1 Samuel 4 -- That AIN'T Gonna Work!

The people of Israel were not being the people of God, and the priesthood was corrupt.  When they decided to fight the Philistines, they thought that God would ensure victory despite their disobedience.  They were sorely wrong, and they lost 4,000 soldiers.  They also failed to see the answer to the question they asked:  “Why did the Lord let the Philistines defeat us?”

 

My commentary said, “The Lord had clearly told them how to fight their wars, but instead of searching their hearts and confessing their sins, the people decided to imitate Moses and Joshua and take the ark of the covenant into the battle with them … God will not be used just to make sinful people achieve their own selfish purposes.”

 

They boldly attacked again, with Eli’s two evil sons shepherding the ark in battle.  Thirty thousand Israelite soldiers died in battle and the ark was taken from them.  Eli’s two sons were killed in battle.

 

My commentary noted:  “The Jews had forgotten that the ark was God’s throne in Israel only if Israel was submitted to Him and obedient to His covenant.  Anything else was nothing but ignorant superstition … The two brothers used the ark as a good luck charm.”

 

God was doing something new in Israel, but first He had to get their attention, and He did so by having His glory depart.  Israel couldn’t see how much they’d lost until it was gone.

 

Father, help me to set aside anything in my life that threatens to take me away from You.  I deeply treasure the fact that You never gave up on me, and now that I hear from You, I don’t want to ever lose that relationship!  Keep me close!  Warn me when my thoughts or actions imperil our relationship.  Don’t ever let me try to use you as they did.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford