God Almighty or a Good Luck Charm?
Notes
Transcript
Turn to 1 Samuel 4
Intro:
Intro:
Steve Carrell has famously said, “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.”
Somewhat COMMON human condition
MAKE a WISH… 11:11; SHOOTING STAR; BIRTHDAY CANDLES (as long ago as Ancient Greece)
KNOCK on WOOD...
FINGERS CROSSED…
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Negatives:
SPILL SALT...THROW (RIGHT SHOULDER)
Avoiding BLACK CATS
Not walking under LADDERS
not STEPPING on CRACKS
FRIDAY 13TH
BROKEN MIRRORS
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“BLESS YOU” after SNEEZE BEGAN as SUPERSTITION...
LUCKY SOCKS/ HAT/ SHIRT??
🐢🐢
(Q) In our lives, do we ever lump spiritual things such as prayer, Bible reading or even church attendance with these superstitions?
NO ONE would ever ADMIT this OUT LOUD!
PRAYER…KNOCKING ON WOOD… FINGERS CROSSED…
***Are these in the same category??
We’re called to be PEOPLE of FAITH, NOT people of SUPERSTITION, people who BELIEVE in GOD & His BLESSING, NOT merely in GOOD LUCK or COINCIDENCE...
CONSIDER THESE THINGS as we dive into our text TODAY...
🐢--- 37 minutes left---🐢
Recap:
Recap:
Last few weeks:
MIRACULOUS BIRTH & DEDICATION of SAMUEL
PRIESTHOOD @ SHILOH = WICKED…SAMUEL CONTRASTED as FAITHFUL..
Last week:
SAMUEL CALLED by GOD… “HERE I AM...SPEAK I’M LISTENING”
GOD SPEAKS WORD of JUDGMENT CONCERNING ELI (PRIEST) & HOUSEHOLD THROUGH YOUNG SAMUEL
WORD of SAMUEL GOES to ALL ISRAEL (GOD’S WORD NO LONGER RARE!)
(T) Now that GOD had FINISHED RAISING up a REPLACEMENT, we’ll see WHAT HE DOES with the EXISTING LEADERSHIP in Israel.
🐢---34 minutes left---🐢
Text
Text
1 Samuel 4:1–22 (ESV)
Setting (v1b)
Setting (v1b)
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.
PHILISTINES = ISRAEL’S ENEMIES to the WEST…arrived in the area approx. 1,200 B.C....MORE ADVANCED MILITARY/METALLURGY—pain for Israel...
1st time Philistines introduced in books of Samuel
Previously were a problem during Samson’s day
Most famous—GOLIATH.
ISRAEL GOING to FIGHT approx. 22 MILES WEST of where book/STORY BEGAN —SHILOH w/ priests.
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(T) And then our text says,
Inciting Incident (v2-4)
Inciting Incident (v2-4)
2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”
GOD FIGHTS FOR HIS PEOPLE…YET THIS TIME THEY’RE DEFEATED??
4,000 MEN DIED in BATTLE
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ELDERS in ISRAEL, “Why has the Lord defeated us today?”
***GOOD QUESTION! God fought for them in past…why different this time????
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A QUESTION WORTH SERIOUSLY PONDERING...
Yet NO SOUL-SEARCHING...
ACHAN @ AI,,, God allowing defeat because of sin...
NO SEEKING GOD...
THEIR PLAN: BRING ARK
IT (NOT HE) MAY SAVE THEM...
RELIGION BECOMING END…NOT MEANS TO END...
IT IS GOD WHO SAVES!
4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
The PEOPLE’S SOLUTION!
NO SEEKING GOD FOR DIRECTION.
Bringing ark to battle...
Description of ark ***(see picture):
wooden chest
overlaid w/ gold
cherubim on the top.
contained copy of 10 commandments.
*IMPORTANT: NEXT 3 CH. = ARK NARRATIVES...
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**SYMBOL of GOD’S PRESENCE AMONGST PEOPLE…enthroned upon the cherubim.
