Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Just like to read a few verses, first in the 12TH chapter beginning at the 38th verse and then this 13th chapter.
All these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest also of Israel were of 1 heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. For over they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on ***** and on camels.
And on mules, and on oxen and meat meal cakes of figs and bunches of raisins and wine and oil, and oxen and sheep abundantly. For there was joy in Israel.
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, and let it be of the Lord our God, 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 Levites that are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto the unto us.
And let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
And all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
So David gathered all Israel together from Shihor of Egypt, even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the Ark of God from Kirjashjaram.
And David went up, and all Israel to Bailah, which is to purchase Jiram, which belongeth to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.
And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the House of Abinadab, and Ahiah grave the cart.
David and all Israel played before God with all their might.
And was singing, and with harps, and with soul trees, and with timbrels, and with symbols, and with trumpets. And when they came into the threshing floor of Chidon, ASA put forth his hand to hold the ark. For the oxen stumbled.
The anger of the Lord was kindled against us, and he smote him because he put his hand to the ark, and there he died before God.
David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Azah, therefore that wherefore that place is called Peraz Azza to this day. And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?
So David brought not the Ark home to himself, to the City of David.
That carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom The Gittite. The ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months, and the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had.
What I had on my heart, brethren, to talk about was the way the Lord guides us and I believe we could say with the Lord's help. We look at the next couple of chapters that He guides us through His Word and He also guides us in answer to prayer. We find that we need both in our Christian life. Very often we find the two brought together and that is praying and reading His Word. And so here we find that the desire in the heart of David that He would bring.
Back the ark of God. But it's important when we have a good desire to be directed by the Word of God, and then if we don't have a definite scripture, to turn to the Lord in prayer. For there are some things in life where we don't have a definite scripture, but the Lord is interested in every step of our journey. He cares and says, of all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
When we see where we began here in this 12TH chapter, that it was a very, very happy occasion, it tells us here that in this 38th verse of the 12TH chapter, all these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to David king over all Israel, and all the rest also of Israel were to 1 heart to make David king.
We can see that these people, these ones of the nation of.
Israel, they had the right desire, they wanted to make David king, and he was indeed God's king. And we see them coming with one heart. And we're thankful every time we meet anyone who has a heart for the Lord, who loves the Lord, who wants to give him a place of honor in his or her life. And we see this here a very, very happy occasion indeed it was.
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But we are going to see that the important thing.
Is not just that we say, well, we can all go along together without consulting the Word of God. We have to be directed by the Word of God if we're going to walk in the path that is pleasing to Him.
So we see this brought before us here, and as we look at this occasion, it says there were three days eating and drinking. Their brethren had prepared for them, fewer. I had been there. We would have enjoyed that time of fellowship very much. Many of us know such occasions when we have come together and had very happy times of fellowship with the people of God. But Christian fellowship is not a substitute for the guidance of the Word of God.
By his spirit.
We remember how when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth.
His parents took him as a child up to Jerusalem, and there they no doubt had a very happy time of fellowship at God's center in Jerusalem. And it tells us that they remained there. And then when they wanted to return home, they started home, and it says with their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And I can just imagine.
How they had a very happy time as they walked along on their way back home.
But there was one thing they hadn't noticed, the Lord wasn't there. And it's very easy for us to get so taken up with Christian fellowship and that we forget the importance of the Lord Himself and the light of his word. And so tells us that when they had gone a day's journey, perhaps no doubt talking about the happy time that they had had, they were in the right place there too, at Jerusalem.
They were doing what God had desired for them.
But at the end of the first day, they realized that the Lord was not there. And it says they went back to Jerusalem seeking for him. And I say again, this is really an important lesson for all of us, for myself as well As for each one here, that we should realize the importance of following the light of God's Word. And in the light of God's Word we will have the company of the Lord Jesus.
Because he values obedience.
He says if he loved me, keep my commandments. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew we see that.
The Lord Jesus appointed the place where he would meet with his disciple and the only way they could meet with their risen Lord was to listen to his directions and to go where he had asked them to go. And then when they got there, it says when they saw him, they worshiped him. Wasn't the perfect group and never looked for a perfect group because we're all failures at very best, but look for the person.
