seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 4:1 Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. 2 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. 3 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.”
4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. 6 Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”
When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. 8 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. 9 Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”
10 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.
Here's the link to the commentary.
The word of the Samuel came to all Israel... now Israel went out to battle: This doesn’t mean the battle was initiated by Samuel. Some manuscript traditions (evident in the Septuagint) make it clear the Philistines started this conflict. Nevertheless, the battle ended in disaster: Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men.
It may save us: The elders rightly sensed they needed God’s help to win the battle. But they were wrong in the way they sought help. Instead of humbly repenting and seeking God, they turned to methods that God never approved. They only cared if it worked.
That it may save us from the hand of our enemies: They regarded the ark as the ultimate “good luck charm” and believed they could not lose with it there. They looked to the ark to save them, not to the LORD.
The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the Ark of the Covenant of God: Instead of trusting in the ark, they should be more concerned that the ark was served and carried by priests who had forsaken the LORD.
All Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook: Someone passing by Israel’s camp would think something tremendous was happening. Certainly, this would be considered a great church service, and many would think Israel really trusted God. But for all the appearances, it was really nothing. All the noise and excitement meant nothing because it wasn’t grounded in God’s truth.
Israel was defeated: There were three reasons for this great defeat. First, the Philistines fought with the courage of desperate men. Second, the Israelites felt the battle would be easy with the ark of the Covenant there and did not try as hard. Finally, God did not bless Israel’s superstitious belief in the power of the ark instead of the power of God.
The ark of God was captured: This was worse than just losing a battle. The very “thing” they thought would win the battle was captured. Israel made an idol of the ark and God often deals with our idolatry by taking the idol away.
The commentary made a remark that is not really Biblical, but sounds preacherly, and it puts some things in perspective for me.In the late 1970’s, a five-line inscription was found on a grain silo in the ruins of Izbet Sarteh. When deciphered, it was found to contain a Philistine account of this battle, the capture of the ark, even specifically mentioning the priest Hophni. This is the earliest known extra-biblical reference to an Old Testament event.
Now I'm not going to tell anyone to take those crosses or the beads and toss them because they are idols.The Israelites were treating the Arc of the Covenant like it was a lucky charm. Oh they didn't think it was magically delicious, they thought it was magical all by itself.
They were, actually without realizing it, worshipping the box, not God.
If they had prayed. If the priests had done their job instead of raping the women who came to worship, then God would have been there with them and they wouldn't have lost the first battle, let alone the second battle and the Arc.
If the priests hadn't been so busy stealing the raw meat for sale in order to line their own pockets, they would have had time to worship. The priests were corrupt. God told Samuel they were corrupt. God told Samuel that Eli's boys were going to die because they were bums!
In the church, if the people actually open their Bibles and read the verses for themselves, they wouldn't be fighting amongst themselves over who worships the best. The Baptists wouldn't have that strange need to go pull all the beads, crosses, ephods, and fancy bangles, from the Catholics.
If they had asked God to help them.... they would have won.
Eli didn't go to God.
Eli's sons didn't go to God.
The people didn't go to God.
They picked up their lucky charm and did what they thought would work.
Humans with a lucky charm took on the enemy and lost.
Just because someone calls themselves a Christian... doesn't mean they are one. H E double hockey sticks, they might NOT even know what being a Christian means!!! They may just go to church to be seen so they can do business with the people in the church. The preacher might even be on the take!
Without God we are nothing.
Heck... without God the Bible is just an idol... to be perched on the top shelf [and collect dust], to show off.
The Arc was not magical. It didn't guarantee a win. The temple was corrupted by the priests. The people worshipped the box, not God.
The corrupt priests got a big head and....
The priests lost the Arc!
