2. With unbelieving fear —
[He now concluded that God was an hard master, whom it was impossible to serve : he therefore would not venture any more to take to him the ark : " He was afraid of the Lord, and said. How shall the ark of the Lord come unto me?" This was a slavish fear, and utterly unbecoming one who had so often experienced the most signal tokens of his favour. This was to act like the rebellious heads of the tribes, when, in their con- test with Aaron for the priesthood, God had decided the cause against them™ : or rather it was a repetition of the conduct of the Philistines upon a precisely similar occasion". But this was very unbecoming his high character. He should rather have instituted an inquiry into the reason of the divine procedure ; and should have humbled himself before God for the errors that had been committed. For this he might have found
'&•
s Isai. viii, 21. ^ Rev. xvi, 9 — 11. ' 1 Sam. iii. 18.
k Mic. vii. 9. 1 Prov. xix. 3.
ra Numb. xvii. 12,13. " 1 Sam. v. 10, 11.
precedents in plenty in the Sacred Records °: but he yielded at once to despondency, and dismissed the whole assembly of Israel, and left the ark to be taken in by any one that was bold enough to receive it.
Such was his unhappy frame on this occasion : and such, alas ! is the temper of many under the chastisements of the Almighty : they are ready to say, "It is in vain to serve the L(nd;" there is no hope : I have loved idols, and after them will I go ]
Application —
1. Let us be especially on our guard, when we are engaged in the service of our God —
[God is a jealous God, and will not be trifled with. The conduct which would be connived at by him among the heathen, will provoke him to anger when observed among those who enjoy the light of revelation : and in proportion as we have the knowledge of him, may a conformity to his will be justly expected of us p. Happy would it be, if the professors of religion would lay this thought to heart! for, so far are they from having any dispensation from the practice of morality, that a far higher tone of morals is expected of them ; they are called upon to " shine as lights in the world," and to "be holy as God himself is holy."
And must not this thought be pre-eminently interesting to those who are engaged in the service of the sanctuary ? What manner of persons ought they to be in all holy conversation and godliness!" Sins even of ignorance are highly criminal i; but most of all in them''. Let those then who " bear the vessels of the Lord be cleans" Let a holy fear attend them in all their ministrations, lest, instead of finding acceptance with their God, they bring on themselves the heavier and more signal judgments. Miserable it is to die ; but most of all to " die by the ark of God."']
2. Let nothing divert us from the path of duty —
[If, when engaged in the service of our God, we meet with obstacles which we did not expect, let us search to find wherein we have done amiss ; but let us not yield to despon- dency, as if it were impossible to please the Lord. Let us ex- amine the Sacred Records, and pray for the teachings of the
" Josh. \'ii. 6. Judg. xx. 26. p Amos iii. 2. i Lev. v. 17 — 19.
' Compare the offerings required in Lev. iv. 3, 13, 14, 27, 28 ; of the priest, a bullock, equivalent to the whole congregation ; but of a common person, a female kid.
=* Isai. Iii. 11.