Introduction

Good day to all! Let us turn our attention to 1 Samuel, chapter 6. I believe that the average person, upon reading this chapter, will experience some confusion. And arising from this confusion, they will be less inclined to dwell on this passage, choosing instead to skip over it. What is this passage of Scripture telling us? Its revelation goes very deep. Over the past period, I have observed some peculiar occurrences within the church. For instance, one individual in the church undergoes a medical examination and is diagnosed with cancer, and then another is similarly afflicted. Why so many cases of cancer? It is indeed perplexing.

When I first came to the Lord, I made it a point to attend all the cell group activities in the local church. On one occasion, it so happened that the mother of one of the sisters passed away, and we went to the wake held in her home. Upon arriving, we saw the coffin placed there, surrounded by wreaths, and a circle of people dressed in mourning robes sat before the coffin. This sister and her husband were among those seated in the circle. What were they doing? They were participating in a Taoist ritual alongside a group of Taoist priests. After the ritual was completed, they did not have time to entertain us, and after offering some words of comfort, everyone departed.

I thought to myself at the time, this is really alarming, and sure enough, not long after, this sister was diagnosed with cancer. Prior to contracting cancer, she had a history of miscarriages with each pregnancy. Later, as people came and went, we lost contact with her. We learned many years later that she had lived a very tragic life. Why would a Christian live such a miserable existence? Today, we, brothers and sisters, must understand: Who is able to stand before the holy God? In years past, I personally witnessed how a pastor, driving his car, crashed head-on into a large truck watering plants on the road. The car, being low-slung, somewhat resembling a sports car, was crushed as it went under the watering truck. It became a crash scene, and the person died.

Later, a couple was driving out in their car when a loud crash occurred as their car collided with a bus, resulting in a fatal accident. And again I attended the funeral. Some might say: Why do you enjoy attending funerals so much? I am not there to gloat, but my reaction upon attending is quite profound. How could this be? What kind of God is our God? I am not perplexed by it. Why is that? I believe that this matter, for me, is a very profound revelation. It turns out that our God is a holy God, and serving this holy God is both a tremendous grace and a tremendous risk.

Who is able to stand before this holy God! Can everyone understand? If you and I have not chosen this path, then you could say you will become a monk, that is permissible. But since we have become Christians, we must know this God, and must not try to outsmart Him. I am not trying to frighten you, but who is able to stand before this holy God! This is recorded in the Scriptures. We might say that the Israelites did not know how to stand before this holy God, and that is why the Ark was captured and they suffered defeat in battle. This was all because they did not know God, and did not understand that God is great and awesome. And what was the result? They even came to the conclusion that the glory had departed from Israel.

Brothers and sisters, know that it is not to instill fear in you, but rather to convey that serving this God is exceedingly good; God is precious. By no means should we emulate the people of Beth Shemesh. If we have not fully grasped what serving this God entails, let us set it right and come to a clear understanding. It is important for everyone to know that if we serve this God without knowing Him, without a sense of reverence, and then continue to imitate old Eli, it will be a tragedy!

The Israelites Did Not Know God and Were Unable to Stand Before the Holy God

Let us examine the Israelites’ understanding of God. The Israelites served this God, and yet they suffered defeat in battle. Do you not find this strange? After suffering defeat, they brought the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield. Was this God's arrangement? Then, God deliberately allowed the Ark to be captured by the Philistines, and as a result, all these people were afflicted with hemorrhoids. You might say: We cannot make sense of this; is this the work of the devil? No! It is the work of this God!

How did the Israelites ever bring the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield? According to our thinking, if the Ark is on the battlefield, God is with us, and the One within us is greater than the one without, we ought to defeat the Philistines. But instead, over 30,000 people were killed. What happened? We pray for our children to pass their university entrance exams, and it would have been better if we had not prayed at all. Is this not very strange? Those who do not pray and do not believe in God do well on their exams. Why, after I prayed, did I end up in such a mess? Those who do not serve God do not get cancer, yet we who serve God get cancer. What is going on here?

Those who do not serve the true God, but rather serve the god Dagon, end up defeating the Israelites who serve the holy God Jehovah, and they suffer a crushing defeat. And finally the Ark of the Covenant is captured. What conclusion do the Israelites ultimately reach? That their God is not effective? What conclusion have you reached? That their God seems to be effective, but also seems to be ineffective. In fact, there is no need to be confused; we will correct this matter if we have not already done so. Has there been a time when we did things correctly? There have been times when we did things correctly. Look at Moses and Joshua, who, relying on this mighty God, obtained the land of Canaan and entered the Promised Land. Although they entered the Promised Land, before entering the Promised Land, 600,000 Israelites died miserably in the wilderness. But those who entered the Promised Land, in the days of Samuel and old Eli, also had a tough time.