And you'll find that in the path of obedience.
We can enjoy his company.
Well, after these three days of eating and drinking and joy for Christian fellowship is indeed a real joy. Then it says here in the 13th chapter in the first verse, and David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader. Well, you might say they were all of one mind. They were all agreed because you read on. It says the thing was right in the eyes of all Israel, and it was right that they.
Should bring up the ark. That was a very good and proper desire. But there was a way that God wanted it to be done, and he had given very specific instructions about that in his words. He had said that if the ark was to be carried, it was to be carried upon the shoulders of the priest. But we find here that.
If we can put it in this way that David went by popular opinion, you know, it's easy for U.S. President to just go by popular opinion instead of seeking the light of the word of God. So it tells us here.
That he tells them, but seem good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere.
And so they've made an announcement to them that they were going to bring up the ark of God.
But notice what it says here.
That they in the end of the second verse, that they may gather themselves unto us, and let us bring again the ark of God to us.
You notice here that it doesn't seem that they were so much exercised about the Lord Himself, because you know when the instructions were given about the ark.
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Way back in the 25th chapter of Exodus, it says that that ark was to be constructed and God said that see that thou make it according to the pattern that I showed to thee on the mount. Nothing was left to the discretion or wisdom of Moses or any of the others who were there in connection with that work. God gave a pattern and they were to follow that pattern.
And then he said, There I will meet with thee.
And there I will commune with thee. So I believe that we could think of the ark as it brought before us in the Scripture as the symbol of God's presence among his people. How wonderful it is to have that blessed privilege and joy of meeting with the Lord. Now, I say again, it's very nice to have one another, and I've enjoyed many, many happy times with other Christians. But I believe it's good for us to realize that.
God has given these kind of instructions in His Word.
And so they were going to bring the ark of God to us. In other words, you can see that the setting here is that they were thinking of something that was their own plan. Although it was right that they should bring the ark, they thought of bringing it to us. But isn't it wonderful? It's the Lord that we want to meet. It says in Hebrews 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him.
Without the camp bearing his reproach.
It's a person, and so we find when the Lord Jesus was here.
How those who really sought Him got the blessing over and over again when they sought him. Remember in the 1St chapter of John, the Lord said to the disciples, What are those two disciples? He said, what seek ye? And their answer was, Master, where dwellest thou?
You know, if somebody asked where they would find me, I might give a street address in a certain city, but they said, Master, where dwellest thou? Oh, how important it is, brethren, that Christ should be everything. He's everything for salvation. He's everything for our pathway. He's the he's the gathering center. And we might even know a great deal about the truth of his coming, but we could know that and not have our thoughts upon the person. It's the person the coming of.
One who loved us and gave himself for us. But here we can see that there was something that was missing here.
And in the fourth verse it says, and all the congregation said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. And I'm sure that if we were to follow the consensus of thousands of real Christians, why we'd have all kinds of varying ideas about.
Our pathway and the way of gathering and so on. But isn't it wonderful that we have the word of God and the Bible says His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. God has given us the direction we need. And if I can speak for myself, as I grow older, this book becomes more and more wonderful to me as I see in this wonderful book that God has given to us.
All that we need for salvation, even for the common everyday relationships of life, all is unfolded to us from the One who knows everything. He's the One, as the Bible says. He's perfect in knowledge and He has given us. And when man goes against the plan of God, whether it's in the way they live or whether it's in the way they gather, it's the way they carry on their everyday life.
Why they only find that they're missing?
That which God intended for our good and blessing on a sometimes said it can make a simple test of any doctrine that is presented by just asking that one question. Does this line of teaching exalt man or exalt Christ?
Because it says in John chapter 16 that when he, the spirit of truth is come.
He will guide you into all truth. Then it goes on to say, He shall.
Glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. And if you are puzzled sometime by a doctrine that's presented, just ask that question. Does this line of teaching that I'm hearing, does that exalt the Lord Jesus? Or does it give a certain amount of glory to man for what he has done, even as a Christian, even as a believer, because these people love the Lord.
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I'm not questioning that it says they were of 1 heart to make David King.
There was a great deal of affection for David.
Well, he gathered them all together and it says.
