Address—N. Berry
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General Meeting, Toledo, November 1971, Addressed by Norman Berry.
We might turn to the first book of Samuel.
Chapter 4.
That which is before me this afternoon, beloved young people.
Is the presence of the Lord.
With us in the day of Lewis.
The presence of the Lord.
Now in Israel's history.
There was one object that was the most.
Intimate, they might say. Holy glorious symbol.
Of that present.
Throughout their journey. And that was the ark in the Tabernacle.
And I'd like to compare some of the happenings in Israel's history.
In connection with this arc, with the presence of the Lord Wisdom.
And to see how this is so instructive for you and for me.
Young and old alike.
The story is long and we will just pick out a few verses here and there.
As we go on.
So we'll read now to begin with the 4th chapter of the first book of Samuel.
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle.
And hit beside Ebenezer.
Under the.
Philistine pits in ASICS.
And the Philistines put themselves in a ray against Israel.
And when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines.
And they flew up the army in the field, about 4000 men.
And when the people will come into the camp, the elders of Israel said.
Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us today before the Philistines?
Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us.
That when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
So the people sent to Shiloh that they might bring Trump. Then the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth between the cherry of him and the two sons of Eli, Hofnigh and Finna has were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.
And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great goat in the camp of the Hebrews?
And that they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us, for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. Woe unto us who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods. These are the gods that smoke the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, and put yourselves like men, or you, Philistine, that ye be not servants under the Hebrews.
As they have been to you.
Quit yourselves like men and fight.
Philip Stein's thought and Israel were smitten, and they fled every man into his tent, and there was a great, very great slaughter for their fell of Israel 30,000 footmen. And the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli Hofne and Sinahas were slain.
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Well, we'll stop there for a little while.
Now we get a little bit of the picture.
These were very dark days in Israel's history.
And I believe it's very instructive, beloved young people, as we would treat in many occasions in Israel's history when they passed through dark times, how that there was always a way of grace.
Which God brought before them a way of escape and a way of blessing too, as though there was judgment in God's holiness. And so we find this condition before us.
Samuel had been raised up.
At a time when.
The we might say Eli, who was the high priest, had so dismally failed, failed.
Careless with his sons, indifferent to their goings on, God looked down upon this time and very saw this awful weakness. And all beloved young ones, young people hear this afternoon, I believe that we live in such a day.
I believe that the Lord's coming is just about at hand and that what we will learn from this lesson can be truly a blessing to your soul and mind. Though we might get discouraged, and though sometimes you might feel that the the Lord's presence is isn't with us. Why, we will learn as we go on here that it surely was. And although they lost the presence of the Lord in the ark.
Nevertheless, God had the purpose of blessing for them, and as I look into your faces this afternoon, oh, what a privilege it is to be able to in this little way to encourage you now to go on. God is the God of all encouragement. He wants to encourage you. And as the days are dark and darkening, so it is but a platform for God to show you and me that He can be the God of encouragement to you and me individually.
Now in this time.
The Philistines who were constantly the enemy of of Israel and actually were stronger than Israel. They were they were more powerful and here they have come against Israel and have overcome them. They put themselves in array in the second verse against Israel. And when they joined a battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines and they flew of the army in the field, 4000 men.
Well, it was a disaster for them. It wasn't as bad as what it was ahead, but it was at least a signal to Israel if they were only conscious of it, that there was something wrong. And beloved young people, when conditions such as this come into our lives or it is always a signal, a message from the Lord that there's something wrong. And if you and I have a sense of ear, why we're going to get that message.
But Israel here didn't get it.
And in their distress, as they saw the battle going against them, someone has an idea. What is that idea? Oh, let's go, they said, and set the art.
Let's read the wording.
Third verse.
Middle of the third verse. Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that when it tumbeth among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
Well, what do we learn from this?
I believe this.
That when we.
Don't realize.
Are safe.
Here we are. This is when we are in our greatest danger.
They said let us set it. There wasn't any deep consciousness of the Lords presence in this arc. They called it ****. They said let's bring this ark into the battlefield with us. What a sight this would have. Would it must have been that?
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Sacred art that none but the priests were to touch us carry. The Levites could carry it, but not touch it. While here they wanted to bring this.
Off the Holy presence of the Lord in symbol into the very battlefield.
Well, what do we learn from this? I believe this, that when we get cold in our souls.
