1 Samuel 5-6 Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

if you have your Bibles first, Samuel chapter 5, As we continue

in the book of 1st Samuel, today we're actually going to be

covering two chapters in this book, chapter 5 and chapter 6.

The reason being is that there is a wonderful flow between the

chapters that think is worthy to honor.

In one Bible study. Let's play one more time.

Would you join me in that? Heavenly Father, we ask Lord

that you would assist us. We pray for a liberty to

communicate these truths that would provide a joy.

And a sense of awe in our hearts Lord.

We pray that this meeting would not be void of your power or

your presence. We ask Lord that somehow in

miraculous fashion, you would Captivate Us with the wisdom

found in these verses, with the glory that we see in who you are

and that it would demand our affections and our obedience

more importantly. Lord, we pray for the person in

here. Is so dry their spiritual

journey up to this point for many months has just been a

desert. No life, no excitement, no

ambition, no prayers, no seeking of you in private Lord.

Would you graciously use this Bible study to revive our hearts

again? For those that do not know you

as their personal Lord and Savior, but I've put their trust

and their personal, interpretation of who you are,

or Lord a tradition. They've held on to for years.

Would you Lord show them the true message of Salvation and

bring him to saving knowledge in Christ Lord?

We admit right from the beginning?

Apart from your help, we are helpless, nothing of worthy

results. Would come about apart from you

helping us. So we call upon you in faith in

this moment. In Jesus name, we pray Amen.

Over the past few Bible studies. You and I have especially in

judges, we have been centering around one character after

another and we glean from their lives in order to fuel, our

personal Holiness, in our growth in godliness.

But in the next two chapters here, our Focus will not so much

Beyond Samuel or any human main character for that matter.

It will actually now come and gravitate towards a piece of

furniture. Namely the Ark of the Covenant.

This book turns away from any person and now brings us into

this Narrative of a unique item that God ordained for his people

to build and how this chess piece called The Ark will.

Actually teach us many things. If you remember the ark is

relatively small, again, chest piece was not God but God chose

to manifest his Holiness through that.

And the instruction for his people to hold that in to build

this into honor, it was an expression and great part of

God's desire to dwell with men and tangible fashion.

To manifest himself to communicate his will through

that, at least for a good portion of the old Covenant.

And so that people would know that God really wants to be in

our midst, but God now is not just going to show himself

strong to his own people. He's now going to do so with his

own enemies, the Philistines. Because if you were with us last

week, we know that the Philistines have captured this

Arc, and for the first time in Israel's history, The Ark was be

on the premises of its honored place.

And so we read here, in verse 1 of chapter 5, when the

Philistines captured, the Ark of God, they brought it from

Ebenezer to ashdod, then, the Philistines took the Ark of God

and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it up beside

Dagon. And when the people of ashdod

Rose early the next day, behold, Trying to say look what happened

Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the Ark of

the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him

back in his place. But when they Rose early on the

next morning, behold Dagon had fallen face downward on the

ground before the Ark of the Lord and the head of Dagon and

both his hands were lying. Cut off on the threshold.

Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

So what happens is? The Philistines and wanting to

boast in their might and in the might of their gods, namely

Dagon. Took the Ark of the Covenant

away from the Israelites and wanted to make a declaration.

A declaration, not just that they have triumphed over the

people of Israel, but they have actually conquered the god of

Israel. And what better way to do that

than to take this symbol this emblem and to bring it into the

house of their God and to set them beside they got to say This

is what Dagon has accomplished for us.

And now the Ark of the Covenant has to become a trophy among the

pagans And this was their plan. Who knows what they were going

to do from this point on. But what we do know is that God

had his own plan, in this moment that would surely shock the

Philistines and Prevail over their ideas.

There are few lessons from these verses lesson.

Number one, this is a picture of God receiving Glory from his

enemies, whether his enemies want to give him glory or not.

You don't chapter 4, we saw that, God was being manipulated,

or at least it was attempt an attempt to be manipulated by his

own people. And here we see the enemies, not

God's people, but the enemy of God, trying to override his

sovereignty. And if you try to manipulate God

and if you try to override his sovereignty, you'll fail both

ways and that's what we see here.

The glory of God departed from Israel.

That's what it says in chapter 4, but it did not depart

completely. It was about to show off now and

the enemy's camp. He's brought into this place and

the Philistines thought like many people today that they have

the authority and the Liberty. To manage the concept of God.

Or to Define him and to limit him as they wish.

She did picked up this Arc, like, it was nothing.

Like it was just like one of their gods that they can pick up

and lay down, and polish and clean.

And many people think that the god of the Bible is the same

way. He's just a abstract idea, he's

some historical concept, he's some myth, and we can play

around with him and manage him to our own liking.

Or like the Philistines many people today, take the god of

the Bible and place some beside other expressions of DT or

systems of belief and say he's no different.

He's just a different manifestation of the same thing,

the same idea. But what happens when these

leaders the next day wake up and they come into the house of

Dagon. Well, it's a picture of what

will come down the pike. It's a picture of what will

happen at the end of the road. Dagon, his lying face before the

ark worshiping Yahweh. worshipping, the true and

living, God, despite the blasphemy, despite the arrogance

of those today who assume that this world came from nothing,

instead of coming from the words of God, Despite people fighting

against the exclusivity of Jesus Christ and his gospel message.

