Monday Devo
Scripture:
1 Samuel 4:1-11
1 And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.
The Philistines Capture the Ark
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. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from 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. 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!
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. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
1 And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.
The Philistines Capture the Ark
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. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from 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. 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!
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. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
Commentary:
4:1b–22 Capture of the Ark. After suffering defeat in battle at the hands of the Philistines, the people of Israel try to use the ark of the covenant to ensure victory; instead, the Philistines defeat them again, killing Eli’s two sons and taking the ark into exile. When Eli hears of it, he suddenly dies. For reflections on these events cf. Ps. 78:58–66 and Jer. 7:8–15.
4:1b The Philistines make their first appearance in 1–2 Samuel. Aphek was 8 miles (13 km) east of Tel Aviv, north of the Philistia plain, and just to the west of the hill country of Ephraim. The Shillo River, which goes through the center of Ephraim, comes out of the mountains nearby. The location of Ebenezer is uncertain, but it may have been a site 2 miles (3.2 km) farther east. The Philistines were interested in expanding their control to the north.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 497–498.
4:1b The Philistines make their first appearance in 1–2 Samuel. Aphek was 8 miles (13 km) east of Tel Aviv, north of the Philistia plain, and just to the west of the hill country of Ephraim. The Shillo River, which goes through the center of Ephraim, comes out of the mountains nearby. The location of Ebenezer is uncertain, but it may have been a site 2 miles (3.2 km) farther east. The Philistines were interested in expanding their control to the north.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 497–498.
Questions:
“Israel went out to battle against the Philistines.” Four thousand men died, and the elders immediately asked, “Why has the LORD defeated us?” Their question sounds spiritual, but their response shows that they were not prepared to examine themselves before God. They did not ask whether their lives had become disobedient or whether they needed to repent; instead, they searched for a way to change the outcome.
Brandon pointed out our tendency to want the freedom of disobedience without the discipline that follows it. Scripture does not present God's discipline as evidence that He has stopped caring for His people; His holiness means He does not simply overlook rebellion. Israel's response was a failure to address the real problem: rather than seeking to be reconciled to God, they invented a religious solution to their military problem. They never stopped to ask whether the defeat itself was exposing something wrong in them.
Repentance begins when we are willing to let God diagnose the problem rather than asking Him to remove the pain. If we look closely, we may see that often we want God to change our circumstances more than we want Him to change us.
Brandon pointed out our tendency to want the freedom of disobedience without the discipline that follows it. Scripture does not present God's discipline as evidence that He has stopped caring for His people; His holiness means He does not simply overlook rebellion. Israel's response was a failure to address the real problem: rather than seeking to be reconciled to God, they invented a religious solution to their military problem. They never stopped to ask whether the defeat itself was exposing something wrong in them.
Repentance begins when we are willing to let God diagnose the problem rather than asking Him to remove the pain. If we look closely, we may see that often we want God to change our circumstances more than we want Him to change us.
- When something painful or disappointing happens, how quickly do you move toward asking, “How do I fix this?” rather than, “Lord, what are You showing me?”
- What does Israel's response teach you about the difference between God's discipline and God's rejection? How can God's holiness actually be an expression of His covenant faithfulness rather than a threat to our relationship with Him?
- Is there an area of your life were you find yourself constantly loosing "the battle"? Is it possible that you have been asking God mainly to change the circumstance while resisting what He wants to expose or change in you? How could you approach that situation differently after reading this passage in 1 Samuel?
Prayer Topics:
- Confess the ways you have wanted relief from the consequences of sin more than genuine repentance from the sin itself.
- Thank God that He loves His people enough to confront what is destroying them rather than simply leaving them comfortable.
- Ask for the humility to let God's Word search you before you rush to explain, defend, or fix what is happening.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
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