NO IDOLS/IMAGES…BUT TANGIBLE REMINDER.
GOD PROMISED to MEET PRIESTS @ ARK...
***MOST SACRED OBJECT in JEWISH WORSHIP @ TIME..
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Problem:
SEEKING GOD’S BLESSING on THEIR IDEAS...
MANIPULATING GOD…ARK = GOOD LUCK CHARM???
GOD-STAMP of APPROVAL...
Essentially twisting God’s arm.
“GOD, YOUR REPUTATION = ON THE LINE! YOU BETTER SHOW UP!”
EASY for CHURCHES to DO.... “REVIVAL” SERVICES…LONG PRAYER VIGILS...
**NOT INHERENTLY WRONG…BUT WHO’S IDEA IS IT??
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Israel— “IF WE BRING in the ARK = GOD WILL HAVE TO SAVE US!”
GOD DOESN’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING… HE’S the LORD ALMIGHTY!
ARK DESCRIBED AS:
Ark of the covenant
of the Lord of hosts
Who is enthroned on the cherubim
Incredibly specific...
Covenant— God’s covenant w/ Israel (10 commandments) + God’s faithfulness to covenant
Lord of Hosts
God of angel-armies…Lord Almighty = nothing too hard!!
Enthroned upon Cherubim
King— worthy of praise.
**GOD = SO GREAT…HOW COULD WE LOSE????
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BIGGER PROBLEM: Who’s bearing the ark??
WICKED SONS of ELI
GOD’S ARK SHOWS UP VIA CORRUPT PRIESTS....
Ones W/ LEAST REGARD for GOD — GIVEN HIGHEST PRIVILEGE.....
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TWISTING GOD’S ARM:
DEFEAT WOULD = GOD’S FAULT.
GOD’S REPUTATION ON the LINE...NOT OURS...
NO SOUL-SEARCHING…NO REPENTANCE…JUST PRESUMPTION. EXPECTING GOD’S BLESSING on THEIR IDEAS
(T) So the question now stands, WILL their GOOD LUCK CHARM PAY OFF for them? Well, let’s see what happens next.
🐢--- 23 minutes left----
Rising Action (v5-9)
Rising Action (v5-9)
5 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.
8 Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”
ARK ARRIVES…EVERYONE EXPECTS ISRAEL to WIN!
ISRAEL SHOUTS (EARTH SHAKES)
PHILISTINES TERRIFIED.
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GOD’S REPUTATION PRECEDED HIM!
RECOUNTING EGYPTIAN DELIVERANCE
GOD’S SAVING ACTS for HIS PEOPLE, SHOULD BOAST GREATNESS of GOD AMONGST NONBELIEVERS.
* GOD’S REPUTATION IN OUR DAY??
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ISRAEL POKED the BEAR…NOW PHILISTINES —FIGHTING HARDER
TRUE QUESTION to ASK:
NOT, “HOW POWERFUL ARE the PHILISTINES?”
BUT, “IS GOD FIGHTING FOR HIS PEOPLE?”
(T) And so Israel brought the ark to battle, the Philistines were scared but then committed to fighting courageously, WHO’S THE LORD GOING TO FIGHT FOR…Who’s going to win? Let’s see. Verse 10 says,
-🐢---20 minutes left----
Climax (v10-11)
Climax (v10-11)
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
AWFUL DEFEAT!! BAD on EVERY ACCOUNT!!
ISRAEL FLEEING
30K SOLDIERS KILLED
ARK of GOD CAPTURED…SUPER BIG DEAL.R..
GOD’S REPUTATION SEEMINGLY OUT THE DOOR???
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CONSIDER: ANOTHER PART of GOD’S REPUTATION: HE’S FAITHFUL to HIS WORD.
CRAZY???
REMEMBER: MSG. 2 WEEKS AGO… PROPHET CONFRONTS ELI
LAST WK: SAMUEL’S WORD to ELI.