Everything that stands against God, will one day fall and

worship him. And what's amazing is that they

come into this room, they look upon this site and they're

shocked but to them, it was just coincidence.

To them. It was just well maybe a gust of

wind came in or maybe somebody walked in and knock them over so

they bring him right back up and I find it.

So amusing what God is doing by revealing this truth?

Here is the Philistines. Helping their God stand.

And you have the Ark of the Covenant that is about to show

in this moment that he is in. No need of Human Assistance or

intervention. He doesn't need your help or

mine. I want to tell you something

tonight. Whether you and I want to

glorify, God will not determine whether he will be glorified, he

will be glorified. The only thing that you and I

have in part with that is that we can join in that undefeated

mission. And experience the wonders of

being an instrument in the hands of a merciful god.

So they think it's coincidence, right?

So the next day they come and long behold.

Here's Dagon again on his face, but this time there's something

different Perhaps they got has fallen so hard this time that

strategically his head and His Hands fly off of the statue and

they land at the threshold of the door.

And so as they enter, and they realize that there's dagon's

head has there his hands and there is his body lying before

the Ark of God. And now you would think okay

this isn't coincidence anymore. There's something very very

important that's being said here and here's what's being said.

If the head symbolizes anything, it represents wisdom And of

hands describe anything. It describes power. and what we

see here is that in the presence of Yahweh, the wisdom and the

power and might of Dagon are vain feudal, empty, Unmatched.

No comparison. You can almost say that God

flicked Dagon over like he was paper mache And you would hope

that the people would get the message, but we're going to find

out that they don't. But I see another lesson here.

Here's another lesson that you can pull out of these verses God

in the old. Covenant, chose to abide in this

box called the Ark of the Covenant and to dwell within the

most holy place within the Tabernacle.

This was his doing, this was his choosing.

This is how he did in the old Covenant, the New Covenant.

There's something much more spectacular in the New Covenant

God chooses because of the blood of Jesus Christ to move

geographical locations. Not from one address to another

but from the idea of coming to one place now, abiding in the

hearts of those who are Washed by the blood of the Lamb you and

I now are the Abiding Place of God you and I now carry the

presence of God you and I host the hope of glory which is

Christ Jesus now although the location has changed.

The effects of God's presence. Haven't what do I mean?

Because what I see here is what happens in the hearts of those

who have truly repented and believed on the Lord Jesus

Christ. Like the idol Dagon.

There is no ability for any Idol in your heart to stand when the

presence of God Moves In. When God really moves into your

life and says, I want to live in you when you say yes to him.

Whatever was in there that you worshipped before that you were

bound to before Must Fall. Will be destroyed will not be

able to stand the might and the power of the grace of God

manifest, through the power of the holy spirit is that not

salvation. See we preach the cross of Jesus

Christ and we should but you know what, people Don't Preach

much today. That's a code death with Christ.

That as much as we believe on him, who was hung on the cross

part of the Gospel, is that you climb on the cross with him.

Not so that you can be saved. But as a response to your

salvation, you die to yourself. I die to myself.

And that's what Paul says in Romans 6:6.

Romans 6:6

He says, we know that our old self was crucified with him, in

order that what that the body of sin might be brought to nothing

like Dagon. That when you really taste the

Salvation, you know what will happen anything that lived in

you before will not be able to match the power, the provision

or the pleasure that God gives. And you are set free.

And because you are under grace and not under the law, sin has

no authority over you anymore. And here's the thing, if you

want God to move in, then you have to be willing to let Idols

crumble. And that's what you would hope

that these men would do. You would think that after

something like this? The Philistines were look at

each other and say not only is he a god of a different region.

He's the God of all gods, he's the only true and living God.

But you know what? We're about to learn here, the

resilient refusal to embrace truth Because look what happens

here in verse 5 as a response to Dagon falling and His Hands

being released and cut off with the head.

This is why the priest of Dagon and all who enter the house of

Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in ashdod to

this day. Instead of being broken, instead

of being repentant, instead of realizing God is choosing to

show himself true. Another tradition is created.

Think about it. This is the tradition because

the hands and the head were at the bottom of the doorway.

From that moment on the Philistines decided that

whenever they enter into the house of Dagon, they would not

step foot on the threshold. They would leap over it.

They would leap over it. so this is this is what happens here,

they only hold on tighter to their false god, They only dig

their heels deeper into their belief system.

They were not humbled, they were not moved and this may shock us

but it is no different than the reaction of many people today.

As they hear the gospel, Because no matter how much their hearts

are exposed to truth, like the Philistines, they are unwilling

to Forfeit and let go what they've known for so long.

Their idols. There are very few are willing

to submit to the truth, no matter what the cost is, but

there are many instead who suppress the truth in order to

hold on to what they really want.

Jesus, provided an incredible insight to why most people

reject him. It's not this great mystery and

it's not because his truth isn't convincing enough.

Do you want to know, listen to the words of the master himself

in John 3:19 for this is the Judgment.

John 3:19

The light has come into the world and people loved the

darkness rather than the light because their Works were evil.

So behind all the philosophical Persuasions and behind all the

academic arguments, and behind all the personal problems and

doubts, some are sincere and true.

But majority, that's all cover up for one root cause I love my

sin. I love Darkness.

And this tells us something powerful about the gospel.

When you come to the light, you have to forfeit your Darkness.

You can't keep both and people know that, they know that

instinctively, they know that in their hearts.

