1st Samuel 6:20 And the men of Beth-Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 589] All Israel had been taught to regard the ark with awe and reverence. When required to remove it from place to place the Levites were not so much as to look upon it. Only once a year was the high priest permitted to behold the ark of God…. What happens next is that they began to question God’s justice, for it seemed to them that The Lord should not have spoiled their joy, at such a time as this.
God did not have any problem with their joy, the problem was with their irreverent curiosity, and the way in which they allowed it to lead them to a disregard of His plain instructions…. [Patriarchs & Prophets pp 589] As they continued to gaze upon the sacred chest and to talk of the wonderful manner in which it had been restored, they began to conjecture wherein lay its peculiar power. At last, overcome by curiosity, they removed the coverings and ventured to open it.
This leads us to our second point, as we study the reasons why people often question God’s justice. Point [2] Beware of unwarranted, irreverent curiosity. The first temptation to the human family began with curiosity. As Eve stared curiously at the fruit, she wondered why it is, God had withheld it from them, and the more she wondered, the more she became curious, until her mind became ripe for temptation.
Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die.
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!