We turn to the Lord, but always, so often, it is much but a convenience just to ask the Lord to help us.
Without any consciousness that the Lord has a message for us. And so they said we'll get the art, it will help us. And they got us. Their will was in power and they didn't bring the in the ordered way Sinner has and half and I they did come with the ark. Nevertheless, these men, had they been faithful and they would have fed Oh brethren, we can't touch this off.
But here they come along into the battlefield, and what would happen now?
Well, we we have read it, haven't we? The fifth verse. And when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
Why, this was truly a an unconscious door, I should say. Not realizing the awfulness of what they had done, they showed out in triumph.
Incentives really of the presence of the Lord, or what they had done. They showed as if they had won a great victory.
And the earth rang.
6th Verse. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?
And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
Now here is a little word of instruction.
The Philistines were more conscious of the presence of the Lord than the Israelites were. And isn't this true so often when we are amongst the unsaved? Oh, don't we find that they are more conscious of the way you and I should be acting than we are ourselves? Very often. And it says, And when they understood that the ark of the Lord was coming to the camp, that is the first thing they understood it.
The second thing And the Philistines were afraid. Israel wasn't afraid.
There they were, going on in their in their pride, in their confidence that they could win a victory by the mere presence of the ark. But the Philistines were afraid. Thirdly.
For they said God is coming to the camp. Wasn't this a remarkable thing?
God has come into the campus. They didn't see that that ark alone, but they saw that that was God's presence. And fourthly, and they said woe unto us.
That is a good thing to say, said by the wrong one. Said by the Philistines.
Nevertheless, we learned that they were conscious of the presence of God amongst the Israelites, and Israel wasn't.
So they tell in the ninth verse how they should use.
Courage, be strong and quit yourselves like men or ye Philistines.
That ye be not servant under the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men.
And fight. Or it was natural courage. I remember a sister one time visiting her.
And she said, well, he'd gone through a lot of sorrows. She'd lost her husband. Or she said, well, it's like all of life, We have our ups and downs and we take the good days with the bad days. Oh, dear young people, that's not really true. When the Lord allows some circumstances in our lives that are trying, He has a message for us. But Israel here, they weren't sensitive to it.
Would to God that we would be more sensitive when when there are trying circumstances.
So here they are using all their natural courage and their strength. And when you're at college or at school, you, you are just everyday inculcated with this type of thing. He's strong. Develop your personality, assert yourself, demand your own right, Stand up to yourself. That's what the Philistines were saying. That's what the world says.
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What about the Lord?
Henceforth and the Philistines thought, and Israel was smitten.
And they fled every man into his tent, and there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel 30,000 footmen.
Well, God wasn't going to be.
Left out of this and open sin now brings an open rebuke.
And here they are, fleeing now to their tents. 30,000 flames.
And not only so, but the 11Th verse and the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli Hofney and Sinner has whistling.
This line of the priesthood.
Now comes to an end.
He lies to sons dead.
It won't take time to read the balance of these verses, but I'll just mention it. A message. The messenger ran with the news to Eli, who was sitting by the way, concerned for the presence for the ark. The presence of the Lord, when the news reaches him, falls back, breaking his neck, and he dies.
God was speaking. Oh dear young people, are we sensitive? When God speaks to us, He has a message for us. The the circumstances may vary in everyone's life, but all we have, we must realize that God is speaking to us. And so here it was, going from bad to worse, the battle off. And so now Eli and his systems sling. They are also, as we would see, was taken by the Philistines.
Well.
Is a nice little word for.
Some of your sisters.
Wonderful how God has such varied messages. I see some daughters in law here, some young daughters in law. Here's a nice little message for you in the 19th verse.
Eli's daughter-in-law.
And his daughter-in-law Sinner has wife was with child near to be delivered. And when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by said unto her, Fear not, for thou hast born a son. But he answered not, neither did he regard it.
And she named the child Ichabod, saying the glory is departed.
From Israel, because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband, and she said, the glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.
Well, it's nice to see the order here in which.
Places this news.
And its natural, isn't it, that if personal sorrow comes into our lives, that we place that rather highly on our list of of trials and sorrows. But oh how how instructive this is.
That the her death.
Or all the news.
That he heard. He places it in a very important order. Notice the order.
