Dr.
Paul Manuel—2020
1
Sam 5:1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God,
they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s
temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next
day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the
LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following
morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground
before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were
lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day
neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod
step on the threshold. 6 The LORD’S hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod
and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with
tumors. 7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of
the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy upon us
and upon Dagon our god.”
1
Sam 5:8 So they called together all the rulers of the
Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of
Israel?” They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So,
they moved the ark of the God of Israel. 9 But after they had moved it, the
LORD’S hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted
the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
1
Sam 5:10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the
people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel
around to us to kill us and our people.” 11 So they called together all the
rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away;
let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.” For death
had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy upon it. 12 Those who
did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to
heaven.
1
Sam 6:1 When the ark of the LORD had been in Philistine
territory seven months, 2 the Philistines called for the priests and the
diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we
should send it back to its place.” 3 They answered, “If you return the ark of
the god of Israel, do not send it away empty, but by all means send a guilt
offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has
not been lifted from you.” 4 The Philistines asked, “What guilt offering should
we send to him?” They replied, “Five
gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine
rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers. 5 Make
models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and pay
honor to Israel’s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and
your land. 6 Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did?
When he treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites out so they
could go on their way? 7 “Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that
have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take
their calves away and pen them up. 8 Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the
cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him
as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, 9 but keep watching it. If it goes up
to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great
disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand
that struck us and that it happened to us by chance.” 10 So, they did this.
They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their
calves. 11 They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the
chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. 12 Then the cows
went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the
way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the
Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
1
Sam 6:13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting
their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they
rejoiced at the sight. 14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth
Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the
wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. 15
The Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest containing
the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On that day the people of
Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD. 16
The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day
to Ekron. 17 These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering
to the LORD—one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. 18 And the
number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns
belonging to the five rulers—the fortified towns with their country villages.
The large rock, on which they set the ark of the LORD, is a witness to this day
in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. 19 But God struck down some of the men
of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into
the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had
dealt them, 20 and the men of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the
presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?” 21 Then
they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines
have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to your place.”
1
Sam 7:1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the
ark of the LORD. They took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated
Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD. 2 It was a long time, twenty
years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of
Israel mourned and sought after the LORD. 3 And Samuel said to the whole house
of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid
yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the
LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the
Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and
served the LORD only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I
will intercede with the LORD for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah,
they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and
there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel was leader
of Israel at Mizpah.
Outline:
I. God goes to Ashdod (5:1-7).
A. He
topples Dagon twice.
B. He
inflicts painful tumors.
Application: Your superstition may
involve a meaningless motion to you, but does it strengthen or undermine
the perception of your devotion to the Lord (Eph 5:3)?
II. God goes to Gath (5:8-9).
• He
inflicts painful tumors.
Application: You can choose an emotional
response that reflects not your physical state but your actual
state (Phil 4:4).
III. God goes to Ekron (5:10-6:12).
A. He
causes widespread panic.
B. He
compels sincere repentance.
Application: God
has removed the uncertainty in efficacious prayer by issuing a series of
guidelines that guarantee your success (Prov 3:6).
IV. God returns to Beth
Shemesh (6:13-21).
• He
executes seventy Israelites.
Application: Do
not postpone till tomorrow what He wants you to do today, lest you run
out of time today to do anything tomorrow (Matt 7:13).
V. God goes to Kiriath
Jearim (7:1-6).
• He
compels sincere repentance.
Application: The
prospect of eternal life should forever excite you, eliciting
praise and adoration for the generous God you serve (Rom 6:23).
Introduction: A change in the setting of a particular situation
does not necessarily mark an improvement in that situation.
Mr. Smith goes to a party and has too much to drink. A friend
offers to take him home, but he declines, saying that he only lives a mile
away. A few blocks from the party the police pull him over for weaving erratically
and ask him to get out of the car and walk the line. Just as he starts, the
police radio announces a robbery taking place in a house just a block away. The
police tell the celebrant to stay put as they run down the street to the
robbery. Mr. Smith waits and waits, finally deciding to drive home. When he
gets there, he informs his wife that he is going to bed and to tell anyone who
might come looking for him that he has been out of commission all day with the
flu. A few hours later the police knock on the door. They ask to see Mr. Smith,
and his wife tells them that he has been in bed with the flu all day. The
police have his driver's license and ask to see his car, so she takes them to
the garage where they find…the police car, lights still flashing.
A change in the setting of a particular situation does not necessarily
mark an improvement in that situation. The Israelites assume that their having
the ark of the covenant gives them an advantage in whatever situation arises,
until the situation changes, and their enemy captures the ark.
