II. ConnECTER AND FULLEn KNOWLEDGE OF GoD, WHILE IT INTERPOSES DELAY, DOES NOT INVOLVE DESPAIB, DUT DOES ENSURE A MORE EXALTED ESTIMATE OF WHAT TI' IS TO ENTERTAIN HIM. The ark, with thfl mercy-seat upon it and the overshadowing cherubim, symbolized the Divine presence, and was, when located in the sanctuary in its proper place, unseen except by the high priest. In it centred the reverential feel- ing of the people. It is exc.iedingly likely that something of the deep mysterious awe with which it was associated was lowered and impaired by its history, when taken by the Philistines and lost to its own people. David himself may have been among the number of those whose higher sense suffered some depreciation. He reverenced the ark and prized it; be thought it a necessity to the well-being of the nation, and ardently longed "to bring it to himself to the city of David." But something of this was form and the worship of form. Something of it was reliance on "means of grace," rather than vital dependence on the grace itself. Even David's time was too late to let this in David's own self be " winked at "--or in the self of any true Israelite. The Bible that is possessed must be intelligently used; it is not to be lowered to the place of a talis- man. The God who is worshipped must be worshipped "in Spirit and in truth "-he "seeketh such to worshlp him." And what David bad thought could be sufficiently well done in a day or two, be learns will take " three months'" preparation. During all this time his estimate of what it was to have and to entertain the Divine represen- tation was being raised. How many a time did he speak in this wise to himself, "How shall I bring the ark of God home to me?" And the very process of thought that was going on within him, the mingled perplexity, disappointment, humiliation, all wakened by an unusual fear, were at the same time raising his estimate of the guest he fain would welcome, and fitting him to entertain that guest. In this instance fear supplied the missing link, fear held the key-stone position, fear wakened the things that "were ready to die," unsuspectedly as the danger lurked. 'l'he theology must needs be radically weak that omits the justice of God, the integrity of man ; the judgmcnt of God, the fear of man. But the correcter and fuller knowledge of the Divine nature and relation- ship to man, which c,mfessedly is most adapted to waken fear, to quicken it, to keep it a steady and strong force in our life, is not that which will permanently discourage, dis- appoint, or occasion desponding. It will interpose delay, it will occasion heart-searching, it will promote a wholesome self-renunciation. But thereupon it is provided that, long ere despair is touched, a ransom will be found, an,l a triumphant entrance for the ark more prized than ever. "Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other."
Ver. 14.-Responsible service outvied by abounding reward. A certain amount of obscurity bangs over the name of Obed-edom, as bas been already seen. And supposin~ that slight amount of obscurity removed or to count for little, it remains to take note of the fact that the signification of the name Obcd-edom-servant to Edam-lends somo additional interest to the circumstance of the ark's entertainment for a space of three months at his house. It reminds one of somo two or three occ1wions in the time of our Saviour and in the first history of the apostle~, when those who did not bear the name of Israel did seem to do works better than those of Israel, and to carry a truer heart within them, and received a signal and gracious reward. But on whatever occasion and in whatever way be or the family of which be came brcame possessed of the name, there is little doubt that this Obed-edom was a Lcvite, of the Kohathite family. And as his house would appear to have been near the scene of the judgment that befell Uzza, while the ark was now on its way from the house of Abinadab, the Levite of Kirjath- jearim, it the rather invited David to place it there awhile under his care. David is now the victim of panic. Whether the panic were more the olT6pring of good or bad quality, and bad in it preponderance of good element or otherwise, certain it is that it lost David for three months the possession of the ark, where he would fain have it. Again he must have lived on mercy, and had to rest his hope again on this-that the will be taken for the deed. It was a shadow of how it would be later on with the building of the glorious temple. But equally certain was annthcr thing-that what David lost o·r honour, privi- lege, reward, auothPr obtained: "The ark of God remained with the family of Obc,l- edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-cdom, and all that he had." We have here a kind of leading instance of responsible trust transfcrreu: 204 THE FIRST BOOK OF THEl CllRONICL:t<lS. [dtt. xm. 1-14..