Is everyone perplexed? To stand before this holy God, you must follow God's methods; you must understand and know God. This is no joke, because our God is a God of great power. How great is this power? God can part the Red Sea, can part the Jordan River, and can fight for you before you. You must serve this God according to the methods He has revealed, and then release God's power. The same goes for the church. By no means should you say that I am criticizing the church again; I am not criticizing the church, but rather addressing this matter. How other churches are doing is naturally under God's control.

This Gospel is inherently a Gospel of great power, so how has it been reduced to a Gospel of no power? Not only has it been reduced to a Gospel of no power, but it has also produced a multitude of problems. If you want me to tell stories, I can tell you many stories. Our understanding of God is truly worthy of contemplation and reflection. It is not that anyone can stand before this holy God, but rather that everyone can stand before this holy God, but you must know this God. The Israelites lost the Ark of the Covenant for seven months, and life went on, but their hearts were filled with confusion. It seemed that the God we served was not even as good as the god Dagon. But it is not that their God is not mighty, but rather that the Israelites did not serve according to God's Word. We must know whether our understanding of God is like that of the Israelites, or whether it is an understanding according to God's Word.

Today, if the church suffers defeat before the enemy, it is deserved; if it has no power before God, it is also deserved. Why is that? Our God is a God of great power. But you must know Him and reverence Him. Everyone knows that Deuteronomy 28:1-14 speaks of blessings, and if you diligently obey, you will be blessed; verses 15-68 speak of curses, and if you do not diligently obey, you will be cursed. Who do you think Deuteronomy was written for, believers or non-believers? Those who do not serve this God live their lives, but how has it turned out this way for those who serve God? We must know today that the curses are written for believers. The Israelites were believers, believers in Jehovah God, and yet they suffered terribly. That is to say, to stand before this holy God, one must act according to God's Word. If you do not act according to God's Word, curses will come upon you.

Originally, God said that you would be set high above all nations on earth, but now you are set below all nations on earth, even more miserable than non-believers. What God has forbidden, if you do those things, you will be cursed; what you are able to do, you must do. These curses recorded in Deuteronomy have instantly resolved the confusion within me. My purpose is to let everyone know what kind of way it is to be set high above all nations on earth, and what problems it can solve. To believe in the Lord for 20 years and end up with a body full of ailments because you do not know God is not worth it at all. I can tell you that non-believers are even better off than that.

Why is that? Believers who do not know God are like the Israelites who engaged in a religious ritual; they brought the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield, and no matter how they did it, it did not work. In fact, God caused them to be defeated before the Philistines. God can cause you to win battles, and He can also cause you to lose battles. The key is to see who you are. This happened a few years ago. Someone got cancer, and I asked him in the group: If you need it, I will lead you in prayer. But he replied with a thank you! And after thanking me, what happened? He was simply saying, Let it be; please do not bother me. I know your tricks; you will surely tell me that cancer is a curse. Please do not tell me that; I feel bad when I hear it.

Not long after, he died. My good friend officiated at the funeral, and I took my staff to attend. Everyone went up to sing praises of this person who had died of cancer: How much he loved the Lord, how much he loved God, how devout he was! I thought to myself that after hearing this, everyone would think that those around him were deliberately choosing nice things to say. But how could this be so good? He was very skilled at discerning good and evil!

Let us not be such Israelites. Our God can part the Red Sea, can part the Jordan River, our God can lead us into the Promised Land, our God can cause our enemies to be defeated before us, and our God can also cause us to be defeated before our enemies. Therefore, Chinese Mingding Destiny has added another spiritual principle: To reverence God. So, we choose to stand before this holy God in order to receive this grace and become a victorious people.

The brothers and sisters among us are all kinds of people, and those who listen to me online and on YouTube are also all kinds of people. You must heed my advice: By no means should you joke with this God! You say that Deuteronomy is in the Old Testament and contains curses, and that the New Testament is now about grace. But I can tell you that the New Testament also contains curses; it is just that you have not understood the Scripture. You must have more reverence. The Scripture tells us to strive diligently. Many people think that they have already attained it. But Paul said: Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on. Therefore, Chinese Mingding Destiny is a theology of diligent pursuit; at least we are correct in our attitude.

