The Only Element of Safety
The Only Element of Safety.—The story told in 1 Samuel 4 and 5 contains a wonderful lesson for the ages. Sin-loving Israel, having had committed to their trust the most precious of all things, God's law of truth, yet failing to keep the trust, thought that the presence of the law written on stone, and its receptacle, the ark, would save them from their enemies. But God showed them that He could not serve with sin; and He withdrew His protection. The sinful priests who cared for the ark were slain, and the ark was captured by the Philistines. But when the Philistines boasted of the superiority of their gods over Jehovah, the sanctity of the ark and law alone was sufficient to protect the holy vessel and to lay the fish-god of the Philistines prostrate on the threshold of his own temple. God will not serve with sin. In mercy He may spare the sinner despite his sin, but He will not compromise with sin. His holy institutions do not need human guards to protect them; but humanity does need God's holiness within to protect humanity. Of those who are truly His, tho they may die for their faith, Jesus says, "Not a hair of your head shall perish." The tomb may lock its sable doors upon them, but Christ will open them to light and glorious immortality.