Ritual vs. Relationship

1 Samuel – The Making of a Man

Symbols vs. Substance

1 Samuel 4

Symbols

· Cross –

· Dove

· Fish

o Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.[13]

· Symbols are meaningful – no doubt

o But they point to the Power

o They do not have Power in themselves

You can wear a cross around your neck.

That’s a wonderful reminder of Jesus’ death for our sins

· But are you wearing a Symbol or Serving the Savior?

· That is the question.

As we pick up God’s story in 1 Samuel of preparing a leader for His people let’s review

· Last week we saw that God stepped over Eli and spoke to Samuel.

· Samuel would be the priest, prophet and leader for Israel in time.

1 Samuel 4

1 Samuel 4:1–2 (NLT) And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel. At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek.

· 2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men.

· As God is working so is the enemy

o The Philistines were the arch enemy of Israel going back many generations

· They did not like the fact that Israel had taken over the promised land

· The Philistines attacked and killed 4,000 Jewish soldiers

1 Samuel 4:3–11 (NLT)

3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lordallow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lordfrom Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”

4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.

· The ark of the Covenant was a sacred symbol

o The ark of the covenant serves as the visible earthly symbol of the Lord’s heavenly throne and as a tangible reminder of the Lord’s presence as King among his people. But Israel is not to view it as an image of God in the way the Philistines view the image of Dagon in the Ashdod temple (cf. chap. 5). The Lord promises to meet his people at the ark

§ Exodus 25:22 (NLT) I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.

o God does not reside in the ark.

§ He cannot be contained in a box

§ He cannot be controlled or manipulated!

· Get this picture

· Hophni and Phineus were carrying the Ark * These two worthless scoundrels

o Godless fakers and fornicators

· Caring the ark in some kind of procession!

o Nauseating!!

5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

· This symbol hyped up the crowd!

· Where the ground shook!

o The crowd isn’t always right

o People not grounded in the Will and Ways of God are easily swayed

6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived,

7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before!

8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness.

9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents.

· Israel was routed,

· 30,000 soldiers died!!

· Those who were left ran away

But that is not all…

11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.

When Eli heard the news

· He fell backward off his chair and died

· The wife of Phineas went into labor

· She died in childbirth but before she died

o She named the son Ichabod

§ Where is the Glory

§ The Glory of God has departed!

Application

· After their first defeat

o The elders couldn’t figure out what went wrong!

§ They were God’s people

§ They had a covenant relationship with Him

· He would be their God

· He would provide for them

· He would protect them

What happened?

o God was willing to keep His end of the covenant

o They weren’t!

§ 1 Samuel 2:30 (NLT) But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.

o Remember God asked Eli

§ “Why do you honor your sons more than you honor me!”

They went back to what worked before

· It worked for Moses in Numbers 10:33-34

· It worked for Joshua in Chapters 3-4, 6

o The Symbol was the same

o But their submission was different

§ Unlike Moses and Joshua, they didn’t seek the will of the Lord, they weren’t walking by faith, and they certainly weren’t seeking to glorify God.

· 2 Timothy 3:5 (NLT) They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

They tried to manipulate God and use Him for their purposes

· That is using the Lord’s name in vain

How then can we have victory!

· Symbols are great - But they are not a substitute for Submission

· You want victory at home

· You want victory in your spiritual life

· You want victory over sin

· You want victory over circumstances

Submit to God

· Give up your will

· Give in to His Will for your life

James 4:7 (NIV)

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

His Will is better than yours!

Here is the prayer

· Dear God I don’t know what to do.

· I am broken, unsure, weak, but willing.

· I am willing, Lord, to follow you!

· I am willing to submit to your Word and Your Will.

· I promise I won’t just Wear the Cross – I’ll live the Cross.

o Willingly dying to self so I can live for you!

That is a victory Prayer

· It sounds like surrender!

· Exactly – We win when we surrender to God!!!!!