If the Ark of the holy God is among us today, if we were these people, upon seeing the Ark return, or if we were the Philistines who had captured the Ark, you must know what this is. This is no joke! So, as a Christian, you can choose the blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1-14, or you can choose the curses of Deuteronomy 28:15-68. Sometimes, when I lead Bible studies and answer questions, many people ask strange questions. If you are one of those asking these questions, go back and carefully read your questions again. Are you a defeated Israelite?

We are astonished that when the Philistines obtained the Ark of the Covenant, all the Philistines suffered from hemorrhoids. You say that this is strange! All these Philistines were afflicted with hemorrhoids; not only did they have hemorrhoids, but the statue of the god Dagon was also toppled and shattered by the God of the Ark. The whole nation suffered from hemorrhoids. Those were not small hemorrhoids; they were quite large and disgusting. They were large fleshy lumps, and every time they went to the toilet, they bled. It was very tough! The Philistines persisted for seven months. Fortunately, it was not like the Coronavirus, which has persisted for several years. Humanity has persisted in living under the Coronavirus for several years. The Philistines persisted for seven months and realized that something was not right, and finally figured out some logic.

The Philistines Were Unable to Stand Before the Holy God

How could people contract hemorrhoids, a filthy disease, when they possessed the holy God? One of our sisters, I do not know if she is among us, contracted a disease similar to hemorrhoids, which is very perplexing. If you are very perplexed, you must learn from the Philistines. I keep wondering how hard people's hearts can be! The Philistines were hardened for seven months, and then they could no longer remain hardened. The Philistines had hemorrhoids for seven months, 30 days in a month, over 200 days in seven months. They went to the toilet over 200 times, and each time they went, they bled a lot which sounds quite disgusting. Finally, their hardness could no longer persist. One day, they began to think Wow! This thing is related to the Ark of the Covenant of God. They did not have this disease before they captured the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant is from the holy God. He was snatched over. They also looked down on the Israelites’ God too! The Ark was snatched over by you, and they viewed their God in a negative way. However, it is awesome how it caused all of you to have hemorrhoids.

Among us, everyone who has hemorrhoids, colon cancer, colon ulcers and all kinds of diseases, must know that our problem is unholiness. What does it mean to be unholy? There is so much to explain when we talk about being unholy. Do you know what our problem is? The Philistines had no way to stand before God. Did you think that you will be able to stand before God after snatching the Ark over? What's the Ark to God? God does not even take it seriously. What's a holy temple? Church? Hanging over a plaque? What does erecting a cross mean? They mean nothing. Many churches think that the cross is very important, is it really that important? It is not important. It is important to have the ability to stand before the holy God.

You might have been able to protect the cross of the church, but you have no way to stand before the holy God. Why? Since we do not know God, we have so many problems causing us to have so many sores and diseases. I realized that Christians have so many diseases. Now that you heard it, you will understand the cause of the diseases. How did the Philistines have the hemorrhoids even with the presence of the Ark of God? It cannot be the devil! It is the doing of our Holy God. Why did the Philistines insist on suffering for seven months since they knew what was causing their diseases? It is because they do not think it was caused by God. Later on, they sought the help of the priests and diviners.

The Philistines summoned the priests and the diviners and said, What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should return it to its place. (1 Samuel 6:2)

These priests and diviners had some understanding of the spiritual realm, and their skills were quite impressive.

They said, If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it back empty, but be sure to send him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted from you. (1 Samuel 6:3)

His hand has not been lifted from you; that is why you have hemorrhoids. Brothers and sisters, you all need to become spiritually awakened.

The Philistines asked, What guilt offering should we send to him? They replied, Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers. Make models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and pay honor to Israel’s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you, your gods, and your land. (1 Samuel 6:4-5)

These people that grew the tumors, the shape pretty much resembles the appearance of the tumors, so they made a golden model of it. It’s pretty disgusting with the tumors and lump-like textures.

Why be stubborn as the Egyptians and Pharaoh were? When he dealt harshly with them, did they not send the Israelites out? (1 Samuel 6:6)

Everyone in the entire world knows what God did to the Egyptians and the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. Take the ark of the Lord and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send the cart on its way, but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the Lord has brought this great disaster on us; but if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us and that it happened to us by chance. (1 Samuel 6:7-9)

If you bring the cows to the cart, and take the calf away from the cow and bring them back to the house. If I were to ask you where should the cow go? The cow should go towards its calf. Do not think that the cow will not recognize its calf. It does recognize its calf. If the cow does not return back to the house and goes towards Beth Shemesh to send back the Ark, then you should know that it is the hand of Yahweh. Everything should recognize God and not give excuses.

