon told his man they were to put a light in an earthen picture. And Paul said, We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of.
And so God may use an instrument, but they didn't follow a man with an empty picture. They followed a man bearing a pitcher of water, the man that had that picture of water. And tonight I trust that God will speak to your heart and to mine too, through His precious words.
And if this is so fine, just the earthen vessel to bear the pitcher of water and the Spirit of God must apply it to make it your very own. So I quote that scripture again. It's been impressed on my mind a good deals late. They shall be all part of God in these days. It is so important that we should get the truth of God from God himself through his word by the Spirit.
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Well, it tells us here that David said unto all the congregation of Israel, as it seemed good unto you.
And that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our bread, and everywhere that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites.
Which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us, and let us.
Bring again the ark of our God for us, For we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
Here was an excellent desire. It was a desire that was produced in their hearts by the Lord. We must say that it was a desire that was very pleasing to God. But it's possible to have a good desire and yet not to do it in the way that God wants it to be done. God not only wants work to be done, but He has a way that He wants it to be done. He not only wants us to gather in His presence as worshippers.
But He also wants us to gather in a way that is according to his word.
And so it was almost wonderful and noble desire to bring up the ark of God that had been forgotten for all those years.
Since the time that the ark had been carried down to the country of the Philistines, it had been forgotten. This was a great desire, a good desire, but they hadn't gone to the Word of God. David had not thought the mind of God through His Word. And you know there are many, many Christians in this day, and they desire to worship the Lord. They desire to serve the Lord.
But they say I think this. I've asked the advice of a good number of people.
I've asked them real leaders in Christendom, and I read a lot of good books and I think that we should do this or that. Oh, dear friend, have you searched the word of God? Have you turned in simple place on your knees to learn what God has to say about the subject? It's not enough to have a good desire. It's not enough to do a good thing.
But to be pleasing to the Lord, it must be done in a way.
That is pleasing to him. It tells us in Second Timothy, Chapter 2. If a man also strives for the masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strives lawfully, What does it mean to strive lawfully? Well, perhaps some of you have run in the race. You've taken part in some race. Didn't you acquaint yourself with the rules? Didn't you watch carefully where the starting place was and what the sound was?
That you were to listen for when you started, and weren't there certain rules that you had to abide by? And even if you came in first, if you'd broken one of the rules, the judge would say disqualified, disqualified. Great disappointment. You put a lot of effort into it, but it wasn't according to the rules and you were not crowned. You didn't receive the reward. And is it possible for a Christian to put a great deal of effort?
Life to spend a lot of time in what he might call the work of the Lord and yet not have the instruction from the word of God that would show what is pleasing to him. Oh, I believe it's so important in these days as as David said, when in the 15th chapter he brought up the ark according to the mind of God, he said.
Before we thought brought the Lord after the due order.
God had a way, He had a way that he wanted of that art to be carried, and only his way was acceptable and pleasing to him. And so I would say to each young person and to each one who is older, read the Word of God. Acquaintance yourself well with the mind of God, as it says. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
That is only as we are before the Lord, humbly seeking His mind and will, can He direct us through His word. So I say again, this was a good desire. Perhaps we could say the desire was specially produced in their hearts by those happy 3 days. And I believe as I look on the company here tonight, that there are some, perhaps some young people.
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And there has been such a desire produced in your heart.
And just say, well, I have felt a little different in these last three days and I do want to please the Lord. I can remember as a young person when I went to a conference, the effect that it had on me, occupied with my work and other things. It was a special treat to come together for three days. My husband returned home, as I hope each one here has felt after the days. And he said, I want to please the Lord more. I want to live for him more. And this was what?
Happened here. David had forgotten about the Ark of God, The people had forgotten about it, the captains had forgotten about it. But now this lovely desire was produced into the in their heart by those three days together. But that was not enough. There needed to be a turning to the Word of God to discover his mind, and there was no substitute for this.
And so on the fourth verse and all, the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right.
