Thursday Devo
Scripture:
1 Samuel 4:18 - 22
18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.
19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.
21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”
18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.
19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.
21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”
Commentary:
4:17 Your two sons … are dead is the sign that Eli had been told to expect as a forewarning of the near demise of his house (2:34), but it seems that he is even more concerned about the ark.
4:19 Bowed is literally “crouched,” the position for giving birth. It was probably a premature delivery brought on by shock.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.
4:19 Bowed is literally “crouched,” the position for giving birth. It was probably a premature delivery brought on by shock.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.
Questions:
1 Samuel 4 ends with a devastating word: Ichabod, “the glory has departed.” Israel had treated God’s presence as something they could use, control, and carry into battle for their own purposes. And now the ark was gone.
But the story of Scripture doesn't end with God's glory departing. John 1 tells us something almost impossible to comprehend: “The Word became flesh… We have seen His glory.” The glory that Israel could not control, the glory Moses could not fully behold, came near to us in the person of Jesus.
And He didn't come demanding His rights. He came humbly. The One who possessed all glory willingly entered our broken world and went to the cross. He took the weight of our sin upon Himself so that sinners could be brought near to God.
That is the gospel: the God whose holiness should cause us to tremble came near to save us. It is possible to believe that truth and still lose our wonder. We can hear the story of the cross so often that we stop being amazed by it. We can become more familiar with the language of grace than we are moved by the reality of grace. But Jesus didn't owe us His life. He didn't have to come. He willingly humbled Himself and gave Himself for us.
But the story of Scripture doesn't end with God's glory departing. John 1 tells us something almost impossible to comprehend: “The Word became flesh… We have seen His glory.” The glory that Israel could not control, the glory Moses could not fully behold, came near to us in the person of Jesus.
And He didn't come demanding His rights. He came humbly. The One who possessed all glory willingly entered our broken world and went to the cross. He took the weight of our sin upon Himself so that sinners could be brought near to God.
That is the gospel: the God whose holiness should cause us to tremble came near to save us. It is possible to believe that truth and still lose our wonder. We can hear the story of the cross so often that we stop being amazed by it. We can become more familiar with the language of grace than we are moved by the reality of grace. But Jesus didn't owe us His life. He didn't have to come. He willingly humbled Himself and gave Himself for us.
- Why do you think something as extraordinary as the cross can become familiar to us over time? What helps you move beyond simply knowing the story of Jesus' death to actually being amazed by what He willingly did?
- Jesus had every right to remain in glory, yet He willingly humbled Himself and came near to us. Which part of that truth is hardest for you to grasp; the greatness of who Jesus is, the depth of our sin, or the willingness of His sacrifice? Why?
- When your gratitude for Jesus feels ordinary or distant, where does your mind go instead? What truth about Christ's sacrifice do you need to slow down and meditate on again?
Prayer Topics:
- Thank Jesus for willingly leaving His glory and coming near to save sinners.
- Confess the times you have treated the cross as familiar information rather than the breathtaking demonstration of God's grace.
- Ask God to deepen your wonder at the holiness, humility, and sacrifice of Jesus.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
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