"Israel leaves God" by Rod Bayley, 21 November 2010, 1 Samuel 4:1-22

[Danny]

Superstition is a universal flaw of humanity it seems. It is known in
every culture, and it is more prominent when people are under
pressure, or facing a battle. I recently read the autobiography of
tennis ace Andre Agassi, which is titled ‘Open.’ He was very talented
from a young age, and eventually won 8 grand slams, including all four
of the major tournaments, and so you would think he’d simply trust in
his ability alone. But like many sportspeople, he was superstitious,
going through the same routines on the day of a match. He’d shower
three times, pack his tennis bag before a match just so, having his
rackets strung and ordered in his bag meticulously. He describes in
his book the last moments before his match in the second round of the
U.S. Open in 2006, his last professional tournament before retiring.
He writes: “Darren [my coach] and I turn to each other. His Adam’s
apple goes up and down. Mate, he says, your homework is done. You’re
ready. I nod. He holds out his fist for a bump. Just one bump,
because that’s what we did before my first-round win earlier this
week. We’re both superstitious, so however we start a tournament,
that’s how we finish. I stare at Darren’s fist, give it one decisive
bump.”

Of course real battles, life and death military battles, can attract
an even greater level of superstition, which can be religious as
well. Emperor Constantine who became the sole Roman emperor after a
battle with his rival Maxentius in 312 AD, took a religious sign as
his good omen. The decisive Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place
on 28 October 312. According to chroniclers such as Eusebius, the
battle marked the beginning of Constantine's conversion to
Christianity too. They record that Constantine had a vision that God
promised victory if they marked the sign of the cross on their
shields. In the vision, Constantine looked up to the sun before the
battle and saw a cross of light above it, and with it the words “by
this, win!" Constantine commanded his troops to adorn their shields
with the Christian symbol of the Cross, and they went on to be
victorious that day. Following the battle, Constantine ignored the
altars to the pagan gods prepared in Rome. Instead, The Arch of
Constantine was erected in celebration of the victory, which
attributes Constantine's success to divine intervention. As we come
to 1 Samuel 4 tonight, we see the Israelites, God’s chosen people,
resorting to religious superstition, so that they might be victorious
in a battle with the dominant Philistines. Notice again what is
stated in verses 1 to 3:
“Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The
Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. 2The
Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle
spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four
thousand of them on the battlefield. 3When the soldiers returned to
camp, the elders of Israel asked, ‘Why did the Lord bring defeat upon
us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s
covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the
hand of our enemies.”
The scene is set with a failed battle in verses 1 and 2 - the
Philistines give them ‘a hiding’ and a whole train of events is set in
motion. The first step the Israelite leadership take is a good one,
and then it’s all downhill from there. The elders do the right thing,
and reflect theologically on what has just happened - they ask the
‘why’ question, rightly assuming God’s sovereignty over every event in
life. They correctly acknowledge that the problem is a spiritual one,
not a physical one. They have seen enough already in the history of
the nation to know that God can give them victory whatever the odds,
and so it’s not a case of having a bigger army or a better strategy.

As we saw last week, the spiritual problem with the nation is that the
priestly leadership was corrupt. Eli, and especially his sons, had
abused their authority and God had stopped speaking through them -
nothing positive had come out of Shiloh of late except the promise of
Hannah. Last week we saw from chapter 3 that God had started speaking
again through his new chosen leader, Samuel. But they didn’t consult
Samuel at this point - it’s not because he’s still a young boy, as
most commentators argue that there is a substantial gap between
chapter 3 and 4, perhaps twenty years. Twenty years passes between
chapter 6 and 7 (7:2) also, and by chapter 8 Samuel is described as an
old man (8:1). Whatever the exact timing of this episode which takes
up chapters 4 to 6, it is clear that Samuel is not consulted. He is
not even mentioned in these three chapters, as if to say, he has
nothing to do with this debacle. And that’s where the problem lies.

