Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
1 Samuel 4:1–4
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.
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.
Commentary:
4:3–4 from Shiloh. The ark of the covenant had been “in the temple of the LORD” in Shiloh (3:3). (On the details of the ark, cf. Ex. 25:10–22; 37:1–9; and illustration.) Moses was commanded by the Lord to put the tablets of the covenant, or the “testimony,” into the ark (Ex. 25:16; Deut. 10:5; cf. 1 Kings 8:9). Cherubim often appear in the iconography of the ancient Near East as hybrid figures, with animal and human characteristics. enthroned. The ark was the visible sign of the holy presence of the Lord, whose real throne is on high, above the heavens. But it was more than just a sign, for the ark was also the focal point of God’s actual presence among his people (Ex. 25:22 says, “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you …”; cf. Num. 7:89; also Ex. 29:42–43; 30:6, 36; 37:1–9; 40:34–38; Lev. 16:2; Num. 17:4). The conception of the ark as a visible sign of the Lord’s presence gave a military importance to the ark (as can be seen in Num. 10:33–36 and Joshua 3–4; 6); it functioned as a battle safeguard and showed that the Lord was present and fighting for Israel. This understanding was certainly behind the actions of the elders in the present story. They may have thought that the Lord smote them because they had not trusted in the ark and had neglected it. Or perhaps they just thought that it would perform a miracle if used magically. That the ark would inevitably grant victory was a persistent idea that even the present story was not able to dispel. For the phrase the LORD of hosts, see note on 1 Sam. 1:3; cf. chart. Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD … that it may come among us. The Hebrew might also mean “that he [the LORD] may come,” but in either case, the elders are treating the Lord as a thing. By saying “bring,” the narrator is probably conveying the idea that the people treated this sacred object disrespectfully as an instrument through which victory might be attained. Surely, the covenant people had lost the sense of awe toward God’s holy presence. They brought from there the ark. The verb is literally “carried” (Hb. nasa’); to “carry” the ark by its poles was the proper way to move it (Ex. 25:14); see also 2 Sam. 6:13; cf. 2 Sam. 6:3, where “carried” is literally “made to ride” (Hb. rakab). That Hophni and Phinehas (cf. 1 Sam. 2:12–17, 27–36) were there suggests that they supported the move, at least to some extent. Eli, however, seems to have had reservations (4:13).
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 498.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 498.
Questions:
After losing four thousand men in battle, Israel's leaders were faced with a serious question: “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines?” But instead of stopping to seek the LORD, they immediately moved toward a solution they could control. Their answer was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into battle, saying, “Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” They sought security in the ark, not in God.
The ark was a God-given symbol of His presence, but Israel treated it as though it were a tool they could use to guarantee the outcome they wanted. Rather than seeking to get right with God, Israel devised a religious means of securing victory; they wanted a quick solution without addressing the spiritual problem beneath their defeat. Their confidence in the ark was close to a superstition, they were looking to an object to save them instead of looking to God.
We often want God involved in our lives, but we want Him involved on our terms. We want Him to bless our plans, protect our decisions, and fix our problems without requiring us to surrender control of the outcome. But faith does not give us a method for getting God to do what we want; faith teaches us to trust God enough to surrender what we cannot control.
The ark was a God-given symbol of His presence, but Israel treated it as though it were a tool they could use to guarantee the outcome they wanted. Rather than seeking to get right with God, Israel devised a religious means of securing victory; they wanted a quick solution without addressing the spiritual problem beneath their defeat. Their confidence in the ark was close to a superstition, they were looking to an object to save them instead of looking to God.
We often want God involved in our lives, but we want Him involved on our terms. We want Him to bless our plans, protect our decisions, and fix our problems without requiring us to surrender control of the outcome. But faith does not give us a method for getting God to do what we want; faith teaches us to trust God enough to surrender what we cannot control.
- When something goes wrong, do you instinctively run toward God, or toward things you can control: planning, fixing, researching, working harder, seeking advice, or trying to manage the outcome yourself? What does that reveal about where you actually place your security?
- Israel assumed that having the ark with them meant having God's favor, but this passage teach us that there is a difference between God's presence and God's approval. Why is it possible to be surrounded by things associated with God and still be resisting God Himself? How should that shape the way we understand God's sovereignty and His authority over our lives?
- Where are you currently asking God to bless an outcome you have already decided you want? What would change if your prayer moved from “God, please make this work” to “God, I trust You enough to let You decide what happens”?
Prayer Topics:
- Confess the ways you have tried to manage outcomes that belong under God's authority.
- Thank God that He is not controllable by your fears, plans, or techniques, but remains wise and faithful.
- Ask God to give you the humility to release outcomes to Him instead of demanding that He make your plans succeed.
- Praise God because His wisdom is greater than your ability to control what comes next.
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)
No Comments