Sometimes we just get lucky. Obed-Edom hosted the ark of the covenant for three months, totally by chance. King David parked it after a tragedy involving the ark’s move to Jerusalem. While David regrouped, Obed-Edom watched over the ark.

The scriptures put it this way: The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

In what ways did the Lord bless this man and the people under his care? Did his fields bloom with the promise of a magnificent harvest? Or flocks and herds multiple? Did milk flow and bees produce honey in abundance?

Maybe barren women become pregnant? It’s recorded that the Lord blessed the following generations with capable men with the strength to do the work—descendants of Obed-Edom, 62 in all (1 Chronicles 25:5-8). That’s a lot of kids and grandkids—the blessings didn’t stop when the ark moved to Jerusalem.

I also wonder if relationships mended and people showed new kindnesses to one another? As the peace of the Lord descended on the household, they enjoyed a small taste of heaven.

In experiencing the presence of the ark, which was been in the presence of the Lord, these folks benefited from the reflection of his goodness. Not just in subtle ways, but in exuberant, lavish gifts from the hand of God, obvious enough to be recorded in the pages of scripture.

The choice to follow the Lord, to pursue that relationship, will eventually put all of us in the right place at the right time.

2 Samuel 6 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Robert Collins