In verse 3 of chapter 4, the elders make their own theological
assessment - it’s not the sin of the people which has brought this
defeat, or the failure of Eli’s priestly line, or the failure to
consult the new prophet and priest Samuel. No not at all - it’s
obvious that God wasn’t with them, and so the answer is to physically
bring Him with them into the next battle. It seems that they know
there’s a spiritual problem, but they go for a quick fix spiritual
solution, which is really a physical one - let’s carry the ark of the
covenant, our special box, into battle. The ark has become their
magic charm, their talisman. And so verse 4 records:
“So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of
the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the
cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with
the ark of the covenant.”
The ark of the covenant had from the time of Moses symbolized God’s
presence with His people. The ark was a box containing the Ten
commandments (Ex.25:22; Deut.10:3), hence the name of ‘the ark of the
covenant.’ The cherubim were winged creatures or sphinxes, and they
marked Yahweh’s invisible dwelling or presence (v4, 2 Sam.6). The
cherubim were positioned at each end, and were covered with gold-leaf,
as was the cover of the ark. Now, the ark had led the march in the
desert (Num.10:33-36), and led them into war before (Ex.33:14-15; Num.
14:42-44; Josh.3:4-6), at God’s command, but there was no such command
here. It’s so superstitious isn’t it - verse 3's solution is to carry
the ark into battle as it will save them, and so in verse 4 Eli’s two
corrupt sons who have been condemned by God in chapter three, have no
qualms in removing the most sacred object in Israel from the temple
and carrying it out to the battlefield.

But before we continue with the narrative, let’s pause for a moment
and reflect on this superstitious action, and it’s application for
ourselves today. It’s easy to critique, even mock the superstitious
actions of ancient Israelites, but we have our own sophisticated
versions of such religious superstition today. Particular bodily
postures in worship, whether kneeling, standing or hand-raising can be
thought to bring greater intimacy or blessing from God; the timing or
method of daily bible reading can even become a superstitious ritual.
The instrumens used to support singing, the arrangement of the
auditorium, how the Lord’s Supper is conducted. Even sincere
believers can view these things in superstitious ways as guarantees of
spirituality or as a means of ensuring God’s blessing. Even prayer
can become superstitious, with the formula approach being alive and
well today. Old Testament prayers are often lifted out of context and
we’re told that if we recite such prayers word for word, we will
definitely get results.
Let me give you a recent example, which has sold millions of books -
you may have seen it or read it, it’s ‘The prayer of Jabez’ published
in 2000. To have a Christian book in the New York bestsellers list is
rare enough, but to have a Christian book in the top ten bestsellers
list in New York for ten months straight is remarkable. And that was
the case with Bruce Wilkinson’s book. It has been available in all
bookstores in the last decade, both Christian and secular, and
apparently there is a sequel coming out. Let me just remind you of
that little-known prayer from 1 Chronicles 4:10 assuming you haven’t
got it in the front of your mind, “Oh that you would bless me and
enlarge my territory. Let your hand be with me, and keep me from
harm, so that I will be free from pain.” Bruce Wilkinson has said
that he never intended this book to encourage praying for prosperity.
But it is very clear that the book is in the unbiblical realm of the
"name it and claim it" movement. Consider the opening words of the
book: “Dear Reader, I want to teach you how to pray a daring prayer
that God always answers. It is brief - only one sentence with four
parts - and tucked away in the Bible, but I believe it contains the
key to a life of extraordinary favor with God.” It was on the top of
the bestseller list because non-Christians and Christians alike were
praying this prayer in the hope that they’d get bigger profits and a
more successful life. This is a worldly way of thinking about prayer
- it’s a superstitious praying of words - it’s the hope of
manipulating God. The idea of forcing a reluctant God to give you
what you want - saying the right words to unlock the treasure. That
whole idea of prayer is so foreign to the bible - this is not how
Christians should pray. In the bible prayer is primarily relational -
it is communicating to our heavenly Father, and yet I think we can be
taken in by such worldly thinking. Please be aware of this mistake of
lifting OT prayers out of context and making them superstitious
formulas for our situations today.