In the eyes of all the people, you know, we hear a common expression in the world. Well, you can be pretty sure that the majority is right when when there's a great number of people that love the Lord, that want to do a thing in a certain way, How could it be that a few would be right? And that majority who love the Lord and want to please the Lord could be wrong.
This this crowd wanted to do what was right. They wanted to please the Lord, but they had made this one omission.
They have not served the mind of God through His Word. They had not sought the mind of God through His words. And so it was right in the eyes of all the people, but it was not right according to the word of God. It was not right according to the Word of God, but in the eye of all the people it was.
So they had a great assembly. It says David gathered all Israel together from shy ***** of Egypt, even unto the enduring of he must to bring the ark of God.
Some courageous Jerome so tells us that they went down.
And they went through quite a bit of work. I can just imagine that the people that made this cart to carry the ark of the Lord.
Really.
Did it very conscientiously, and I expect if we could have seen that card, it was a masterpiece of workmanship. I'm quite sure that these people having a heart for the Lord like this didn't do it in our slipshod way. I'm quite sure they did it according to the very best of their ability. But where did they get the idea? Where did the idea of making a cart come from? Had this ever been taught in the Word of God?
Had God ever told his people that he wanted them to prepare a cart to carry the ark of the Lord?
Oh no, that somebody else had done it before and it had seemed to prosper. So surely that was a good precedent. The Philistines, when they sent back the ark of the Lord, had made a new cart. And so wonderfully had God intervened that after they had made this new cart and decided to send the ark back to Israel.
That they tied up the calves at home and put oxen to the cart.
And they said now.
If the oxen carried that ark back to the land of Israel with their calves tied up at home, we'll know that this is of God. Well, this must have been a God, because certainly oxen would never go in the opposite direction with their calves tied at home, with no one to guide the cart unless God did it. This was contrary to nature.
Yes, God did it, but we have to remember something. These were the Philistines. These were not the people that had the word of God. These were not the people that had in their possession the oracles of God. And you know, let us bear this in mind, brethren, God may prosper things in the in the pathway of people who are not acquainted with the word of God.
And who are not taught like some of us have been taught, but.
For us, we have a special responsibility, if we profess to go by the Word of God, to follow its instruction. We're not to copy the philosophy. We're not to copy what God may allow to prosper in the world, and what God may allow to prosper in those who are perhaps only babes in Christ. He will not allow to prosper with those who have His Word within their possession.
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Don't use it all. There's a difference. We see something of this principle.
In connection with the early days of the church, you know that when God.
Save the people from Israel. They were slow to give up.
Those old habits that they had had as Jews. And God was patient. God was patient.
They had gone on with a God-given religion. They had carried on the temple and all its ritual and sacrifices according to the mind of God.
But now the Lord Jesus had been crucified. He had died, He had risen again, He had gone back on high. The Spirit had come down.
But that nation was slow to learn the things of God, and God was patient. He waited almost 40 years. From the Day of Pentecost until the destruction of the temple in the year 8070 was almost 40 years. 40 years is a period of testing in the Scripture, and God waited that long for those people to be delivered from that thing.
And you know, God is very patient. And so James, when when Paul came up to Jerusalem.
James said to Paul, Dicus, brother, how many thousands of Jews there either believe and they are all zealous of the law. So he said like this, Paul, you should go along with them because God has saved them and they're still going on with the law and there are thousands of them and now you should just go along with them. Well, God was patient with those Jewish believers just recently saved out of Judaism.
But God had made known much more.
To his servant Paul, and he was more responsible. And you and I who have the word of God, I say in our hands, many of us professively gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't need to copy what's about us when we have the living instructions of the Word of God. God may allow certain things to prosper in those who have not yet been instructed in the truth of God.
Maybe their hearts are more loyal to Christ than some of ours.
But that wouldn't do for us. We have the word of God-given to us, we have His instruction, and many of us have heard these things. And so the idea of making this new card came from the Philistine. God had prospered when they did it because they didn't have the oracles. They weren't instructed. They were walking up to the light they had. But it was different when those who had the scriptures should turn.