Background: When the Israelites are attempting to settle Canaan,
they encounter resistance not only from local residents but also from other
relative newcomers to the land, the Philistines. The conflict between these two
peoples is actually a conflict between their respective deities: the Lord, the god of the Israelites, and
Dagon, the main god of the Philistines. Unfortunately, their first encounter (as
well as all subsequent encounters) does not end well for the Philistines, even
as the Lord embarks on a series of
“Ark Adventures,” traveling
between Israel and Philistia.
I. God goes to Ashdod (5:1-7).
A. He
topples Dagon twice.
1
Sam 5:1 After the Philistines had
captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they
carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people
of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the
ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his
place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on
his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been
broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is
why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s
temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.[1]
This is not a good
look for Dagon. A god should be able to take care of himself. The true God is
exposing the weakness of this false god, who cannot keep himself upright.
Dagon’s impotence is on display in the temple for every visitor to see. Dagon’s
priests are able to cover up the first mishap but not the second in which Dagon
loses his head. The breakage gives rise to a common superstition (like not
walking under a ladder or stepping over a crack in the sidewalk).
1
Sam 5:6 The LORD’S hand was heavy upon
the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and
afflicted them with tumors. 7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening,
they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because
his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god.”
Despite the fact that
the Philistines defeated Israel in battle, they have not defeated Israel’s God,
although in conventional warfare, one outcome usually signifies the other. In
this case, the outcome is worse, far worse, for by taking the ark, the
Philistines have brought their enemy, a very powerful enemy, the one “who is enthroned between
the cherubim” (1 Sam 4:4) on the ark they stole, into their very
midst, and they need to expel Him post haste, lest He inflict damage they
cannot reverse. They have no doubt who is responsible for their suffering. An
earlier confrontation with Israel’s God at another temple of Dagon (in Gaza) did
not turn out well for them:
Samson prayed to
the LORD, “O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God,
please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on
the Philistines for my two eyes.” Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the
temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his
left hand on the other, Samson said,
“Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down
came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many
more when he died than while he lived. (Judg 16:28-30)
The memory of that previous event probably still lingers in the
minds of those who survived.
Application: What superstitions do you
have? When you display them (e.g., “knock on wood”), what are you hinting to
others about your confidence in the God you serve? Your superstition may involve
a meaningless motion to you, but does it strengthen or undermine the
perception of your devotion to the Lord? As Paul admonishes the
Ephesians, “Among you there must not be even a hint…of any kind
of impurity…because [this is] improper for God’s holy people” (5:3). Even small
things matter to Him.
II. God goes to Gath (5:8-9).
• He
inflicts painful tumors.
1
Sam 5:8 So they called together all
the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of
the god of Israel?” They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to
Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel [to Gath]. 9 But after they
had moved it, the LORD’S hand was against that city, throwing it into a great
panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an
outbreak of tumors.
People’s emotional state often mirrors
their physical state. Here, the residents of Gath have an infirmity that throws
the city “into a great panic” (v. 9). For the Philistines, this is
entirely understandable given their hostile attitude toward God.
Application: Does a person’s physical
state necessarily determine his emotional state? …No, if your relationship with
God is right, you can choose an emotional response that reflects not
your physical state but your actual state, which is very different from
the state of those who are not “redeemed by the blood of the lamb.”. So Paul
counsels the church at Philippi. Despite the physical persecution they face,
they should “Rejoice
in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4). Likewise, your
circumstances should not—they need not—dictate your emotional state. While your
relationship with God may not alter your circumstances, it does assure a
favorable outcome.
III. God goes to Ekron (5:10-6:12).
A. He
causes widespread panic.
1
Sam 5:10 So they sent the ark of God to
Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out,
“They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our
people.” 11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said,
“Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it
will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s
hand was very heavy upon it. 12 Those who did not die were afflicted with
tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
The Philistines in
Ekron know the power of this God that the ark represents, and they are
understandably terrified. The tumors are not merely an inconvenience; they are
deadly (“death…filled the city” v. 11). The Philistines think by getting rid of
the ark, they will get rid of this God and banish His power, which they may do
but not because God is in any way geographically limited. He is not (Manuel
2008b). Moreover, the people of Ekron hope to transfer their own suffering to
another community, which is not a neighborly way to act, and it shows that the
Philistines are not a united people. Furthermore, although they cry out to God
for mercy, there is no indication He answers them by relieving their physical
distress.
B. He
compels sincere repentance.
