Good morning,

When we think about the state of our world, the wickedness and corruption and want to blame someone else, look in the mirror. We are our own worst enemies.

Read today’s devotion with that in mind.

The worst enemy I have!

(Thomas Reade, “Christian Meditations”)

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24

Strange to tell, yet, no less strange than true, the worst enemy I have is MYSELF!

I may flee from other enemies, but from this I cannot escape.

Wherever I go, SELF still is there.

The inbred evil travels with me.

I may cross mighty oceans, traverse extensive deserts, plunge into the deepest recesses of the tangled forest or the caverned earth, yet, in the profoundest solitude, SELF is there!

None but the true believer knows the dreadful conflicts between the flesh and the Spirit. His cry is; “Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I flee away and be at rest!”

But soon he feels the vanity of this wish; for even if he could fly on eagle’s wings to the earth’s remotest bounds, he would carry with him all the evil he deplores.

He therefore prays for present grace and strength, for present power to conquer sin, and to glorify his Savior in the place divine wisdom has appointed for him.

Lord Jesus, you alone can enable me . . .
  to vanquish the powers of darkness,
  to overcome the corruptions of my heart,
  to crucify the lustings of the flesh.

“Lord, save me from that evil man, myself!” Augustine

   ~  ~  ~  ~

The answer to the question is Jesus Christ.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

A deadly enemy!

(William Sprague, “Lectures on Revivals of Religion”)

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” James 4:4

Beware of the world!

Everyone who has made much progress in the Christian life, has been taught by his own experience that the world is a deadly enemy to the believer’s growth in grace.

The cares of the world are exceedingly apt to mar the Christian character.

But there are, in addition . . .
   the pleasures of the world,
   the honors of the world,
   the riches of the world,
all of which in turn seize hold of the heart with a mighty grasp.

Sometimes the world laughs and scoffs at the Christian, and tries to persuade him that he is giving himself to fanaticism and folly.

Sometimes it flatters and caresses him, and by its artful blandishments, seeks to draw him aside from the plain path of duty.

Indeed the world will assume any form, or morph into anything, to draw the Christian away from God and from duty.

How important then that you be on guard against this dangerous enemy! Beware especially against the levities and amusements of the world; for this is the point at which you are most in danger.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:15-16
~  ~  ~  ~

Good advice.

Tomorrow, “The worst enemy I have.”

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

We are living in a world that is changing moment by moment. However, there is one thing in this world that does not change, and never will.

See if you can find it in today’s devotion.

Life is like a painted dream!
(Octavius Winslow, “This God is Our God”)

“For this God is our God forever and ever–He will be our guide even to the end.” Psalm 48:14

“The world passes away.”

Everything here in this present world is changing.

“Life is like a painted dream,
 Like the rapid summer stream,
 Like the fleeting meteor’s ray,
 Like the shortest winter’s day,
 Like the fitful breeze that sighs,
 Like the waning flame that dies,
 Darting, dazzling on the eye,
 Fading in eternity.”

A rope of sand,
a spider’s web,
a silken thread,
a passing shadow,
an ebbing wave,
are the most fitting and expressive emblems of all things belonging to this present time’s state.

The homes that sheltered us in childhood we leave.

The land which gave us birth we leave.

The loved ones who encircled our hearths pass away.

The friends of early years depart.

And the world that was so sunny, and life that was so sweet, is all beclouded and embittered; the whole scenery of existence changed into wintry gloom.

Such are the saddening, depressing effects of life’s vicissitudes.

But in the midst of all, “This God is our God FOREVER AND EVER!“

All beings change, but God.

All things change, but Heaven.

The evolutions of time revolve, the events of earth go onward–but He upon whom all things hang, and by whom all events are shaped and controlled, moves not.

“I, the Lord, do not change.“

Our affairs may alter.

Our circumstances may change.

Our relations and friends may depart one by one.

Our souls in a single day pass through many fluctuations of spiritual feeling.

But He who chose us to be His own, and who has kept us to the present moment, is our covenant God and Father forever and ever, and will never throw us off and cast us away.

“For this God is our God forever and ever–He will be our guide even to the end!“ Psalm 48:14
~  ~  ~  ~

God does not change! His word does not change! We can rely on it to be true, faithful, and God’s communication of His will for us.

Trust in the Lord.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we will celebrate Passover, 8 April, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter), 12 April.

Our devotionals will center around Jesus death and burial, He is risen, Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, and how the resurrection changes everything.

