Boanerges

The Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant from the disobediant Jews in battle- the pagan idols were knocked down and broken in God's presence- the philistines were struck by plague after plague- WAS THIS GOD'S DOING OR COINCEDENCE ?
They devised a test:
1Sa 6:7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
1Sa 6:8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
1Sa 6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
1Sa 6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
1Sa 6:11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. Would these mother cows follow their natural instinct and go to their calves or would they bring the Ark of God home?
1Sa 6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
Against every natural instinct these cows were walking the way of God- much like you and me when we follow the path that God leads us on our flesh is "lowing as we went"- but like these cattle we are to turn our back on our natural insticts and walk the journey that God sets before us- one that (like these cattle) will lead us to the place were we will sacrifice our flesh on the alter of God's will !

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