1
Sam 6:1 When the ark of the LORD had
been in Philistine territory seven months, 2 the Philistines called for the
priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD?
Tell us how we should send it back to its place.” 3 They answered, “If you
return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it away empty, but by all
means send a guilt offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know
why his hand has not been lifted from you.” 4 The Philistines asked, “What
guilt offering should we send to him?” They replied, “Five gold tumors and five
gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same
plague has struck both you and your rulers. 5 Make models of the tumors and of
the rats that are destroying the country, and pay honor to Israel’s god.
Perhaps he will lift His hand from you and your gods and your land. 6 Why do
you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When he treated them
harshly, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?
God may not inflict
His judgment all at once but spread it out, as he does here for “seven months”
(v. 1), presumably to teach the Philistines that “the God of Israel” (v. 3) is
really responsible. Eventually, they tire of the tumors and come to understand
that keeping the ark is not in their best interests. Cut off from the Israelite
priesthood, the Philistines must rely on their own priests for guidance, which
they do and formulate a plan to return the ark.
1
Sam 6:7 “Now then, get a new cart
ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows
to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. 8 Take the ark of the
LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you
are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, 9 but keep
watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the
LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will
know that it was not his hand that struck us and that it happened to us by
chance.”
The plan works, and the
ark returns to Israelite territory along with an offering in admission of
Philistine guilt, confirming they believe the Lord is responsible for their
suffering. “The Philistines are…well advised to cut their loses as soon as
possible” (Youngblood 1992:604).
1
Sam 6:10 So they did this. They took
two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. 11 They
placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the chest containing
the gold rats and the models of the tumors. 12 Then the cows went straight up
toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not
turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them
as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
It is interesting these people think God
will appreciate an offering of “gold rats [and] tumors” (v. 11), but that is
what they assume. There may be some mantic (sympathetic magic) hope of working
a cure here. The Philistines are superstitious, as their behavior after Dagon’s
fall at the Ashdod shrine evinces:[2]
To this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who
enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold. (1 Sam
5:5)
Whatever their rationale, the
Philistines hope God will accept their offering and relieve their suffering. It
is a shot in the dark, but what do they have to lose?
Application: You
need not be certain if your petitions will reach their divine target or if they
will elicit a positive response. God has removed the uncertainty in
efficacious prayer by issuing a series of guidelines that guarantee your
success (Manuel 2008a):
In
all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make
your paths straight. (Prov 3:6)
The only
uncertainty is if you will follow God’s direction, especially when it seems to
conflict with your own direction.
It is not good simply to drift through life
and hope things will all work out in the end. God expects you to use your judgement,
to make good choices with the options you have:
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your
plans will succeed. (Prov 16:3)
That is a
guarantee you will receive nowhere else.
IV. God returns to Beth
Shemesh (6:13-21).
• He
executes seventy Israelites.
1
Sam 6:13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh
were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the
ark; they rejoiced at the sight. 14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of
Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up
the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
15 The Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest
containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On that day the
people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD.
16 The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same
day to Ekron. 17 These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt
offering to the LORD—one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. 18
And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns
belonging to the five rulers—the fortified towns with their country villages.
The large rock, on which they set the ark of the LORD, is a witness to this day
in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
The Philistines are
aware they have offended this deity and must now make amends. They send
offerings they hope the Israelites will interpret correctly, not simply as
reparations for sealing the ark but as repentance for offending the God of the
ark.[3]
1
Sam 6:19 But God struck down some of
the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had
looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow
the LORD had dealt them, 20 and the men of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand
in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from
here?”
A few Israelites think the ark is now there
to satisfy their curiosity, which is somewhat understandable, as not many
Israelites have seen the ark closely, let alone touched it.[4]
But the ark is not a toy. It is a sacred object that demands respect, as the
men of Beth Shemesh learn.[5]
1
Sam 6:21 Then they sent messengers to
the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of
the LORD. Come down and take it up to your place.”
The Israelites respond similarly to the Philistines: They try to
get rid of the ark by sending it away, as if that will silence God. He is not
so easily put off.
Application: It is not possible for
you to ignore God if He wants your attention. He can be very persistent and persuasive.
He also may employ a variety of means to make you to take notice (e.g.,
sickness). People can try to ignore Him, but eventually everyone will have to
face Him:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him
for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad (2 Cor 5:10).
It is best to schedule an early appointment
with God to get the most favorable treatment before the crowds converge at the
end. As Jesus said,
Enter through the narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many
enter through it. (Matt 7:13)
Do not postpone till tomorrow
what He wants you to do today, lest you run out of time today to do anything
tomorrow.
