THE ARK OF THE LORD IN HARVEST TIME
“Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.”
Beth Shemesh was a city in the territory of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:10), about 14 miles to the west of the city of Jerusalem. It was originally a city given to Sun worship, but when conquered by Joshua it was given to the Levites (Joshua 21:16). Therefore its inhabitants were Levites, and they had a problem. Israel foolishly took the ark into battle as a good luck charm, and the Philistines captured it. For seven long months the ark of the LORD had been in the land of the Philistines, leaving Israel “Ichabod” (“the glory departed”), as a mark of divine displeasure. Surely among the godly minority in Israel, no one longed for the return of Jehovah’s ark more than the Levites. But since the armies of Israel had lost the ark in battle, what could a group of Levites possibly do to secure its return? They could long for it, and they could hope and look for its return, but that was about it. Pray and wait. They had no control over the event. No doubt they did pray and wait, but while waiting, life must go on. So the seeds were planted, the rains came, the wheat grew, the fields changed from dusty brown to brilliant green. Summer’s heat came on, and still no ark. The green hues turned to golden harvest, time to offer the first fruits, but still no ark. Perhaps many in Israel became accustomed to its absence and got on well without it, but not the devout, and certainly not the Levites. Did the Levites of Beth Shemesh think about the ark? It was not a theological theory or option to them. What did they say when they talked to one another about it? Only the Lord knows. But we know this, that although He knew when the ark would return, He had told no one in Israel. The heavens were silent, but divine silence is not divine forgetfulness.
One day in the wheat harvest, a day just like all the other days, the men of Beth Shemesh arose, ate their breakfast, and went to the fields in the valley to reap. There in the golden valley they worked away, cutting the wheat, tying it in bundles and stacking it for transport back to the town. Everything was normal, just like any other day in the harvest, until a strange sound reached their ears. What was that? Looking up, they saw two milk cows pulling a cart towards them on the road from Philistia, lowing as they went. What was that? Straightening their backs in the fields, they stared, squinting in the sun’s bright light as they tried to identify the spectacle. As their eyes focused on the precious cargo moving toward them, their hearts leaped within them. The ark of the LORD! Quickly their eyes scanned the horizon for Philistine armies, but there were none. The ark had returned to them in harvest time, and the Scriptures say, “They rejoiced to see it”.
So will it be with us, one day, dear brethren. The Lord Jesus is to us like the ark was to the Levites, only infinitely better! He has been gone a long time now, and to the merely human eye the cross and the tomb were anything but glorious. Unlike the Ark, He is not in enemy hands, but reigning in glory, and preparing to come for us. The time of His absence will be perfect, represented by the number seven. Many so-called Christians seem complacent about His absence, and occupy themselves with the mundane matters of life. After all, what can we do to bring the Lord back? Nothing. But we can long for Him, we can hope for Him, we can look for His return – pray and wait. We have no control over the event. And while we are praying and waiting, it’s true, life must go on, and it does. There are precious gospel seeds to be planted, there are harvests to be reaped. One generation of His servants passes on into eternity and another labors on in the harvest, sowing, watering, reaping, but still no Ark in sight. When will He return? Do we think about it? Do we talk about His return? Is it more than just a theological theory, a prophetic interpretation or option to us? Brethren, the Lord knows if we love His appearing or not! He knows when He will return, but He has told no one in the Church. The heavens are silent, but divine silence is not divine forgetfulness.
One day in the harvest down here, a day just like other days, the people of the Lord will arise, eat their breakfast and begin their day just like other days. For the faithful it will be a day of harvesting and a day of hoping. And all across the world, as His servants are working away in the fields, it will seem that everything is going normal until a strange sound reaches our ears. What was that? Sounds like a trumpet! Before the sound dies away, we will straighten up to look and see, and in that moment the glorious sight will meet our eyes: the One who is the Ark, our Saviour the Lord Jesus, coming across the fields towards us. And before that trumpet sound can fade, we will be gone, taken up to be with Him! The Ark will have come! No more harvest time, no more waiting. With Him forever! Come Lord Jesus, come blessed trumpet sound, come divine and glorious surprise, we are waiting, and we will rejoice to see You! And, brethren, may we be found working in the harvest when the “Ark” appears!
