The Holy Ark is Captured by the Philistines Samuel part 2 Last time, we saw how Samuel grew under the tutelage of Eli the priest. We are told that he both grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. 1Sa 2:26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man. As we also grow in the knowledge and grace of God, we must realize that God gives the increase so we have nothing to boast. Our faith is a gift and it is only through His mercy that we believe Him. We also saw that the Lord hardened the hearts of the sons of Eli, for He wanted to destroy them. 1Sa 2:24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. 1Sa 2:25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him? But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death. Some people will say God plays favorite. They only say that because they don t know that there is no partiality with God. He rewards those who obey Him and punish those who rebel against Him. Remember Moses who was severely punished for disobeying the Lord even after leading Israel through the wilderness for 40 years. 2Ch 19:7 (ESV) Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the LORD our God, or partiality or taking bribes. Act 10:34 (KJV) Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Let s continue Samuel s story: 1Sa 3:1 (BBE) Now the young Samuel was the servant of the Lord before Eli. In those days the Lord kept his word secret from men; there was no open vision.
1Sa 3:2 And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see, 1Sa 3:3 And the light of God was still burning, while Samuel was sleeping in the Temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, 1Sa 3:4 The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; and he said, Here am I. Eli is getting blind. The Lord is not pleased with Eli because he did not discipline his sons. Eli is a symbol here of our old man whom God blinds. God withholds the secrets within His words from most people. Our Lord always spoke to people in parables, then after dismissing them, He would explain what the hidden lessons were to His disciples. The Bible is not meant to be understood by everyone, only by those who fear God. 1Sa 3:5 (CEV) Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. What do you want?" "I didn't call you," Eli answered. "Go back to bed." Samuel went back. 1Sa 3:6 Again the LORD called out Samuel's name. Samuel got up and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "What do you want?" Eli told him, "Son, I didn't call you. Go back to sleep." 1Sa 3:7 The LORD had not spoken to Samuel before, and Samuel did not recognize the voice. 1Sa 3:8 When the LORD called out his name for the third time, Samuel went to Eli again and said, "Here I am. What do you want?" Eli finally realized that it was the LORD who was speaking to Samuel. 1Sa 3:9 So he said, "Go back and lie down! If someone speaks to you again, answer, 'I'm listening, LORD. What do you want me to do?' " Once again Samuel went back and lay down. 1Sa 3:10 The LORD then stood beside Samuel and called out as he had done before, "Samuel! Samuel!" "I'm listening," Samuel answered. "What do you want me to do?" The Bible is full of instructions. When we read it with a humble heart that says I m listening, what do you want me to do?, then we will grow in stature and in favor with the Lord like Samuel. 1Sa 3:11 (CEV) The LORD said: Samuel, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock everyone who hears about it! 1Sa 3:12 I will punish Eli and his family, just as I promised. 1Sa 3:13 He knew that his sons refused to respect me, and he let them get away with it, even though I said I would punish his family forever.
1Sa 3:14 I warned Eli that sacrifices or offerings could never make things right! His family has done too many disgusting things. Don t begrudge your parents if they don t let you get away with any of the naughty things that you do. Big things start small. A small acorn can turn into a giant oak tree. A teaspoon of yeast can make a whole pound of flour rise. A small sin when it s not corrected can turn into something really serious that you can go to jail or propel you into a life of misery. 1Sa 3:15 (CEV) The next morning, Samuel got up and opened the doors to the LORD's house. He was afraid to tell Eli what the LORD had said. 1Sa 3:16 But Eli told him, "Samuel, my boy, come here!" "Here I am," Samuel answered. 1Sa 3:17 Eli said, "What did God say to you? Tell me everything. I pray that God will punish you terribly if you don't tell me every word he said!" 1Sa 3:18 Samuel told Eli everything. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD, and he will do what's right." Not only would the Lord do what He wants to do, He will indeed do what s right! He is a merciful and loving God, so He will forgive us after we have learned our lesson. 1Sa 3:19 As Samuel grew up, the LORD helped him and made everything Samuel said come true. 1Sa 3:20 From the town of Dan in the north to the town of Beersheba in the south, everyone in the country knew that Samuel was truly the LORD's prophet. 1Sa 3:21 (ESV) And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD. That s how God reveals himself to us, through His word. You want to know God and Jesus Christ more? Read your Bible more. Listen to studies more. Fellowship with other believers more. 1Sa 4:1 (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. 1Sa 4:2 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.