If I really Embrace this, Jesus, there are things that I have to

turn away from. And Jesus says, the reason why

so many reject me, the light as good as I am as holy as, I'm as

wholesome as I am, is because they love Darkness.

They love Darkness, don't be fooled by sophisticated

philosophers today. Or your liberal teacher at your

University, that wants to try to disprove theology in the word of

God. The real reason why they want to

argue till they're blue in the face and shame you in public is

because they love Darkness. And they don't want to let go of

it. And the Philistines are doing

the saved here. There are people.

There are the unsaved who are so in love with their sin.

That they're willing to hold onto error.

Until their dying breath. because they know what truth

does truth sets, you free it delivers, you calls you out from

among those who are perishing So, what happens?

Well, they create a new tradition.

And they didn't see it. We see it.

Let's help Dagon up. Here's this.

God who's just moving and power without anybody having to lift

him or move him? This is incredible.

But still, they want to hold on Today Gone.

And we read in verse 6, what happens as a result of that.

The hand of the Lord was Heavy against the people that asked

Todd and he terrified and Afflicted them with tumors.

Some translations say hemorrhoids.

Both ashdod and its territory. And when the men of ashdod saw,

how things were, they said the Ark of the god of Israel must

not remain with us. For his hand is hard against us

and against de ganar, God. Now, they're realizing that this

has to do with this Ark and God was merciful.

God was extremely merciful and showing that he is much more

Superior Today. Gone by allowing him to fall on

his face and to break his teeth and his hands, but that wasn't

enough. So God goes beyond that.

See you and I might read this and think this is this is cruel.

This is a little excessive but I see Mercy written all over this.

Because what is God doing? He's getting the attention of

the Philistines. They didn't get it the first

time they didn't get it when he tried to destroy their Idol.

So maybe they'll get it when he inflicts their bodies. and so he

does just that and so they begin to feel pain and discomfort and

there's death and a plague now breaks out And if you think that

this is the Old Testament, God realize that the Lord near the

end will turn up the heat right before his return, the Earth

will know something of his wrath, but in that wrath, there

is so much Mercy. If you've read the book of

Revelation, you know what I'm talking about.

Because I one point God begins to in his final set of

judgments. So unleash, such power and might

that there is no doubt in any corner of the earth that this is

God's doing But you want to see how other people respond and

Revelations. 16:9, they being the population of the Earth were

Revelation 16:9

scorched by the fierce heat, from what the sun, the sun would

literally Scorch people's skin. And you think this is too much,

but listen to the mercy of God and they cursed, the name of God

who had power over these plagues.

They did not repent and give him glory.

They did not repent or give him glory.

What was God? Trying to get out of them?

Repent. What was he trying to get out of

them? Give me my glory.

Turn to me. What's better?

Just a few moments of pain on Earth are an eternal separation

from God. When you understand that

equation, you understand that this is Mercy trying to get your

attention and he's doing it with the Philistines.

And we think that this is going to do it.

So what do they do verse 8? So they sent and gathered

together, all the Lords of the Philistines and said, what shall

we do with the Ark of the god of Israel?

The answered, let the Ark of the god of Israel be brought around

to gath. They say, let's move it to

another city of ours. Let's change addresses.

So they brought the Ark of God of Israel there, but after they

had brought it around the hand of the Lord was against the

city, causing a very great panic and he Afflicted the men of the

city both young and old so that tumors broke out on them.

So you think, okay, what are they going to do?

Verse 10, so they sent the Ark of God to ekron another

Philistine City. But as soon as the Ark of God,

came to ekron the people of ekron cried out, they have

brought around to us the Ark of the god of Israel to kill us in

our people. So they're just passing it from

one city to the other and you thinking, what what are you

thinking? At what point are you just going

to fall in surrender? See, let's just worship this

God, he is the true and living God, or maybe get rid of them,

like they're going to do in a moment.

No, they're holding on. Why are they holding on?

I believe it's because they want to try to grip to the sense of

victory that they had over the Israelites and the god of

Israel, as long as possible. The Pride was getting in the

way. How long can we keep the Ark of

God so that we can show to our people and the nation's that we

have, the true and living God, and God was toying with them?

He was flinging them around like nothing and they still said, no

maybe this is just coincidence. Maybe this is, maybe this is

just bad timing and so they hold on and they try to move it to a

different place and try to shake this thing off and it's not

happening. Their own stubbornness was the

reason for their suffering. Their own Pride was the barrier

to their own freedom. And I tell you today, that

people respond to the gospel in the same fashion.

They just don't want to let go. They just will do everything

they can before they give up and give God glory.

Jesus, when he was on the earth experience that reaction.

The ultimate Tabernacle of God, the presence of God, in Flesh on

Earth, greater than the Arc, Greater than anything else.

And in John, 12:42, we are told nevertheless many even of the

authorities. We're talking about religious

leaders, Pharisees believed him, But for the fear of the

Pharisees, they did not confess it.

They didn't confess it. Why?

So that they would not be put out of a silly synagogue.

And we are told here for they loved the glory that comes from

man rather than the glory that comes from God.

So they believe they understood. This was the Messiah that has

been prophesied by the prophets written about in the Psalms, but

they would not confess it with their lips because some of them

didn't want to lose their membership at the synagogue.

And John goes deeper, they love the glory that comes from man,

rather than the praise that will come from God.

