Control - When Religion Fails - 1 Samuel 4 and 5 - June 13, 2010

Bible Study – Control – When Religion Fails – June 13, 2010

(Our study this week is early. I am having a hip replacement on June 8. Please add me to your prayer list. Blessing. Tony)

This is lesson two (2) in our series “God is Still in Control.”

Our scripture is 1 Samuel 4:3-5, 10-11, 16-22; 5:1-4; 6:19-21.

Christians make a religion out of Christianity but true Christianity is not a religion but CHRIST in you. Once Christ is in a person, he/she has a desire to grow and mature Spiritually. The institution of the church offers that opportunity. Does the institution known as the brick and mortar church focus on building itself or building the true church of living stones? Building the living church focuses on building a Christian’s relationship with CHRIST based upon the leadership of the HOLY SPIRIT. Most institutional churches do not understand how that is accomplished so they launch programs to accomplish that work. Don’t get me wrong, there are HOLY SPIRIT inspired programs. (There needs to be HOLY SPIRIT led Christian leaders in those churches who terminate, modify or create programs or provide special emphasis to meet the needs of Christians at various stages of Spiritual development.) Christians within a congregation are at various levels of Spiritual growth and maturity. How does the institution of the church meet the needs of all Christians? The answer is the leadership of the HOLY SPIRIT, which must begin with those in leadership positions – paid staff or volunteers. The pastor, priest, preacher of each church is the responsible leader, accountable to GOD as well as all in leadership positions. It is sad to say but many of our churches have become a business and they have lost their focus on growing the congregation Spiritually. Instead their focus is growing physical property and budgets. Large churches with big budgets can offer great Spiritual growth opportunities. Whether a large or small congregation, is GOD in control?

Some churches offer and promote the use of religious paraphernalia to foster worship. Many Christians love their religious statures, charms, cloths, pictures, images in various objects (toast, panels of wood), horoscopes, lucky charms (not the cereal) and many other items they rely upon to provide power to watch over them and protect them. Why do they need GOD or CHRIST?

Not all Christians represent the values of CHRIST in their lives. Some people call themselves Christians so they can be counted among Christian society. Christian growth and maturity is the process of sanctification or being set aside to serve GOD. Sanctification is the surrender and commitment of a Christian’s will to trust CHRIST to lead them rather than depending upon the flesh.

A person receives salvation when he/she asks CHRIST into their life. This is the beginning of a life long process of building an intimate, loving relationship with GOD through CHRIST. GOD’S goal for each Christian is for him/her to be made into the image of CHRIST. Many Christians get their fire insurance, so-to-speak, and never commit their lives to serve GOD and miss the joy of serving their living and dynamic SAVIOR. This means serving GOD where you are – mechanic, painter, carpenter, teacher, mother, father, wife, son, daughter, law enforcement, pilots and the list goes on or prepare for a new direction in your life if HE calls you to a specific ministry – pastor, paid missionary, minister of music, youth or children and the list goes on.

The institutions of Christian religion embodied in the many Christian churches mean well but often fail because leadership is often led by the flesh rather than by the HOLY SPIRIT. Born-again Christians will fail in the eyes of others because they are in various stages of relationship with CHRIST. JESUS raised concerns regarding the religious leaders of HIS day. They were comfortable with their religious life and did not want CHRIST to interfere or change their earned religious lifestyle. GOD wants HIS children to take a stand against the things that compromise their worship of CHRIST.

Our scripture will explore a moment in time when the Israelites used GOD as a good luck charm in an effort to win their battle against the Philistines. It backfired on them. Never try to put GOD in a box or attach HIM to a good luck charm. HE is GOD and HE wants HIS children to know HIM. Study this lesson carefully and heed its message.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 4:3-5, 10-11:

3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel (Leadership) asked, “Why did the Lord let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then it[3] Or He will go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent [men]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of the Lord of • Hosts, who dwells [between]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the • cherubim.[4] Ex 25:22; Nm 7:89 Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5 When the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.

The Israelites battled the Philistines and lost. The Philistines came from the Aegean area near Crete. They located along the coast of Israel next to Judah about 1200 B. C. The Philistines had five (5) major cities – Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath and Gaza. (Gaza is in the news today.) I Samuel 4:1 introduces the circumstances that led Israel to take matters into their own hands instead of seeking GOD’S wisdom.

1 Samuel 4:1:

Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and[1] LXX reads In those days the Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel, and Israel went out to engage them in battle. They camped at Ebenezer[2] 1 Sm 7:12 while the Philistines camped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines lined up in battle formation against Israel, and as the battle intensified, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about 4,000 men on the battlefield.