On the 6th verse, and David went up, and all Israel to Belah that belonged, that is, to purchase Jiram, which belongs to Judah, to bring up plants, the ark of God the Lord that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called upon it. Know the cherry of them. Perhaps you remember they are first brought before us. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden. When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, and they were driven out.
It says God placed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden cherubim and it says they were there to keep the way of the tree of life and a flaming sword that turned every way.
And that, as it were, was saying there's no re entrance to Eden. We're never going to get back to what was in Eden. We're going to get to something better through the work of Christ. But that sword has fallen upon the Lord Jesus and it tells us in Zechariah.
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand over the little ones. And so that sword fell down upon the Lord Jesus, and God has opened a way. And on the top of the ark was the mercy seat and the cherubim representing God's government.
Looked down, and there the Moses was told that the blood was to be.
Sprinkled and saw they looked down upon the blood and God made a way of access into his presence and so this was what the ark spoke of that God in wondrous grace had provided a way of access into his presence through the blood. We read in Hebrews chapter 10. Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. It's because the precious blood of Christ has been shed and in.
Sense the blood is on the mercy seat and we have a way of approach into His presence.
Well, they decided to bring up the ark now, and it had the name of the Lord upon it, you notice, and it says in the seventh verse. And they carried the ark of God on an in a new cart out of the House of Vinadab and Aza, and ahayah drave the cart.
Now you know this idea, if I can put it that way, this idea didn't come from the Word of God. Where did they get the idea of carrying the ark upon a new cart? Well, if you read back, we don't take time, but I'll just mention it. You can search it out for yourself.
The children of Israel had failed. God had allowed the ark to be taken down to the country of the Philistines.
And God had plagued the Philistines for having put that ark in the House of their God. And so he decided to send the ark back. And of course they didn't have the word of God. They didn't have the divine instruction.
So they made a new part and they put the ark on top of the new cart, they put two milskine, they tied up their calves at home and they said now if this ark.
For those two oxen driving it without anyone to drive it, just carrying that ark, if it goes back to the land of Israel, then this is the hand of God. Because they knew that no oxen with their calves tied up at home would go without anyone to drive them and carry the ark back. Well, that was all that they knew. They didn't have the word of God. They didn't have the divine instruction.
And so we find here that God overruled and that ark. I find in the other occasion I meant to say that God overruled and he allowed the ark to be brought back in that way. But now?
The mistake, if we can speak in this way that David and all these people of Israel made, was that they followed the ideas of the Philistines instead of searching the word of God. The Word of God had made it very plain that the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the priest. It was not to be made upon some man made cart, it was to be carried upon their shoulders, and I believe the reason it was to.
Carried upon their shoulders was that.
As they carried that ark by, it was lifted up above their heads. That is, if anybody saw that going by, they would see that ark covered with a blue cloth going along, but they wouldn't see first of all the men that were carrying it. The men that were carrying it were sort of hidden by the ark being lifted up. And you know, man's plan always brings in something that exalts man we're going to notice in the.
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15th chapter When we come to it, that when they did follow God's plan and they carried the ark in God's way. There was a great number of Levites that are mentioned, but we're not told precisely who it was that carried the ark. God doesn't attract attention to the first man. It's true and wondrous grace. He has saved us and He has given us the privilege of serving him.
But we can't serving him acceptably unless we realize.
The end of the first man we know. That's sad to say. Much of Christendom is occupied with setting man forward, I heard a brother say.
Christendom has become a vast arena where men strive for honors for themselves. And it's hard to pick up a book that doesn't give a great deal of, shall I say, blow to the person who wrote the book and all his wonderful record and the letters after his name and everything. And what God wants is to honor and exalt his beloved son. Do you know who God called the greatest among those born of women? The man who said, I'm only a boy.
They came to John the Baptist. That's the person whom the Lord said was the greatest among those born of women. And they said, John, the people want to know who you are. Are you the Christ? And he said, no, Are you that prophet? He said, no. Well, who are you then, John? He said, I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. He totally hid himself.
And he sought to honor the Lord.
And so we see that in man's plan, we know who drove the cart, and I'm sure that those men felt greatly honored that they were selected to drive this new cart. I can just see how they would sit there feeling how important they were in that job.
