1 Samuel 4:12-22

“Unrepentant Sin Comes With Consequences”

Review:

Prophecy against the house of Eli

Eli did not discipline his kids and they commited all types of evil

Because of their sin, God promised the house of Eli will no longer serve as priests and they would all die (This took place, as sign that Eli would know this judgment came from God)

2. The Philistines Attack Israel

Instead of humbling themselves and praying fervently to God, they trusted in a method for success

“If we carry the ark into battle with us, it will save us from our enemy” (4:3)

1 Peter 5:5 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Application of taking responsibility and repenting of your sin..

Youth group last Wednesday was disaster. On one hand I was disappointed, but on the other hand, some of you, humbled yourself through accepting responsibility and apologized. 🙂

Trusting in a method, instead of God:

1 Samuel 4:3 “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.””

The Israelites got their butts kicked and they lost the Ark of the Covenant

1. (V17) Israel was defeated by the Philistines

a) Unrepentant sin comes with consequences

30,000 Israelite soldiers died

Eli’s two sons were killed

Eli died

Eli’s daughter in law died

The Ark of the Covenant was captured

The Ark was significant to their history:

Through Moses, God promised He would bless His people if they obeyed Him, but He also promised curses upon them for disobedience

God gave Moses specific instructions to build this Ark and it was a sign of the covenant

God’s judgement may seem harsh, but Eli was warned, yet he never repented

Sin comes with a cost and sometimes innocent people suffer: A military term for this is called collateral Damage

**In my life, I’ve suffered because of choices my parents have made.

**Churches have fallen apart due to bad decisions and poor leadership

**Biblical example of collateral damage, is King David was forbidden to take a censes yet he rebelled and the nation of Israel suffered

*The Lord then punished Israel with a plague that killed 70,000 men from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.

b) God sent a warning, yet they refused to turn away from their sin

A Man of God Warned Eli:

1 Samuel 2:29–30 “So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel! “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.”

Eli honored his sons over the God by letting them dishonor God, dishonor the people they were called to serve, and they dishonored their priestly responsibility