April 10 - 1 Samuel 4:12-8:22

Good morning everyone,

As we begin our reading this morning Israel has gone out to fight had taken a terrible beating from the Philistines. The elders were confused as to why the Lord had allowed this and thought it would be a good idea to bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant out of Shiloh to where they were camped so that God could go with them. Their thought being this would save them from the hands of their enemies, but that would not happen. The Philistines got wind of this and they were very afraid of the gods (I love that, “the gods” shows their mentality) they’d heard had devastated Egypt years before.Their leaders instructed the troops to fight hard or they would become subject to the Israelites, and so it was that they did fight hard, slaughtering the Israelites, killing Eli’s two sons in the process and they stole the ark of God which would prove to be a very bad idea. When Eli heard that the ark had been captured he fell, broke his neck and died the same day as his sons, just as the prophet said he would.

All did not go well for the Philistines with the ark in their possession. They first took it to Ashdod and put it in the temple of Dagon right next to a statue of the guy who was half fish and half man and considered to be the father of Baal. The next morning when the went into the temple they found Dagon on his face before the ark of the Lord. The stood him upright but again the following morning he had fallen on his face, however this time his hands and his head had broken off but the Philistines didn’t recognize this as a problem.

It wasn’t until, “the Lord’s hand was heavy on them”, bringing devastation in the city through some type of plague affecting them with tumors and death, that they thought to remove the ark. It went from city to city, where each would suffer the same epidemic until finally they get a clue and decide it might be a good idea to be rid of it. So they send the ark of the Lord along with some gold rats and models of tumors in a cart hitched with two cows back to the Israelites where some people of Beth Shemesh, while harvesting their fields, saw it coming. From there it was sent to the town of Kiriath Jearim where Eleazar was consecrated and put in charge of its care.Then all the people, we’re told, turned back to the Lord.

In chapter eight we read that Samuel has grown old and his sons had not followed in his footsteps and were dishonest men. The elders of Israel approached Samuel and want him to appoint a king to govern them, “just like the other nations have.” Oh what a sad day that must have been for Samuel, while Israel had always had prophets, priests and judges God had always been their King, but he did not lash out at them, instead he went and had a chat with God who told him to give them what they want. So Samuel went to the people and tried to tell them how it would not be a good idea to have a king, painting a pretty accurate picture of how a king would lay claim to their land, property and even the daughters but they refused to listen insisting they wanted a king. Samuel took this back to the Lord and again the Lord said, “alrighty then, give them what they want” (a little paraphrasing). 

How many times do we think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. It was not so much that the Israelites wanted a King that was the problem but more the “why” they wanted a king. They were a people who were called to be separate from the others, God’s chosen, and they did not appreciate that at all. At times we are like that too, I think. We let other people’s behavior, attitudes and values direct our lives so that we can fit in or feel accepted or just keep up with the Jones’. You know? We make rock stars our heroes and movie stars our role models when the only example for our lives should be The Rock. Beware friends, when we start looking with desire at the way non-believers live it can only lead to spiritual disaster for us. I would encourage you to let God decide what’s best for you, for us, in our lives. Let’s keep our eyes on the prize, the King of Kings our Rock our Salvation because God always gives his best to those who choose to let Him lead the way. Isaiah 58:11 says The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.You will be like a well-watered garden,like a spring whose waters never fail.” I love the peace and comfort that offers.  Amen?

I pray you have a great day, to God be the glory.

God bless you all …