And copy the Philistine. That was not the mind of God for Israel and David, their leader ought to have known better.
Well, it tells us here in the eighth verse. And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and was singing him with hearts and with salties, and with timbles and with symbols and with trumpets. Yes, there was great joy, and often till there's great joy and great rejoicing. And yet perhaps.
We haven't been sufficiently before God about his word. We can see them.
Those happy 3 days was not sufficient. It was not a substitute. Should I say her communion with God and for the guidance of His Word, following the philosophy was not to be a president. The great joy that was present there was not sufficient to show that they had the mind of the law. Again I say to the law and to the testimony, If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
All that is present, be earnest to seek the mind of God through His Word.
And even though it may seem there are only a few, to have the word of God for our pathway is of all importance, and to be in the presence of the Lord in that day, and to have him tell us that He was pleased with obedience above everything else. Has it ever struck you how often in the New Testament it speaks about doing the will of God?
During the will of God. Why? Because that is the most important thing that we should do.
The will of God. It's not how much we accomplish, it's not whether we can say there are thousands of beliefs.
To do the will of God, leave the others with the Lord. They may be walking up to the light they have, but we're responsible when God has given us His word and made known His truth to us to walk in it. The Lord Jesus said if you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, happy are ye if you do them well. Everything was going fine up to this point.
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And then in the ninth verse, and when they came under the threshing floor of Chidam.
Either put forth his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. Well, was this just an accident? Oh no, it was not an accident. And God allowed this to take place to show that this was not according to his mind. It was not according to His word. The oxen stumbled. It wasn't the oxen that were supposed to be the ones who were to carry the ark.
No, it wasn't supposed to be two men as A and a higher.
These men certainly were given quite a place of prominence, weren't they? And in men's plans, it's always.
In the plans of men, it's always prominent for men.
You know, I've asked and said you can make a simple test of any doctrine presented by asking this question. Does it exalt man? How does it exalt Christ? If it's the truth of God? It exalts Christ because the Scripture says that when the Spirit has come, he shall glorify me. And these two men must have felt very important.
Driving the car and that they were necessary to study.
The ark but that that arc which was a symbol of God's presence among his people that aren't as it tells us that the name of the Lord was called upon it. Did it need the hand of other to study it? Oh no. Oh no, I didn't need the hand. If we walk in the truth, God will maintain his own glory. God will maintain his own glory.
And it's our responsibility to walk in the truth. And when we do and why, God will see to it that His glory is.
Maintained Well, there was an interruption in all this fine things.
What happened? Well, the oxen stumbled as it put forth his hand to study the Arkansas. There has been an instance where a man in trying to defend the person of Christ, he actually fell into that doctrine and trying to do it. You know, we don't need to take the position of being defenders of the truth. We're told to contend for the truth that we're never told to be defenders.
We're told to give it out, to to speak the truth in love.
But God will take care of that. Our part is to faithfully and earnestly minister it by leave the truth of God where God has set it before us in His Word. Shall I put it this way? Which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teach us, but which the Holy Ghost teach us. It's a grand thing to stand by the word of God.
Too often when we introduce our own thoughts, it's just like putting our hand out to study it.
But when we take the very word of God, we're sure we have the truth of God, and especially when it has to do with the person of Christ. I I just like discussions about the person of Christ. I like to hear clear, plain statements of what the Scripture says about the person of Christ. There's always a danger when we start to and shall I say dissect or.
By our own attempt to study the person of Christ. All it is study, it's the truth of God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The fame was in the beginning with God.
Well, tells us here that David was displeased. You know, we always get displeased on our own plans are upset.
This is a something that often discovers that it is our plan.
You know, I feel this, brethren, that when we're seeking to please the Lord in obedience to His Word, the Lord gives a quiet peace in the heart. And even when difficulties arise, God gives a certain peace in the heart that maintains us. But I find for myself that when I have a plan and I'm anxious to carry it out and the plan is disrupted.
