A Good Luck Charm?
Notes
Transcript
Some people have good luck charms they trust to help them.
Many people are superstitious.
Athletes open and close the glove son their hands.
Grown men, touching patterns with their hands before a game.
Good luck charms are simply idols.
Good luck charms are simply idols.
Narrate Passage: 4:1-11
The Ark of the Covenant is more than a theme of an action movie.
The Ark is an actual ancient relic that is lost in time.
Many people look for it: India Jones, Himler/Hitler and the SS. and many others in History. Where is it? We don’t know.
The Ark in the OT looks like this:
ARK OF THE COVENANT (אֲרוֹן בְּרִית, aron berith). A wooden chest overlaid with gold that contained the tablets of the law. It served both practical and symbolic purposes and was instrumental in both rituals and miracles. The Israelites believed the ark of the covenant was symbolically Yahweh’s throne—representing His very presence on earth.
The Hebrew word for “ark” (ארון, 'rwn) designates a chest or coffin. However, the Bible makes a clear designation between the ark of the covenant and a common chest. While the most common name for the ark is “ark of the covenant,” it is also referred to as “the ark of God,” “the ark of might,” “the holy ark,” and “the ark of testimony” (or simply “the testimony”).
The Lexham Bible Dictionary The Ark in the Conquest Narratives
The ark features prominently in Joshua’s narrative of the crossing of the Jordan River. In Joshua 3, the priests who carry the ark still the waters, enabling the Israelites to pass into the land of Canaan over dry land. Joshua instructs 12 Israelite men to “Pass on before the ark of the Lord” and erect 12 stones as a memorial of the river crossing. Rösel suggests the author of Joshua combined two originally separate traditions, using the miracle at the Jordan River to explain the standing stones at Gilgal (Rösel, Joshua, 60).
The ark is also present when Joshua and co march around Jericho 7 times. They blow the trumpets and then the walls come tumbling down.
The ARK represented God’s Presence. The people in 1 Samuel had long abandoned caring about God’s presence. The Sons of Eli, Hoffni and Phinnais are using religion for personal gain and committing many sins.
The army saw the Ark - not as God’s presents but as a good luck charm to win the battle.
The Good Luck Charm did not work resulting in defeat and disaster: A Death, a Delivery, and a Departure.
The Good Luck Charm did not work resulting in defeat and disaster: A Death, a Delivery, and a Departure.
A Death. 12-18
A messenger escapes to share the news:
Eli, blind at age 98.
We lost. You sons are Dead.
When the Ark is mentioned - that is what gets to Eli.
Eli knows that the true meaning of the Ark is.
“The God I have served for 40 years as the Priest is done with us. He is leaving us.
God’s presence is leaving us.
Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
A Delivery. 19-22.
She died giving birth.
The news of her husbands death and the loss of the Ark was too much to bear.
She does not name her son after the sinful father. She names him after the disaster moment- the Ark is gone, the Glory is gone.
Ichabod - “Glory Departed.”
Crane is portrayed, in the original work and in most adaptations, as a tall, lanky individual with a scarecrow effect. He is the local schoolmaster, and has a strong belief in all things supernatural, including the legend of the headless horseman. Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The Crane here is named after the 40 year Marine and Army Vet, Ichabod Crane who lived in 1787-1857.
Tough start for little Ichabod. Many times Christian couples question if they should have kids in such an evil society. If God calls you to have kids and has given your body the ability to - have them. Society will be evil with or without us. God is for life and He still calls Christians to love Him and to be a remnant different from the lost.
A Departure. 22
The glory (light) was indication of God’s presence.
“God has left us. God is not going to provide and protect us.”
“We have disobeyed the Lord and now we are left on our own!”
God was still going to do great things through Samuel, but in this moment, the Lord took His hand of blessing Off His people.
This situation is temporary, but it has long lasting impact.
Good luck charms are simply idols.
Good luck charms are simply idols.
3 Truths to apply.
God Never Leaves Us.
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
God Never Leaves Us.
God is not a “Good Luck Charm.” We don't need to be superstitious.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
God Never Leaves Us.
God is not a “Good Luck Charm.”
God Says to not Live in Fear.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
Be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
D and A
Discuss why people have “Good Luck Charms.”
In what was are good luck charms Idols?
How is “God Never Leaving Us” a good thing?
Why is “God Never Leaving Us" a Challenging thing?
List fears/battles we have today, that God can see us through.