Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 118:471 (Jul 1961)
Article: Samuel, the Ark, and the Priesthood
Author: Clive A. Thomson

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BSac 118:471 (Jul 61) p. 259

Samuel, the Ark, and the Priesthood

Clive A. Thomson

[Clive A. Thomson is a barrister located in Toronto, Ontario.]

Many Bible expositors seem to be ignorant, or confused, as to the work and position of Samuel; and also as to much of what we find in the Scriptures which cover the period from the beginning of the Book of Judges until the completion of Solomon’s Temple. However, J. N. Darby understood the basic ideas of this part of Scripture.1

In regard to Samuel the following questions arise in the mind of a careful reader. (1) Since Samuel was a true man of God (note Jer 15:1), why did he not recover the ark from the house of Abinadab, restore the Tabernacle, and re-establish sacrifice and worship according to the law of Moses? He ruled Israel, and had the power to do so. (2) The law sternly forbade any altar or sacrifice except at “the door of the tabernacle” (Lev 17); and also forbade anyone, except a priest, officiating at a sacrifice. Then why did Samuel (who was not a priest although a Levite by descent) build altars in various places and offer sacrifices? And so did others, e.g., King David, who was of the tribe of Judah (cf. Heb 7:14).

To this the disciple of the higher criticism replies that “the law of Moses” (and in particular what is called “the priestly code,” which means most of “the law” as found in Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy) was mostly concocted by the priests in order to exalt themselves; was not written until the time of King Josiah, and was therefore unknown to Samuel. They say that this forged code was secretly hidden in the Temple; and that the priests then pretended to find it, distorting what is described in 1 Kings 22:8–20, and attaching a meaning thereto which lacks a basis of any evidence worth the name.

We need not waste time in proving the falsity of this explanation as that has been done by many good scholars; although we may point out that David and Solomon had a knowledge of the worship according to the law of Moses.

A true, God-fearing explanation must therefore be sought. And it seems to the writer that we must first consider

BSac 118:471 (Jul 61) p. 260

carefully the following question, namely, Where was the ark of God from the time of its removal from the holy of holies (1 Sam 4:4) until it was restored to the holy of holies in Solomon’s Temple? When the significance of this is understood, there ...

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