And many today will be damned for the same reason.

They will be fear, fear of losing something like the

Philistines. They didn't want to lose their

sense of Victory, and praise and Authority.

And autonomy. They wanted to hold on and they

were going to pay a price for it and people will pay a price for

it today. And we see here that it's only

going to get worse. And verse 11, they sent their

foreign gathered together all the Lords of the Philistines and

said, send away the Ark of God of Israel, and let it return to

its own place. That I mean, I kill us and our

people for their was a deathly, Panic throughout the whole city.

Here's a pandemic in their midst and they have now come to the

point where they said enough is enough.

Send them back to where he came from.

We ultimately reject. T' God.

Based upon what Revelation when they understood the Holiness of

God, listen to this. When they understood that, they

couldn't handle this Godlike, how they can handle their other

Idols, when they realize that this, God demands to be Lord

over them. And that he sets the standards

of how we relate to him. They said no thanks we didn't

know that this was part of the package.

We thought that he was just like Dagon we can lift them up.

We can carry him. If this is who this God is, we

want nothing to do with him. And I tell you today, that many

people, when they come to the revelation of the wholeness of

Jesus Christ, come to the same conclusion.

Unfortunately, there's a version of Jesus, that appeases.

The flesh that makes us feel comfortable makes us feel like

we are in control, but the moment we hear the true Jesus

and that he wants total control, that's where the people coming

forward to, the message of the Gospel fins out.

And we see here that they said, we want nothing.

Absolutely nothing to do with this God of this is who he truly

is. Then we regret bringing him to

us in the first place. So they try to send them back.

And that's where we come to this chapter.

In chapter 6, The Ark of the Lord in verse one was in the

country of the Philistines seven months.

This was going on for seven months.

I mean, I I would think after three weeks, you would think

this is not coincidence. Let's move forward with our

lives. No.

They were determined. They were determined.

So what do they do? And the Philistines call to the

call for the priest and the diviners and said, what shall we

do with the Ark of the Lord, tell us what we shall send to

its place. They said if you send away the

Ark of God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means

return him a guilt offering, then you will be healed, and it

will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from

you. And they said, what is the guilt

offering that we shall return to them?

And they said, five golden tumors and five golden mice.

So, now we know of This chapter there was mice.

Involved with this plague. Doesn't make it any less

Pleasant. Five, golden mice.

According to the number of the Lords of the Philistines for the

same plague was on all of you and on your Lords.

So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice.

That ravaged, the land and give glory to the god of Israel.

Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off of you and your gods

and your land. So, they had enough sense to

realize, after seven months of going from town to town to Town

Gate. This is, this is the god of

Israel. Now, what do we do with this?

We're sending him back, but we want to show some kind of

remorse and some kind of Honor. So they receive some Council,

make some golden mice and tumors and make sure that you, you send

it back with the Ark of God, to the people of Israel.

And they said, that sounds like a good idea.

Here's the thing. What's the reason for it?

It's a strange type of offering but the motivation is actually

right. Verse 5.

And give glory to the god of Israel.

Like we learned last last week, we're going to learn some things

about the Philistines concerning how we relate to God, give glory

to the god of Israel from that. What do you believe in part?

Giving glory to God, means I would like to hear your answers.

Give glory to the god of Israel. We live for the glory of God.

And what they're saying here is in part, true of what it means

to glorify God, any ideas? Yes, absolutely.

Love them with all five of our senses.

Absolutely obedience and giving him praise.

Yes, you got it. Anything else?

Putting him first in our lives. Yes.

Humble yourself before God. Yes.

And now, yes, all those answers were true and gorgeous is honing

into what's being done here, giving glory to God.

In this aspect is attributed to him the authorship of all that,

we witness behold and experience.

What they're doing here is declaring to God, we realize

that you are the one who is Sovereign over all the Affairs

that we underwent, you're the god of the mice.

You're the god over the plagues. You're the god, that allowed

these judgments, you are all powerful and all Sovereign.

That's what they're doing here, and that's what it means to

glorify God. You give him the authorship and

you realize that he is the one who is behind everything. and

Paul says after he told us in Romans one that God had

manifested his Divine attributes, his invisible

attributes, his divine nature, through what tell me through

what Creation. So that no man is without excuse

creation itself, testifies to the reality of God and the

general Revelation. And then he says, this in the

next verse he says in Romans 1:21 But there are those who did

Romans 1:21

not honor him. Based on that understanding,

they did not glorify God or give thanks to him.

But they, what attributed to the silly concept that we came from

goo and that your ancestors Are Hairy Beast and all these crazy

ideas. What is what is behind that?

Is that a discovery know? It's a theory by the way.

You're putting your faith in a theory and the spirit behind it

is what Paul says. They refuse to glorify God and

give thanks to him. Notice a train of thought Paul

says that creation testifies, to the knowledge of God, and right

after he says, still people refuse to give God glory in that

aspect and refused to give thanks to him.

So, the opposite understanding of that is glorifying God as to

say you are the one behind it all.

You are the mind. You are the love.

You are the power that has allowed these things to come

into existence. And the Philistines are

glorifying God and this aspect they're saying you are the true

God. And they're doing it through

mice and tumors, but it's going to work.

Now look at this, in verse 6. Why should you this is the this

is the council that they're receiving from their leaders.

Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and

Pharaoh hardened their hearts after he had doubt severely with

them. Did they not send the people

away and they departed? Interesting.

That tells me that when I read through Exodus and what God had

done through delivering his people, it made international

news. All the nations heard about it.

And they had an accurate understanding of it and let's go

beyond that. The holy spirit is providing

insight about who really was responsible for Pharaoh's.

Rejection of God. It says that pharaoh and what?

Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and

Pharaoh hardened? Their hearts.

That is a wonderful verse to bring some clarity on a very

controversial character in The Bible by the name of pharaoh.

Because the understanding of pharaoh is that he hardened his

heart and he was responsible for the Judgment that came upon him

and his people. So here's my question.

How do you deal with a verse like this?

When you compare it to What God Says in Exodus 73 and let me

read it to you but I will harden.

Pharaoh's heart. and though I multiply my signs and wonders,

in the land of Egypt, who's going to harden, According to

Exodus who is it? God God says, I will do it, I

come to First Samuel 66 and I hear and I see that it was feral

where the Philistines wrong. This is interesting, right?

So the Philistines were our minions.

And God is calvinist. I guess, right?

Just to ease the tension in the room.

It's still there, but it's okay. Let me ask it this way.

When was the first time Pharaoh hardened his heart and The

Exodus narrative. That will bring a lot of

clarity. Does anybody know?

So let me ask it this way. When was the first time, Exodus

tells us explicitly that God hardened Pharaoh's heart.

Close. But there's a specific location.

It's under a specific plague does anybody know Would you like

to know good go to Exodus chapter 9 and you'll see it

Exodus 9 · chapter mention

right there. Where the first time we are

explicitly told that the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.

Exodus 9. Verse 12.

But the Lord hardened, the heart of pharaoh, and he did not

listen to them as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

And that is under, what, what plague number the sixth plague.

A lot has happened before God officially and explicitly

Harden, Pharaoh's heart, because you see versus like what we see

in chapter 8. Look at 8:15.

But when Pharaoh saw that, there is a respite, he hardened his

heart and would not listen to them.

As the Lord had said you come down to verse 32 of the same

chapter, what do you read? But Pharaoh hardened, his heart.

This time also and he did not let the people go. and then,

when you come to 9:12, God says you want to keep hardening your

heart? I'll help you do it.

And he seals him in that condition.

So then what do we do with Exodus 7?

Well, he said he would do it. He said he would do it and he

did an exodus 9. So, he tells Moses in his

understanding of the future, I'm going to harden his heart.

It's going to happen. But what will you read prior to

this moment of it actually being executed is Pharaoh hardened,

his heart and Pharaoh, hardened, his heart again and Pharaoh

hardened, his heart again and there is a Biblical truth that

when a man continues to harden his heart, God will help him do

it. And that's why the Philistines

understood. Hey, we don't want to do that.

We don't want to harden ourselves and become like them.

Because the understanding of judicial hardening is that you

do not know the line before. God comes and supernaturally,

solidifies you in that place. So don't entertain it even once.

That's why there's an urgency with a gospel today is the day

of salvation. If you hear the gospel Now

respond, when you share the gospel, yes, there is an element

where you want to be patient with people, but there should

also be an urgency. There should be an urgency.

Now you can't grab people by the neck and drag them to church,

but you With a voice and Trembling Lips and teary.

Eyes say, you need to make a decision quick.

I mean if you need to explore and compare and study sure but

do it quickly the hold off on your salvation.

Don't resist God. The Philistines understood that

they understood the seriousness of God's work when it comes to

them, giving a chance to either respond to him or reject him.

So let me come back to 1st Samuel.

And what happens? Well, it's amazing.

What happens it actually makes you giggle.

To some degree. They come up with an idea.

And their idea is this well, we'll send them back with this

gift. And these gifts, But verse 7

says now then take and prepare a new cart and to milk cows on

which there has never come a yoke and Yoke, the cows to the

cart, but take their calves home away from them and take the Ark

of the Lord and place it on the cart and put in a box at its

side, the figures of gold, which were returning to him as a guilt

offering. Then send it off and let it go

its way and watch. If it goes on its way to its own

land to Beth Shemesh. Now they have the specific

location that it is he who has done this great harm but if not,

hold on. But if not what But if not, then

we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us.

Are you kidding me? It has happened to us by

coincidence. Like they are so desperate to

hold onto the ark. They are so ferociously devoted

to their own sense of Pride. That even up to this point,

they're like there's like a point one percent chance that

this is just really bad timing and that we're actually Superior

over Israel. It's amazing.

The determination to hold on to yourself and not fall at

Christ's feet. That's why salvation in itself

is a miracle. So this was a strategy.

All right, get to milk cows. That just had babies that have

never ever driven a cart. And what we're going to do is

that we're going to put a yoke on both of these milk.

Cows were going to leave their babies at home.

And we're going to give them no driver.

No driver, never driven a car before fresh babies that came

out of their bellies. and if it heads towards beth-shemesh, The

hand of God is on this, if they remove the, the yolk and they

turn or they turn towards their calves, then this this is not a

real deal. So they put this ridiculous test

before God to see, is this really God or not?

And something amazing happens. Verse 12, they come up with this

test and we see here and the cows when straight in the

direction of beth-shemesh along one Highway lowing as they went,

they turn neither to the right nor to the left and the Lords of

the Philistines went after them as far as the board of Beth

Shemesh. So I can just picture it to milk

cows, a yoke. All these leaders are

surrounding it thinking like they're so desperate for this to

work in their favor. They put the ark, they put the

little box with a tumors in mice in it.

