patriarchs and prophets-第136节

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people。　The　wicked　may　triumph　for　a　time　as　they　see　Israel　suffering
chastisement；　but　the　time　will

586

come　when　they；　too；　must　meet　the　sentence　of　a　holy；　sin…hating　God。
Whenever　iniquity　is　cherished；　there；　swift　and　unerring；　the　divine
judgments　will　follow。

The　Philistines　removed　the　ark　in　triumph　to　Ashdod；　one　of　their　five
principal　cities；　and　placed　it　in　the　house　of　their　god　Dagon。　They
imagined　that　the　power　which　had　hitherto　attended　the　ark　would　be　theirs；
and　that　this；　united　with　the　power　of　Dagon；　would　render　them　invincible。
But　upon　entering　the　temple　on　the　following　day；　they　beheld　a　sight　which
filled　them　with　consternation。　Dagon　had　fallen　upon　his　face　to　the　earth
before　the　ark　of　Jehovah。　The　priests　reverently　lifted　the　idol　and
restored　it　to　its　place。　But　the　next　morning　they　found　it；　strangely
mutilated；　again　lying　upon　the　earth　before　the　ark。　The　upper　part　of　this
idol　was　like　that　of　a　man；　and　the　lower　part　was　in　the　likeness　of　a
fish。　Now　every　part　that　resembled　the　human　form　had　been　cut　off；　and
only　the　body　of　the　fish　remained。　Priests　and　people　were　horror…struck；
they　looked　upon　this　mysterious　event　as　an　evil　omen；　foreboding
destruction　to　themselves　and　their　idols　before　the　God　of　the　Hebrews。
They　now　removed　the　ark　from　their　temple　and　placed　it　in　a　building　by
itself。

The　inhabitants　of　Ashdod　were　smitten　with　a　distressing　and　fatal　disease。
Remembering　the　plagues　that　were　inflicted　upon　Egypt　by　the　God　of　Israel；
the　people　attributed　their　afflictions　to　the　presence　of　the　ark　among
them。　It　was　decided　to　convey　it　to　Gath。　But　the　plague　followed　close
upon　its　removal；　and　the　men　of　that　city　sent　it　to　Ekron。　Here　the　people
received　it　with　terror；　crying；　〃They　have　brought　about　the　ark　of　the　God
of　Israel　to　us；　to　slay　us　and　our　people。〃　They　turned　to　their　gods　for
protection；　as　the　people　of　Gath　and　Ashdod　had　done；　but　the　work　of　the
destroyer　went　on；　until；　in　their　distress；　〃the　cry　of　the　city　went　up　to
heaven。〃　Fearing　longer　to　retain　the　ark　among　the　homes　of　men；　the　people
next　placed　it　in　the　open　field。　There　followed　a　plague　of　mice；　which
infested　the　land；　destroying　the　products　of　the　soil；　both　in　the
storehouse　and　in　the　field。　Utter　destruction；　by　disease　or　famine；　now
threatened　the　nation。

For　seven　months　the　ark　remained　in　Philistia；　and　during　all　this　time　the
Israelites　made　no　effort　for　its　recovery。　But　the　Philistines　were　now　as
anxious　to　free　themselves　from　its　presence

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as　they　had　been　to　obtain　it。　Instead　of　being　a　source　of　strength　to
them；　it　was　a　great　burden　and　a　heavy　curse。　Yet　they　knew　not　what　course
to　pursue；　for　wherever　it　went　the　judgments　of　God　followed。　The　people
called　for　the　princes　of　the　nation；　with　the　priests　and　diviners；　and
eagerly　inquired；　〃What　shall　we　do　to　the　ark　of　Jehovah？　tell　us　wherewith
we　shall　send　it　to　his　place？〃　They　were　advised　to　return　it　with　a　costly
trespass　offering。　〃Then；〃　said　the　priests；　〃ye　shall　be　healed；　and　it
shall　be　known　to　you　why　His　hand　is　not　removed　from　you。〃

To　ward　off　or　to　remove　a　plague；　it　was　anciently　the　custom　among　the
heathen　to　make　an　image　in　gold；　silver；　or　other　material；　of　that　which
caused　the　destruction；　or　of　the　object　or　part　of　the　body　specially
affected。　This　was　set　up　on　a　pillar　or　in　some　conspicuous　place；　and　was
supposed　to　be　an　effectual　protection　against　the　evils　thus　represented。　A
similar　practice　still　exists　among　some　heathen　peoples。　When　a　person
suffering　from　disease　goes　for　cure　to　the　temple　of　his　idol；　he　carries
with　him　a　figure　of　the　part　affected；　which　he　presents　as　an　offering　to
his　god。

It　was　in　accordance　with　the　prevailing　superstition　that　the　Philistine
lords　directed　the　people　to　make　representations　of　the　plagues　by　which
they　had　been　afflicted〃five　golden　emerods；　and　five　golden　mice；
according　to　the　number　of　the　lords　of　the　Philistines：　for；〃　said　they；
〃one　plague　was　on　you　all；　and　on　your　lords。〃

These　wise　men　acknowledged　a　mysterious　power　accompanying　the　arka　power
which　they　had　no　wisdom　to　meet。　Yet　they　did　not　counsel　the　people　to
turn　from　their　idolatry　to　serve　the　Lord。　They　still　hated　the　God　of
Israel；　though　compelled　by　overwhelming　judgments　to　submit　to　His
authority。　Thus　sinners　may　be　convinced　by　the　judgments　of　God　that　it　is
in　vain　to　contend　against　Him。　They　may　be　compelled　to　submit　to　His
power；　while　at　heart　they　rebel　against　His　control。　Such　submission　cannot
save　the　sinner。　The　heart　must　be　yielded　to　Godmust　be　subdued　by　divine
gracebefore　man's　repentance　can　be　accepted。

