Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 4:1-22
Helpful thoughts:
- It appears the Philistines (In their ignorance) had more respect for God and for the Ark than Israel did.
- Whether the Philistines did show more respect or not, the Lord was sovereign over that day (Leviticus 26:17)
- God is not a lucky trinket you can carry around to make things go “your way”.
- The Israelites decided that God’s presence was what they needed to win the battle, but they failed to remember it was their fellowship with God that mattered. They thought they needed the Ark to win, when what they needed was to repent.
- It is better to lose a “battle” and repent than to win a “battle” and remain in your sin. Knowing Jesus is better than anything that can be gained in this world.
- The Israelites decided that God’s presence was what they needed to win the battle, but they failed to remember it was their fellowship with God that mattered. They thought they needed the Ark to win, when what they needed was to repent.
- Eli fell over backward from “his seat by the side of the gate”. Since Eli was also judging Israel at this time, this seat would have served as his “throne”. Eli’s death was quite symbolic of Israel as a nation and all that had transpired that day.
Questions to consider:
- In what ways had the glory departed Israel on that day? In what ways had the glory already been missing?
- How would the Philistines have viewed their military power and the strength of their gods after defeating Israel with their Ark of the Covenant? How would they have viewed God?
- How does our life (Our words, our actions) affect the views of those around us concerning Jesus Christ? How does your walk portray the magnificence of Christ?