And they said, okay, cows go to Beth Shemesh and they step back.

And they begin to walk. And they're getting on the main

road. And they're headed towards

Israel. And they're thinking maybe they

smell something, maybe they're trying to find something for

their calves and they're getting nervous and they're pulling

their callers. And then they hear something

they hear a lowing, they hear them crying.

And then it came to a point that they start following this cart

and it dawned on them, we are witnessing a miracle.

Why would this be a miracle for many reasons?

But give me one. God himself is bringing himself

back to Israel shore. But you know what's so

interesting here? What would be the natural

tendency of these cows? What would be their their

Instinct as a result of this? To go back to their babies.

To go back to their children, to offer them, the affection, and

the care that they need, and their vulnerable state.

And we see that being manifested how they were lowing.

As they went, there is a deep cry, they wanted to go back and

be with their babies. But, what's happening?

There is another force that is overpowering.

Even their natural tendencies, and it's pulling them in a

different direction to such a degree that they don't look to

the left, they don't look to the right.

The faces of these cows Were Like Flint.

Towards where God wanted them to go.

Earlier, you heard and you received a picture of what

happens when the presence of God enters into the same room where

an idol thinks he can stand. As a picture of, when God moves

into your heart, the power and authority, and even pleasure of

sin. Crumbles, you're about to see

another lesson about what the presence of God does and here's

what it does. It provides a supernatural

strength that keeps you on the path of obedience.

Even to the point where you can overcome your natural

tendencies, In 1st Samuel for you saw, the people is, you're

trying to manipulate the Ark of God.

And first, Samuel 5, you saw the Philistines trying to miss treat

the Ark of God. And in first Samuel 6, you were

seeing two cows. Submit to the presence of God.

Two cows. Milk cows are proving a greater

example of how to respond to God than humans.

And this is what happens when God moves into your heart.

There is much in our life that we live against in the natural

sense. There are many things that are

flipped when God abides in a person's heart.

For example, you forgive the unforgivable, don't you?

You say no to what the world easily says yes to.

Instead of taking Vengeance on your behalf or on the behalf of

others, you let God do it, right?

If you want to be great, you become a servant and you refuse

to be a master and Lord yourself over others.

And these cows felt the tension. There is the natural pull.

The maternal instinct to be with their children, but something

greater overtook that You and I cannot do what Christ calls us

to do. Unless we are involved with the

Holy Spirit. And the more you want to live in

this paradoxical Christian conviction, the more of the

power of God you need in your life.

There is no way that these cows apart from God's presence.

Would have moved forward miles on end to complete the thing

that they first started. But with God's help it is

possible and that's the point. Christianity is a supernatural

religion as one person put it. There is no other religion in

the world that teaches that their God lives inside of them.

but your Bible teaches that, Your Bible teaches that your God

takes up residence within you. And me now, can we sing that and

preach that and believe that and not see the effects of that?

No. We should be walking miracles.

We should be walking Miracles what we fall.

Sometimes. Sure because there's another

principle. It's not automatic these cows.

Don't have what you and I have a conscience.

To a certain degree. We have to choose, we have to

feed that new man that lives inside of us that can be

weakened over time because of our negligence, but that can be

strengthened, as we pay attention to it.

So you look at the Book of Jonah.

What do you see you see the same picture.

God commands a whale to swallow up the prophet.

He obeys God commands a storm, the storm obeys, God commands a

plan to come up, it obeys a warm to eat the plant, it obeys.

God, commands a prophet to preach repentance.

No. No, no.

The caterpillar will say yes, to God.

The winds will say, yes to go. The ways will obey the whale.

Yes, sir, man. No.

We need something greater than just emotional stirring and even

a will we need God's help and God's power. and he's willing to

do just that when a person hungers and thirsts for

righteousness, You know, what's so sad about this that these

cows to cows? Are providing a greater example

of how to respond to God's Authority.

Then the two sons of Eli. The two sons of Eli waltzed into

the presence of God, took up the ark and went into the

battlefield and the cows are taking that same Arc and bring

it back to its rightful place. And what happens when they

arrive, we'll verse 13. We see here in other people

have, beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the

valley. And when they lifted up their

eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it, it's been

seven months. Seven months, not knowing when

the ark was going to come back, if it was going to come back and

offer a sudden there, it is, in the Horizon to milk cows lowing,

and lowing and lowing. You know what?

I love about the cows lowing. It's still testifies to the

attention of the flesh. It's still testifies.

That there's a war between the spirit and the flesh.

So sometimes your flesh, even though the spirit of God dwells

in, you will cry. Give me attention.

Give me sin. Give me lust, give me blood.

The lowing and lowing and lowing.

And they look and I wonder if the sun hit that Arc and it's

golden frame and they rejoiced to see it, it's back here it is.

And I'd like to think that these cows received an honor that

hophni and Phineas forfeited. They were instruments used by

God to carry something that would bless others.

Instead hafidh and Phineas represented the same God, but

this honor men but much grief to the nation of Israel.

Here's my point. You and I have the opportunity

to carry the hope of glory and such a tangible.

And obvious way that when those who are around us come into

contact with us, they can rejoice in God and greater

fashion. I would like that in my life.

