Who Can Stand In The Presence Of The LORD?
Daily Renewal
When the ark of the LORD had been in Philistine territory seven months, the Philistines called for the priests and diviners and saId, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD?”...
They replied… “Get a new cart ready, with two cows that have never calved and have never been yoked...Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it, put the gold objects you are sending back to Him as a guilt offering”…
So, they did this...They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it, the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. Then the cows went up toward Beth Shemesh…
Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight…
But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them. And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this Holy God?”...
Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying,... “Come down and take it to your own town.”
They replied… “Get a new cart ready, with two cows that have never calved and have never been yoked...Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it, put the gold objects you are sending back to Him as a guilt offering”…
So, they did this...They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it, the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. Then the cows went up toward Beth Shemesh…
Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight…
But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them. And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this Holy God?”...
Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying,... “Come down and take it to your own town.”
I Samuel 6:1-21
And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this Holy God?”
The concept of God’s holiness is rather frightening. We see this particularly displayed in the old Testament when God brought swift judgment on people who violated His holiness.
God struck down two sons of Aaron for offering unauthorized fire before Him. He struck down several Israelites when they indulged in sexual improprieties as they worshiped the golden calf. Even in the New Testament, God struck down Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit.
The People of Beth Shemesh knew that the ark of God had to be handled in divinely prescribed ways. Looking into the ark was a violation of God’s holy directives. The result was swift judgment. Frightened, they asked, Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this Holy God?” They did not want anything to do with the ark from that point on!
So, who can stand before a holy God? David helps us with some answers:
“LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?...Your holy mountain?...The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, and who speaks the truth from their heart;
Whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD;” (Psalm 15).
So, who can stand before the LORD? These words of David are quite instructive in helping us to answer that question. By His grace, may the words above describe our lives!
The concept of God’s holiness is rather frightening. We see this particularly displayed in the old Testament when God brought swift judgment on people who violated His holiness.
God struck down two sons of Aaron for offering unauthorized fire before Him. He struck down several Israelites when they indulged in sexual improprieties as they worshiped the golden calf. Even in the New Testament, God struck down Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit.
The People of Beth Shemesh knew that the ark of God had to be handled in divinely prescribed ways. Looking into the ark was a violation of God’s holy directives. The result was swift judgment. Frightened, they asked, Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this Holy God?” They did not want anything to do with the ark from that point on!
So, who can stand before a holy God? David helps us with some answers:
“LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?...Your holy mountain?...The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, and who speaks the truth from their heart;
Whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD;” (Psalm 15).
So, who can stand before the LORD? These words of David are quite instructive in helping us to answer that question. By His grace, may the words above describe our lives!