Raiders and the Lost Ark

A. Background to passage: 1100 BC, Hannah weeps for a son, then gives him to the Lord for service at the tabernacle at Shiloh with Eli, the high priest at that time. Corruption in the priesthood and contamination in worship brought judgment. Samuel is established as a prophet when God calls him at a young age.

1 Samuel 4:1–22 ESV

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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, 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. 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. Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.” 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. And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. 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. 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. When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 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?” 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.” 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. 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. 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. 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. And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

B. Opening illustration: seeing the place where the Ark used to be

C. Main thought:

1) God’s Agenda (v. 1-11)

1 Samuel 4:1–4 ESV

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 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. 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.” 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.

1) God’s Agenda (v. 1-11)

a. In the first three chapters we have been told exactly what God’s agenda is for the present time for his people. We see that he has been raising up a prophet, but we know that he has proclaimed judgment upon Eli’s house, the priesthood, and the nation because of the contempt for the holiness of God that they participated in worship. God specifically said that it was his will to put Hophni and Phinehas to death and leave one man in Eli’s house to weep over the slain.

This is a case, similar to Achan’s where one man’s sin brings judgment upon the nation. After the first defeat in the battle, the elders asked why God had defeated them. They understood the sovereignty of God and believed that God caused/allowed 4,000 men to be lost in the battle. Then they decided that they would bring the ark, and then the presence of God will rule the day. Whether this was looking back on times that the ark had been a powerful presence or their attempt to manipulate the circumstances with the secret sauce of the ark, it doesn’t seem like they sought counsel from the Lord or his prophet. Thirty thousand men and the ark were lost in the second day of battle.

However, it’s not that they lost God, whose presence was associated with the ark, but they received what God desired for them.

Psalm 135:6 ESV

Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.

Psalm 115:3 ESV

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Matthew 10:29 ESV

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Romans 9:10–18 ESV

And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

c. Illustration: If you think about it, we can even take the most sacred of rituals or disciplines and divorce them from God, yet keep the ritual. Piper and the interview with the NPR reporter

Application: We can’t manipulate God. We can’t be good enough to make him do what we want him to. We can’t fast and pray and memorize and meditate on scripture to ensure that he works for us in the way we want him to. You can’t use God as the silver bullet, secret sauce, or rabbit’s foot to bring you luck. You may plant some seeds for the kingdom that never sprout.

It’s hard to believe tragedy is part of God’s design. We must understand that not an event goes on in our lives or in our world that doesn’t come across God’s desk. There was much weeping and crying, but God’s plan is always the best plan. We may not evaluate things as good, in fact we may say they are terrible, but God is always in charge.

2) God’s Glory (v. 17-22)

1 Samuel 4:17–22 ESV

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.” 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. 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. 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. 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. And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

2) God’s Glory (v. 17-22)

Explanation: This was a huge statement. The glory of God is his manifest presence among his people. From the first “national” identity, the glory of God had been present. Out of all the tragedy in those two days, she named her child “the glory has departed from Israel,” expressly because the ark had been captured. This represented the presence of God, and Eli, his daughter in law, the people at Shiloh, the people in the whole nation knew this was cataclysmic. God had withdrawn his presence. This is the absolute worst case scenario for Israel.

Psalm 51:11–12 ESV

Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Illustration:

Application: You and I cannot lose our salvation. God has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment, and he will not take it back. But there is a presence of God in our lives as our intimacy and relationship with God grows that God can withdraw. When sin and disobedience creep in or explode in, the glory of God that rests upon us can be pulled back.

This is truly the most important aspect of your Christian life, and probably the most overlooked. “A low view of God is the cause of a hundred lesser evils, but a person with a high view of God is relieved from ten thousand temporal problems."-A. W. Tozer”

You may have trouble hearing from the Lord about decisions you face. Your inner strength may fade. Your prayer may be hindered. Your worship may become dry and dull. Depression may creep in. You devotions might feel routine and pointless.

The Glory of God is what you were made for: to glorify God, to reflect his glory, to enjoy his glory, and to be glorified just like he is and live in ever-increasing degrees of glory together with him.

A. Closing illustration: Although forsaken, not forsaken forever...

My Very Dear Child,

What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud. O that we may kiss the rod, and lay our hands on our mouths! The Lord has done it. He has made me adore his goodness, that we had him so long. But my God lives; and he has my heart. O what a legacy my husband, and your father, has left us! We are all given to God, and there I am, and love to be. Your ever affectionate mother,

Sarah Edwards.

B. Recap