it. Whether Abinadab was old and decrepid, or dead, or busy about some household affairs, or Eleazar was more holy, it is not material for us to inquire. But it may be asked, whether the ark was only twenty years there? I answer, the ark was there all the days of Saul, which was above forty years, but this was the twentieth, till the time of Samuel's giving the exhortation recorded in the following verse; or before Israel much inquired after it, or were sensible of their loss: so deeply were the roots of impiety and idolatry fastened in them. The text contains, first, the ark's recess; and secondly, Israel's repentance. Relative to the ark's recess observe, that the place was Kirjath-jearim, and more particularly, Abinadab's house, ver. 1, 2; and that the time or duration of its recess was twenty years-a long time indeed. Some inquiries may here be proposed :— 1. What is meant by the ark here? ארון Answ. It is needless to explain the word 8 which signifieth a chest, or coffin for the inclosing of a corpse, Gen. 1. 26, or coffer for the deposit of money, 2 Kings xii. 10; but this ark was the place appointed by God, where the tables of the law were laid up, therefore called the ark of the testimony; there God communed with Israel, hence called the ark of his presence, Exod. xxv. 22: here the people of Israel were to worship and inquire God's mind, and it guided their journeyings, Numb. x. 35, 36. And though the ark have many significations, yet good expositors think that what the ark of God was to the Israelites of old, that the gospel ordinances are to us; which are means of grace, tokens of God's presence, and institutions of worship. *Acts xiii. 21. 2. What is meant by the ark's being in Abinadab's house in Kirjath-jearim? Answ. It imports its privacy, and solitude, that is, comparatively speaking, few could, and still fewer would frequent it, which was not the case formerly at Shiloh. (1.) Because this city was near the Philistines upon the borders of the land, and so the other tribes could not so commodiously resort to it for devotion, or they durst not, lest the Philistines should set upon them, if any numbers came together for that purpose, as indeed they did, verse 7. Never is the devil and his imps more enraged against religious people, than when they meet to worship God: for the Philistines had interdicted Israel to meet together, and now they suspect them of sedition and rebellion. (2.) Because the ark being but in a private house, few could meet there at once to worship God, or hear the word: some, it is possible, cared not for it, and had other ways of their own hearts which they followed: others had a month's mind to it, but being aged or infirm, could not get thither, or continue comfortably before the Lord there, but were subject to many inconveniences others also were afraid of the scoffs and reproaches of their adversaries, and few would be at the pains to go and attend on God in his appointments. 3. Had the people no public ordinances or instructions all this time? Answ. It is likely that they had ordinary Levites and priests to offer sacrifices, and instruct the people, though in the time of several judges, there was sad work both in civil and spiritual affairs; sometimes there was no king or public magistrate in Israel, and then every man did that which was right in his own eyes: hence Micah gets a house of graven images, and a Levite to be his priest, Judg. xvii. 5—13. Certainly, there was sad ignorance and woful degeneracy into impiety and idolatry, as is apparent from many instances. Expositors observe but two inspired individuals, in all the time of the judges, which was 450 years, Acts xiii. 20: the one was Deborah a prophetess, Judg. iv. 4, and that prophet mentioned Judg. vi.8; excepting that angel that came up from Gilgal to Bochim, chap. ii. 1. So that Peter begins to number the prophets from Samuel, Acts iii. 24, and Paul mentions Samuel the prophet as not an ordinary person; he indeed broke forth like a glorious sun out of the night of darkness, both of sin and error; and till those days the word of the Lord was precious, 1 Sam. iii. 1, that is, it was rare, because there were few prophets to declare God's word to the people; rarely did the Lord reveal himself, and therefore was it the more precious and highly esteemed by all. But that passage saith further, there was no open vision, this seems to be an interpretation of my text: no vision diffused or spread abroad, common or multiplied, but shut up within a fence, pale, or walls -so the word signifies, no broken vision. † A loaf that is whole, nourisheth not; a book closed up instructs not; a fountain shut up waters not; the open preaching of the word distributes it abroad to all parts, and members of the mystical body: this is the multiplication of seeds, this is bread distributed, as in Christ's miracles, amongst thousands. But alas, there was none to break the bread of life to souls, till Samuel arose, and then the word of Samuel came to all Israel, Judg. xvii. 6. xviii. 1. xix. 1. xxi. 25. † y ¡n x, à y, erumpere, i. e. copiose producere. 1 Sam. iv. 1. He now preached repentance to all, and an expedition was formed against the Philistines; however, for want of reformation it proved unsuccessful, but that evil was brought on them to promote their humiliation possibly Samuel foretold this fall to them as a punishment of their sin. And now Samuel renews his exhortation,* Providence producing an argument from their catastrophe, to enforce the duty of repentance; and though this lamenting after the Lord be mentioned before this sermon, yet it is probable it was the consequence thereupon, as their reformation also was, ver. 4, yea, it may be this is the same with their drawing water, and pouring it out before the Lord, ver. 6, which some understand of penitent tears. † Take some general observations from the context thus explained: 1. God gives his people sensible tokens of his special presence; the visible ark, and an audible voice betoken spiritual, invisible grace. 2. God thinks good sometimes to withdraw himself, and hide these tokens of his presence from a professing people. 3. This withdrawing may be continued a long time, 2 Chron. xxix. 8; as in Babylon, Zech. i. 12; and in the latter days, Hos. iii. 4. 4. God takes particular notice of the duration of his church's affliction, in Egypt 400 years, so Rev. xi. 11. 5. People's privileges may be long removed before they be penitently sensible of their loss, long before their restoration. 6. When God's ordinances are but privately dispensed, it is a great loss to the body of a people, such as need them most, have then least of them. * 1 Sam. vii. 3. + Vid. Pol. Syn. in loc. 7. Continuance in sin postpones deliverance, and absence of the ark or ordinances is an occasion of continuing in sin. Men do withdraw their hearts from God, that is, sinful; God withdraws helps from them, that is, penal; men repent not ordinarily without helps; God denies helps, and is just therein. 8. Attendance on ordinances raiseth the envy of wicked men. This hath been the occasion of quarrel from the days of Cain and Abel, successively to this day,* Gen. iv. 5. Exod. ix. 1. Ezra iv. 12, 13. Gal. iv. 29. Esther iii. 8. Dan. iii. 12. vi. 13. 9. One stirring active instrument for God, may by God's blessing, promote repentance and reformation amongst a people. O what hurt may one sinner do! so what good may one useful man do when God stirs up his heart. Samuel sets things forwards and puts them into motion, so Ezra v. 1, 2. Hag. i. 12. 10. When God designs a reformation and restitution of his ordinances, he orders a harmonious concurrence of providences for that end. The accomplishment of God's threats affright and awaken. Samuel comes at the critical moment, and speaks words upon the wheel. God moves, and things go on apace, 2 Chron. xxix. 36. xxxi. 21. These I pass briefly, and proceed to the main point in the last clause of the verse, And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. They did not lament so much under their pressing burdens, and grievous oppressions by the Philistines, as after the Lord, that is, for the ark of the Lord and the Lord of the ark, for the recovery of God's gracious presence and the visible tokens thereof; they bitterly lamented the calamity of church and state, religion * 1 Kings xviii. |