V. God goes to Kiriath
Jearim (7:1-6).
• He
compels sincere repentance.
1
Sam 7:1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim
came and took up the ark of the LORD. They took it to Abinadab’s house on the
hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD.
Abinadab may not be a
priest, but his house offers a suitable location for the ark, where it remains
until David transfers it to the temple he builds in Jerusalem.
1
Sam 7:2 It was a long time, twenty
years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of
Israel mourned and sought after the LORD. 3 And Samuel said to the whole house
of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid
yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the
LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the
Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and
served the LORD only.
The Philistines
continue to harass Israel but do not launch a significant attack against God’s
people, finally suffering defeat at the hands of David. Nevertheless, the
return of the ark provides an opportunity for the people of Israel to renew
their commitment to the God of Israel, and it signals a national repentance,
which the Israelites need, as some are worshipping “Baals and Ashtoreths” (v.
4).
1
Sam 7:5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble
all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you.” 6 When they
had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On
that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the
LORD.” And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah.
Water is a source of life, especially in
the desert, and God worked two miracles in the discovery of water there:
• At
Horeb, God brought water from a rock:
I will stand there before you by the rock at
Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of
it for the people to drink. (Exod 17:6)
• At Kadesh,
God brought water from a rock:
Moses raised his arm and struck the rock
twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock
drank. (Num 20:11)
Hence,
the pouring of water signifies God’s giving life and reminds the people that His
support for them in the past will continue for them in the present.
Application: The giving of life,
eternal life, is a bounty from God of which you should never tire, no matter
how many times you hear about it:
The gift of God [and it is a
wonderful gift] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23)
There is a
tendency among some Christians to become so inured to the idea of eternal life
that it no longer moves them. Resist that tendency. The prospect of eternal life should
forever excite you, eliciting praise and adoration for the generous God
you serve.
Conclusion:
The ark of God travels from Israel to Philistia and back to Israel again.
Throughout these various “Ark Adventures,” God demonstrates His power, that He is
not merely a portable deity (Manuel 2002) but a God who remains involved in the
lives of His people, even if He seems removed at times, and He is a God who
remains involved in your life as well, no matter what adventures you have.
Bibliography
Manuel,
Paul http://paulwmanuel.blogspot.com
2002 “God in a Box—Wrong Answers
to Right Questions” (1 Sam 4-7). [Sermon].
2008a “Competence
in Communicating with God,” an excerpt from Praying
through the Bible: A Reporter’s Investigation.
2008b “Not
a Local Deity: The Lord and the
Land.”
Youngblood,
Ronald F.
1992 “1,
2 Samuel.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary.
Vol. 3. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.
[1]Zephaniah may refer to this practice:
Zeph 1:9 On
that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the
temple of their gods with violence and deceit.
[2]The Philistines have temples in two of their
five cities (Ashdod and Ekron), and it is possible they have a shrine in each
one:
Josh 13:3
The territory of the five Philistine rulers [is] in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath
and Ekron.
1 Sam 6:17
These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent…one each for Ashdod, Gaza,
Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.
Cf. Judg 16:27 The temple [at Ashdod] was crowded with
men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there.
1 Sam 5:5
…who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod
Dagon
is not the only deity the Philistines worship:
1 Sam 31:10
They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths.
Some
temples may serve more than one deity, with idols to several gods.
[3]The Philistines send two kinds of offerings,
burnt and guilt, perhaps in consultation with Israelite priests.
[4]Later the ark will assume an aura of fear, after
Uzzah’s experience:
2 Sam 6:6
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold
of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD’S anger
burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him
down and he died there beside the ark of
God.
The transfer takes a brief
pause, perhaps for David to rethink the method:
2 Sam 6:11 The
ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months.
He eventually resumes the
transfer, perhaps with greater care.
[5]Unlike the Catholic Church, the
Protestant Church does not have sacred relics, items supposedly associated with
the early church and imbued with supernatural power (e.g., to heal). The two
biblical examples of relics had temporally limited efficacy because of their
tendency toward abuse:
Num
21:8 The
LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on
a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”
Cf. 2 Kgs 18:4 He broke into pieces the bronze snake
Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to
it.
Acts 19:11
God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and
aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were
cured and the evil spirits left them.
There is no indication either
means of healing applied outside its original setting.
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Relevant and civil comments are welcome. Whether there will be any response depends on whether Dr. Manuel notices them and has the time and inclination to respond or, if not, whether I feel competent to do so.
Jim Skaggs