GOD PROMISED JUDGMENT UPON ELI’S HOUSE....THE SIGN/PROOF??----- BOTH SONS WOULD DIE SAME DAY
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GOD USED TRAGEDY to FULFIL HIS NEGATIVE PROMISE to ELI...
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Both ENCOURAGING & FEARFUL!
GOD will SEEMINGLY SACRIFICE His REPUTATION to ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL && HE WILL NOT BE MANIPULATED!
GOD = FAITHFUL to HIS WORD/NATURE
Faithful to GOOD & (SEEMINGLY) BAD!
JUDGE & SAVE
BLESS & CURSE
GOD’S WILL, WILL PREVAIL!
(T) And then our text takes a turn and says,
-🐢--- 16 minutes left---🐢--
Setting (v12-13)
Setting (v12-13)
12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out.
MAN FLEES, BRINGS NEWS to SHILOH (APPROX. 22 MILES AWAY)
ELI WAITING ANXIOUSLY—HEART TREMBLED for ARK...
(Q) Do you think God needs us to take care of Him?
***FATE of ARK WAS in GOD’S HANDS...
GOD’S ARK, AMONGST GOD’S PEOPLE… HE’S GOD ALMIGHTY…NO ONE WILL TAKE IT W.O. PERMISSION.
HAVE PEACE THAT OUR GOD DOESN’T NEED OUR DEFENSE…
SPURGEON, “The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose and the lion will defend itself...”
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ISRAEL had COMPLETELY LOST SIGHT of the FACT that it was GOD who would FIGHT HIS BATTLES THROUGH THEM, but He WASN’T GUARANTEED to GO ALONG with THEIR PREDETERMINED PLANS...
(T) And so Eli’s been dying to find out what happened with the ark, and let’s see what happens next.
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Rising Action (v14-17)
Rising Action (v14-17)
14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?”
17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
ELI, DESPERATION, ASKS ABOUT THE OUTCRY...
PEOPLE GRIEVING in MASS NUMBERS… & ELI = BLIND, 98...
FLEEING FROM BATTLE = BAD NEWS....MAN RELAYS BAD NEWS in ENTIRETY
(T) And then the text says,
-🐢--- 13 minutes left----
Climax: (v18)
Climax: (v18)
18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
IN HORROR, ELI FALLS OUT OF CHAIR & DIES.
**IMAGINE (HUMANLY SPEAKING) this was HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
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ELI = EXAMPLE of FINISHING POORLY...
INDIFFERENT to SIN & BENEFITING FROM IT...
DIES PITIFULLY
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NO IDEA HOW ELI’S STORY BEGAN…BUT ENDS POORLY.
WHAT MATTERS MOST = HOW WE FINISH.
UPS & DOWNS.
YEARS BEFORE KNOWING CHRIST & AFTER CHRIST.
SOME PEOPLE do GOOD nearly their ENTIRE LIVES in glorifying God and then FULLY TARNISH their REPUTATION @ the END of THEIR LIVES...
BE DILIGENT TO PERSEVERE & FINISH WELL....
(T) Now, our TEXT is GOING to CLOSE in verses 19 through 22. It says,
Conclusion (v19-22):
Conclusion (v19-22):
19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.
21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
2 DEATHS EARLIER (SONS)…now 2 MORE DEATHS... Eli & Phinehas’ wife...
WIFE INTO LABOR FROM STRESS.
SON = GREATEST HONOR (THOSE DAYS)…BRINGS NO JOY....
NAMES SON, ICHABOD = “NO GLORY” or “WHERE IS THE GLORY..?”
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TRAGEDY of ARK being CAPTURED:
Great cry in city
Eli falls out of chair & dies
Phinehas’ wife dies in labor.
Names child Ichabod...
Glory of God (ark) gone from Israel!
H.L. Ellison points out plainly, the glory had departed much earlier.
PRIESTHOOD FILLED with SIN & SELFISHNESS…GOD’S GLORY LONG AGO had LEFT their HOUSE of WORSHIP...
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Surely MANY CHURCHES TODAY should have “ICHABOD” ABOVE the DOORS
PEOPLE SLANDERING GOD through their ACTIONS/CONSISTENT SIN...