1 Samuel 6:13
Beth Shemesh was a city in the territory of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:10), about 14 miles to the west of the city of Jerusalem. It was originally a city given to Sun worship, but when conquered by Joshua it was given to the Levites (Joshua 21:16). Therefore its inhabitants were Levites, and they had a problem. Israel foolishly took the ark into battle as a good luck charm, and the Philistines captured it. For seven long months the ark of the LORD had been in the land of the Philistines, leaving Israel “Ichabod” (“the glory departed”), as a mark of divine displeasure. Surely among the godly minority in Israel, no one longed for the return of Jehovah’s ark more than the Levites. But since the armies of Israel had lost the ark in battle, what could a group of Levites possibly do to secure its return? They could long for it, and they could hope and look for its return, but that was about it. Pray and wait. They had no control over the event. No doubt they did pray and wait, but while waiting, life must go on. So the seeds were planted, the rains came, the wheat grew, the fields changed from dusty brown to brilliant green. Summer’s heat came on, and still no ark. The green hues turned to golden harvest, time to offer the first fruits, but still no ark. Perhaps many in Israel became accustomed to its absence and got on well without it, but not the devout, and certainly not the Levites. Did the Levites of Beth Shemesh think about the ark? It was not a theological theory or option to them. What did they say when they talked to one another about it? Only the Lord knows. But we know this, that although He knew when the ark would return, He had told no one in Israel. The heavens were silent, but divine silence is not divine forgetfulness.
One day in the wheat harvest, a day just like all the other days, the men of Beth Shemesh arose, ate their breakfast, and went to the fields in the valley to reap. There in the golden valley they worked away, cutting the wheat, tying it in bundles and stacking it for transport back to the town. Everything was normal, just like any other day in the harvest, until a strange sound reached their ears. What was that? Looking up, they saw two milk cows pulling a cart towards them on the road from Philistia, lowing as they went. What was that? Straightening their backs in the fields, they stared, squinting in the sun’s bright light as they tried to identify the spectacle. As their eyes focused on the precious cargo moving toward them, their hearts leaped within them. The ark of the LORD! Quickly their eyes scanned the horizon for Philistine armies, but there were none. The ark had returned to them in harvest time, and the Scriptures say, “They rejoiced to see it”.
So will it be with us, one day, dear brethren. The Lord Jesus is to us like the ark was to the Levites, only infinitely better! He has been gone a long time now, and to the merely human eye the cross and the tomb were anything but glorious. Unlike the Ark, He is not in enemy hands, but reigning in glory, and preparing to come for us. The time of His absence will be perfect, represented by the number seven. Many so-called Christians seem complacent about His absence, and occupy themselves with the mundane matters of life. After all, what can we do to bring the Lord back? Nothing. But we can long for Him, we can hope for Him, we can look for His return – pray and wait. We have no control over the event. And while we are praying and waiting, it’s true, life must go on, and it does. There are precious gospel seeds to be planted, there are harvests to be reaped. One generation of His servants passes on into eternity and another labors on in the harvest, sowing, watering, reaping, but still no Ark in sight. When will He return? Do we think about it? Do we talk about His return? Is it more than just a theological theory, a prophetic interpretation or option to us? Brethren, the Lord knows if we love His appearing or not! He knows when He will return, but He has told no one in the Church. The heavens are silent, but divine silence is not divine forgetfulness.
One day in the harvest down here, a day just like other days, the people of the Lord will arise, eat their breakfast and begin their day just like other days. For the faithful it will be a day of harvesting and a day of hoping. And all across the world, as His servants are working away in the fields, it will seem that everything is going normal until a strange sound reaches our ears. What was that? Sounds like a trumpet! Before the sound dies away, we will straighten up to look and see, and in that moment the glorious sight will meet our eyes: the One who is the Ark, our Saviour the Lord Jesus, coming across the fields towards us. And before that trumpet sound can fade, we will be gone, taken up to be with Him! The Ark will have come! No more harvest time, no more waiting. With Him forever! Come Lord Jesus, come blessed trumpet sound, come divine and glorious surprise, we are waiting, and we will rejoice to see You! And, brethren, may we be found working in the harvest when the “Ark” appears!