Middle of the 19th verse. And when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, he bowed herself and prevailed, for her pain came upon her.
What is the order of the sorrow?
The ark was gone.
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That was the most distressing of all the news.
No, I don't mean of course to in any way.
Suggests that we lighten the sorrows, personal sorrows for which we pass. But oh, what a word of instruction here it is to see that this woman, that one object before her, the primary object, was the loss of the of that arc.
God's glory was before her.
And whatnot. The death of her father-in-law. And thirdly the death of her husband.
Do you get the message?
To see that this woman.
Really was in the channel of God stuff.
God's glory.
First, Oh dear young people, and each one of us today as we see the day's darkening sorrows on every hand, tragedies so often coming in amongst us.
Let's not lose sight of the first object before the Lord's glory. Are we concerned about the fact that worldliness is creeping in amongst us? Are we concerned about the fact that so many that once stood for the truth, many, many groups in other days have firmly adhered to the truth, now giving it up God's name?
Lord, the standards being Lord everywhere, all beloved ones are we deeply conscious of.
Or are our thoughts just centered in our own sorrows and in our own lives and our own little problems? Oh, may we learn from this nice little passage to put First things first, God's glory first. Well, what do we further learn? We further learn that the women would try to belittle the fact that the child that she might die.
And so they said.
20th And about the time of her death, the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not.
For thou hast borne a son. They tried to bring comfort to her. He was beyond that. He was more conscious of a deeper star than that. But she answered not, neither did she regard that which would naturally bring her great joy would be the fact that she had borne a son.
With the sorrow of the conditions really overwhelmed her and she named the child Ichabod. Oh, I think this is wonderful.
The glory of God is departed. That was what was before her. And I believe, beloved young people, that when you and I realize the days in which we live and when we keep our eye mainly upon that point, that the darkness is settling down on us, and that the day of the coming of the Lord is approaching, that the signs more and more tell us of the the wickedness and the subtlety of the enemy.
And that we are being robbed of the joy of our salvation through many things that we're allowing in our lives. Or may this be that which would speak to our soul. May we be realizing this and not only to be concerned about our individual sorrows and trials. The glory of the Lord is that before.
Well, let's go down.
Now in the chapter that follows.
We won't take time to read it, but.
God is going to take care of His own glory.
The ark passed into the hands of her Stein, and it went from place to place. No one wanted it, because every place that it went it brought disaster and death. But they in their ignorance, they brought it into their own house. But he even God.
Place vegan their God and they placed the ark beside Dagen.
Well, they came in the morning and they found the Dagan. Their God had fallen over. God's presence there was overwhelming.
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In their ignorance they set it up again. The next morning they came in. They find that Dagan has fallen down again. This God, this fish God, a face in the hands of a man, the body of a fish.
And it is broken.
Superstition comes in. They never walk over the threshold where these parts of this heathen God were found.
Isn't that the way we find in the world these days?
Just a little word here on this.
Many different.
Things are happening.
Five years ago it wasn't drugs.
But now this is in many of the big centers.
That which occupies many young people.
And this may pass, but I would just like to pass on a word of warning.
I believe that there is something coming that is infinitely worth and that is dabbling into familiar spirits.
I believe that this is coming on us, and if the Lord doesn't come soon, we're going to be facing these dangers more and more.
And I would just like to pass on a word of warning to keep away from these.
Things, how dangerous they are. You might say that some of these.
Invite you to these Fiat's and with a bigger centers they're increasing everywhere.
You might say there's no harm in just going there. I'll be warned, dear young people.
He warned. I don't believe you'll escape unscathed if you do. Sometimes young people say, well, it will just go as a matter of fun or see what happens or keep away. The power of Satan is tremendous these days and increasingly so, and it's spreading throughout the world. You can't, and I can't dabble with these dangerous things that are coming in into the world.
Because I believe it's increasingly dangerous. Satan is mounting a greater and greater attack. And I believe that is that more and more that we're going to see these dreadful days. Keep away from them, dear young people, keep away from them.
Well, we go down farther.
The 11Th verse of that fifth chapter, just one verse there. So they sent and gathered together all the Lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let us go again, and let it go again to its own place, that it may slay us not.
And our people, for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city.
And the hand of God was very heavy there.
Oh God, presence was felt.
It was a deadly destruction.
