1Sam. 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim,
that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel
lamented after the LORD.
The
ark remains in the house of Abinidab all the days of Samuel and Saul until David brings it first to
Obed-Edom and then to Jerusalem.
During
this time, the Lord’s words were still not heavy with the people of Israel.
They did what was right in their own eyes. They needed the Spirit of God to
stir them up to a reverent adherence to Yahweh. They needed covenant renewal
but they were so lost in their sins that they did not even know what they
needed to do. Like the wicked Hophni and Phinehas they were dead in their
trespasses and sins. Like the blind Eli, they were lost and did not know how to
find blessing from Yahweh. Their hearts
were hard. Their eyes were blind and their ears could not hear. They needed a
move of the Spirit to soften their hearts of stone, to take off the scales of
blindness from their eyes and to give them ears to hear the Word of Yahweh.
Fortunately
for them, the Spirit was moving. The glory of God was returning to the land and
their was hope for their desperate condition. The Spirit gave them utterance,
groaning in them words that were beyond speech. They lamented, they groaned for
a word from Yahweh. They desired to know the Lord for blessing.
So,
too, our wildernesses lead us to revival. Our hours and days in the dessert
lead us to a place of lamentation of our own sins and a pining for the Spirit
of God to restore us to fellowship and blessing. But we must be wise in the
ways of the Lord. He does not desire empty service, devoid of heart humility.
His desire is that we would honestly confess our sins, turn from our wicked
ways and false gods and turn to the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ.
When we do this, the glory of God for blessing returns to us and we can once
again stand in the presence of Yahweh without fear of condemnation, expecting
blessing from the hand of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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