1Sa 4:3 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. 1Sa 4:4 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. 1Sa 4:5 (CEV) brought the chest into camp, the army cheered so loudly that the ground shook. Israel thinks they can force the Lord to help them by bringing the ark into the camp. They cheered so loudly that the ground shook. This is the same attitude we have when we think God will be with us whenever we call Him despite our disobedience. If we think like Israel, we are in for a shock. 1Sa 4:6 (ISV) When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they asked, "What is this noise coming from shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?" Then they realized that the Ark of the LORD had come into the camp, 1Sa 4:7 and the Philistines were terrified. "God has come into the camp," they said. "How terrible for us, because nothing like this has ever happened before! 1Sa 4:8 How terrible for us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. 1Sa 4:9 Philistines, be strong and be men, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews just as they have been slaves to you! Be men and fight!" 1Sa 4:10 The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; each of them fled to his own tent. It was a very great slaughter, and 30,000 soldiers of Israel died. 1Sa 4:11 The Ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, died. The Philistines are symbols of our flesh. When the Philistines win, it is a symbol of our time when we lived according to the ways of this present world. Eph 2:1 You used to be dead because of your offenses and sins, Eph 2:2 that you once practiced as you lived according to the ways of this present world and according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that
is now active in those who are disobedient. Eli s sons being with the ark made matters worse. This is a symbol of our time when we are under leaders who lead us into the path of destruction. Isa 9:16 (ISV) For those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up. Isa 9:17 Therefore the Lord does not have pity on their young men, and has no compassion on their orphans and widows, because each of them was godless and an evildoer, and every mouth spoke folly. "Yet for all this, his anger has not turned away, and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike." Eli was punished immediately after his sons death. 1Sa 4:12 (CEV) That same day a soldier from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefront to Shiloh. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show his sorrow. 1Sa 4:13 He went into town and told the news about the battle, and everyone started crying. Eli was afraid that something might happen to the sacred chest. So he was sitting on his chair beside the road, just waiting. 1Sa 4:14 15 He was ninety-eight years old and blind, but he could hear everyone crying, and he asked, "What's all that noise?" The soldier hurried over and told Eli, 1Sa 4:16 "I escaped from the fighting today and ran here." "Young man, what happened?" Eli asked. 1Sa 4:17 "Israel ran away from the Philistines," the soldier answered. "Many of our people were killed, including your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. But worst of all, the sacred chest was captured." 1Sa 4:18 (ESV) And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. Eli, like Moses, led Israel for forty years. But that does not impress God. Obedience is the most important thing to Him. Eli s sons was his undoing. Children are symbols of our spiritual fruit or our works. If our works or our fruit are corrupt, we will be exposed and we will be punished by God. Eli falling backward is a symbol of our backsliding or going back to our sins after we have repented of them. He broke his neck because he was an old man, and heavy. Living in
sin is like always carrying a very heavy load. Sinful works gives us some fun for a moment, but we will carry a heavy conscience for a long time until we repent of them. It s not worth it. It is much joyful to be obedient to God. Psa 38:3 (KJV) There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. Psa 38:4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. Psa 38:5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. Psa 38:6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. We also despair like Phinehas wife when we realize that we are ruled by our flesh once again, and the Lord has taken His holy spirit from us which is symbolized by the capture of the holy ark. 1Sa 4:19 (CEV) The wife of Phinehas was about to give birth. And soon after she heard that the sacred chest had been captured and that her husband and his father had died, her baby came. The birth was very hard, 1Sa 4:20 and she was dying. But the women taking care of her said, "Don't be afraid it's a boy!" She didn't pay any attention to them. 1Sa 4:21 22 Instead she kept thinking about losing her husband and her father-in-law. So she said, "My son will be named Ichabod, because the glory of Israel left our country when the sacred chest was captured."