We must acknowledge that whatever we have not been doing correctly, at least our attitudes much surpass the attitude of the Philistines. If the Philistines can be aware and make amends for having the tumors, The philistines cannot stand before God, but they sought the help of the priests and diviners to figure out a way. We, the Christians, seek guidance from the priests and diviners if we have tumors as well, and it’s a way of warning you that if you carry on like this, it can be more terrible from here. That's why I give you an option to either stand before this Holy God and deal with your vices or cease to believe in God as your sickness can be recovered. It is best that you choose not to believe than the way you are right now. You can't love the world and love God at the same time. Can you do it when you worship God and worship the earth? This is the same as adultery which you are in alliance with the world which is not allowed.

That is why the Chinese Mingding Destiny teaches that we must love God and not the world. Isn't it such a dreadful thing that you can't love the world and God at the same time? Today, let us all make a decision before God; you can be stubborn like the Pharaohs to be buried at the bottom of the Red Sea, or you are like the Philistines, who are not believers of God, to promptly make an apology to send the Apology to him or send 5 golden tumors to the 5 golden mice that represents our position as the rats that are stealing and disturbing the earth. If you do so, maybe your sins can be put off and relieved.

The Philistines seized the Ark of the Covenant. Later, they admitted, We are like mice. What do you think of that? That is reverence for God. We, who believe in the Lord, do not revere God. We often offend Him, going against Him, yet we think we love God deeply. Isn't this strange? Sometimes I ask them, How do you love God? I do not see it. I love God very much! I come to every meeting. See, I am so busy, yet I still come! Does God need you to attend meetings? If God needed your attendance, that would be something. But God does not need your attendance, and I do not particularly need you to attend either. What does attending meetings prove? Does the Bible say that those who love God should attend meetings diligently? There is no such thing.

So, we see that the Philistines were not as stiff-necked as Pharaoh. Many Christians are more stubborn than Pharaoh, insisting on arguing with God, refusing to submit. They value work above all things, and they belittle God. If you put work on one side of the scale and God on the other, surely work will outweigh God. How can that be acceptable? In the end, I can only wish you good luck! If you put God and your business on the scale, which would you choose? Therefore, at times, even my colleagues say, You demand too much. What is it that I demand too much? I am merely asking you to be blessed, to be able to stand before this holy God, to be above all the nations of the earth. I am simply wanting you to receive all of God's benefits. Is this a high demand? It is not high! It is even lower than what God requires in the Bible. Can everyone understand this?

We act as if the choice is difficult, but is it really that hard? Do people live by work alone? I believe that the moment the holy God extends His hand and places it upon you, it will be more than you can handle. Can everyone wake up to this? Are you waking up a little? Whether you wake up or not, you must wake up! Christians can no longer be stubborn. Look at how stubborn we have become! Do not continue to oppose God and be crushed by His hand. Wouldn't that be deserved? Many have been crushed by God's hand! It is not that I need you here, as if I need you to do something for me. What do I need you to do? I only need you to be blessed, to begin to realise what a grace it is, what an honour it is to be able to stand before this holy God! What a wonderful choice it is to serve this God! It is just that people do not believe it. Some say, Then you solve my work problems for me! Well, then you can slowly solve them yourself!

Egyptians Cannot Stand Before the Holy God Either

When the Israelites left Egypt, that generation of Egyptians suffered terribly. First one plague, then another, and then death in every household. Did God do that? Yes, God did that. Never think that our God is only love. Is God's love inexhaustible? God's love is not like that. Do not fail to recognise God. Today's Christians live every day as if it were a national holiday. Where is the reverence for God? When it comes to eating, drinking, and having fun, they are experts. How then can they stand before the holy God? I often worry and fret for many people.

But I am thankful for one thing: I often think I have not yet attained, so I press on. I inherit the logic of the Apostle Paul. Do not take standing before this holy God lightly. I am most thankful that I am not addicted to anything. Playing mahjong, fishing, I find them all meaningless. They are a waste of time. Especially fishing, I cannot do it. My mind is full of how to work.

They learn advanced driving, something like advanced drifting. With a turn of the steering wheel, a whoosh and a fishtail. They invite me, but I do not go. They give me a sports car T-shirt, and people think I am out playing with sports cars. But I think it is all meaningless. Sports cars, hunting, fishing, I find it all meaningless. Once, at a Christian gathering, my colleague asked me, Pastor, what are your hobbies? I said, What hobbies do I have? I have no hobbies. I just like to serve God.