And so while they were driving along, the oxen stumbled. God wasn't pleased. Where did the pattern come from? Not from the Word of God. It came from popular opinion. But if they had only consulted the Word of God, they would have found God's plan. And so I, I want to say, and not only as to the way we gather to worship, but I believe for everything in our lives.
It's most important for us.
To have that childlike prayer of Saul of Tarsus. When the Lord saved him, he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
You remember when the Lord asked the disciples to prepare for the Passover, they might have said, well, we know a lot of good places, but they didn't. They said, Lord, where wilt thou that we prepare? And he gave them the most careful instructions so that they couldn't mistake the directions that he gave. And so here the Lord was displeased.
The oxen stumbled and other put forth his hand to steady the ark.
And the Lord was displeased that this whole plan scheme.
You know, in Speaking of the ark being above their heads and lifted up, I believe there's something for us to learn in this. I just like to turn to one verse in Matthew Chapter 11.
Matthew, Chapter 11.
In verse 27.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Now we're told here that the sun reveals the Father. So in the Lord Jesus was here, he could say, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. But it says no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. And I believe, brethren, it's important for us to always remember this, that the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is beyond our natural minds.
How could the one who upholds all things by the word of His power be there as a babe in Bethlehem's Manger? I can't explain it to you, but I believe it. It's above my mind, but it's not above my faith. I believe it because God said it. When the Lord Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, he said no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man, which is.
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In heaven.
I remember I was talking to some children one time and I said, you know, I can just be in one place at one time. What did the Lord Jesus mean when he was standing there talking to Nicodemus? And he said, No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the Son of man which is in heaven, how could he be in two places in heaven and also on earth at the same time?
And I thought there's this simplicity of a child.
He said because he's God, because he's God. And friends, let's always remember this. There have been people who have been tried over and over again to explain the mystery of the glory of the person of Christ, but it's above our minds. No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And so I don't understand it, but I believe it because that blessed person was God and man in one person and those who try.
To explain and try to figure some way that they can explain away the person of Christ. They always stumble. They always stumble. The oxen stumbled here and he put forth his hand because it wasn't the mind of God that man should be in prominence here. God's. I thought God's plan was the ark was to be the prominent place because the ark spoke of Christ.
And the one who is in the midst of his people.
Well now there's a little thing we notice here in the 12TH verse. It says, and David was afraid of God that day, saying, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? That was a very good question, wasn't it? He didn't at this time consult everybody else and say, well, let's talk this over, where do we make our mistake? He says, how shall I bring the ark of God home to me? And we're going to see when we come to the 15th.
Chapter that he found the answer, not in all the opinions of men, but he found it in the word of God. There was a how there was a way that God had ordered that this ark was to be carried. But now I wanted to also notice this little touching point at the end of the chapter.
So David brought not home the ark, brought not the ark home to himself, to the city of David, but carried it aside into the House of Obed Edom the Gittite. And the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had. I just like to say a little thought about this. You know, sometimes things come up, troubles come among the people of God.
As long as we value the person and the work of the Lord Jesus, as long as we value the truth of His word, why? Let's go on. Let's go on and value this. We have seen many of us in our lifetime. Things have happened even among the people of God. But I think it's very lovely here to see that when this had happened that there was one household that sought to remain faithful to the Lord and the Lord.
Custom, you know, you have a little pictures of that if you were to turn over, it won't take time, but if you read some time, the 3rd chapter of John, there were things that were happening in the assembly there. And Gaius the apostle writes to Gaius and encourages him to go on faithfully in spite of difficulties that arose among the people of God. You know, brethren, it's very easy to get discouraged when things go wrong, when people do things that upset.
Us and trouble us. It's very easy to get discouraged and say I give up, but isn't it lovely to see that the Lord blesses the household that seeks to go on. Sometimes the path gets very narrow. Sometimes we find ourselves the Lord reduced it in his word to two or three or two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the house, there am I in the midst of them and I think it's very lovely to see that here's a household that didn't get so discouraged that.
