The ark was returned while they were reaping the wheat harvest. They received it with joy offering the cows [pulling the ark] as a burnt offerings to the Lord using the wood of the cart for the fire. As the Philistines observed this, they returned to Ekron. “…The large stone on which they set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemite.” (15b). This initial response expressed a valuing of the ark by both celebrating its return and memorializing it in worship for the future. However, some disrespected the ark, so God “…struck down some of the men of Beth-Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD.” (19a) Rather than confessing their casual disrespectful behavior, they perceived the ark as dangerous and needing to be removed. Consequently, they sent to the residents of Kiriath-jearim to remove it. Many in the church today would rather remove or avoid God’s presence than embrace the repentance essential to hosting God’s presence.