Chapter 4: Israel Trying to Force God’s Hand
Samuel had given Eli the terrible news that he and his house were finished. The evil and blasphemous old regime will be replaced by God’s prophet Samuel. God had promised that Eli’s wicked sons would both die the same day. Here we’ll watch this play out.
The scene changes and for a few chapters the Ark of the Covenant takes the stage.
During these days of darkness for Israel the Ark of the Covenant was nothing more than a good luck charm. It had gone from being a sign of God’s covenant with His people to something to cart around.
The Ark originally was the visible reminder of God’s covenant faithfulness to His people. It contained the Ten Commandments showing God’s Law and that God would abide with His people. Through the wilderness, the priests carried the Ark on poles.
During the time of the Judges, however, the Ark became the focus and not God. It became much like the medieval Catholic Church and its relics.
For centuries, millions of pilgrims have traveled to the Vatican, the Holy Land, and other distant places to see what they believe to be holy relics. Modern jet travel has made it easy to view what are claimed to be St. Peter’s chains, John the Baptist’s head, remnants of Christ’s manger, the Apostle Thomas’ finger, and, perhaps most famously, the image of Christ’s crucified body on the Shroud of Turin.
I saw pilgrims treating relics as sources of mystical blessing, as if God would count their veneration to them as righteousness. Others treat relics as idols, as if being in their presence confers mystical powers. In a recent visit to a church in Larnaca, Cyprus, which purportedly contains some of the bones of “the man who died twice” (Lazarus), I saw people worshipfully kissing the reliquary (container) holding the bones. A few days later in Armenia, inside a museum near Mt. Ararat, I saw gawkers venerating alleged pieces of Noah’s ark and Christ’s cross. —Mark Looy
This was what the Ark of the Covenant had become.
Judges 20:27 (ESV)
27 And the people of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
This is what the Ark had become. A man-made god to pray to and take to battle with you because it was good luck…
Is there anything we might substitute for God today? Is there a visible material thing that we may seek to find comfort in rather than God? Portrait of Jesus, unread Bible, icons, statues, images.
The reality goes like this…we either know God through His Word; His revelation to us or we don’t know Him at all. People who call themselves Christians but don’t read their Bibles may very well be gravely mistaken. We either know God through His Word or He becomes to us a superstition or a good Luck Charm or He’s thought to be found in some relic or idol.
The son’s of Eli, the priests the Bible tells us did not know God. The people of Israel for the most part did not know God. They had sinned their way through the centuries away from God. Now it was time for God to judge His people, Israel. In this judgement God would teach those that survived who He really is through His Prophet Samuel.
God is out to destroy Israel’s relic theology and also out to accomplish His regime change.
1. The Battle: Israel vs. The Philistines (4:1-11)
1 Samuel 4:1–11 (ESV)
4 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Now, we must begin with the Philistines. They were a very vicious and pagan people. They had always been Israel’s arch-enemies. They hated Israel and Israel’s God. However, God is going to use them to judge Israel for her sin. This shows us that God is sovereign over nations and armies and all people.
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.
Israel is defeated 4,000 soldiers die…
They ask the right question…
the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?
They knew it was God who had defeated them. They knew He was over all things but did not know Him personally. We can know things about God and not know God. Knowing true facts about God is not the same thing as personally knowing Him is a saving relationship.
They asked the right question but then rather than waiting on God to disclose the answer, they answer their own question.
If you ask a question that means you don’t know the answer. They supplied their own answer to their own question, not a good idea.
3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”
Let’s go get the gold box we’ve been praying to and see if that helps?
They didn’t need the box, they needed God. They needed to know Him and understand their dilemma biblically.
Leviticus 26:14–17 (ESV)
14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, 15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you.
Deuteronomy 28:25 (ESV)
25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
Here is their thinking. They knew God had defeated them. So, they think they can put God in a position where He will be forced to give them the victory. If we bring the Ark then God will be forced to fight for us to protect His honor/ark. If something were to happen to the Ark, then that would make God the loser.
We cannot ever put God in a position where we can manipulate Him. He will win, His way and is not ever forced by man to do anything.
When God works in benevolence toward sinners, He shows His great and abounding grace. He is not made to do anything but does His good pleasure. With some, He shows His justice the 34 thousand who died when fighting the Philistines, the others who were also sinners, God shows His great mercy.
Beloved, you are sitting here under God abounding and amazing grace. Later today we are going to do a child dedication. Not that this is in anyway a guarantee that our children will get saved but it is a good indicator that God is showing us mercy.
The Israelites were seeking to manipulate God. This is religious magic not spiritual holiness. This is seeking what you want and trying to force God into giving you your desires without repentance and without a relationship.
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
It’s important that we see what God is doing. Those around may have thought God had been defeated. Israel takes a massive beating and loses thousands of men in battle. The Ark is taken. Notice what the text reports… the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
1 Samuel 2:25 (ESV)
25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.
1 Samuel 2:34 (ESV)
34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.
God’s Word will always come to pass.
2. The Report: Everything Lost and the Glory of God has Departed (4:12-22)
12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
Eli’s two sons died the same day, just like God said.
17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
Eli himself died when he heard the news that the Ark was taken.
18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
Phinehas’ wife died in labor because the Ark was taken
19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her.
A wrong assessment…
“The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
The glory of God had indeed departed, but not because the ark of God had been captured; the ark had been captured because the glory had already departed. —Dale Ralph Davis quoting H. L. Ellison
Things were changing in Israel God is cleansing His people of their evil priests and their wicked idol. He will return and His glory with Him.
What should be the right response? What should the people have done? Repent and cry out to God and seek Him.
Resources Used:
1 Samuel by Dale Ralph Davis
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