They gave up. They valued the ark of God, and it was reduced to just one household. But the ark was there, and the Lord blessed them because they had done that. And so I say again, when discouragements come, and they do come among the people of God, things happen that cause a lot of sorrow and trouble. Let's seek to Guam, even if it's only a few, because I believe God foresaw what would happen when He brought the numbers down to just two or three.
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Sometimes we have seen that when troubles have come, the numbers that seek to be faithful may be very few, but seek to go on, brethren, seek to walk in obedience to His Word, and He will bless.
Now I just like to read a little bit in this 14th chapter.
And I just like to read from the eighth verse.
And when the Philistines curve it heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David, and David heard of it and went out against them.
The Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Raytheon, and David inquired of God, saying, John, there were things that were happening in the assembly there and gave us. The apostle writes to Gaius and encourages him to go on faithfully in spite of difficulties that arose among the people of God. You know, brother, it's very easy to get discouraged when things go wrong, when people do things that.
Upset us and trouble us. It's very easy to get discouraged and say I give up. But isn't it lovely to see that the Lord blesses the household that seeks to go on? Sometimes the path gets very narrow. Sometimes we find ourselves. The Lord reduced it in his words, two or three, but two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the house, there am I in the midst of them. And I think it's very lovely to see that here's a household that didn't get so discouraged.
But they gave up. They valued the ark of God, and it was reduced to just one household. But the ark was there, and the Lord blessed them because they had done that. Until I say again, when discouragements come, and they do come among the people of God, things happen that cause a lot of sorrow and trouble. Let's seek to go on, even if it's only a few, because I believe God foresaw what would happen when He brought the numbers down to just two or three.
Sometimes we have seen that when troubles have come, the numbers that seek to be faithful may be very few, but seek to go on, brethren, seek to walk in obedience to His Word, and He will bless.
Now I just like to read a little bit in this 14th chapter.
And I just like to read from the eighth verse.
And when the Philistines curve, it heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, All the Philistines went up to seek David, And David heard of it and went out against them. The Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Raytheon. And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him.
Then go up and I will deliver them into thine hand.
So they came up to bail Paraisin, and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand, like the breaking forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place veiled to Raisin. When they had left their gods there, David gave commandments, and they burned them with fire.
Here we find the situation arising and there was no definite Scripture that he could find that told him that at that particular time he was to go out and fight against the Philistines. He didn't know just exactly what to do. And we have situations like that that arise in our lives. We have situations that arise where we have direct guidance of Scripture. God has told us many things. He says be not an equally yoked together with unbelievers.
Tells us to be upright. He tells us to be honest and kind, tells us how we should gather in his word. But there are situations that come, maybe somebody here might be seeking a new job and you can't find a verse in the Bible that tells you to go and work for a certain company. You have to pray about something like that. And so.
When these situations arise and we don't have a direct scripture for them.
Why God is always approachable, it says in Hebrews chapter 4. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in in time of need. For Mr. Darby's translation says timely help, timely help. I think that's very lovely because sometimes we get help, but it's not timely. It isn't just at the right moment we need it, but God always.
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Timely help. And so when these Philistines came up, David didn't venture to go out against them until he had first inquired of God. I really believe that David was learning something. He'd inquired from all the others how he should bring up the ark, and he had found that their ideas were not in accord with the word of God. And so in this situation arises. He just simply goes himself to the Lord as though he were saying.
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
Another verse says.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
That's this coming weekend that the Lord will there are to be meetings in Calgary and I, I can't find any verse in the Bible that tells me whether I should go to Calgary or not, but I can pray about it. And I believe when we are simple and asking the Lord that he's able to direct us in these things. And so we find here that David asked the Lord, the Lord gave him direction for his pathway.
And tells us that he went up, and the Lord undertook for him and.
He granted a great victory for him.
I must say that when we pray and ask these things, it's good for us to be humble. The Bible says, hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. And I don't think anybody here who might have it in their hearts to go to Calgary would say, the Lord told me to go to Calgary. They would perhaps tell you that the Lord told them about some particular matter where we have a definite scripture.
And then I could say I know this is right.
Because I can show you the verse that tells me be not an equally yoked together with unbelievers or some other verse that gives us direction for certain facets of our life.
But I don't know any verse that says to go to Calgary. And so when you pray about it, it's a secret between yourself and the Lord. And David didn't go and boast and tell everybody the Lord sent me there. He just went out in a personal, quiet confidence in God.
