The respect someone should have for the things of God is a lesson so necessary for today. We can begin with the example of David and his treatment of the young man who claimed to have killed Saul. Upon learning of the death of Saul and Jonathan, David and all his men mourned and fasted. In II Samuel 1:14, David asks the Amalekite man, “How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
The Bible tells us David could have killed Saul two times before. He refused to harm Saul because he was the Lord’s anointed. Respect such as this is uncommon in today’s world.
Another example the Bible gives concerning respect for things which belong to God is the account of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant in I Samuel chapter 4. The army of Israel had just made camp at Ebenezer. Prior to this, they had been severely beaten by the Philistine army. After this defeat, the elders of Israel ask themselves why God has allowed them to be beaten by the Philistine army. They then resolved to bring the ark into the camp with them. The elders must have remembered how the ark was carried across the Jordan River and around the walls of Jericho. They apparently expected similar results leading them to victory. However, there was a difference between the people who carried the ark in the days of Joshua and the people who were taking the ark from Shiloh in the days of Eli. Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, moved the ark since they were ones allowed by law to do so. However, there could not have been anyone further removed from the sacred things that belong to God than Eli’s sons. The account informs us the ark was captured, Eli and his sons lost their lives in the same day, along with many more Israelites.
We have those in the church today who don’t have respect for the things which belong to God. The Lord’s Supper is something which deserves more respect because it belongs to God. But how many times do we just get in the habit of taking the bread and drinking the juice and not really considering what we are to do while partaking? In Corinthians, Paul gives us detailed instructions on behavior and the respect we should have while taking part in the Lord’s Supper. How many Christians walk in darkness but feel they have access to the Lord’s blood just because they partake of the Lord’s Supper every Sunday?
What good can the things which belong to God do us if the proper respect for these things is not there also?
By Tony Williams For the elders