Aphek was located about 20 miles from Shiloh and Shiloh was about 30 miles from Jerusalem. The Tent of Meeting/the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant had been located in Shiloh for over 100 years, thus Shiloh was the religious center for the Israelites. Notice the elders were puzzled why GOD had let them down when they were defeated. This reflects the poor spiritual condition of Israel’s spiritual leaders - Eli and his two (2) sons, Hophni (HAHF nigh) and Phinehas (FIN ih huhs) and the elders. The elders/Israel leadership took matters into their own hands. Why seek GOD, when you could take GOD or that which represented GOD, the Ark, to the next battle and be assured of victory.

Hophni and Phinehas carried the Ark. It was their good luck charm. Why go to the trouble of seeking GOD when you can use a good luck charm, so-to-speak, or that which represented GOD, surely HE would protect HIS reputation. The Israelites, in essence, made the Ark into a pagan symbol, an idol. GOD would show both the pagan Philistines and the Israelites that HE was in control and was all powerful.

When the Ark arrived at the Israelite camp, the Israelites were completely confident of victory. They were so confident that their shout shook the ground. The Philistines heard the shout and knew that their religious symbol had arrived. The Philistines knew they would have to fight harder. The faith of man in a religious symbol does not a victory make. It is GOD WHO gives the victory. HE is the power. Always seek HIM and HIS guidance.

Christians do the same thing today. They have their charms, beads, cloths, photos, statures, books, holy water and even the Bible. The Bible is important but it is not to be worshipped. It is to be read and the HOLY SPIRIT reveals truth for everyday living, spiritual growth and maturity.

The Israelites thought GOD was confined to the Ark or since GOD had manifested Himself in association with the Ark, they thought HE would protect them and the Ark. After all GOD had to protect HIS reputation. WRONG! This revealed their shallow spiritual growth because they did not think that GOD was omnipresent but was confined to the Ark. How big is GOD to you?

This goes back to the poor spiritual condition of their leaders, their failure to know the scriptures themselves and to trust in GOD. They were taking a short cut or an easy way to victory by taking the object associated with GOD into battle rather than seeking GOD’S guidance.

Always seek GOD and allow HIM to lead you into your battles of life. Blessed charms and religious paraphernalia are of Satan. Satan uses them to distract and prevent you from seeking a true relationship with GOD. Place your trust in GOD and not in things. Placing your faith in such objects is paganism.

Verses 10-11:
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was severe—30,000 of the Israelite foot soldiers fell. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

The Israelites were defeated and confirmed by the phrase “each man fled to his own tent.” Not only that, the pagan Philistines captured the Ark. It was a long journey home for the Israelites. They were not only defeated in battle but their most sacred artifact had been captured. GOD had really let them down. They may have even thought that since the Ark did not help them, so what if the Philistines had it, after all the power was gone or was it?

A messenger was dispatched to deliver the news of the defeat and the capture of the Ark. Let’s see how that news was received by the Prophet Eli.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 4:16-22:

16 The man said to Eli, “I’m the one who came from the battle.[8] LXX reads camp I fled from there today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked. 17 The messenger answered, “Israel has fled from the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backwards off the chair by the city gate, and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel 40 years. 19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth because her labor pains came on her. 20 As she was dying,[9] LXX reads And in her time of delivery, she was about to die the women taking care of her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son!”[10] Gn 35:16–19 But she did not respond, and did not pay attention. 21 She named the boy Ichabod,[11] = Where is Glory? saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” referring to the capture of the ark of God and to [the deaths of]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. her father-in-law and her husband. 22 “The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “because the ark of God has been captured.”

Do you recall in last week’s study, GOD spoke to young Samuel and told him what would happen to Eli’s sons? Hearing the bad news the Prophet Eli fell backwards and broke his neck. Phinehas’s wife heard the news of the deaths, the capture of the Ark and went into labor. She had a difficult delivery. The midwife tried to cheer her with the news that she had given birth to a son. But she did not respond. However before she died, she named their son Ichabod, which means “no glory.” Phinehas’s wife made the statement “The glory has left Israel” not only because of the deaths of her husband, father-in-law and brother-in-law but most of all because the Ark had been capture by the pagans. Did she think the Philistines had not only captured the Ark but also captured GOD? Did she equate the fact that GOD had not protected her husband, Hophni or Eli, with the fact that the pagans captured the Ark, that GOD was gone? GOD would soon put that notion to rest.

