“The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed his household and everything he had.”
1 Chronicles 13:14
David decided to take God’s ark to Jerusalem because the road they were traveling was very muddy. However, on the way, the oxen that carried the ark stumbled, and the ark tipped to one side, and started to slip towards the ground. Without thinking, Uzzah rushed over and grabbed the ark in order to stop it from hitting the ground. However, to everyone’s surprise, Uzzah fell to the ground dead. Joy turned to mourning. Uzzah forgot the laws that described the proper handling of the ark, and he acted out of his instincts. God had forbidden anyone to have contact with the ark. David was so distressed; he asked, “How am I going to take God’s ark to my house?” Suddenly, a man named Obed-Edom said, “Your Majesty, allow me the privilege of taking the ark to my house,” and God granted it to him. When the ark of God entered into Obed-Edom’s house, God blessed him abundantly. The news that God was blessing his family reached the ears of the king. The home of Obed-Edom prospered, along with his entire household. David sent for the ark to be transferred immediately to the palace in the city of Jerusalem.
What does the ark represent? It represents the covenant that God had with His chosen nation, Israel. Each one of the items inside of the ark served as a reminder to prevent Israel from ever forgetting God’s covenant. All the Israelites knew that wherever the ark was, the presence of God would be there. The compartments of the ark contained the tablets of the Law, a portion of manna, and the rod of Aaron that blossomed.
Centuries later, God decided to establish His presence in the house of a man who was not Jewish but a Gentile named Cornelius. This Roman centurion had set his heart on worshipping the God of Israel forever. He had a reverent fear towards the Lord, and he was generous in his offerings. Because of Cornelius’ integrity, God sent His angel with precise instructions to order the Apostle Peter to go and teach the Word of God to Cornelius and his household. With diligence, Cornelius gathered with close family and friends so that everyone could receive the words of life through Peter, who lead them to have a personal encounter with Jesus through his message. He told them how “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). In a single family meeting, at the house of a Gentile, God showed that Christ’s salvation also extended to those who were not a part of the people of Israel.
When someone chooses to bring the ark of God’s presence into his home, he gives permission for a meeting to take place in which his closest friends and relatives receive God’s Word. The same principles represented by the three items inside of the ark will be applied to your life. The tablets of the Law mean that the Word of God will be alive in your life. The manna means that God’s testimony will not fail and there will always be enough provision for your life. Aaron’s blossoming rod means that you will be reborn into the ministry.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
One afternoon in 1861, General Garibaldi came back from his camp and saw a shepherd from Cerdeña lamenting the loss of a sheep from his flock. A great search party was formed to find the sheep; they went out with flaming torches. Many dedicated officials of past companies came to seek the missing animal. Since they didn’t find it, the soldiers returned to camp and went to bed. The next day, General Garibaldi’s assistant found him fast asleep and was amazed at the sight, because the general always got up before everyone else. He left without making any noise and came back after half an hour, but the general was still asleep. After waiting a short while longer, he eventually woke him up. The general rubbed his eyes, and the assistant was surprised to see the famous soldier emerge with the lost sheep. General Garibaldi gave the sheep to his assistant and ordered that he give it back to the shepherd. The general had stayed out all night searching for this lost sheep until he found it. That’s how the Good Shepherd is; He goes after the lost sheep until He finds it.”
TODAY’S DECLARATION
“Through the presence of Jesus, I enjoy His blessing and I can bring hope to others.”
Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Two.
TODAY’S BIBLE READING
Our Bible Reading Plan gives 25 daily readings per month. There is no scheduled reading for today. You can use this time to catch up on any readings you may have missed, or read through previous passages again.