Now I've heard people boast the Lord told me to do this, but you know, when you do that and you don't have an ethnic scripture, you're really telling people, well, I'm so near the Lord, I couldn't miss his mind. And you know, we do sometimes we do make mistakes as we know, and so we need to be very humble. But I say he does here, He does answer prayer and He delights to direct us and show us the way wherein we should go.
Now notice the 13th verse. And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. Therefore David inquired again of God, And God said unto him.
Going on up after them, turn away from them, and come upon them over against the Mulberry trees. And it shall be when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the Mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go up to battle, for the Lord has gone forth before thee. Dismissed the host of the Philistines. David therefore did as God commanded him, and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gath.
I think it's important we notice this too. We might say, well, when next year comes around, if the Lord leaves us here, well, the Lord sent me last year, so I'm going again. But he didn't.
Here he, when he asked the Lord, the Lord said no, there's a different plan this time. It's a little different plan this time. Don't go out against them, but you make a little different course and the Lord will direct you. Isn't it wonderful that we have all these things in the word of God? Sometimes we hear people talk that way. Well, that's a precedent and so I'm going to do it that way again. But you know we need.
Fresh guidance every day, the Bible says.
Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. The thought is that.
A lamp to my feet is that he just gives us guidance for one step at a time, and if we take that step, he gives us light to the next one. I think of the lights in my car. I think I have pretty good headlights, and I suppose they might shine perhaps 200 feet ahead, but you know, I'll never have light for more than 200 feet.
Unless I move forward and as I move forward I get fresh light for each 200 feet and I can travel for miles all night, but if I stop, I'll only have light for 200 feet. And sometimes we wish the Lord would show us what's going to happen in the next year. He says, I'll give you light for one step. He picked up step and when the next step.
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Comes why ask me again, isn't it wonderful that God delights to direct us in the pathway of life in all these little things this in this chapter. It wasn't carrying the ark. It was a matter where there was no particular scripture that he could rely upon, but he had one that he could turn to and rather than we have one, the one that died for us, live for us and he's there with timely help for every occasion of need.
Now we come to this 15th chapter and I won't read all the chapter but I just like to pick out parts of it.
15th chapter First Verse. And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and picked for it a tent. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, 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 up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it. And David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites.
Family passing on to the 12TH verse. And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites.
Sanctify yourselves, both he and your brethren, if he may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.
And or because he did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the Jew order.
So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of God, of the Lord God of Israel.
And the children of the Levites bear the ark of God upon their shoulders.
With the stage thereof, as Moses commanded, according to the word of the Lord, David spake to the chief of the Levites, to appoint their brethren to be.
The singer is with instruments of music, sultries and harps and symbols sounding by lifting up the voice with joy.
And just passing on to the 23rd verse.
And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the Ark.
And then if you go again in the end of the.
24th verse And Obed Edom and Jahiah were doorkeepers for the ark. So David and the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the House of Obed Edom with joy.
And the last verse. And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michael the daughter of Saul, looking out at a window, saw David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.
Well, here we see.
David has this desire, the same desire he had in the 13th chapter to bring up the ark, but he doesn't go to the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader. He himself has been searching the word of God, and he has found that it's not public opinion that he was to go by. It was what God had said in His Word. And so he comes to these people.
All these of Israel that he had gathered together.
And he speaks with assurance, He speaks with confidence because he had the word of the Lord. And it is not lovely that when you and I have the word of God, then we have confidence even in the matter of salvation. How do I know I'm saved? Because I feel saved? No, because God says so. How do I know the work of Christ is sufficient? Because God says so. And you know we have the word of God in these important matters.
So I think it's very lovely to see David here. Previous time he gathered all the captains and passed their opinion, but now he gathers them together and tells them why. This is what God has said, this is what we have to do. It's not a question of everybody's opinion, the question of the way God has said the ark was to be carried.
There's a great number of names mentioned here, and as I said.
I don't know who it was that carried the ark, probably different ones took part in it because we're not told God is not attracting attention to the people who are carrying the ark, but to the ark itself.
