SUNDAY November 25, 2018
A Time to Rejoice!
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. Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
1 Samuel 6:13-14
As the Ark of God arrived at Beth Shemesh, the people of the city were outside reaping the wheat harvest. They became excited at the sight of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark represented God’s presence among His people. God was back among them, and they would be blessed. It had been seven months (1 Samuel 6:1) since they had seen the Ark, and they greatly rejoiced to see it!
During Israel’s history, they went through different seasons. The nation suffered great distress and oppression. Often their sorrow was due to their lack of obedience to the Lord. Yet there were times of dancing and rejoicing as God, in answer to their cries, delivered them from their affliction in Egypt:
And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians…” (Exodus 3:7-8).
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!” …Then Miriam the prophetess… and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances (Exodus 15:1, 20).
Life can bring different seasons of sorrow and rejoicing, but too often your seasons of sorrow can be due to your own disobedience. If this is so, call on the name of the Lord; He will bring back into you times of rejoicing!
You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
~Isaiah 9:3~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!