Although COVID-19 has taken away our opportunity to fellowship together, it can never take away our ability to read and study the Word of God. You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

The resurrection changes everything.

The Resurrection Changes Everything (1 Corinthians 15:3-6, 13-18)

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ⁵ And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: ⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: ¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. ¹⁵ Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. ¹⁶ For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: ¹⁷ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ¹⁸ Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

God made it very clear: no resurrection, no salvation! Now that is a scary thought. The good news is that Christ is resurrected from the dead. There were over five hundred witnesses. The Holy Spirit lives within each believer. Our eternal destiny is secure.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we will celebrate Passover, 8 April, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter), 12 April.

Our devotionals will center around Jesus death and burial, He is risen, Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, and how the resurrection changes everything.

Although COVID-19 has taken away our opportunity to fellowship together, it can never take away our ability to read and study the Word of God. You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

What Is the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

April 23, 2019

Leaven is repeatedly emphasized in the Bible. It is mentioned more than 70 times from the time of Abraham to the life of Moses to the histories of the kingdoms to the former prophets, major prophets and minor prophets. Jesus Christ talked about it during His ministry, and He emphasized it on the final night before He was crucified.

Why? Because leaven is a powerful spiritual symbol.

The biblical book that mentions leaven most frequently is Exodus. Exodus 12 records God commanding millions of Israelite slaves in Egypt to keep the Passover, in part by eating lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The next night, God miraculously freed them, and they joyfully left Egypt. Verse 34 notes that they “took their dough before it was leavened.” Seven days later, with the Egyptian army in pursuit, God miraculously divided the Red Sea, the Israelites walked across the seabed on dry land, and the returning waters destroyed the Egyptians.

God commanded His people to memorialize these events—and their spiritual meaning—by keeping annual observances: Passover at sunset, the Night to Be Much Observed the following sunset, and the feast of Unleavened Bread over the next seven days.

“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. … [F]or in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt …” (verses 15, 17).

Jewish believers still keep a form of this observance. But it is actually commanded for God’s Church today. The Apostle Paul wrote to New Testament Christians that “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). New Testament Christians keep the feast of Unleavened Bread! (see Acts 20:6).

There is nothing inherently wrong, unhealthy or evil about leavening. But during this unique one-week period, God uses leavening to represent sin. God commands that we get it out of our lives during this time—every last loaf, slice and crumb!

Jesus warned against “the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” in Matthew 16. The Apostle Paul focused on leaven in 1 Corinthians 5:6-7: “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven ….” The Bible links the way leavening puffs up dough and the way sin spreads and permeates our life. It only takes a pinch of leavening to raise an entire loaf—and it only takes a single compromise to fill our life with sin.

Sin means breaking God’s law of love (1 John 3:4; Romans 13:8-10). It ultimately results in death (Romans 6:23). Every particle of human failure and suffering is caused by breaking God’s law, just as failure and suffering are caused by breaking the laws of biology, chemistry and physics. Let sin into your thinking, and it quickly spreads from one part of your life to another—to another to another. It subtly infuses you with selfishness. It puffs you up with vanity. And it takes God’s miraculous intervention, combined with your effort, to put sin out of your mind and completely keep it out!

Just as with the ancient Israelites, God focuses us on “cleaning house” during the Days of Unleavened Bread: removing every crumb of bread with leavening ingredients like yeast, baking soda and baking powder from our homes, our workplaces, our vehicles and every nook of personal property in between. This symbolizes ridding our lives from every bit of sin and keeping it out. Physical deleavening is no easy task, but neither is getting sin out of our lives. It takes real effort and sweat to deleaven your possessions, just like it is a constant, lifelong battle to remove sin and keep it out when it inevitably begins to creep back in.

However, simply getting the leavening out doesn’t completely fulfill the command in Exodus 12:20. For seven days we not only avoid leavening, but we also eat unleavened bread, representing God’s way of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8). That bread symbolizes Jesus Christ Himself—the “bread of life,” the bread we must eat if we are to inherit eternal life (John 6:35, 48). As we ingest that and allow Christ into us, He transforms us into a new and different person. This is another beautiful lesson of the Days of Unleavened Bread.

For God’s people, from Moses and the Israelites to David and the kingdom of Israel to Jesus Christ and His disciples to New Testament Christians through the ages, one of the greatest highlights of the year is the meaningful, exciting, inspiring feast of Unleavened Bread.

To learn more about this annual sacred festival, read Exodus 12-13.