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Showing us that the path of obedience is what was pleasing to Him. And so we don't have any oxen stumbling, we don't have the pram failing because it's God's plan. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Some people say, Oh well that was a custom away back 2000 years ago, but things are changing. We're in 1988 or 9 and we're not.
To be governed by those old fashioned ideas. God's word doesn't change. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall pass, shall not pass away.
People say, well, we can go back 100 years, We didn't go back far enough. If we want to know the mind of God in connection with the church, we've got to go back to how God set it up. Just like marriage. If you want to know the mind of God about marriage, you've got to go back to what God planned in the very beginning, because he doesn't change his mind. He may allow certain things, He's very gracious in spite of our failures, but his mind doesn't change.
Oh, how wonderful, His Grace.
Well, how wonderful to have His word. And we see David here, his true humility of heart with him. But there's firmness because he knows that God had a plan and he was going to follow the plan that God had ordained.
And I read those verses where it says.
In the 24th verse, I'll just read this whole verse.
In Chennai and Jehoshaphat and Nathaniel and.
And Amaziah and Zechariah and Benny I and Eliezer the priest had blow with the trumpets before the Ark of God. And over Edom and Jehuah were doorkeepers for the Ark. I just wanted to call attention to this blowing of the trumpet.
If you were to read in the 10th chapter of Numbers, you would see that God planned for the making of these trumpets. It says they were to be made of one piece of silver, and silver in the Bible is a picture to us of redemption. I say that because God's plan was that when the people were numbered, everyone was to give 1/2 shekel of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and that was called the redemption money, I'm saying.
Because it isn't just from our own minds that we get these things. The silver is a picture of redemption. And when those trumpets were made, it says it was to be made from a whole piece of silver, in other words.
It's a whole heart belonging to the Lord Jesus.
That says ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God. And God told them in the 10th chapter of Numbers that they were to blow with those trumpets over their peace offerings and over their offerings that they made. And so God would never have us to forget that we're a redeemed people and communion with him, which is pictured in the burned.
Offering and a peace offering can only be through against them. And so here they were blowing with a trumpet. And what about these doorkeepers? Well, you know, God has told us in his precious words, holiness, become a fine house. Oh God, forever. No, the enemy tries to break up Christian homes and he tries to break up God's assembly. And we need to be careful.
That we follow the directions of the Word of God. That's the only.
Directions that we have that are reliable and they're the truth. They're the word of God. And so there were doorkeepers. And so we do have to be careful that there is no compromising or giving up of the truth of God. I think this is so lovely to see that David seems to have grown a great deal in his soul in this little time. He had followed the plan of a whole group of people, but now it's changed. He's searching. He's searching.
Of God. He's seeking to follow the divine pattern and God is coming in and he's blessing them. And so the ark is brought up, David so happy that it says he's dancing with all his might.
And the only leader, one person that despised him, and that was the daughter of Saul, who looked out of the window and despised him in her heart. And you know the Bible tells us, let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. And I'm sure everyone of us who are in this room know very well that if you can talk about belongings of some popular and recognized group, you will be in a measure.
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Police accepted that if you say, well, we're gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we speak to meet together in obedience to his word, you may get some reproach too, but it's the reproach of Christ. It's the reproach of Christ. And so David for carrying out God's plan. Michael didn't look out and despise him when he was following the human plan. And the world will accept to a large extent what?
Itself, but to meet together in simplicity according to the word of God does bring retrulged, but all David was full of joy. David was doing the will of God. He had the sense in his own soul.
That he was following the Word of God. And that's what gives peace. It's not public a claim, but it's knowing that we are seeking to follow the light and wisdom of God's Word. And now just a few verses before we close in this 16th chapter.
So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent that David had picked for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
I mentioned this before and these burnt offerings and peace offerings, and I think most of us know that there were five different offerings brought before us in Leviticus. There was first the burnt offering to them, the meat or meal offering, then the peace offering, then the sin and trespass offering, and those offerings bring before us various aspects of the work of Christ.
The sin and trespass offering bring before us the cross of Calverty needing our need as sinners, and the putting away of sin before God through the work the Lord Jesus accomplished.
The meal offering brings before us the perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus, because he became a man that says he was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.
