SELF-SUFFICIENT GOD

>>>The Ark of the Covenant was supposed to represent the presence/holiness of God in Israel

*Only the priests could touch it. Anyone else would die!

>>>Israel was not listening to God.

*Eli the priest had bad sons.

*God rejected his household-chose Samuel

>>>Israel and the Philistines were fighting-Israel losing

* “Go get the ark!”

*Eli’s sons (Hophni/Phinehas) get ark.

>>>Israel still loses-the ark is captured (presence of God)

*Did the presence of God really go? (No!)

*Eli’s sons die

*Eli dies

*Phinehas’ wife has baby-Ichabod (“Glory of God has departed”)

*This was a bad day.

>>>What happens to the ark?

*Remember “Dagon”-god of Philistines (fish-god)

READ: 1 SAMUEL 5:1-5 “When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.”