Thanks to the Philadelphia Church of God for a clear and concise description of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown tonight. It ends at sundown tomorrow.

Today’s study requires us to open our Bibles and search the references about the Passover. It will open our eyes and help us connect to what Christ did on the cross for us.

This week we will celebrate Passover, 8 April, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter), 12 April.

Our devotionals will center around Jesus death and burial, He is risen, Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, and how the resurrection changes everything.

Although COVID-19 has taken away our opportunity to fellowship together, it can never take away our ability to read and study the Word of God. You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

PASSOVER

EXODUS 1-12

INTRO:  The Hebrews in Egypt (1:1-12:36) 

A. Progressive mistreatment of the Hebrew slaves (1:1-22) 

1. The tribes of Israel identified (1:1-7) 
2. Pharaoh (King of Egypt) who knew not Joseph (1:8) (READ)
3. Growth of Hebrew population (1:9-10) (READ)
4. Harsh treatment of Hebrew slaves in Egypt (1:11-14) (READ)
5. Plan to destroy the Hebrews (1:15-22) (READ)

B. Preparation for deliverance of Hebrew slaves (2:1-4:31)

1. Moses born and saved from destruction (2:1-10) (READ)
2. Moses kills an Egyptian and forsakes Egypt (2:11-14) 
3. Moses in the land of Midian (2:15-22) 
4. God takes knowledge of Israel’s sad plight (2:23-25) 
5. God calls Moses at a burning bush (3:1-4:17) (READ 3:1-10, 4:18)
6. Moses agrees to go back to Egypt (4:18-26) 
7. The Hebrews believe Moses and accept his leadership (4:27-31) 

C. The Israelites delivered from Egyptian bondage (5:1-15:21) 

1. Moses demands the release of the Israelites (5:1-4) (READ)

“Let my people go…” used 8 times
2. Pharaoh’s answer: Hebrews denied straw with which to make bricks (5:5-23) 
3. Moses demand certified by miracle (5:23-7:12) (READ 7:1-9)
4. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (7:13-14) 
5. First plague: Blood (7:14-25) 
6. Second plague: Frogs (8:1-15) 
7. Third plague: Lice (8:16-19) 
8. Fourth plague: Flies (8:20-32) 
9. Fifth plague: Disease on Livestock (9:1-7) 
10. Sixth plague: Boils (9:8-12) 
11. Seventh plague: Hail (9:13-35 
12. Eighth plague: Locusts (10:1-20) 
13. Ninth plague: Darkness (10:21-29) 
14. Death announced (11:1-10) (READ)

D. Israel redeemed by the blood of a lamb — Passover. (12:1-13:16)

Christ is our sacrifice Hebrews 10:4-10 (READ)

1. Beginning of the year is changed (12:1-2) (READ)
2. Passover instituted (12:3-20) (READ)
3. Procedure for Passover ceremony (12:21-30) (READ)
4. Unleavened bread (12:31-39) 7 days
5. Death of the firstborn (12:40-42) 
6. Passover to be observed annually (12:43-50) 

 CONCLUSION:

• And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!  (John 1:36)
• Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)
• Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)
• FOUNDATION STONE: The blood.  It covered but did not take away the sin of Israel.  Jesus blood takes away the sin of those who repent and come to Him.

Tomorrow we will look at the feast of unleavened bread. Most think this is just a part of Passover. It is not.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we will celebrate Passover, 8 April, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter), 12 April.

Our devotionals will center around Jesus death and burial, He is risen, Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, and how the resurrection changes everything.

Although COVID-19 has taken away our opportunity to fellowship together, it can never take away our ability to read and study the Word of God. You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

He is Risen Matthew 28:1-10

“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.² And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.³ His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:⁴ And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.⁵ And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

⁶ He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.⁷ And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.⁸ And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.⁹ And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.¹⁰ Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.”

Jesus said He would rise again after 3 days. He did. We must always believe the word of God.  It seems that the women were surprised. Then with fear and great joy they went to tell the other disciples. Then Jesus confirms to them He has risen. Furthermore, that they would see Him in Galilee.

Why do we doubt? We have the Bible with eye witness accounts of all that happened to Jesus from His miraculous birth, His horrifying death, His resurrection, His visual resurrected appearance, and His ascension to heaven.

The disciples’ lives were completely changed after the resurrection. Timid and weak turned into bold and strong. They turned their world upside down for Jesus.

Are we impacted by the resurrection of Jesus?

