SCRIPTURE: 1 SAMUEL 4
THE PHILISTINES CAPTURE THE ARK (vs. 1-11)
The Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines and was defeated with 4,000 men being killed in the battle field. When the soldiers returned, they asked the elders to let them bring the ark of the Lord to save them from the hand of their enemies. The sons of Eli Hophni and Phinehas went with the men to the battle field with the ark of the Lord. But the Philistines strengthen themselves and fought. Three thousand Israelites soldiers were slaughtered. They captured Eli’s two sons and killed them.
DEATH OF ELI (vs. 12-22)
Eli was 89 years old and blind. A man who fled from the battle line came to report to him that Israel army suffered heavy losses, his two sons were dead and the ark of God has been captured. (v. 17). When Eli heard about the ark of the Lord, he fell backward off his chair and his neck was broken and he died. He led Israel for 40 years.
His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas was pregnant. When she heard that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth but she died. She named the boy Ichabod (the glory had departed from Israel” because the ark of God has been captured.
THOUGHTS:
The Ark of the Covenant contained the 10 commandments and was supposed to be kept in the Most Holy Place, a sacred part of the Tabernacle that only the high priest could enter once a year. Hophni and Phinehas desecrated the rom by unlawfully entering it and renouncing the Ark. They were thinking that the presence of the Ark would assure them of victory. But their superstitious faith on the power of the Ark had not foundation. They begin to view it as a good luck charm expecting it to protect them from their enemies. Their attitude toward the Ark was close to idol worship. Beware of using God to solve your problems. A symbol of God does not guarantee his power and presence. Remember that God uses His power according to His own wisdom and will. He will respond to the faith of those who truly seek Him.
The Israelites wrongly assumed that because God had given them victory in the past, He would do it again even through they strayed from Him. Always remember that spiritual victory comes through a continual renewed relationship with God. Keep your reltaionship with God constant and fresh.
4 pieces of sad news the messenger gave to Eli:
- Israelites had been defeated.
- Many Israelites had been slaughtered.
- Your two sons are dead.
- The ark had been captured by the enemy.
These happened because the glory of God had departed from them. They were naked before their enemies. If we will not confess our sins and obey Him, God will not be with us.