A glance into the ark - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

The Good Seed - Wednesday, August 23, 2017
by GBV Dillenburg GmbH

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A glance into the ark

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.
1 Samuel 6:19

A glance into the ark
The ark of the covenant that normally stood in the sanctuary of the tabernacle or temple had been captured by the enemy. Through God's mighty intervention, it was returned to the land of Israel. Curious as we people often are, the inhabitants of the frontier village of Beth-Shemesh looked into the ark, although God had forbidden anyone to do so. Maybe they did it through ignorance. Or could it have been through indifference towards God's thoughts? The consequence was judgment on the part of God. They had to die.
Is there not instruction for us in this occurrence? The very materials of the ark of the covenant, gold and acacia wood, speak clearly of the Person of Jesus, who became Man, yet remained God at the same time. God and Man in one Person is both unfathomable, and inconceivable for us human beings. Yet we can, as the redeemed, admire the glory of our Lord by faith.
The action of the people of Beth-Shemesh is a warning for us. Whoever wishes to delve deeper into the Person of the Lord Jesus and His being as the eternal Son of God and true Man that what the Bible reveals to us is in danger of sinning grievously. The Son of God cannot and must not be explained by human, philosophical thinking. God watches over the glorious, holy Person of His Son. May our thoughts, words and prayers that touch on the Lord Jesus be marked by what the Bible teaches - nothing more and nothing less! That will be to His glory.
Today's reading: 1 Kings 21

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