Confession: The Substance and the Symbol
Thursday (September 4)
Confession: The Substance and the Symbol
1 Samuel 6:4-6
And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. … So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. … Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?”
The biblical author gives no clarification as to whether or not these Philistines really needed to fashion golden icons as an add-on package to accompany the ark, or whether Almighty God would’ve simply accepted the ark’s return and immediately halted the plague, but let me suggest two principles from these diviners’ solution that are biblically sound and that I believe could significantly impact our own spiritual discipline of confession.
The first relates to the materials these diviners specify for the gifts. Notice that they didn’t gather large boulders from the river and engrave an apology letter on them. They didn’t say, “Men, go gather some clumps of clay or plaster or cement left over from the highway construction, and we’ll fashion images out of that surplus material.” In fact, they don’t even settle for bronze or copper or silver. Oh n —it has to be gold. That’s material fit for a King. Gold is the most costly, the most prized, and the most cherished resource. You don’t acquire gold easily, nor do you give it away cheaply. No one has a surplus on this commodity. And that’s principle number one: confession should cost us something. Our sin cost Christ everything on that cross. What is repentance costing us in return?
The second principle relates to the symbolism of the gift, because symbolism and substance go hand in hand. These men don’t bring mere gold, but gold fashioned in the very images of the consequence of their sin. Images that reveal their understanding of the situation. They’ve connected the dots. They’re declaring with these golden objects, “LORD, we understand why there are tumors all over our bodies and mice all over our streets—we have sinned against You!”
May we, the redeemed children of God, be as specific in our offerings today as we are sacrificial. May we never let pagan Philistines outdo us in the depths of our remorse nor in the depths of our gratitude.