God at War

March 19, 2023

RECAP

GOD DOUBLES DOWN

Recap of what we know so far in 1 Sam

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PROPHET IS NOT LEADING GOD’S PEOPLE?

• ELI HAD THE POST, BUT NOT THE WILL

• HIS SONS HAD THE LEGACY, BUT NOT THE HEART

• SAMUEL THE “SON” COMES ON JUST AS ELI IS DYING,

• THEN HIS NAME DISAPPEARS FROM THE TEXT FOR 3 CHAPTERS

DURING THIS INTERLUDE, GOD GOES INTO ‘EXILE’ (SUMMARY OF 1 SAM 5)

HE IS PLACED IN THREE PHILISTINE CITIES

1. ASHDOD: HE CUTS THE HEAD AND HANDS OF DAGON, THEIR GOD AND GIVES THEM TUMORS OF THE BACKSIDE (A PLAGUE?)

2. LETS TAKE IT TO GATH, THOSE BIGGER GUYS CAN HANDLE IT (THE HOME OF GOLIATH)

3. THEN TO EKRON, THE HOME OF BAAL-ZEBUB A REGIONAL GOD.

PANIC AND DEATH FOLLOW THERE AS WELL.

FINALLY THEY SEND YHWH HOME, BUT NOT WITHOUT PLUNDER. GOD RETURNS TO ISRAEL WITH GOLD

THE PROPHETIC VOICE:

1: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A THE PEOPLE ARE NOT LEAD BY A PROPHET?

2: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STANDARDS BREAK DOWN?

3: GOD INTERVENES, GOD SPEAKS, GOD FIGHTS...

GOD DOES WHAT SAMSON (ALSO A NAZIRITE) COULD NOT DO BECAUSE HE WAS A MAN, NOT A SPIRITUAL MAN EITHER, POWERFUL, BUT NOT SPIRITUAL.

GOD RETURNS HOME, BUT THE PHILISTINES CONTINUE TO PLAGUE ISRAEL UNTIL THE TIME OF THE KING, DAVID

SAUL; THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, SAUL COMMITS SUICIDE AND HIS HEAD IS TAKEN INTO THE TEMPLE OF DAGON 1 CHRON 10:7-10

• God breaks the head off Dagon, and then he breaks the head off of Saul!

1: GOD AT WAR

When Israel is unable to fight, God fights for them.

What Samson (the first son of Israel) could not do, God does.

but only David can defeat the Philistines (1 Sam 17)

SLIDE:

1 Sam 5: God Goes into Battle; Ashdod, the nearby city.

then the tumors begin, lets send it to Gath; to Dagon’s temple. Perhaps he can take care of this god if we move them a little closer.

Gath was known for having large people, warriors, like Nebraska, or Samoa! later Goliath is from Gath.

• Then to Ekron; known for its worship of Baal-zebub. to the next god temple 1 Sam 5:9-10)

• so God, goes to Gath, and breaks the head off of Dagon...God on the warpath

1: The ark goes to Philistine territory, (all the while Israel is mourning the loss of it, and Samuels voice is not mentioned in the text between chapters 4-6.

This passage is an interlude. It is asking us to look at it in a broader context:

• Remember our history (1 Sam is ‘time of judges)

Judges 16: Samson, also a Nazirite fought the Philistines, he had trouble staying pure, and he appears to have been easily manipulated by women.

3 But Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron. 1

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Jdg 16:3). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

SLIDE

2: GOD FINISHES THE FIGHT

Judges 16:15-30

The Nazirite known for his infidelity, and physical strength.

We have to draw these conclusions.

Samson is the other version of leadership, so to speak. He is HUMANLY IMPRESSIVE

FOR SAMSON TO WIN, HE HAS TO KILL HIMSELF. The VICORY IS SHORT LIVED

Then God goes back to the places that Samson began and “finishes the job” if you will.

SLIDE

EPILOGUE: DON’T LOSE YOUR HEAD

Then finally, just in case we miss it. Way out in

SLIDE

1 Chronicles 10:7-10

KING SAUL “IMPRESIVE, TALL, THE OBVIOUS CHOICE” FOR KING…

COMMITS SUICIDE AND HAS HIS HEAD HUNG IN DAGONS TEMPLE ALONG WITH HIS ARMOR.

CLOSE:

This is all a commentary on what happens when we are not spiritually minded, not led by the Spirit and by spiritual people.

God “saves” and “fights for us” but we pay a heavy price, because God is “away” from Israel.

Later when he is returned in 1 Sam 6, it takes them almost 21 years to get the ark back in its proper place, and GOD NEVER RETURNS TO SHILOH AGAIN.

GODS NEXT ‘HOUSE’ AND PRESENCE WILL BE DECADES LATER IN SOLOMONS TEMPLE…