Tomorrow is Passover. Join us to find out why Passover is important to believers in Christ.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This week we will celebrate Passover, 8 April, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter), 12 April.

Our devotionals will center around Jesus death and burial, He is risen, Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, and how the resurrection changes everything.

Although COVID-19 has taken away our opportunity to fellowship together, it can never take away our ability to read and study the Word of God. You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

Jesus Death (John 19:14-30)

“And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!¹⁵ But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. ¹⁶ Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.¹⁷ And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:¹⁸ Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.¹⁹ And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews.²⁰ This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.²¹ Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.²² Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.²³ Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.²⁴ They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.²⁵ Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.²⁶ When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!²⁷ Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.²⁸ After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.²⁹ Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

The chief priest and religious rulers fulfilled prophecy when they called for Jesus to be crucified. Jesus had to go to the cross, on our behalf, to become sin for us. He paid the penalty for our sin, death.

Where were all His disciples? They all fled except John. Even God the Father forsook Jesus. So if Jesus did this for us, why is it that we forsake Jesus? We fail to follow His directives found in the Bible. We put other things ahead of our relationship with Him. We need to repent and ask Jesus’ forgiveness. Jesus promised, “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Jesus is Buried (John 19:38-42)

“³⁸ And after this Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.³⁹ And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight.⁴⁰ Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.⁴¹ Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid. ⁴² There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulcher was nigh at hand.”

Jesus is dead. The Roman soldiers knew it, Pilate knew it, and Joseph of Arimathea knew it. Prophecy again was fulfilled. Isaiah 53:9 states, “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man. Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb.

There had to be a death and burial to have a resurrection. However, if there had only been a death and burial, Jesus would be no different from any other religious leader.

Tomorrow we look at He is risen.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Where do we put our trust?

The ark of the covenant has been returned and has resided in Kirjathjearim for twenty years.

Then the prophet Samuel challenges the nation of Israel to return to the Lord with all their heart, put away their strange gods, prepare their hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only.

IF

“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”       (1 Samuel 7:3)

THEN

If they choose to do this, God will deliver them out f the hands of the Philistines. The children of Israel did make the right choice.

Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only. (1 Samuel 7:4)

Israel Repents and asks God to save them

“And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.⁶ And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. ⁷ And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.⁸ 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.” (1 Samuel 7:5-8)

Samuel prays for Israel

“And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him.” (1 Samuel 7:9)

Philistines defeated; cities restored

“And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. ¹¹ And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar. ¹² Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.¹³ So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴ And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.” (1 Samuel 7:10-14)

FINALLY, the nation of Israel turned to God. They repented of their sins, gave up worshiping false idols, sought God with their whole heart, and as a result GOD gave them the victory. Not the ark of the covenant! God did it!

COVID-19 is our Philistine.

Israel had to make a decision. Follow the ways of the world or the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To follow the failed ways of the pagan society in which they lived or the living truth of God’s word.

They chose to follow God. THEN, and only then, did God go to work for Israel and gave them the victory over the Philistines.

Choose today who you will serve.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Where do we put our trust?

The Philistines return the ark of the covenant to Israel. The men of Bethshemesh offered a burnt offering to the Lord. The men of Bethshemesh chose to open the ark and look inside. God killed 50,070. The men of Bethshemesh requested the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim to fetch the ark to themselves. It resides there 20 years.

The ark returns to Bethshemesh

“And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.” (1 Samuel 6:13)

Burnt offering offered

“And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord.¹⁵ And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord.” (1 Samuel 6:14-15)

Even though Levites were present, the burnt offerings were not done as prescribed by Jewish law.

Jews living at this time were living in idolatry and not for the Lord. It would be 20 more years before they would repent and begin to serve God.

The men of Bethshemesh look into the ark of the Lord with disastrous consequences

“And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.²⁰ And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?” (1 Samuel 6:19-20)

The Levites and men of Bethshemesh knew better to open the ark to look inside. It was forbidden. “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.” (Numbers 4:15)

The ark is relocated to Kirjathjearim

“And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?²¹ And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.”

Again the ark, used improperly, was a cause for death and destruction. Israel was not worshipping God. The Levites were not teaching the people the law.

The ark resides in Kirjathjearim 20 years

“And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.”

Sin has its consequences. Failure to read the law, obey it, to serve God, caused a separation between God and Israel.

Tomorrow we will see how Godly repentance changes the consequences.

Are we walking with God or apart from Him? During our down time with COVID-19, this would be a great time to get into God’s word and get right with Him.

Don’t be like Israel!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001