The Egyptians were stiff-necked. Even after death in every household, they still contended with God. With your abilities, can you be more powerful than Pharaoh? Pharaoh's chariots and soldiers pursued the Israelites, rushed into the sea, and were drowned by the sea. Some archaeologists have even found the shape of chariot wheels at the bottom of the Red Sea. They concluded that Pharaoh crossed the Red Sea but was drowned. Who can stand before God? It is not that standing before God brings harm. It is that you can't stand before God that brings harm.

The Israelites personally witnessed what God did to the Egyptians. They personally saw that even the mighty Egyptians could not stand before God. I think, If I can serve this powerful God, if I can stand before Him, if I can serve Him, what a grace that would be. I do not know if God made me this way or if I chose to become this way. I really do not know. But today, serving God, I really put in the effort. Why does God hear my prayers and not yours? You have to ask yourself!

Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When God worked wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? (1 Samuel 6:6)

No one can stand before God, but people can choose to love God, and then they can stand before God. No one can stand before God, like Pharaoh, having money and power is useless. But if you have a heart that loves God, you can stand before God. Because the Bible says:

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

Why be like Pharaoh, a stubborn Christian? Why be a Christian and still not be as soft-hearted as the Philistines? The Philistines repented after seven months of haemorrhoids. How long will your haemorrhoids last? How long will people not listen to God's words? How long will people not believe? How long will people not fear God? Brothers and sisters must clearly know that people do not live by work, not by business. People live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Are you really living by every word that comes from the mouth of God? You always have a reason, either this or that, but you still act as if you have made a great sacrifice. I know you struggle, but what is there to struggle about? With God, what are you afraid of? What people fear most is not being able to stand before God.

If you can stand before God, isn't that a great grace? Even if Pharaoh opposes you, God can destroy him. It is that simple. What do people value? What do people care about? Do you really care about what God cares about? The Egyptians were badly punished by God! Do not think that God cares about your little life. God did not care about the Egyptians' lives, nor does He care about your life, nor does He care about the lives of the people of this generation!

Some people pray for the COVID-19 pandemic. I think, The pandemic came from God. What do you want to do? Do you want to oppose God? If God allows the pandemic to happen, and you want to oppose God, then go argue with Him. So today, we must have a clear understanding of God. Once people think God is love, they believe God's love is like your doting love for your child. That is nonsense.

The People of Beth Shemesh Could Not Stand Before the Holy God

When the people of Beth Shemesh saw the Ark of the Covenant return, and the Philistine leaders looked like they were in a funeral procession, with those behind following the cart slowly, the cart carrying a coffin, and those behind slowly following to the crematorium—that was roughly the scene. Leading the way were the five leaders of the Philistines. We do not know if they were wearing mourning clothes, but they were certainly repentant, looking crestfallen, with large haemorrhoids on their bottoms. It was miserable, not carrying a dead person, but carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord God. Inside a box were five mice and five golden haemorrhoids, meaning, We are but like mice. God, may Your hand be lighter so our haemorrhoids might be healed.

But when the people of Beth Shemesh saw from afar the Ark of the Covenant being returned, with the Philistine leaders escorting the Ark back, they were very happy, but their happiness was premature. Why? The people of Beth Shemesh were Israelites. Seeing the Ark of the Covenant, why did they not know that this was not something to be trifled with, that this thing could cause death? Many people died because of the Ark of God. As a result, it was transported to Beth Shemesh, pulled to the large rock. The Levites also knew clearly, and they lifted the Ark of the Covenant onto the large rock, killed the two cows, split the cart, and sacrificed the cows to God. It looked good. However, some people presumptuously looked into the Ark of the Covenant that day, and God struck down seventy of them. For looking into the Ark, God struck down seventy people. Seventy people died on the spot. The people of Beth Shemesh were dumbfounded. They thought, Look, we sacrificed two cows. What more do you want? God of the Bible, what more do you want? You are unreasonable! Striking down seventy of us.

This is building a glorious church. Do not take it lightly. If God is not among us, we can barely manage. If God is truly among us, then learn to revere God. Today, I tell the brothers and sisters that, from the pastors, big and small, down to the brothers and sisters, many things in your hearts need to be dealt with. Over trivial matters, you discern good and evil. Are you seeking death? If you truly want to serve God, how can we serve God like this? I have not even said much, and as soon as I say something, you start arguing with me. I am not even trying to sell you to Egypt. I am just trying to be good to you, and you start acting like this. Why is your mind like this? You do not even have the qualification to discern good and evil, yet you are discerning good and evil. What would those who are qualified to discern good and evil be like?