They felt that they were conscious of it and they said, oh, let's get this ark away. Let's get it back to to the children of Israel. Deadly destruction was coming upon them.
And throw the ark.
Was brought back.
Now the 6th chapter.
Seventh verse.
Now therefore make a new car.
And take two milk time on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kind to the to the car, and bring their calves home from them. And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart. And put the jewels of gold which ye return him for a trespass offering in a coffer by the side of the Roth, and send it away, and that it may go.
Now God graciously dealt with these Philistines.
They put this.
Sacred Ark on a new car.
They thought in their ignorance that this would be acceptable. They made an offering to and then put it beside the ark and send it away. But it was a new car. Notice that a new car, something that might appeal to the eye and they said we'll send it away. They also got 2 Cows that had calves and they said now we will send these cows leading the scarf and we'll see which way they go.
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If they went a certain way back toward Israel, we'll know that God's hand was in this.
If not, why? We'll just know that it was perchance. Oh dear young people, God is in everyone of these events that you and I are seeing in this world today. He's behind them. He has a purpose in them all. Nothing is happening by chance. All has a purpose of wisdom from God Himself. And so God directed these two cows totally contrary to nature.
To leave behind their little calves and to go on back into the land of Israel. Well, it's good, dear young people, to see these days that God, God is behind all the events. We can rest in peace with the consciousness that God is behind all these scenes. He's behind them all, and nothing is happening by chance.
And so the cows brought the ark back.
13.
And they are batheamus.
Were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. Now we come back to the children of Israel.
God graciously brought this ark back.
And it's like it can be a picture of the beginning of a restoration.
Sometimes when we feel that we've lost the Lord's presence, we get discouraged. But the Lord is gracious and He's merciful. He wants to restore. He wants to draw you and me back when we get cold in our souls. So often events are allowed in our life. Why? They always have a purpose of blessing. And so here, now, we find that the ark has been brought back, and they have. It has come to this little town.
Of best human the men of Israel are there, gathering their wheat. Harvest, harvest.
And when they see the arc going by, instead of their dropping their work and running to to greet this arc or even to have a consciousness of the goodness of God, why it just says and they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark and rejoice to see it. It wasn't very much work in their soul. There wasn't any consciousness that they had sinned.
Dear young people, I think this is important for you and me to learn that when the Lord has allowed us to pass through some difficult time, we need to realize that there is something that the Lord has seen in our lives that He wants to correct. But here these men of Bathsheimish, why they rejoice and that's all. But we're going to see something worse that happens. Now let's go down to the 19th 1St.
And he smote the men of Bathsheimers because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. Even he smote of the people 50,000 and three score and 10 men. And the people lamented because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
Well, here's another word of warning now.
The men of Israel, these men of best haemish or that outlawing area, the Ark comes back and they have the audacity.
To open the arc and to look into it.
I believe that these are dangerous too. In these last and closing days, beloved young people.
I believe that many of the trials for which we pass these days.
Have this as a character.
Dissecting and looking into the person of Christ.
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Dissecting that blessed persons work, I should say.
How dangerous that is.
Oh, may we see the blessings Lord Jesus in all his completeness and in all His sufficiency for us, and may we not be taking time how Satan would occupy us with all these.
Questions and constantly rob us of time when we could be enjoying the Lord, instead of which so often we're taking up with arguments and discussions of this time.
These men looked into the ark and 50,000 and 70 died. Wasn't only in that little village because this was a little village, but no doubt there were many many in that area. 50,000 more that were slain in Israel by the sword of the Philistines, 50,000 as a result of God.
Interference.
All beloved ones, are we conscious of these facts that when you and I get told in our souls there needs to be that brokenness in the Lords presence?
There needs to be the consciousness that he loves us, but that he is holy.
And there is, there is that brokenness purely. There is not going to be this carelessness. I believe that there are two results that come to us, that can come to us when the Lord speaks to us. One is that it breaks us down and causes us to return with Thanksgiving and worship. The other is that there becomes a familiarity.
And an indifference to the Lord's glory. There becomes a inquisitiveness about matters and so on, as we found find here, only to find that God interfered in judgment upon these people. Well may it be the former. May it be brokenness in your heart and mind. God wanted to restore that arc to its place. He would. God wants to bless you, dear young people here as this afternoon.
Lives and he will if there is that needed brokenness that God is going to put us through these lessons to teach us. May we then be teachable. Well, let's go on.