And I would encourage you like these to milk cows yoke with

somebody that has the same ambition in life.

Yoke yourself to someone like these cows that are not driven

by man, but are driven by the invisible hand of God.

And you will be a blessing in your marriage and your

friendships. And your local church. find that

people that are driven by God, led by his spirit that hate the

things of the Flesh. And even when there's days where

they low and cry because of Temptation, they still move

forward, and don't look to the left or the right.

These cows blessed people not because they were cows because

of what They Carried. You can be a blessing no matter

who you are. It doesn't matter how you look.

Doesn't matter your hair, how it looks your skin condition, your

height, your weight. It's who you carry.

It's who you carry. Church history, teaches that the

Apostle Paul was not an attractive person.

And I can imagine how just read what the man went through

shipwrecks and whippings and stonings.

I mean the guy got stoned so badly that the people at Stone

and thought he was dead. Then he gets up and dust himself

off and he goes right back in. You're telling me this guy was

stoned and whipped and beaten and Shriveled up by the Sea and

he was attractive. but when he walked into a city demons cried

out, Who cares? What kind of Blazer you wear?

Who cares? What kind of clothes you wear

it? Don't you covet that?

Don't you covet that I love what one preacher said that his

greatest ambition in life was to be on the 10 most wanted list in

hell. Jesus, we know.

And who do we know Paul we know who are you guys?

And a demon's? Beat them up and they ran out of

the house? Naked.

You and I can tap into something in God, where people are blessed

by our presence, by our words of our actions, by our gifts.

That can only come when were in relationship with God and we

allow them to dominate our hearts and Minds.

So they come and then they sacrifice these cows, but then

something happens very quickly in verse 19.

And he struck being God, some of the men of Beth Shemesh because

they looked upon the Ark of the Lord.

He struck 70 men of them, and the people mourn, because the

Lord had struck the people with a great blow.

I mean, you had a Revival that lasted like a few minutes.

Because the people didn't learn after 7 months.

Have to treat the presence of God.

And God came back after seven months and he says, we're not

going to do this again. And he brought a severe plague

instantly because the people of Israel should have known better

since they had the word of God, but notice how they respond in

verse 20. The men have Beth Shemesh said,

who is able to stand before the Lord this holy God and to whom,

shall he go up away from us. So they sent Messengers to the

inhabitants of kiriath. Jeremie saying the Philistines

returned, the Ark of the Lord, come down and take it up to you.

They're doing the very same thing that the Philistines did.

Once there was a revelation of the Holiness of God, the tone

here denotes that they're actually pinning.

The blame of this great blow against God.

So, he Slaughters an amount of Israelites, and this is what

they do. Instead of being broken, instead

of being repentant and contract in art, they said, who's going

to stand before this. God, he's so holy, let's get rid

of him. Just like the Philistines.

Let's get rid of him. And that is one of two reactions

to the Holiness of God. You either run away with him or

from him with such a desperation, you will plunge

yourself into greater darkness and wickedness or you will fall

at his feet and worshiped him and surrender to him and men.

Do what these men are doing here they do, they will come to this

book and they will, with arrogance point to certain

aspects of God's dealings, especially in the Old Testament.

and they will say, what is this? God think he is.

How can he do such things and they will even look at the

commands of God. Say, these are excessive and

these are even unrealistic. And you have many people even in

the church today that interpret the god of the Old Testament

such fashion and God over all And so, the Holiness of God

becomes an aspect of criticism, instead of an element that

causes us to worship. And Paul clarifies very, very,

very obviously. And Romans 7, when he speaks

about the law, he's talking about the Old Testament law.

You know what Paul says in Romans 7:12.

Romans 7:12

So the law is Holy, it's holy, and the Commandment is holy and

righteous and finished at the, you know, well, there it is.

And good. It's good.

It's not excessive. It's not unrealistic.

No, the finger cannot be pointed at God's law, whether old or New

Covenant, the finger should be pointed at our lack of obedience

and our willingness to submit, you know, why we get offended,

how God does things in the Old Testament?

It dawned on me today. It dawned on me today and it's

one main reason because we don't understand how holy is.

It's as simple as that. Because we equate God to us,

like, this is, how many people even Christians.

This is how many Christians think God is, just like a little

holier than I am. Like, I'm here and God is here.

Let me ask you this. How hold are you in comparison

to Isaiah the prophet figure? That one out.

Once you do, go to Isaiah 6 and see his reaction to the presence

of God. We don't understand how Puri is.

Without blemish without spots. So, brilliant and Majestic and

purity. That it will cause a profit.

To dig his head in the ground. And be broken.

And the thing that he had the right to Bow, send my lips,

these are unclean lips. The very thing that he preached

with came and was rendered as nothing in the presence of a

holy God. So what happens.

Here's what happens. Mankind has proven that until

today. Blaming God's holiness instead

of looking at our own sinfulness.

But God's holiness is not the only thing that is good.

God's Mercy is equally good and here's what happens instead of

judging all of us instead of casting us into an utter and

outer Darkness for all eternity. God in his mercy and love enters

into the world. And stands on our behalf and

fulfills what? No, man could fulfill his own

power and strength so that we can stand before his holiness.

And that's why the Bible gives us language.

Hiding yourself in Christ being hid in Christ.

So the question here, who can stand before the Lord, this holy

God is no one. Except for those who are in

Christ, best the answer. And I thank God for that.

