We learn from the scripture that the Ark of Covenant was the mystery of the mercy of God and His presence with the Israelites of old. At a certain time before King David brought the Ark to Jerusalem, the Ark of Covenant was placed in the house of Abinadab for twenty years. “And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years.” (1 Samuel 7:1-2) When David wanted the Ark to be brought to Jerusalem, Uzzah and Ahio sons of Abinadab drove the cart upon which the Ark of the Lord was placed. Whereas, the Ark of the Lord was never to be transported upon a cart. The sons of Kohathites were to be in charge of all the sacred items of the temple. “And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.” (Numbers 3:30-31) They were the only family required by the law of God to carry the ark, using a prescribed shittim wood poles to bear the Ark. “And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.” (Exodus 25:12-15)
In those twenty years of Ark of the Lord in the house of Abinadab, the family took the presence of God for granted. They did not humble themselves before God to learn everything they need to know about the maintenance and transportation of the Ark. Twenty years of the household of Abinadam’s association with the Ark, the presence of God in this did not make a remarkable difference in their lives. The family did not prosper with the presence of the Ark with them. Their end reward was the death of the Uzzah one of the sons of Abinadab because of his failure to decern that no unauthorized person must touch the Ark.
Contrary to this scenario, the Ark of the Lord was also kept in the house of Obed-Edom for only three months, and there was a report that the household was greatly blessed. “And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom, and all his household.” (2 Samuel 6:11) Greater than the Ark of the Lord is the divine presence of Jesus Christ with mankind on Earth, The Son of God that came to this world to die for the sin of mankind that we may be able to embrace salvation for the remission of our sins. Also, greater than the Ark of the Lord is the presence of Holy Spirit, the Comforter that had made His abode with humanity. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26) We all know how long we had embraced salvation. Are we taken this special grace for granted? Let us not frustrate the grace of God like the household of Abinadab. We should cash-in on the blessings of the grace of the presence of God with us like the household of Obed-Edom. The Lord will endow us with His wisdom in Jesus name, Amen.
Prayer: O Lord, teach my heart to appreciate your divine presence with me. Please Lord let me not frustrate the grace of salvation in my Christian life journey. I will cash in on the mercy and compassion of God in my life and I will prosper through the revelation of the abundance of blessings attached to the grace of God, in Jesus name, Amen.
Please leave your comment or prayer request below in the box provided. Thanks, God bless you, Amen.
