Click Here – 1 Samuel 6:1-7:2.
The saga of the Ark continues in today’s reading. The Philistines had enough of the Ark. They wanted to get rid of it and came up with a plan. They would send it back, but not by itself, but with gold images of the things that were plaguing them (I think to symbolize the plagues leaving them), in hope that the Lord would have mercy upon them.
When the Israelites saw the ark return, they rejoiced. They offered the cattle as an offering to the Lord and celebrated its return. But they were careless, they placed the golden images on the stone beside the Ark, almost as if they were equal. They also forgot about the holiness of God, and God struck 70 men dead because of that offense, so they treated it with fear, sent it away, and hid it in a house.
Thanks to Christ, WE can be in God’s presence; we no longer have to fear His wrath. Because of the forgiveness given to us by Jesus, in God’s eyes we are holy, perfect, and sinless.