The Ark of the Lord.
Scripture: 1 Samuel 5 v 7
"And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they
said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for His hand is
sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god."
Throughout the ages people have wanted to find the lost
Ark of the Lord because the power of it confers complete protection. However,
it was given to Israel as the Chosen people, to keep it in the Holy Place. To
anyone else it became a huge destruction.
Wherever they went through the wilderness in their exodus
from Egypt, a special tent was erected in the centre of the twelve tribes
camped around it. This tent was a microcosm of the temple built by Solomon. At
the very back of the tent was a curtained off portion called the Holy of
Holies. In this place the Ark of the Covenant rested.
In the time of Samuel the prophet, the Philistines
captured the Ark of the Covenant and put it in Dagon's temple - Dagon is a
false god. The next morning their idol
had fallen on his face and was broken.
To add to this shock bubonic
plague had also broken out in that city.
So the Philistines decided to send it back to Israel via
Gath and that city also contracted the plague. Next it was sent to the city of
Ekron but they refused to let the Ark enter the gates as bad news travels fast.
Wherever the Ark went in the hands of the enemies of
Israel they were destroyed by the mighty power of God. It was eventually sent
back in style by allowing the Hebrews to collect it themselves. But Uzzah, King
David's friend, riding alongside the Ark put out his hand to steady the Ark and
died on the spot. David was afraid and angry. He sent the Ark into the home of
Obed-edom for 3 months till he found the safest route for it to come to
Jerusalem. Obed-edom received great blessings because the Ark was in his house.
That Ark represents Jesus Himself who now lives within
you and who protects you just as fiercely as the Ark protected Israel, and
scares your enemies away as long as you continue in holy righteous living.
Anyone who puts a hand upon the people under His protection will suffer loss.
Jesus within you will destroy the idols in your life and fill you with peace, healing and victory
over your problems. One of the great attributes of the Ark was that Israel
could not be defeated by any nation while she had the Ark and was being
obedient to God. The same applies to us when Jesus is our Lord in more than
name only.
When plagues and pestilences like bubonic plague, ebola,
HIV/AIDS, SARS, swine flu, bird flu etc trouble a nation, the root of the
trouble is gross disobedience to God. Corruption in high places breeds a heavy
burden of disease, death and loss of finance.
Nations steeped in idolatry are brought down by drought,
floods, tsunamis, superstorms, earthquakes. They have rejected Jesus the Ark
made flesh, and accepted doctrines of devils. Nothing happens on this planet
that God does not know about. Through stubbornness comes calamity. Jesus drew all men to Himself becoming a
magnet as He hung dying. Now as we life in love and righteousness the Holy
Spirit is our individual portion of the Ark of the Covenant of our Lord.
When Jesus died the four-inch-thick curtain interwoven
with strands of gold, that separated the Ark from the priests and congregation,
split down the middle from top to bottom. It was God's acknowledgment of Jesus
the human Ark removing the curtain of the Law through His sacrifice and opening
the Holy of Holies to all who respected it.
Prayer: Heavenly Father Christians have been thought of
as feeble and poor yet we have You mighty power within us. Teach us to respect
the power of Jesus and handle it very wisely. In Jesus' name. Amen.