And so then we have the burnt offering and the peace offering. I'd just like to say a few words about them because I believe it's very precious to see them brought in here. The burnt offering brings before us the picture of the Lord Jesus offering himself without spot to God in obedience to the will of His Father.
It really is what the work of God, what the work of the Lord Jesus, is to the heart of God.
And I just like to give a little illustration, so perhaps you can catch the thought by an illustration.
Supposing that.
I owed a great debt and I'm not able to pay the debt. And a friend comes along and says, Gordon, just give me the bills and I'll settle them for you. And he takes the bills and he goes to my creditor. He pays the bills in full and he comes back and I put the receipt in my hand, paid in full, paid in full. Now I'm I'm out of debt. I'm very happy because.
I know that my debt is paid but.
I don't know anything about whether my creditor likes me or not. All I know is that he's satisfied with the payments.
Well, let us suppose something else. Let's suppose I have a great depth where that creditor that I'm not able to pay.
And this creditor loves me and he looks on his book and he sees that great debt there. And he says to his son, would you be willing to sell your house so he could raise the money and take this debt off our books? If you'll do that, I'll send a receipt to Gordon Hale and I'll mark on it paid in full through the kindness of my son. And one day to my grace of life, I get this receipt in the mail.
Well, I know I'm out of debt, but I know, I know a lot.
More I know, a lot more I've learned, and all the heart of my creditor. He loved me, and not only that, he has a wonderful son. Who would be willing to do that. Brethren, that's the bundle.
And that's why it comes first.
And I'm sure that if I went over to thank my creditor, he would like me to hear, like to hear me say, oh, I want to say how much I think of your son. You must think he's a wonderful person. And so do I. And brethren, the work of Calvary lets us know the heart of God.
And that's what it means. The Lord Jesus offered himself without spot to God. Before I was afraid to meet. My chariot made me uneasy. Even after I had the receipt, there wasn't any special friend of mine. But how do I feel now? I'm walking down the street and I see him on the other side and I want to go over and talk to him.
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Wonderful person he is. That's the peace offering.
Peace offering or the communion offering, And you and I can have communion with God. Brethren, our depth not only paid, but the one who paid it is God's own beloved Son, sent by him in love. The heart of God fully told us Christ, the perfect obedient one, offering himself, as Ephesians says, without thought to God. And so here you find, when the ark is brought up to its place, they offered burnt offerings and peace.
That's why rather than when we come together on Lord's Day morning, we come in the realization of this, and what a joy it is to think that that my creditor himself is the one who sent his son to pay my debt and who assures me of his love to me. Well, here we find them offering these sacrifices. And in the third verse and it says, And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone.
A loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flag and a wine.
Well, they had to go to their homes again, and we have to go to our homes again too. We can't always be sitting under the sound of the word. We have to go to our employment. We have to go home to the duties of home and all this. But as they went, they went away rejoicing in their hearts. They received something that they were able to carry home. And I hope as we think of the Lord Jesus and what He has done for us and what He means to us.
And all this instruction that's given to us in his word that we'll go home in the same way with something in our hearts, something that really brings Christ before us, a loaf of bread. You know, the Lord Jesus said he was the true bread that came down from heaven.
And then it says a good piece of flesh. I think of the Lord Jesus who came down here in this world and walked through this world in perfect obedience. A man offered himself for the spot to God.
And then the flagging of wine brings before us the joy that all this brings, the joy that we have. And as we meditate upon our precious Savior and what He's done for us, provision He's made for us through His Word, the access that He's given into His presence does not fill our hearts with joy too. Doesn't make us want to thank Him more and more as we think of all He means to us and all He's done for us.
Well, may the Lord grant this may be so.
And that these precious lessons brought before us in type and shadow, made a hold of our hearts.
As God has given us instruction and his word, but he's also given us many wonderful pictures in his Word too. Somehow pictures make things more vivid to me. I can read instructions, but a picture seems to make it vivid. God's given both. He's given the instruction and He's given the picture. He wants these. He wants these things to be real, to be vivid, to be actual facts that we know and enjoy as receding them from Him.
Because he loves us.
He loved us in the Lord Jesus, as Paul could say, the Son of God who loved me, gave himself for me.