I usually get upset. I I feel like David, I get displeased and poor David, he actually was displeased with the Lord.
And sometimes we can be displeased with the Lord because he interrupted our plan, but if we're doing His plan, then whatever He allows to take place, He will sustain us. He is faithful. When Paul was cast into prison for preaching the gospel, he could sing within the prison. He wasn't displeased in the prison.
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At the last, when he went up to Jerusalem without the mind of God.
He was quite displeased when he had to stand before the high priest and he called him a whited wall. You know, whenever we do something in our own will, even in spiritual things, we get displeased when God allows an interruption. This ought to exercise us. David was displeased and so the ark was taken aside, and it says in the 12 first. And David was afraid of God that day.
Saying, How shall I bring the ark of God?
Harmed me. He was afraid. And brethren, it says, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. We ought to be anxious to serve the Lord, to worship him in a way that's according to his mind that is pleasing to him.
But is there something else that came out of this that was very good? He said, How shall I bring the ark of God home? How shall I do it? Following the advice of the captains and leaders and all Israel, following the example of the Philistine having two men prominently out there driving the cart, This had all broken down. It all failed. How was he to do it?
Well, he had a book that told him how he had a book.
Notice the 15th chapter.
In the 15th chapter in the first verse, David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared an ark for the a place for the ark of God, and pitch for his attempt. And David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levite, For them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and a minister unto him forever. And again in the end of the 15th verse.
As Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.
I guess he said, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? Was he going to get the answers in the Philistines? Is he going to get the answer from the captains, the leaders? No, He turned to the right source this time. He went to the word of God. He went to the commandment of the Lord. Had the Lord made known his mind about how the ark was to be carried? Yes, he had. He had said that the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the Levites.
And when God said that no other way was acceptable, oh, isn't it blessed that God has given?
Instruction in his word about such important things as these. And David didn't go and ask their advice. He went and boldly, and yet, shall I say, humbly told them why? He said, I know now how it's to be done. And he told him what the Lord has said. Oh, how blessed it is to be able to say, well, I learned that from the word of God.
The scripture says this, the scripture says that, and I have his word giving me instructions.
In this matter, and this is so important for us in days like this, we're living in days like the end of the judges.
Every man did what was right in his own eyes. People say, well, our church does it this way.
Others say our church does it that way. How does your group do it all? What does the word of God say? What does the word of God say? All? May the Lord give us the same thing, the same spirit that we see with David. David said none ought to carry the ark of the Lord but the Levite, and so now he disposes of that cart that had been made.
We don't read any more about these two prominent men. Can't you picture the occasion this new car?
And these two men up there driving it, everybody knew all about who they were. They were, they were the prominent ones. I would say they were probably more noticed than the ark itself out there and driving it while the ark was being pulled behind, they were in the place of prominence. But now when he gets together, the priest were not even told who the men were that carried it. We're just told of a group of men.
And it says here.
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It says here.
About the ones in the 24th verse and the ones that blew with the trumpets told about who the ones were, who were the doorkeepers and all it says in the 15th verse is, and the children of the Levites bear the ark of God upon their shoulders. You say, well, who was it that did it? God hasn't told us.
That was not the important thing. The important thing was the Ark. The important thing was the Ark.
And your friends and the important thing is the glory of Christ. The important thing is not who does the fear of us. The important thing is not who gave out to him. The important thing is not who it was that went forward to break the bread. The important thing is that the Lord should get the glory that He should be the one were there to be occupied with him, were there to give honor and glory to that blessed One who alone is worthy and so.
When they assemble the children of Arum and the Levites and the place.
Was prepared for. It doesn't tell us that the place was prepared before, but now?
When they have thought, the mind of the Lord is a place prepared for it. And when you and I seek the mind of God through His Word, we find that He has a way and He has a place. He has a way and He has a place. And you and I can learn these precious things in His blessed book. Well, it tells us here in the 13th verse.
That David turns and he owns his mistakes.
He tells these Levites to that they were to carry up the ark and it says.