Because not only does he allow me to stand in his presence.

Like these milk cows, he gives me the power.

And the Delight to walk in his ways.

The power and the Delight to walk in his ways.

It's amazing what God can do when he conquers a heart

completely. I can tell you this.

Somebody said this and it's an old thought.

Meaning, it's an old message that I heard that bless me to

this day and it rings in my ears.

Sometimes he said, I don't ask Christians where people

generally, if they believe in Jesus anymore, I stopped asking

that question. and I start asking this question, this

Christ live in you And when you ask that question, you're going

to get different answers this Christ live in you.

Everybody believes in Jesus, milk cows.

Believe in Jesus. But not everybody can

confidently answer. But the same whip of.

Confidence. Christ lives in me.

Do you know how Christ lives in you?

It's very simple. Just examine your desires.

Examine your desires, see before Christ, you felt this

overwhelming, pull to do with the flesh, says to do.

But when Christ comes in, you discover something about

yourself, you know, what it is. There's a wrestling match now.

The Flesh and the spirit the Flesh and the spirit, many

people come up and say, I don't know if I'm truly saved,

brother. Why?

Because this happened in my life, I fell into this and I'm

overwhelmed by the grief. Do you want to sin or not?

I don't want to send. That's why I'm confessing it.

Do you want to continue in this way or not?

I don't want to. Do you love your sin?

I hate my sin and I almost hate myself because of my sin.

You're in a good place. You're in a good place.

Because you know, the tension between the spirit and the

flesh. Now all you need to do is feed

the new man and you will know a greater strength.

I never thought that I would read this Bible and find

inspiration from milk cows. But that's the beauty of Bible

study. Next time, if somebody asks you

who are your favorite characters in the Old Testament, you have

another one to consider. I look at these milk, cows, and

I'm inspired because here's what I'm inspired by today.

My birthday just passed and I thought to myself.

Wow, time flies. I'm not going to tell you how

old I am. But I'll tell you this, it's

been 10 years walking with the Lord 10 years.

And it felt like, too. Really even moving around and

different opportunities and studying here.

And they're really felt like 2 or 3 years.

I was having a conversation with somebody and they brought the

point up that when you get older it only feels faster.

And he gave the example that somebody that he heard from

somebody, that when you get older it's like your age becomes

a greater speed limit. So when you're in your 30s, it

feels like you're going 30 miles an hour in life.

When you're in your 40s, it feels like 40 my when you're in

your 50s, it feels like 50. I'm like don't scare me.

I'm already trying to put the brakes on at this point.

We were sitting across from each other and we he's at a different

point in life and I'm at a different point in life in terms

of age, but we came to the same conclusion.

Not much time is left. And I look at these milk cows,

and they finished. They became a burnt offering at

the end. They never got to see their

babies again. Read verse 14 of chapter 6, they

never were able to go back to their desperate and vulnerable

babies but they became a pleasing Aroma to God.

That's what I want my life to be.

I want to finish well. Started 10 years ago, wonderful,

it's one thing to start. It's another thing to finish and

I hope that's your desire as well.

And here is the promise. Let the presence of God dominate

your heart. Let's ask him for that.

I'd like to offer you two points of application in your prayers

tonight. The first one Lord, the same way

you made Dagon fall to his face. And he was rendered powerless.

Lord destroy every Idol in my heart tonight.

In the same way that you directed those milk cows into

your will to the point where they overcome the tugs and the

pulls of their own flesh. Lord bind me to your will.

Arrest me with your Authority. Captivate my heart not just in

the beginning, but all the way till the end Help me.

Not look to the left. Help me not look to the right.

Thank you that on the way there will be times of lowing.

But Lord, no matter how I feel. I want to obey your will just

ask God for a fresh touch, a fresh empowerment of the spirit.

Let not milk cows. Bear greater testimony of

obedience than us in 2021. Father, we ask you in.

Jesus name, thank you for your incredible word.

Thank you. How you speak?

Lord, thank you for the inspiration.

Lord, we ask tonight. that every person in here, Would be slaves

to Christ. and Lord thank you that in first John five, you

tell us that are your commands are not burdensome and the only

way your commands can feel light as when we have a greater power

in US, thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit.

We ask Lord that. If we have grieved him of, we

have failed to fellowship with him.

That that would be revived tonight.

That would be revived tonight. we want to finish well, Lord

there is someone here who have walked with you for two years,

five years, ten years, 20 years, 30 years, Thank you.

Lord. That you've kept us this long

but Lord, we have the Finish Line in mind.

And with all the Temptations and all the cries of this flesh and

all the allurements of this world.

Lord, we recognize that. It must be your Divine help that

keeps us on the path. So, Lord, we confess our

neediness to you tonight. Thank you that through the

blood. You do not dwell in the most.

Holy place in Jerusalem. Anywhere you made your home in

US. And so, Lord Phyllis afresh.

We are encouraged by Your Word tonight.

We are blessed by your wisdom. We adore you for your goodness.

Lord, if you're willing to help milk cows, how much more your

children? We rest in that truth tonight in

Jesus name we pray. Amen.

We are encouraged by Your Word tonight.

We are blessed by your wisdom. We adore you for your goodness.

Lord, if you're willing to help milk cows, how much more your

children? We rest in that truth tonight in

Jesus name we pray. Amen.