"Do You worship It?"
1Samuel 4

August 12, 2007
by C.W. Powell

“1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. 2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. 3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. 8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. 10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. 12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. 13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. 16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? 17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. 22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.” (1Sa 4:1-22 AV)

The events that are recounted would have taken place about the same time as the latter judges of the book of Judges and the events described in the book of Ruth. Ruth, Samson, and Eli were more or less contemporary. It is tempting for us to try to see and interpret everything by what goes on in our time and in our place, while very important events may be going on a another time far distant from us. Also, great events may have taken place shortly before our times, or shortly after our times and their significance may not be at all understood by us. Our times are in the hands of the Lord, and we must aways trust in His wisdom and understanding.

There are several things that we could say today about this fourth chapter of 1 Samuel. Some, I will be brief about, others will require a bit more time to unpack.

I. The narrative. The details are simple enough.
II. The true glory of God in His Church.
III. The Application

I. The Narrative

A. War with the Philistines

1. The early defeat
2. The council of war and the deployment of the Ark
3. Disastrous Defeat and the capture of the Ark: death of Hophni and Phinehas

B. Death of Eli

C. Birth of Ichabod

II. The True Glory of God in the Church.

A. The fixation of Israel on the Ark of the covenant. It had become an idol. “It shall deliver us.”

1. What a spectacle this was:

a) Going to get the Ark
b) Sending it out to war, with Hophni and Phinehas going with it, enrobed in priestly garments, no doubt.

2. Eli’s concern about the ark, overriding the defeat of Israel, slaughter of 30,000 of her fathers and sons; the slaughter of his own two sons, and fatherless families in Israel.

3. The fixation of the wife of Phinehas on the loss of the ark. “The glory is departed from Israel.”

B. Actually, the true glory was being restored to Israel, had they eyes to see it. The glory of Israel was not in the trappings of the tabernacle, the ceremonies, the objects that went along with it. Consider the following:

1. What advantage was there to be of Israel and to be called the people of God: Paul answers that in Romans 4: What advantage has the Jew? What advantage to be of the circumcisions: Much in every way, Paul said, but chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

2. Israel had the word of God, which was even then being restored to them There had been a time when there was no prophecy, and there was a famine in the land, a famine of hearing the word of God. This was being restored. {verse 1, these events describe how Samuel was to be established as a prophet and judge in Israel: Eli and his wicked sons are being removed.

3. We should consider the words of the Holy Spirit in Jeremiah 9:23,24:

“23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” (Jer 9:23-24 AV)

The glory of the people of God is that they have the knowledge of God: specifically: in His exercise of:

(1) Lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: God is not an absent God, but He is actively inivolved in the things on this earth. He loves His people and does not need magic and superstition to be persuaded to work on their behalf.

(2) Judgment: God can distinguish between things, and He knows the difference between a faithful priest and a sluggard and truant one. Did they actually think that God can deceived by pomp and circumstance and the parading of religious artifacts

(3) Righteousness:

(a) "Repented not to give him glory" Rev. 16:9

(b) “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” (2Pe 1:3 AV)

(c) “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1Pe 1:7 AV)

(d) “For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.” (2Co 5:12 AV)

(e) “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1Co 1:27-31 AV)

(f) “The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Stand in the gate of the LORD’S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. 3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. 5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. 8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. 12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; 14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.” (Jer 7:1-14 AV)

(g) The above passage was quoted by our Lord Jesus when he cleansed the temple: His house is to be a house of prayer.

Application: God delights in having fellowship with men. He would walk with us and talk with us. He has designed us for this. Not for the performance of religious ceremonies--those are for this time of our earthly journey to remind us that we are not yet home where we will see face to face. Until then, we listen to His word and seek Him in prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ. But heaven there will be no temple, no sacrifices, no ceremonies, but we will be friends of God, as Abraham was.

May God bless you.

Amen and Amen