“Glory” means “heavy” or “weighty.” To give GOD glory means to give HIM supreme importance in your life. It is a knowing and an assurance of HIS presence and absolute trust and confidence that HE is WHO HE says HE is and HE will do what HE says HE will do. To realize that HIS Glory or presence is gone means that your hope is also gone because you are helpless to do what only GOD can do. Not a good position to be in.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 5:1-4 and 6:19-21:

1 Samuel 5:1-4:

1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, 2 brought it into the temple of Dagon[1] A Philistine god of the sea, grain, or storm [2] Jdg 16:23–24; 1 Ch 10:8–10 and placed it next to his statue.[3] Lit to Dagon 3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord.[4] Isa 46:1–9 So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. 4 But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. [This time]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. , both Dagon’s head and the palms of his hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso remained.[5] LXX; Hb reads Only Dagon remained on it

Had GOD abandoned the Ark? Had the Philistines captured GOD? Was GOD no longer the true GOD and had been robbed of HIS power?

GOD had a plan to not only show HIS power to the pagan Philistines but also to the Israelites. The Philistines brought the Ark to the temple of their pagan god, Dagon (DAY gahn). Dagon was well known throughout that area. It seems that Dagon was an agricultural deity. There are some early references that refer to Dagon as the father of Baal.

GOD had a plan to show both the pagans and the Israelites that HE was still in control and all powerful. Just imagine the shock the Philistines had when they entered their temple the next morning to discover that Dagon was flat on his face, prostrate, in front of the Ark. They set him up. But then again, the next morning Dagon’s head and the palms of his hands greeted them at the entrance to their temple and his torso was prostrate before the Ark. Ancient warriors would perform such mutilations to send a message to their enemies. GOD was sending a powerful message to the pagans and they got it.

This got the attention of the Philistines. They thought the reason they had won the battle against the Israelites was that their god, Dagon, was more powerful than the GOD of the Israelites. These acts demonstrated that the GOD of the Israelites was more powerful than Dagon. So they wanted to get rid of the GOD of the Israelites and returned the Ark to the Israelites.

Needless to say, the Israelites were excited to get the Ark back. They knew that the Ark was to be handled by certain appointed Israelites and had restriction. But after all it had fallen into the hands of the pagans, so GOD was either not associated with the Ark or HIS power was gone.

One such restriction is found in Numbers 4:20:

20 The Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment,[24] Or at the covering of the holy objects or they will die.”

Did the Israelites think that GOD had abandoned the Ark? They would soon find out, the hard way.

1 Samuel 6:19-21:

19 God struck down the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the Lord.[13] LXX reads But the sons of Jeconiah did not rejoice with the men of Beth-shemesh when they saw the ark of the Lord. [14] Nm 4:15–20; 2 Sm 6:7 He struck down 70 men [out of]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. 50,000 men.[15] Some Hb mss, Josephus read 70 men The people wept because the Lord struck them with a great slaughter. 20 The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand in the presence of this holy Lord God?[16] Nm 17:13; Ps 76:7; Ezk 44:9–16 Who should the ark go to from here?” 21 They sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and get it.”[17] Lit and bring it up to you

Some Israelites were curious and looked inside the Ark and 70 were struck dead. Why seventy (70)? One possible explanation is found in Numbers 11:16-17 when Moses asked GOD for help:

16 The Lord answered Moses, “Bring Me 70 men from Israel known to you as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the tent of meeting and have them stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the Spirit who is on you and put [the Spirit]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. on them.[21] 2 Kg 2:9,15 They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.[22] Ex 18:18; Dt 1:9–13; Ac 6:1–6

Notice in 1 Samuel 4:3 the role of the elders in our lesson:

3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then it[3] Or He will go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

The taking of 70 lives, I think, was a message from GOD to the seventy (70) leaders of Israel and to the people that their leaders were not seeking GOD. They took matters into their own hands. GOD was in control and I think this marked a change in governance.

They were ready to get rid of the Ark and sent the Ark to those who would respect it because it represented the presence of GOD. They knew GOD was associated with the Ark because of the death of the 70 Israelites and that HE was in control.

Kiriath-jearim (KIHR ih ath-Jee uh rim) was a city about 9 miles from Jerusalem. They may have thought the Ark would be safer in Kiriath-jearim since it was mountainous region and it was widely known that the Ark had been located in Shiloh for over 100 years. King David attempted to relocate the Ark from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem but because they did not do it properly, Uzzah was struck dead.

The word “holy” used in verse 20 comes from a root word meaning “to be separate.” Christians are made holy by the shed blood of JESUS when they receive HIM as their SAVIOR. Christians are sanctified or set aside to serve GOD. The problem is that most of us serve our own desires before we even consider what GOD desires for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21:

21 He (GOD) made the One (CHRIST) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

CHRIST became sin for all who will believe in HIM, so that all who believe are made righteous or holy and have 24/7 direct access to GOD through CHRIST.

Please do not place your faith in charms, trinkets, statures, tarot cards, fortune tellers, horoscopes or anything other than CHRIST WHO is your only hope.