In the 13th verse for because ye did it not at the 1St the Lord our God made a breach upon us or that we sought him not after the due order. Yes, he he recognizes that God had had to speak because they hadn't done it in the way that he had said. They acknowledge that and it's a good thing when we humbly acknowledge before the Lord when we've been walking himself well.
There are two things that we should do. We should speak his mind.
But we should also be humble. So perhaps they should notice the 12Th verse. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel under the place that I have prepared for it. Sanctify yourself. Yes, there's practical sanctification.
There's that walking in a way that apart.
For the Lord. So they were to sanctify themselves. We don't read the other sanctified themselves.
We're not even told that they were Levites. I doubt if they were. It was all a human plan. But not here. And every believer is a priest. Yes, we had it in our meetings so sweetly it says that we're a holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But we need to sanctify ourselves. That is to.
Judge those things that are not pleasing to him.
To do.
This server according to his precious words, and so it tells us in that end of that fifteenth verse, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord. Well, what a happy change has taken place here. They have sought the mind of God. They are doing it according to His will.
And perhaps I could put it like this when the ark was upon their shoulders.
By the man we saw to speak heaven and the ark was in full view. That's what God wants. He wants the glory of His Son. If you had been walking down the street that day, you might not have even noticed the men who were carrying it, because with the ark on their shoulders, there it was lifted up above their heads. And brethren, the person of Christ, the glory of Christ is above our heads.
It says in Matthew Chapter 11 no man nor the son.
Not the Father. Never try to understand the mystery of the person of Christ. That's beyond us.
Never try to plan our own way of approaching to his presence. It's given to us in the word and even if it's beyond their understanding why he should have planned it in a certain way, let us follow his plan. What a happy occasion this was. I say again, I don't know who carried the ark. I just know they were Levi and as priests we have the privilege of exhausting the Lord Jesus that the true words of this.
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And we present Christ to God.
The loveliness of his person and his work.
And so there were these singers, and then it tells us something else that they didn't have before. And the 23rd version and Berekaya and Alcana were doorkeepers of the ark. Why does it tell us this all? Because the enemy is always opposed when things are done in God's way. People say, oh, well, you go here, you don't have nearly as much trouble as with those that are gathered to the Lord's name.
You escape a lot of trouble when you when you go to a place where.
They're not gathered as brethren to the name of the Lord Jesus. That's much trouble among those guided to the Lord's name.
Yes, they didn't have doorkeepers till they tried to do it according to the mind of God. And there needs to be doorkeepers. There were doorkeepers as well as singers. And if we're going to go on in a way that's pleasing to God, we'll find that the enemy will always oppose whatever is of God. But God in his goodness has not only told us how to gather, He's given us instructions.
Holiness, become us.
Thine house Ohio God forever. So there were doorkeepers for the ark. Well, then it goes on, and it tells us.
In the 26th verse, and it came to pass when God helped the Levites that bear the ark of the coming of the Lord, that they offered seven bullets and seven Rams. In this lovely God helps the Levite, they didn't stumble, they didn't stumble. Why all the Lord's able to keep us from stumbling?
The Lord Jesus is rightful place, but if we're trying to do things in our own way.
I'm very liable to stumble, and the plans that we try to workout are very liable to fail too.
But isn't this lovely? The Lord helped the Levites and all. We're a poor feeble folk, a little company gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. And what is it that keeps us going on whilst only the Lord's keeping grace? It's only His keeping grace. And isn't encouragement. It's an encouragement to my heart, brethren, to know that He has said to that people company in Philadelphia. He said, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.
He has told us that he's going to give us the privilege of remembering him until he comes. What is it that's keeping us? Certainly not because we're such wonderful people. It's because the Lord is faithful. And did these people at the end give any credit to themselves? Did they go and shake their hands? The ones that carried the heart and said, oh, you did a good job, this is wonderful.
Now when they got there, it says they sacrificed 7 bullets and seven rounds.