COMPROMISED the TRUTH of the gospel in order TO BE RELEVANT/POPULAR
GOD WON’T BE COERCED, MANIPULATED, or TRICKED into OFFERING BLESSINGS upon THOSE who have DENIED HIM...
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Hom. Idea:
Hom. Idea:
God will surely be faithful to His Word, and where God’s judgment is promised, it will be sure to come.
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Gospel:
Gospel:
THANKFUL FOR GOD’S FAITHFULNESS!! (Promises & Word)
GOD = FAITHFUL to PARTS WE LIKE & PARTS WE DON’T.
GOD = FAITHFUL to LOVE…BLESS…CARE...
GOD = FAITHFUL to BE JUST…JUDGE
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GOD as CREATOR = DESIGNER…has ULTIMATE CLAIM on OUR LIVES..
TOILET PAPER HOLDER DEBATE,, DESIGNER = RIGHT...
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GOD = our MAKER…we’re IMAGE-BEARERS, to REFLECT GOD’S GLORY in the EARTH…to OBEY HIS LAWS & be His ambassadors...
BUT ALL—FALLEN SHORT,, TRANSGRESSORS of GOD’S LAW...
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GOD HAD PROMISED to JUDGE ELI’S HOUSE… && HE WAS FAITHFUL.
GOD HAS PROMISED A FUTURE DAY of JUDGMENT… && HE WILL BE FAITHFUL!
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GOD —CREATOR—HAD TO MAKE A WAY OUT...
GOD OFFERED YEARS of MERCY to SONS of ELI… DIDN’T REPENT...
PRESENT, GOD’S DOING SAME THING…
DELAYED JUDGMENT DOESN’T MEAN IT ISN’T COMING.....
OFFERS SALVATION FROM JUDGMENT TO COME.
ONLY WAY OUT = ACCEPTED GOD’S MEANS for SALVATION- JESUS CHRIST.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
THOSE who are SAVED— be THANKFUL you’re FREE from CONDEMNATION @ the future judgment.
JESUS CHRIST = the WRATH-BEARER
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UNSAVED…KNOW THE DAY = COMING...
ONLY WAY - JESUS CHRIST...
Belief in atoning death & resurrection...
Accepting free gift of salvation by grace through faith...
**Receiving Christ’s righteousness on your account...
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Takeaways:
Takeaways:
Learn About God?
Learn About God?
GOD is FAITHFUL to HIS PROMISES and HIS NATURE...
God = love…patient…good…kind
God also = just & holy…
GOD’S JUDGMENT is UPON SIN.
GOD WON’T BE MANIPULATED...
DON’T TRY & TWIST GOD’S ARM...
He’s the SOVEREIGN LORD....
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Learn about Us/Our relationship w/ God
Learn about Us/Our relationship w/ God
DON’T PUT GOD LAST in PLANNING...
GOD ISN’T FOR STAMPS of APPROVAL ONLY...
Reminder, we AREN’T SAVED BY an “IT”…BUT by a “HIM”
IT WASN’T ISRAEL’S RELICS & Tabernacle that SAVED...
It ISN’T THE RELIGIOUS THINGS we do THAT SAVE...
GOD ALONE = the SAVIOR.
Don’t make the means to the end the end in of themselves...
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App:
App:
TEXT CALLS to SELF-REFLECTION
THINGS NOT GOING WELL…POSSIBLY, TURN BACK TO GOD??
OUTSIDE GOD’S WILL & NOT FOLLOWING HIS DESIGN?
** IS HE LAST? JUST YOUR “STAMP”?
**HAS PRAYER BECOME CROSSING FINGERS ONLY??
DOES YOUR LIFE FEEL LIKE ICHABOD?
THE RELIGIOUS THINGS AREN’T THE END, THEY’RE A MEANS TOWARDS AN END...
OUR GOAL AS BELIEVERS IS TO LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WILL FOR GOD’S GLORY ALONE.
Close in Prayer