The 7th chapter.
And the men of surgical Jerome came and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the House of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eliezer his son, to keep the ark of the Lord, and attained to pass while the ark abode in surge. Jeff Sierra that the time was long, for it was 20 years, and all the House of Israel lamented after the Lord. Well, it was a long time, wasn't it? And sometimes when they passed through trials, and we get away from the Lord, it may take a long time.
Quickly to get away, but a long time in restoration. And so here now we find that this arc was 20 long years away from its resting place.
In the House of Abinadab.
But there was a work in their souls. And we would say this again, May God work in our souls. May we have tender consciences. I often say, if I can ask God only for one thing, may it be to ask Him for a tender conscience. The conscience, now the people was beginning to work. And so we find in the next verse, verse 3, And Samuel spake unto all.
Notice that all the House of Israel saying, If you do, return unto the Lord.
With all your heart, then put away the strange God and asteroth from among you, and prepare your heart unto the Lord, and serve Him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of a full of signs. Or isn't that?
The secret, now the secret was coming out now. What was it? Ah, these other gods were amongst the people. Are we allowing things, dear young people in our lives? Might not be very serious, you might think. Just just a little compromise here and a little bit of compromise there. Down the road we will go. Our souls become cold, insensitive to God.
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Claims over us insensitive to the word of God when it's spoken to us.
Come to the meetings. Our hearts are so cold that we don't take, we don't get the message from the Lord. Oh, may it not be so. But here now was the beginning of restoration and.
To this tasteful man, Samuel, it comes out now that they were. He says to them, therefore put away the strange God, strange God, different God.
And so they did.
Fourth verse Then the children of Israel did put away Balaam and Asteroth, and served the Lord only. And Samuel said, gather all Israel to Mispa, and I will pray for you under the Lord. And they gathered together to Mispa and drew water and poured it out before the Lord. Well, that was an interesting thing.
I don't. I can't recall if this was ever done before.
Pouring water out before the Lord. Later on it says we are as water poured out. Well, I believe that it brought, it brings out the fact that they were conscious of their weakness. Just as water poured it on the ground, so they poured it this water. That was a good sign, wasn't it? A sign of the realization a little bit more of their own weakness. Oh dear young people, we need to ask the Lord to make us conscious of our weakness.
And so they poured out the water on the ground and fasted. On that day they were in earnest. Are you in earnest? Am I in earnest through the Word? The claims of God haven't their effect on us, Or are we just saying, well, we can do this and go on with the world? Oh, may it not be so. Here they were fasting now. They had given up their gods. They had poor. They had poured out water as a sign to God of their own weakness.
And they fasted and they said, we have sinned against the Lord.
That was music in God hears.
Do we say that? Are we in the presence of the Lord?
One girl one time asked me where does it begin? Oh.
I said to her on your knees in your bedroom with your door shut.
Open up your breath to the Lord, your heart, the secrets of your heart. Confess them all to the Lord. That's where it begins. Tell the Lord I'm weak. I'm such a failing preacher. Cast yourself on the Lord. Oh, he loves you, dear young people. He wants to bless you. He wants to restore you. He wants you to realize your weakness. Almost of all, He wants to hear those words. I.
And.
We have been.
Before the Lord, it was in the sight of the Lord.
And now the 7th person, when the Philistines heard that, the children of Israel, gathered together to midst with the Lords of Philistines, went up against Israel.
Oh, what's this? Why no sooner was there a stirring in their hearts than Satan was busy.
Many times in our lives don't we experience this When everything is going along fine, Satan leaves us alone, everything seems to be so easy and nice. But when the Lord starts to draw back, that's when the trouble starts here, with Satan immediately stirring up the Philistines against them.
But God now is working and let's see what happens.
And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines, or their fear came in again.
Here comes into our light so often, circumstances frightening us all. We need to get our eye on the Lord now.
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. No longer were they depending on their own strength. He will save us. They didn't say it will save us, He will save us. Or there was returning confidence. Now isn't it a nice time when we feel that the Lord is, is drawing this vast, warming our hearts, increasing our confidence in the Lord?
Never let us down at all. He wants to get matter straight. He wants to, first of all, hear those words. I've been. And so the increasing confidence grows. It continues.
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And Samuel offered a sacrifice under the Lord, and cried unto the Lord in the ninth verse.