Through the Law we gave Him all the glory, and if He has kept us until this day, it's all glory to Him. No credit to ourselves. We would have stumbled if it wasn't for His keeping grace. And so how blessed to speak in our simple and feeble way, to follow His word, to go on in that path that He has marked out for His confidence that He is faithful. He's the captain of our salvation.
Bringing many sons to glory and these 7/7 is the perfect number. They offered the seven bullocks that is the highest.
Form of the burnt offering and the seven rounds at the ram of consecration and so they gave the Lord the glory and it tells us here that there was great rejoicing and David was dancing before the Lord Oh yes it's his heart rejoice. He didn't he didn't get upset here he didn't get troubled and even when.
Michael, a daughter of Saul, looked out at the window and despised him in her heart. He didn't get angry about it. Why? Well, he had the confidence that he was doing God's will. He he had the confidence. And it says, let us go forth therefore unto him, without the camp bearing his reproach. Paul's daughter didn't despise David when they had the new car.
I don't know that was quite all right with her, that that scheme came from the Philistines.
And that was quite acceptable to her. But she did despise David when the ark was brought up in God's way. And there's a reproach and we speak to simply follow his words. You know that everyone here knows it. There may be some who are not gathered to the Lords name.
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You know that there's a reproach in saying, well, and just gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, what's the name of your organization? Well, we don't have a name. We just gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. Well, who's your leader? Well, we don't have any leader except the Lord. Well, Michael looks out at the window and she despised David in her heart. How can you rejoice over this? And you say, well, what joy do you have in meeting in that simplicity?
The joy.
Of the Lord's approval, the joy of doing his will, the joy of giving him the place that due to him, what a privilege may be, value it, may be walk in it. Well, there's a happy ending to this that I'd like to call attention. These first three verses of the 16th chapter.
So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the 10th of David had picked for it and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. Burnt offering is we've often noticed, is what the work of Christ is to God. The peace offering could be called the communion or fellowship offering. They have this sense now in their souls that they were had fellowship with God.
Now it tells us about the Lord's Supper, that the bread which we break, is it not the communion or fellowship of the body of Christ?
The cup is the communion of the blood of Christ, and so he can have fellowship with God in connection with the way we gather, according to His Word and according to his mind. Though they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And then David came down after this and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.
And then it says in the third verse, And he dealt to everyone of Israel, both men and women.
To everyone, a loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag and of wine. This didn't take place at the end of the three days of eating and drinking. This didn't take place when the Lord had smitten other. But it did take place when the Lord had made known his mind and they had sought to carry it out. Well, I just suggest this little thought in connection with it.
That they had something that sustained them when they left.
In the first instance they had the memory of three happy days, but in this instance they had something that they carried away.
Something that they carried with them when they went to their homes. And I hope each one of us, as we perhaps leave some to go to home, even far away, that we'll have this experience that we'll carry away a loaf of bread. That is the food that the Lord supplies. The bread perhaps would speak to us of the Lord Jesus.
And his blessed pathway here and then that good piece of flesh.
Well, that we have learned more of himself, it says, you know, that strong meat belongs to them that are a filet even to those who by reason of use have their sentence exercise to discern both good and evil. So that the strong meat speaks to us of having learned more of the mind of God through His word, and discerning His mind. Then we walk in the good of it. We walk in the truth, in other words, and then the last a flag in the wine.
What's this? Oh, that's a joy the Lord gives and all. There is a joy and peace in walking according to His Word and communion with the Lord. And I trust that each one of us will carry away something that will answer to this in our soul. It's nice. It's not often that we read this to every man, to everyone of Israel, both man and woman.
It seems to me there's something very personal about this little added touch that's given here.
That there was something for both the men and the women. You know, I trust that each one of us, as we leave, that we'll carry away something that has made the Lord Jesus more precious to us, that has made His mind more clear to us, and that has given us that joy that only comes in communion with Him and in walking in obedience to His Word. Again, I would repeat that verse if you know these things.
Happy are ye?
If you do them.