How　great　is　the　long…suffering　of　God　toward　the　wicked！　The　idolatrous
Philistines　and　backsliding　Israel　had　alike　enjoyed　the　gifts　of　His
providence。　Ten　thousand　unnoticed　mercies

588

were　silently　falling　in　the　pathway　of　ungrateful；　rebellious　men。　Every
blessing　spoke　to　them　of　the　Giver；　but　they　were　indifferent　to　His　love。
The　forbearance　of　God　was　very　great　toward　the　children　of　men；　but　when
they　stubbornly　persisted　in　their　impenitence；　He　removed　from　them　His
protecting　hand。　They　refused　to　listen　to　the　voice　of　God　in　His　created
works；　and　in　the　warnings；　counsels；　and　reproofs　of　His　word；　and　thus　He
was　forced　to　speak　to　them　through　judgments。

There　were　some　among　the　Philistines　who　stood　ready　to　oppose　the　return
of　the　ark　to　its　own　land。　Such　an　acknowledgment　of　the　power　of　Israel's
God　would　be　humiliating　to　the　pride　of　Philistia。　But　〃the　priests　and　the
diviners〃　admonished　the　people　not　to　imitate　the　stubbornness　of　Pharaoh
and　the　Egyptians；　and　thus　bring　upon　themselves　still　greater　afflictions。
A　plan　which　won　the　consent　of　all　was　now　proposed；　and　immediately　put　in
execution。　The　ark；　with　the　golden　trespass　offering；　was　placed　upon　a　new
cart；　thus　precluding　all　danger　of　defilement；　to　this　cart；　or　car；　were
attached　two　kine　upon　whose　necks　a　yoke　had　never　been　placed。　Their
calves　were　shut　up　at　home；　and　the　cows　were　left　free　to　go　where　they
pleased。　If　the　ark　should　thus　be　returned　to　the　Israelites　by　the　way　of
Beth…shemesh；　the　nearest　city　of　the　Levites；　the　Philistines　would　accept
this　as　evidence　that　the　God　of　Israel　had　done　unto　them　this　great　evil；
〃but　if　not；〃　they　said；　〃then　we　shall　know　that　it　is　not　His　hand　that
smote　us；　it　was　a　chance　that　happened　to　us。〃

On　being　set　free；　the　kine　turned　from　their　young　and；　lowing　as　they
went；　took　the　direct　road　to　Beth…shemesh。　Guided　by　no　human　hand；　the
patient　animals　kept　on　their　way。　The　divine　Presence　accompanied　the　ark；
and　it　passed　on　safely　to　the　very　place　designated。

It　was　now　the　time　of　wheat　harvest；　and　the　men　of　Beth…shemesh　were
reaping　in　the　valley。　〃And　they　lifted　up　their　eyes；　and　saw　the　ark；　and
rejoiced　to　see　it。　And　the　cart　came　into　the　field　of　Joshua；　a
Beth…shemite；　and　stood　there；　where　there　was　a　great　stone：　and　they　clave
the　wood　of　the　cart；　and　offered　the　kine　of　burnt…offering　unto　the　Lord。〃
The　lords　of　the　Philistines；　who　had　followed　the　ark　〃unto　the　border　of
Beth…shemesh；〃　and　had　witnessed　its　reception；　now　returned　to

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Ekron。　The　plague　had　ceased；　and　they　were　convinced　that　their　calamities
had　been　a　judgment　from　the　God　of　Israel。

The　men　of　Beth…shemesh　quickly　spread　the　tidings　that　the　ark　was　in　their
possession；　and　the　people　from　the　surrounding　country　flocked　to　welcome
its　return。　The　ark　had　been　placed　upon　the　stone　that　first　served　for　an
altar；　and　before　it　additional　sacrifices　were　offered　unto　the　Lord。　Had
the　worshipers　repented　of　their　sins；　God's　blessing　would　have　attended
them。　But　they　were　not　faithfully　obeying　His　law；　and　while　they　rejoiced
at　the　return　of　the　ark　as　a　harbinger　of　good；　they　had　no　true　sense　of
its　sacredness。　Instead　of　preparing　a　suitable　place　for　its　reception；
they　permitted　it　to　remain　in　the　harvest　field。　As　they　continued　to　gaze
upon　the　sacred　chest　and　to　talk　of　the　wonderful　manner　in　which　it　had
been　restored；　they　began　to　conjecture　wherein　lay　its　peculiar　power。　At
last；　overcome　by　curiosity；　they　removed　the　coverings　and　ventured　to　open
it。

All　Israel　had　been　taught　to　regard　the　ark　with　awe　and　reverence。　When
required　to　remove　it　from　place　to　place　the　Levites　were　not　so　much　as　to
look　upon　it。　Only　once　a　year　was　the　high　priest　permitted　to　behold　the
ark　of　God。　Even　the　heathen　Philistines　had　not　dared　to　remove　its
coverings。　Angels　of　heaven；　unseen；　ever　attended　it　in　all　its
journeyings。　The　irreverent　daring　of　the　people　at　Beth…shemesh　was
speedily　punished。　Many　were　smitten　with　sudden　death。

The　survivors　were　not　led　by　this　judgment　to　repent　of　their　sin；　but　only
to　regard　the　ark　with　superstitious　fear。　Eager　to　be　free　from　its
presence；　yet　not　daring　to　re