Restorer of his gifts

1 Samuel 4:1-6

The New King James Version Chapter 4

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2 Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. 3 And when the people had come into 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 from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.

In Samuel 4

.Israel had not listened to the warnings from God through Samuel

. The Israel are drawn into battle with the Philistines and are defeated 4000 men die

.The Elders in the Israelite camp decide it will be a good idea to go and get the ‘Ark of the Covenant’ God gave the design of the Ark to Moses who had it built, it was like a gift from God to the people as an everlasting reminder of the covenant and also of the laws that God gave the people

.The people shout for Joy when the ark arrives as if believing that having the ark in their camp would cause God to now be on there side and bring victory in the battle, but there hearts had not changed they were still being disobedient to God.

.The Philistines are afraid once they realize the Ark is with the people, they had heard what God had done for the people in Egypt.

1 Samuel 4:10-11

.10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

. What we need to understand here, is how big this moment is, everything Israel believed in ways now gone their hope is taking away, there army basically dissapears not because they were told to they just turned and ran.

.The very foundation of their world were shaken, how can it be possible that the chosen people of God had now been defeated by the Philistines, and not only that but the Ark of the Covenant had been taken by the enemy, the thing that held their laws given by God and was a symbol of the promises and the covenant has now been lost to them.

.Now what happens over the next few chapters is incredible when you stop and look at it, there is no mention of the people of Israel or what they were doing or the state that they were in the next few chapters are all about how God himself restored the Ark of the Covenant to his people!

.This is important he didn't ask them to go get it he didn't cause them to fight to win it back, his people needed time to recover form the lose they had just experienced!

.God knew they were feeling hopeless and broken and they needed to know that God was still with them and still for them SO GOD HIMSELF WORKS TO RESTORE TO HIS PEOPLE WHAT WAS STOLEN FROM THEM!!

.Watch what God does!

1 Samuel 5:1-6

The New King James Version Chapter 5

5 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. 4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory

.God cause their God dagon and their temple to be desecrated, broken down before them, so much so that never again does anyone stand on the threshold of the temple.

.God struck down with disease the people of the town were the Ark was, the bible says that the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the people.

.The people of Ashdod couldn't take it so they sent the Ark to Gath, and again God was against that city and brought a very great destruction!

The New King James Version Chapter 5

9 So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.

.From Gath they sent it to Ekron, were the people of Ekron saw it as a curse that the people who sent it there wanted them dead.

.Do you see what is happening/ God will not let what was stolen from his people/what his people lost in battle, to remain in the hands of the enemy who took it.

.Because what the enemy takes form the people of God still belongs to the people of God.

.God will not allow to enemy to take ownership of what he created for you!

.Satan cant keep what he stole from you, because it wasn't built for him it was built for you!

.There are battles that we lose in this life there are times were our hope is stretched and sometimes even broken because of our enemy.

.There are moments and time were God calls us to fight to win back what we lost or to overcome an adversity.

.But there are also times like this were God is saying I will restore to you what was stolen! I will fight for you, you take this time to recover yourself find yourself again, and allow me to restore to you the things i promised, allow me to restore for you the Hope that was stolen away form you!

Ezekiel 34:16

The New King James Version Chapter 34

16 “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”

.The war is not over, what was taken from you is not lost forever God is working right now to restore to each of you something that was lost in a battle.

. In the next chapter the Philistines discuss what they need to do to get rid of the ark from them, they don’t want it anymore, so they put it on the back of a cart towed by two cows, and God lead the cows to take the Ark back to the people of Israel!

1 Samuel 7:10-14

10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

.It wasn't not until after God had restored to the people what was stolen form them that the people of Israel went to battle and overcome the enemy.

.Your days of battle are not over, your days of victory are not over, in fact Once God has restored his promises and his gifts to those of you who have lost something to the enemy.

.The next battle you face will bring your greatest victory yet!

. God will not only restore what was stolen/lost he will bring increase in the vision, increase in the dream and will inspire you each of plans that will not fail. and a strength that will not fail.

. Our God is a restorer of his Gifts!

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.