April 03, 2014 - Thursday

Start Time: 6:48 A.M.

End Time: 7:20 A.M.

Title: The Philistines Capture the Ark

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1 – 22

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek.  The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LordAlmighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.  Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrewcamp?” When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. “A god has^[a] come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before.  We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!” So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. ¹¹ The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

NOTES:

Ø Without God, all battles are lost!  Because of the great sins of Eli’s sons, who were supposed to be the next in line as the Levites or priests who will serve the temple and take care of the ark, God hid Himself or did not reveal Himself to them.  So when the Philistines and Israelites were at war, even with the ark of the covenant with them (the ark symbolizes the presence of the Lord), God was quiet and hid Himself.  When we are not right with God, we are unable to see and connect with Him, furthermore, God will need to turn away from us for our own sake.  Bringing the Ark or having a Bible with You, or any symbol that represents the Lord in Your life will be useless, if we are not right with God.  Good thing, Jesus’ righteousness has made us right with God so no matter where we are or what we have done, Jesus’ blood and sacrifice on the cross has given us the gift of righteousness that will remain in our possession, unless we lose it.  Thank You Jesus!  Praise You forever!

→ That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry. Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?”The man hurried over to Eli,  who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see. He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.” Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”  The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”  When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led^[b] Israel forty years.  His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains. As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention. She named the boy Ichabod,^[c] saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

NOTES:

Ø All is lost without God’s glory upon us!  The Ark represents God’s presence during those times and when it was captured by the Philestines, the whole Israelites knew that it was their doomed.  The priest, Eli, who served them for forty years died the moment he heard that the Ark of God was captured.  It was his duty to protect and care for the ark but it was in his time that the Ark was captured.  Moreover, his sons died too and her daughter in law.  Only a baby boy remained to continue their lineage.  All these things happened in the life of Eli because of the sins of his sons that he allowed.  He knew the right thing to do but he didn’t do it because he was afraid.  Fear can cause us to be stagnant and weak.  And when we continue to tolerate or compromise even when God is against it, we will end up losing everything because God’s glory will leave us.  Good thing that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was permanent and a one-time action that became the solution for every problem in the world.  His righteousness was a gift that we must take care…so if you think about it, we are a priest, protecting and taking care of the gift of righteousness that Jesus bestowed upon us.  Let us make sure that we do not live in compromise or allow sin to eat up and drive that gift away from us.  For when it does, then the glory of the Lord will leave us and everything will be lost!  Good thing that Jesus’ love and grace will not allow it to happen.  Hallelujah!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Gracious and loving God.  Thank You because all we need is You to win!  All we need is Your glory upon us to become victorious in everything we face.  Thank You because You have given us the gift of righteousness that we may be right before Your sight.  Thank You because this gift is free and You will not take it back.  It is up to me to take care and protect the gift You’ve given and even then, You will also not allow me to lose the gift You gave.  Thank You Jesus.  Let it be that everyday, I will boast of the righteousness You have given to me and declare of Your love, grace and favor upon me at all times.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!