A Departed Glory
Book of 1 Samuel Chapter 4
A great lesson to learn in this passage of the Bible is that unbelievers will not be able to use Jehovah God to reach their own personal goals.
Israel was seeing something new from God.
Jehovah would begin speaking to Israel through the voice of a child.
We can also begin to see the importance of "childlike faith".
We must encourage our children to have the right ideas about the Lord Jesus Christ, and not to get caught up in the things of this wicked world that is not going to get any better.
We must prepare our children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren for what lies ahead of them, and it is not limited to climate change.
God brought Samuel along to revive the truth of God and to restore true worship to Jehovah.
Samuel would also be the last Judge of Israel deciding all cases according to the Word of God.
All of Israel began to notice that Samuel was established to be the voice of God.
Another reality we will see is God's judgment is a sure thing!
God's judgment will take place just as He teaches us in His infallible Word.
Today we are surrounded by evil!
Bad men and terrible things are all around us.
Corruption is dictating politics in America!
Wicked bullies are in charge of many nations including our own nation.
According to the Word of God, tyranny is a doomed thing! Thank Goodness.
*****1Sa 3:21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
1Sa 4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
The Philistines were the bitter enemy enemies of Israel.
Most Christians believe that the Palestinians in Israel are the remnants of the Philistines.
These Philistines were the fiercest of the oppressors of Israel as they tried to conquer the Promised Land given to them of Jehovah God.
The Philistines had the same goal which was to conquer all of Palestine and the Palestinians have that same goal today.
Palestine gets its name from the Philistines.
They want to push Israel off into the Mediterranean Sea. They hate Israel.
The Scriptures say they came from Caphtor. Some say this was the island of Crete, but it could also be a part of Egypt, which is more realistic.
The Philistines began oppressing Israel during the period of the Judges and continued their dominance all the time of the "Judges Era" until the time of Samuel, all because Israel lost their love for Jehovah.
They thought they could use Jehovah to meet their own goals.
They did not understand the ways of God and treated God as an idol.
Israel had fallen away from Jehovah and God used the Philistines to humble them and be a punishment for their sins.
The present invasion of the Philistines into Israel came when the soldiers of the Philistines marched their soldiers into Aphek and made camp.
Aphek was a city that belonged to the tribe Issachar not far from Jezreel.
Aphek had been the royal city of the Canaanites whose king Joshua had killed.
This city is not a great distance from Jerusalem which King David made the capitol of all of Israel.
The Philistines were bold and ruthless.
Israel came out to fight with the Philistines and they camped at Ebenezer.
*****1Sa 4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
We should understand that when Joshua led the armies of Israel, they had lost very few battles and each loss was because they had not been obedient to Jehovah.
Israel felt they could defeat any enemy at any time, but they had forgotten how they won those battles.
They won when the Lord was on their side, and they lost when He was not.
We would think they would realize this truth, but they had become blind to the Word of God and their hearts were gross.
Jdg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
This is not the way of God!
The pure truth is that most people think the right way is their way and the way of everyone else is the wrong way.
This is the theme going on in America today!
One small group of people are trying to push their way of life upon all people by force and the government is helping them.
Only the Lord Jesus Christ has shown us the right way and that right way is to be more like Him and His ways!
Four thousand soldiers lost their life in that first skirmish because Israel was disobedient to the Lord.
Israel was guilty of the most horrible sins and wickedness.
All these gross sins are described in the Book of Judges.
You see God does not hide these things from us.
Most authors would have left out mentioning all those wicked things in the Book of Judges.
*****1Sa 4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
Why was Israel losing this war with the Philistines?
Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Isa 59:3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
Isa 59:4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
The officers of the armies of Israel held a council of war to decide the best way to defeat these Philistines, but when they should have repented and turned to God, they chose to use the sacred things of God instead of faith.
There is nothing in this world that can replace our faith!
It is true that the priest of Israel carried the Ark of God in the time of Joshua, but then the Ark was located in the Tabernacle at Shiloh after the battle of Jericho.
It was then time for "faith" to lead the armies of Israel and not the Ark which symbolized the presence of God, but the actions of Israel showed disdain for the things of God.
Eze 39:23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.
Eze 39:24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.
The judgement of God is terrible, and Israel should have known the truth of God.
They had forgotten their own national history.
The death of Eli and his two sons and the capture of the Ark were a clear picture of the "judgment of God upon Israel"!
The Ark taken from the Tabernacle brought a false hope for victory!
*****1Sa 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1Sa 4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
What is going on in the Church today? God is treated more like an idol than the Supreme God and a corrupt priesthood are making things much worse.
The army of Israel was puzzled because the Philistines had so easily won that first battle, wondering why God had allowed such a thing.
The Ark was a symbol of the presence of God, but in fact it was just an ornate wooden box that had no power to change the outcome of any battle.
We cannot be superstitious in our worship of Jehovah God!
So, when the Ark was brought to the battlefield the result was catastrophic.
It is the same for our salvation.
If we treat God like an idol and only call upon Him when we think it will do us some good and then spend the rest of our time doing things our own way, we may find that instead of salvation we will see the "judgement of God".
The truth of God cannot be viewed superstitiously!
The Ark of God was not some good luck charm!
If the world and the flesh still rule in our heart, we certainly will not make it to Heaven because it is the Lord Jesus Christ who must rule in our hearts!
The Levites may have carried the Ark according to the Laws of Moses, but with the two sons Eli with them, it did not ensure the presence of God, in fact, it only insured Israel's defeat.
Many already knew the prophecy of Samuel and the prophecy of God is always true and it is always real.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
In other words, to remain an unbeliever and blame everything on God's people is a sure way to see the wrath of God.
Though the shouts of the army of Israel was loud enough for the Philistines to hear them, they would have no victory this day.
*****1Sa 4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
1Sa 4:7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
The Philistines considered the Israelites to be foreigners even though they themselves were also foreigners having no place to call their home.
The same thing can be said of the Palestinians today. The land of Palestine was never their homeland. Those that did own some of the land taken over by Israel, were paid for that land and they left.
No matter what Israel thought of the Ark of God, God will not be used as some good luck charm!
It was wrong for Israel to do this thing!
For Hophni and Phinehas to be associated with this event, should have shown these Israelites that God was not in this thing.
All of Israel knew the sin of these two sons of Eli.
The Philistines became curious of what was happening in the camp of Israel and then realized, according to their frame of mind, that Israel had brought its god to the battlefield.
We have to realize that we cannot take God anywhere.
If God is in any such activity, He will already be there.
They had never seen such a thing before in all their battles.
Saying to themselves that it was Israel's gods that defeated Egypt and the Amorites who these Philistines could not defeat.
The Philistines then determined to fight with everything they had, or they would become slaves of the Israelites.
They said, "woe to us" if we lose this battle.
Then these things gave them added strength.
*****1Sa 4:8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
1Sa 4:9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
1Sa 4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
These Philistines had openly admitted that the God of Israel was stronger than their own false gods.
They rightly said Elohim, the plural form for God is a Trinity.
In fact God had destroyed Egypt before Israel entered into the wilderness.
This despair before Israel only made them more determined to defeat Israel which they accomplished, and thirty thousand more soldiers met with death on the battlefield because of a corrupt government.
A complete victory for the Philistines.
The Philistines saw Israel as only a band of escaped slaves and not a nation at all.
These Philistines became aroused to fight for their lives and launched a fierce attack on Israel killing many not realizing that Israel suffered from the "judgment" of the God who sat on that Ark.
Israel was so much in despair they did not return to their camp, but each soldier went back home in fear of their lives and of their family's lives.
They realized that God had not fought for them on this day.
When we feel like God must act in our defense no matter how we treat Him, we are thinking wrong.
God will not be used to satisfy our own whims.
It is we that are to be in the will of God and not the other way round!
When we are unfaithful and have not repented of our sin, God is not obligated to come to our defense!
In fact God is not obligated to us in any way if we are not committed to Him.
Our hope is in the promises of God and our faith is that God will remain faithful to His promises.
It is us who must be committed to the will of God!
God will always conduct His sovereign plan, but for us to be a part of that plan, then we must obey the Word of God and repent of our sin showing faith in the truth of God.
Sinful, wicked behavior will always result in the "Judgment of God"!
Even in their wicked behavior, Israel made the necessary sacrifices and came to the Tabernacle at the appropriate time, but their hearts had waxed gross, and God looks into the heart.
These people were returning to the days of Noah.
Gen_6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
The world we live in is doing the same thing today!
What had God required of Israel?
Deu_10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Israel was failing in this.
Notice that phrase "to walk in His ways".
A true child of God will walk in the ways of God and the example He has given to us is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
God knows what is in our hearts!
Psa_44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Far too many innocent people fall in wars that are unnecessary.
The Philistines were the enemies of Israel, but God will sometimes use our enemies to bring His judgement!
Even the Ark of the Covenant to Israel was taken by a people who did not know the truth of God.
*****1Sa 4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
The fact that Hophni and Phinehas died was a fulfillment of the prophecy given to Samuel and Samuel had made Eli aware of what God had said.
These things took place because of national wickedness and a corrupt priesthood.
If we look at America today, we see national wickedness and a corrupt priesthood, and it cannot be denied.
Why in the world would we think that God would do anything different today than He did in the time of Samuel.
The Philistines would regret that they had taken the Ark of God, but God would take care of this Himself without the help of Israel.
God will not be in the same space as a false god!
Once the Holy Spirit has moved into the heart of a Christian, the Devil nor his demons can move back into that Christian, but we can be sure he will do his best to make our lives miserable if we allow him to do.
Jas_4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Wicked behavior may be idolatry or a corrupt priesthood.
As for Eli, he had allowed his sons to continue in committing adultery in the House of God and stealing from offerings that were made to the Lord.
Eli had allowed his two sons to take the Ark of God into battle knowing what God had said about his two sons.
God will punish unworthy hands that refuse to repent!
So, no matter who that person is, God will bring judgment upon them!
If we remember where we came from, we will not expect God to do anything less than bring judgment!
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Eli also died that same day again fulfilling the prophecy given to Samuel.
*****1Sa 4:17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
1Sa 4:18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
It was twenty miles from the battlefield to Shiloh, but a messenger thought it was best for Eli to know that the Ark had been taken.
Eli did not respond much to this message of this messenger, until he found out the Ark of God was stolen.
The Ark had been Eli's greatest concern, but he had allowed it to be taken from the House of God.
1Sa 4:13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.
As Eli became excited and tried to stand, he fell, and his neck was broken, and he died the same day of his sons.
Meaning that when God speaks, we need to listen and when God warns us, He is very serious!
Eli had judged Israel for forty years, but he had also indulged in the sin of his sons and most all of Israel was aware of his sin.
The Bible mentions Eli being obese to warn all God's priests that it is not good to live a life of indulgence in the riches of sin.
God's judgment is fixed!
God's judgment will definitely take place!
All those who reject the Word of God will face the judgment of God!
All those playing church without being sincere will face the judgment of God!
Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mar 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mar 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Jesus Christ is specific.
We must deny ourselves and take up our own cross and follow Him.
The cross is a sign of death so, we must be willing to give our life in our own pursuit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The God of Glory had departed from Israel on this day.
Amen