After seventy people from Beth Shemesh died, the people mourned because God had struck them down. They then sent word to the residents of Kiriath Jearim to bring the Ark of the Covenant to them. Is the Ark of the Covenant a good thing or a bad thing? Is building a glorious church a good thing or a bad thing? If you want to receive the benefits of God, it is really not a joke. You need to recognise God. The people of Beth Shemesh, including the Levites, lived their lives day by day, and over time, they mixed up the things of God. Not only the people of Beth Shemesh, but the entire nation of Israel was preoccupied with living their lives. They thought, Let's just leave the matter of the Ark at that! What more do you want? I burned two cows for you. What more do you want? I come to meetings. What more do you want? I tithe. What more do you want? Actually, nothing. What does God want you to do? Can you understand?

So what I say is a bit piercing. Can you stand before the holy God? How many years have you believed in the Lord? If God's hand is truly upon you, will you learn to revere, or will you learn to be confused? If you want to be a Philistine, then be a Philistine. If you want to be an Israelite, then if God's hand presses upon you, will you learn from old Eli or from Samuel? The principle is simple, but it is not easy to do. So today, serving the Lord God is not a joke. Therefore, the history of our Israelites, from Moses and Samuel to today, is a great shock to us. Why did God do this to this place? Because the people of this land, although they personally experienced the mighty hand of God bringing them out of Egypt, still worshiped idols. God's hand struck them heavily, causing the Israelites to lose their country and their homes for 2600 years. Tragic!

So serve this God, no longer with confusion, make up your mind, and in all kinds of matters, have a reverent attitude before God, and many things will no longer be frightening. A person who does not revere God is afraid of many things. One moment they are afraid of the boss, the next they are fighting with this person or that person. They are afraid of everything except God. That really deserves haemorrhoids! Today, make knowing God the priority of our lives, and strive for it. Even writing an assignment or taking notes, you write out complaints. How can you know God that way? As soon as something happens, you put God aside and grab onto other things. You are sure to have bad luck! Because God gives both blessings and curses. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

If you had seen the seventy people from Beth Shemesh die, would you say, This God is so powerful! The Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines for seven months, and then the Philistines obediently sent it back, even having their leaders send themselves back as mice. They compared themselves to mice and made five golden mice according to the number of Philistine leaders. Do we not need to revere this God today? Pharaoh was also struck down by God. Are you and I more powerful than him?

Therefore, today we must repent from our sins. Stop trying to argue with God all the time. When I read the Bible and get to Revelation, I see that the cowardly are thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone. You say I am timid! It is not about being timid or brave. It is that people who do not revere God will be afraid of everything. If people do not understand the meaning of life, they cannot serve this holy God. Who can stand before this holy God? It is those who have seen through life and death, those who have seen through what it means to be alive. They no longer care about being alive. Living is a simple matter. If you still care about being alive, then change slowly, lest the hand of God press heavily on you and apply Deuteronomy 28:15-68 to you. That would be more than you can handle. Do not argue with God. The God of the New Testament is the same. Do not get this wrong!

May God bless everyone!

1 Samuel Chapter 6

6:1 After the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory seven months,
6:2 the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.”
6:3 They answered, “If you return the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it back empty, but be sure to send him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted from you.”
6:4 The Philistines asked, “What guilt offering should we send to him?” They replied, “Five gold tumours and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.
6:5 Make models of the tumours and of the rats that are destroying the country, and pay honour to Israel’s God. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you, your gods, and your land.
6:6 Why be stubborn as Egypt and Pharaoh were? When he treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites out?
6:7 “Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.
6:8 Take the ark of the Lord and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way,
6:9 but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the Lord has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us and that it happened to us by chance.”
6:10 So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves.
6:11 They placed the ark of the Lord on the cart and the chest with the gold rats and the models of the tumours.
6:12 Then the cows went straight up the road to Beth Shemesh and kept on the highway, lowing as they went; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
6:13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight.
6:14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.
6:15 The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold objects and placed them on the large rock. On that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord.
6:16 The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to Ekron.
6:17 These are the gold tumours the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the Lord: one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.
6:18 And these are the gold rats, according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers—the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock on which the Levites set the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
6:19 But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them,
6:20 and the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”
6:21 Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to your town.”