God’s Judgment Falls on Eli And His Sons

The photographer for a national magazine was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene hampered him and he asked his home office to hire a plane. Arrangements were made and he was told to go at once to a nearby airport, where the plane would be waiting. Wh … More

Assumption

By Samuel’s time the Philistines, who were settled along the Mediterranean Sea between Egypt and Gaza, were constantly warring against Israel. These Philistines were descendants of Noah’s son Ham. In this particular battle, Israel was defeated as they lost four thousand men. At this point, the elders decided to bring the ark of the covenant closer to the fighting, hoping that it’s presence would bring favor from God and save them (vv. 1-3). Evidently they did not understand that the ark was merely a symbol of God’s presence and could not be used as a good luck charm. What happened with the Israelites often seems to happen with Christians today. The Israelites wrongly assumed that, because God had given them victory in the past, He would do it again even though they had strayed from Him.

Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas bring the Ark of the Covenant down from Shiloh and the strategy seems to be working (vv. 4-9). When the ark arrives in the camp the army’s confidence rises tremendously. And as the Israelites’ hopes rise the Philistines’ fall to the same degree. They know about this God of Israel who’s already defeated the Egyptians. And they’re scared stiff. The Israelite Elders think they’ve done it. This will make all the difference! And so the fight resumes next morning, this time Israel loses again and this time 30,000 soldiers die (vv. 10-16)! What’s more, the ark of the covenant is captured and Hophni and Phinehas are killed (v. 17). Finally, when Eli hears about it he too dies (v. 18).

God has allowed the Israelites to be defeated. He’d already predicted what would happen back in chapter 2. God was using this defeat to punish Eli and his sons. The defiling of the Temple worship had an effect not just on those who worshiped, or even on the corrupt priesthood, but on the fortunes of the nation as a whole. The wife of Phinehas also dies, in childbirth, and on her death bed names her son Ichabod, because, she says, the glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured (vv. 19-22). Well, in fact the glory has departed from Israel not because the ark is lost but because the worship of God has been corrupted by her husband and brother-in-law. God has withdrawn his support because he’s angry with the way worship has being conducted.

Application

I cannot live in the assumption of God’s blessing but must keep my relationship with Him new and fresh.

I Samuel 4:1-22 (English Standard Version)


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