This brings us to point two: ‘Trying to control God.’ Notice what is
recorded in verses 5 to 8, as the secret weapon of the ark arrives at
the batttle-front:
“When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel
raised such a great shout that the ground shook. 6Hearing the uproar,
the Philistines asked, ‘What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?’
When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp,
7the Philistines were afraid. ‘A god has come into the camp,’ they
said. ‘We’re in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before.
8Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods?
They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues.”
Remember from verse 4, the ark has been delivered and is being handled
by Eli’s two sons, who were described by God in chapter 3 as
“contemptible” because of their sin, which God said he would judge.
As a reader, you just know this is all going to end very badly!
Perhaps only Samuel and Eli are aware of God’s promise of judgment,
but if others do know, this odd situation is not sounding the alarm
bells for anyone. In fact, the Israelites are celebrating their
brilliant tactical move in verse 5. Such a shout goes up that the
ground shakes and the nearby Philistines hear it. In contrast, when
the Philistines find out what the noise is all about, they are
fearful, in their own pagan superstitious way. They imagine that they
have no chance against such powerful magic, as it were.

The results was that one army apparently became complacent - the
Israelites, and the other fought with desperation. Notice again what
is stated in verses 9 to 11: “Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you
will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men and
fight! 10So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were
defeated ... Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11The ark of
God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.”
As anticipated, it is an unmitigated disaster - not only do they lose
the battle, but there is massive loss of life, with their army being
completely decimated, Hophni and Phinehas are killed, and the ark
itself is captured. The people of Israel, as we’ll see played out in
the following verses, are rightly devastated - they are in shock. But
God had said in 3:11-14:
“See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of
everyone who hears of it tingle. 12At that time I will carry out
against Eli everything I spoke against his family - from beginning to
end. 13For I told him that I would judge his family forever because
of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and
he failed to restrain them. 14Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli,
‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or
offering.”
And God fulfils his word - He brings judgment on Eli’s house, and
there will be more still to come.

As we apply this section, we need to grasp that we cannot manipulate
the God of the universe with our puny plans, but that He will fulfil
His plans completely, whether in salvation or in judgement. Firstly,
if God is sovereign over all things, we don’t control Him with our
plans, we need to submit to His. In Isaiah 55:8, the prophet reminds
us of God’s perspective: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” Secondly, and
perhaps less obviously, God’s word always brings a result - it never
returns void. As Isaiah says just a few verses later in Isaiah 55:11:
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me
empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for
which I sent it.” But the purpose for which God sends his word is
twofold - salvation and judgment. We’re used to reflecting on how
God’s word is the power for salvation, but it also brings judgment,
and God is just as glorified in judgment as He is in salvation. In
the Law, God made it very clear in two places that if God’s people and
their leaders were obedient to God’s word they would enjoy his
blessing, but if they rejected his word then they would suffer the
covenant curses. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 make it abundantly
clear that God is a promise keeping God, and his promises include both
both blessing and curse, salvation and judgment. God is now acting in
judgment, as he lops off one branch of Aaron’s priestly line, and
allows judgment to fall on His people, through his chosen instrument,
the Philistines.

