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1 Samuel 4-7
Adventures of the Ark
Psalm 41:1-5 Blessing and Health
1.“Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.2.Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive. He shall be blessed on the earth, and He will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.3.Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed, and restore him from his bed of illness.4.I said, "Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against You."5.My enemies speak evil against me: "When will he die, and his name perish?"Observations
41:1.The poor are those who are weak, brought low and in distress. “Consider” has meanings ranging from “giving attention to” to “cause to prosper.” The blessed believer is not focused on themselves, but in serving others. They will accumulate self-centered enemies, but God won't let them triumph over him (rest of the Psalm).
41:4.
Sickness can be the result of sin, so when in doubt, confess.
Application
Blessing is a consequence, caused by the right actions.
Prayer
God who delivers, preserves and heals, have mercy, forgive and fortify me. Thanks. Amen.
Proverbs 11:18 Reap What You Sow
18.“Wicked people earn deceitful wages, but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.“Application
If you don't like what you're reaping, sow something different.
Prayer
Lord, I realize my actions have both temporal and eternal consequences; guide me in sowing the thoughts, attitudes, and actions that will reap Your reward. Thanks. Amen.
1Samuel 4-7 Adventures of the Ark
The Ark of the Covenant takes a jaunt to Philistine territory, wrecking havoc on the pagan gods and peoples. Israel was supposed to do that job, but their disobedience disqualified them from serving God and experiencing His glory. Samuel gives them a promise of blessing if they truly and wholeheartedly repent.
1 Samuel 4 Ichabob: Glory Gone
1.The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.2.Israel was struck before the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.3.When the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has Yahweh struck us today before the Philistines? Let us get the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies."4.So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.5.When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.6.When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" They understood that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp.7.The Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp." They said, "Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before.8.Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.9.Be strong, and behave like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!"10.The Philistines fought, and Israel was struck, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.11.The ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.17.He who brought the news answered, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured."18.When he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.19.His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered. When she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth; for her pains came on her.20.About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, "Don’t be afraid; for you have given birth to a son." But she didn’t answer, neither did she regard it.21.She named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel"; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.22.She said, "The glory has departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken."Observations
4:1-3.In presumption, Israel goes out to fight the Philistines without seeking God's will, and they lose.
4:11-18.
News of the capture of the ark and the death of his sons (as promised in chapter 2 for his failure to discipline them) causes Eli to fall of his lazy-boy recliner and die.
4:19-21.
Eli's daughter-in-law gives birth at the news and dies, naming the child Ichabod, meaning “no glory,” lamenting the departure of the presence and glory of God from Israel.
The Hebrew word for glory is “kabod” which is also the root for “liver,” the heaviest and therefore most important organ in the body (of course it helps to have a heart too). To glorify someone was to make them be seen as important. See How to Glorify God in TOYL on Truthbase.net
Application
Trying to use God on our terms, as a good luck charm, is a sure path to defeat and destruction.
Prayer
Lord may I obediently fear You, and may Your glory always shine on and through my life. Amen.
1 Samuel 5 God Handily Glorifies Himself
1.Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.2.The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.3.When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.4.When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact.5.Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.6.But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumours, even Ashdod and its borders.7.When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, "The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god."8.They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath." They carried the ark of the God of Israel there.
9.It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.10.So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people."11.They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly confusion throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.12.The men who didn’t die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Observations
5:1-5.Yes God does have a sense of humor. Since He can't be seen as supreme (glorified) by blessing the obedient Israelites, He takes matters into His own hands and strikes the protection (god) then the person and property of the Philistines. First He has Dagon fall down and worship Him; then He kills (decapitates) and renders Dagon powerless (hand-less).
5:6-12.
Now Yahweh turns His mighty hand against the people, making life miserable for them wherever the ark goes. Tumors is a nice translation of burning hemorrhoids. The Philistines cry out to heaven for “deliverance” away from God. Ha-ha :)
Application
God doesn't need us to glorify Him, but we need to glorify Him to fulfill our purpose for being on the planet. It you haven't figured out how the daily activities of your life directly relate to your purpose for living, check out the TOYL link on Truthbase (worksheets are there, too).
Prayer
Lord of glory, You are the God of gods; may Your hand be upon my life for blessing rather than cursing all my days. Amen.
1 Samuel 6 Philistines Glorify God
1.The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months.2.The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."3.They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."4.Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.5.Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.6.Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed?7."Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;8.and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go.9.Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."10.The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;11.and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.12.The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
13.They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.14.The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh.15.The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.16.When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.19.He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter.20.The men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?"21.They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come down, and bring it up to yourselves."
Observations
6:1-5.The Philistines wind up giving glory to Yahweh (6:5), returning the cart with a sin offering. They stacked the deck against the ark going back by keeping the calves at home, but God caused the cows to leave their nursing calves and go toward Israel.
6:6-12.
The Philistines were better versed in Israelite history than God's people, recognizing what God had done in the Exodus (also last chapter), and who hardened whose heart.
6:13-21.
The Israelites offer joyful sacrifices at the return of the ark, but don't fully obey God by looking into the ark (a violation of both His holiness/separateness and expressed command-Numbers 4:20), and suffer the consequences big time. They have the same response to the ark as did the Philistines. Rather than exalting in the presence of God in their midst, they reject it, for it reveals and judges their sin.
Application
Religious rejoicing does not remove from us the responsibility to fear and obey.
Prayer
Radient God, may my life be a fitting place for Your glory to dwell; may others see You through my relationship with You. Amen.
1 Samuel 7 God Glorified by Israel
1.The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh.2.The ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.3.Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you do return to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."4.Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only.5.Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to Yahweh."6.They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, "We have sinned against Yahweh." Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
7.When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.8.The children of Israel said to Samuel, "Don’t cease to cry to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines."9.Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh: and Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him.10.As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.11.The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar.12.Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "Yahweh helped us until now."
13.So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel. The hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.14.The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.15.Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.16.He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.17.His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to Yahweh.
Observations
7:3-6. Trace the path to repentance:- they return with all their heart (and confess their sin v6)
- they remove and put away foreign gods/influences
- they direct their hearts to Yahweh
- they serve Yahweh exclusively
- Yahweh delivers them.
- Yahweh restores and recovers what was lost (v14)
7:7-14.
When rightly related to God, He fights their battles and gives them peace from their enemies. Ebenezer means "stone of help," a memorial to God's deliverance.
7:15-15.
Samuel becomes the last judge (and is considered the first prophet).
Application
When suffering the effects of sin, return to God like the Israelites did and call for His help.
Prayer
God, You are so righteous to judge, yet so gracious to accept the truly repentant; may I always be serving You, so You will fight my battles and give me peace. Thanks. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God can be seen as great and glorious without any human intervention. He can bless the righteous and afflict the unrighteous, according to their behavior. He is gracious in accepting the truly repentant, and can deliver them with only a prayer on their part. His primary objective is to reveal His glory and character so people will respond to Him in appropriate worship.Us in a nutshell: When we fail to exclusively serve God, His glory departs from our lives and pain increases. When we fully and wholeheartedly repent and serve Him, He graciously returns and can repair the damage our disobedience has caused. Being rightly related to Him, and constantly calling out to Him in prayerful dependence is a good way to get delivered from trouble. Responding to Him in wholehearted, exclusive service (giving Him what He wants) is a good way to worship.