Middle of the 10th verse. But the Lord thundered with a great Thunder that day upon the Philistine. Oh, the Lord was acting now.
Isn't that grand? He thundered. He took care of those enemies. He will take care of you and me. Have we lost our confidence in the Lord? The reason why we lose lose it so often is because of our will in operation going on with things that we shouldn't. When we come back to the Lord, when He draws us back, and when there's that confession, oh, the Lord comes in. We can tell if so many times in our lives, and I'm sure many of you older ones could testify to how the Lord has come in and thundered and delivered us.
And so there was a great deliverance. That day discomforted them and they were smitten before Israel.
And the 12Th verse. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Misbah and and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, hitherto half the Lord helps us, or isn't that nice? What a lovely contrast this is to Ichabod.
The glory of the Lord departed. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
Which state are you in, dear young people, this morning? Have you gone through that stage to realize that the Lord wants to work in your heart? Oh, may you get these messages from Him. May you be encouraged. I want to encourage you. I want to show you, dear young people, that if we put First things first, He will bless us. He will restore us. Never, never do we ever get to a stage where He says, too bad too many times.
Oh no, blessed Lord, He loves to restore. But now we have a further message and let's to learn. Let's go on now to to Chronicles.
Now there's a further development.
David.
Heals the need of the presence of the Lord, this sacred ark.
Notice the mistakes, however. 13th verse, 13th chapter, first verse. 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.
No mention, dear young people, of consulting the Lord. If it seemed good to you. His heart was right. He wanted the ark back. It was a good thing.
It was where they were ready. Their state of soul was ready now. He longed for the presence of the Lord in His capital. The Lord had given great deliverances.
What do we learn from this? I believe we learned this, dear young people, and that is that though we might be consulting the Lord on how to to act against our against the world, they were often consulting, asking the Lord for guidance against their enemies.
But when it came to a question of bring the ark back, no mention of consulting the Lord and all beloved ones, I believe this, that there is no time when you and I more need the direction of the Lord, when it is a question of worshipping Him.
And here they go on in their own thoughts.
And so they said in the middle of the second verse.
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 the Levites.
That was far down the list. They should have had those first, but the priests and the Levites were almost like an afterthought.
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Which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us. Wasn't under the Lord. And let us bring again the ark of our God to us. For we inquired not as in days of the stall. And all the congregation said, and that they would do so, For the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
Just pause there for a minute. It looked right. It appealed to their minds.
But all there was lack of God perfect way of doing these things.
And I know it sounds old fashioned.
But all when you and I are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no room for our minds.
It must be according to the Word and no other way. If we're going to worship the Lord, if we're going to be brought into His holy presence, it is to be in conformity to His Word. It's a narrow path. It's a narrow way. They may be laughing at you and even other Christians too, but are we adhering to the Word of God in our worship? For David here, he was lacking, and so it was right in the eyes of the people.
Seventh verse and they carried the ark of God in a new car out of a House of Abinadab and other and Ohio drave the car. Oh, what is this? Now, why here they're using just the very same methods as the Philistines have used.
They go and get a new car.
Might have been a very nice painted cart, and it was a new one, but oh, it wasn't God's way of doing things.
And how old, dear young ones, I just want to say this in passing too, that so often.
All the different spirits of the world that creep into our lives.
They so easily, as they say, rub off on us.
Here was David. Now using some of the worldly methods we can.
You can't, though it might be a new car can look very nice and very attractive. It was not God's way. And Oh dear, young people are locked the new carts these days. Lots of new ideas that people are telling us and telling you. No doubt you're hearing day by day. Oh, everything is changed now. All new names to everything. I'll be worn. It's the word of God that we need and it never changes.
Never mind those new cars, let's find out what God has for us in his word and soul. As we know this story. They brought the ark out and other who should have known better because he was in the House of Abinadab. Why the the oxy stumbled and he thought the ark was going to fall over. He puts out his hand and touches it. God modem he died.
Wasn't in the due order.
It was what they were thinking, and God's honor was at stake.
The holy presence of the Lord needed nobody to reach out their hands. Oh, we don't need to defend the Lorde glory. He can defend his own glory. We need to be an obedience to his word and not be reaching out ourselves and thinking we can steady the arc. Blessed Lord, He's able for all these things. And so 11Th verse and David was displeased.
It didn't please David.
When our wheels are crossed, do we get angry? It's a bad sign, isn't it?
When somebody brings the truth before us and we get angry and displeased.
A bad sign. It's a sign that there's something wrong. David was displeased with the Lord.
Do we ever get displeased with the Lord? Sometimes we do, don't we? When we don't get our own way and when we think we're trying to please the Lord.
And so we get this fleas and say I'm going to give it all up. Well, it stayed. The ark had to stay in that house. Let's see what happens in the next versus the 14th verse. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obadivens in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obadiah and all that he had. Oh, isn't that nice? This was individual blessing. Now for Obadiah. He got the blessing.
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David deprived himself of it, and so here it stayed in this home for three months.
Oh dear young people, some of you are setting up your home, getting married and setting up your home.
May that blessed Lord have his place in your home if you do.
Your home will be blessed. God bless this home because of the place that they gave that sacred art, though it was out of place to be there, nevertheless God honored that that individual faithfulness. Now we must go on quickly.
Now we find that David is his.
What will we say? He's learned his lesson. 15th chapter.
Second verse Then David said none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. Oh, why didn't he know? Didn't he know this before? He certainly did.
The new car.
Or the Levi, which was it going to be? Oh, now he says, the ark of God. Nobody should carry that but the Levi, 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 the ark of the Lord into his place, which he had prepared for it Swallowed 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 for because he 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. Or isn't that nice? After the due order? Are we following the word of God after the due order? There was the key of blessing, wasn't it? After the due order might be old fashioned but it's according to the word of God is that.
Is the glory of the Lord before the due order will follow them if we walk in obedience to His Word.
It will be that you order and so they brought the ark of the Lord and here is a lovely verse 16 verse.
And David speak to the chief of the Levites to point their brethren to be singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and symbols sounding by lifting up the voice with joy. Wasn't that lovely? Oh, there's joy now, all beloved ones, there is going to be joy in your heart and in mind if the Lord's presence is felt.
Though He may have sinned, there is mercy and pardon us for Him says, Pardon for you and for me. He longs to bless you. He longs to restore us. He longs to put us through those lessons that are necessary in order to teach us His way. But if there is that walking in obedience to His Word, if there is the conformity to it in our daily life and in worship, what is the result? Joy. Not just one last little, a few little verses.
Just to show the wonderful joy. We haven't got time to read this whole chapter, but it's nothing but joy, just a verse here or there.
17 So the Levites appointed Haman the son of Joel and of his brethren.
And the 19th verse. So the singer.
Human and Asaph and Ethan were appointed to sound with symbols of brass 20 and Zechariah and the others the end of the verse with salt trees on Alamos.
21 and Mattis fire and that list with harps on feminists to a cell. 22 and Ken and I are the chief of the Levites was for song. He instructed about the song because he was skillful.
Well, here they were. Some were instructing, some were engaged in this, making music to the Lord.
But one last little verse.
3420 fourth verse And Obed Edom and Jihaya were doorkeepers for the ark. I don't know whether this is the same Obed Edom, but here we find the same man in a nice little position. Now why? He was the one that had been blessed. If it's the same man in his home now he's one of the doorkeepers. Oh, isn't that a nice place for the glory of the Lord? Not because we think that we're anything but all. We need good doorkeepers, don't we?
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And here was Obadiah, a good doorkeeper. Well, there was Joy 26.
And it came to pass when God helped the Levites that bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
That they offered seven bullocks and seven Rams. Well, I haven't got time to finish off, but you can read those many beautiful verses that follow where joy filled the heart of all the people, where they were engaged in so many different ways of praising God.
Well, may we learn these lessons, dear young ones, here this afternoon, that though we get away and grow cold in our souls, the Lord's presence, He longs to have you conscious. He longs to have me conscious of it, that He will never leave us, though that aren't got away. The Lord is with us, beloved One, and some of these days, one of these days He's coming in the clouds and He's going to call us himself.
Out of this poor world that can offer and give you and mean nothing.
But sorrows and disappointments and trials. May we learn then the lesson, that if we walk in obedience to His precious words, if the glory of the Lord is before us, if we walk in separation from everything that we know is dishonouring to the Lord, and if we follow the Lord in the worship of Him after the due order, there will be nothing but joy in your heart and mind until that moment when we see His blessed face.