That brings us to point three on your outline: “The end of an era.”
Notice how brilliantly the writer develops his story from verse 12, as
the messenger races back to Shiloh and conveys the tragedy that has
befallen Israel, or rather the judgment that God has brought down on
them. You can almost picture the breathless Benjamite who runs all
the way from the battle line, while displaying the public signs of
mourning of torn clothing and dust on his head. Eli it seems had been
fearing the dreaded report, as he is sitting on his chair by the side
of the road, anxious for news, rather than hidden away in the temple.
He’s made a big effort, such is his fear, because we learn that now in
his old age he is practically blind. There are cries throughout the
town before the messenger even makes it to Eli in verse 14, and so
ironically the one who cares most is the last to hear. The cries
deliberately contrast with the shouts of joy that occurred at the
battlefield when the ark arrived. Yet Eli asks the question in verse
16, “What happened my son?” presumably hoping that not all is lost.
But he is given the threefold news in verse 17, with each part of the
message more devastating than the last: the battle has been lost and
there are heavy losses of life, Eli’s two sons are dead, and the
climactic news - “the ark of God has been captured.” The writer
clearly tells us that it’s the news of the ark that sees Eli collapse
and die. Perhaps he’s had a heart-attack, or he’s simply in shock,
but in verse 18 “when [the messenger] mentioned the ark of God, Eli
fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was
broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led
Israel forty years.” His excess weight is emphasised, perhaps to
point out the over-indulgent corruption, whereby his family took “the
choice parts of every offering” (2:29). What this highlights is not
an unfortunate accident, but God’s judgment fulfilled. His family
branch of Aaron’s line will be bypassed from this point, the ark will
never return to Shiloh, and this temple will never again be of central
importance.

If you are unmoved by Eli’s sad end, then the final section from
verses 19 to 22 certainly pulls at the heart strings more strongly.
The shocking events of the day lead to Phinehas’ wife going into
premature labour. Her husband has been killed, her father-in-law has
died, and the ark has been captured, and in shock she goes into
labour, and although giving birth to a healthy son, she tragically
dies from the labour. It is a picture of the national tragedgy in
miniature - she represents the desolation of the people, who feel
without hope because they have lost God. In her dying moments, she
too reflects theologically on the events, just as the nations elders
had in the opening paragraph. And like their analysis, she too makes
some helpful connections but misses the big point. She names her son
Ichabod, meaning ‘no glory’, but it is not God who has left Israel,
but Israel who has left God. As we have seen, the ark certainly was a
symbol of God’s presence, but it’s not like it was His house, that the
God of the universe was contained by a wooden box. The glory of
Israel was Israel’s God, not the ark, and the loss of the ark didn’t
mean God had abandoned His people. The loss demonstrated the futility
and the sinfulness of thinking that we can control God. Further, the
loss of the ark represented an estrangement in the relationship
between a holy God and a wayward people, and His judgment upon Eli’s
household and the nation.

In fact, rather than the glory departing, God was glorified as His
word was fulfilled in judgment. The same is true still today, and
this is the application for us that I want to leave you with. God’s
unfolding revelation was moving toward the unveiling of His word
enfleshed, His incarnate Son. And His Son’s life and message centred
on the gospel - the once-for-all atoning sacrifice of the Son on the
Cross which can deal with all sin. While God had decided in chapter 3
that the guilt of Eli’s house would never be atoned for by sacrifice
(3:14), our sin can be atoned for if we will accept God’s word. But
if we do not accept the gospel, then like Eli, God’s wrath against our
sin will remain upon us. God’s word, depending on our response, is
either a word of salvation, or a word of judgment and condemnation.
Like the promises of the old covenant, God’s words either bring
blessing or curse, and God is glorified by both as His word does both
simultaneously.

And if we have received the gospel, if we have trusted in Jesus’ death
as payment for our sin, then we are to pass on this truth. We are to
be Christ’s ambassadors and hold out the word of life, and leave the
results to God. The gospel will produce results one way or the other
- it will not return empty or void. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians
2:15-16:
“For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved
and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death;
to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a
task?”

If you are relying on superstitious hunches, of hoping that you can
manipulate God to help you while only giving lip-service to His
authority, then please stop - it’s a very dangerous path as the
Israelites demonstrated. The only certainty is to rely wholly on
Jesus for your salvation, and to let him be Lord of your life. Don’t
try and have God on your terms - He will only have you on His.