1Sa 6:13 | KingComments | STEP | The ark arrives in Beth-shemesh, a Levite city where the Kohathites live. It is precisely those Levites who are appointed by God to carry the ark ( ; ). There God brings the ark and not to Shiloh. God knows whom He can entrust the glory of His Son. When the ark arrives in Beth-shemesh, the inhabitants of the city, the Levites, are busy harvesting the wheat. The Levites work here on the land. They are busy with the wheat. Wheat speaks of the result of the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus ( ). This result consists of the believers, who are all who by faith in the Lord Jesus have received Him as their life. The Lord Jesus is the grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died. That is why a lot of fruit has come. The ark comes where people are reaping the wheat harvest, where they are busy with the blessings God has given in the land. Something similar we see with Gideon ( ), with the shepherds who keep watch over the flock in the night of the Savior’s birth and to whom the good news is proclaimed ( ), and with the disciples who are also busy in their daily work when the Lord calls them ( ). The inhabitants of Beth-shemesh are happy to see the ark (cf. ). But did they really miss the ark and seek it, like David later ( )? It is therefore undeserved grace when the presence of the LORD returns. Without having sought for it, without having fought for it, without having paid a ransom, the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, returned to them. They have never seen the ark, but from the description they know and its brilliance they must have known: this is the ark. So it will always be with faith. The cows are sacrificed as burnt offering. They have been used to give the ark back into the hands of the people and are now sacrificed to God. The Levites have, in picture, offered the Lord Jesus to God as a burnt offering. They have also sacrificed sacrifices, which are peace offerings and speak of fellowship. This fellowship may be particularly experienced at the Lord’s Table as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The wood of the car is split (cf. ). The means that have been used to bring back the ark are also used to honor God. Now the wood serves to burn the sacrifices, so that they ascend to God as a sweet odor ( ).

‏ 1 Samuel 6:13

The Ark Arrives in the Land

The ark arrives in Beth-shemesh, a Levite city where the Kohathites live. It is precisely those Levites who are appointed by God to carry the ark (Num 3:29-31; Jos 21:10 ; 16). There God brings the ark and not to Shiloh. God knows whom He can entrust the glory of His Son. When the ark arrives in Beth-shemesh, the inhabitants of the city, the Levites, are busy harvesting the wheat.

The Levites work here on the land. They are busy with the wheat. Wheat speaks of the result of the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Jn 12:24). This result consists of the believers, who are all who by faith in the Lord Jesus have received Him as their life. The Lord Jesus is the grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died. That is why a lot of fruit has come.

The ark comes where people are reaping the wheat harvest, where they are busy with the blessings God has given in the land. Something similar we see with Gideon (Jdg 6:11), with the shepherds who keep watch over the flock in the night of the Savior’s birth and to whom the good news is proclaimed (Lk 2:8-10), and with the disciples who are also busy in their daily work when the Lord calls them (Mt 4:18-22). The inhabitants of Beth-shemesh are happy to see the ark (cf. Jn 20:20). But did they really miss the ark and seek it, like David later (Psa 132:3-5)?

It is therefore undeserved grace when the presence of the LORD returns. Without having sought for it, without having fought for it, without having paid a ransom, the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, returned to them. They have never seen the ark, but from the description they know and its brilliance they must have known: this is the ark. So it will always be with faith.

The cows are sacrificed as burnt offering. They have been used to give the ark back into the hands of the people and are now sacrificed to God. The Levites have, in picture, offered the Lord Jesus to God as a burnt offering. They have also sacrificed sacrifices, which are peace offerings and speak of fellowship. This fellowship may be particularly experienced at the Lord’s Table as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

The wood of the car is split (cf. 1Kgs 19:21). The means that have been used to bring back the ark are also used to honor God. Now the wood serves to burn the sacrifices, so that they ascend to God as a sweet odor (Lev 1:7-9).