The capture of the Ark… (3 things)

• 1^st – Trusting in the ark…vs. 1-10 (3 things) Read: I Samuel 4:1-10
  • 1^st – Israel was at war with the Philistines… vs. 1
    • The Philistines were one of the descendants of Ham – Genesis 10:14…
      • They had settled into the land of Canaan along the Mediterranean coast…
      • They established five major cities – Gaza / Ashkelon / Ashdod / Ekron / and Gath…
    • Israel was unable to conquer them when they first entered the Land – Joshua 13:2
      • During the period of the Judges – God used them to punish the nation of Israel…
      • Sampson famously judged Israel while under the Philistines – Judges 13:5
      • Mentioned over 250 times in the Old Testament…
      • They would remain the chief rival of Israel – till King David took the throne…
  • 2^nd – The Philistines defeated Israel in a battle… vs. 2-3
    • Over 4000 men died in the battle – so the people cried out to the Lord…
      • They wanted to know why God had let them be defeated by their enemies…
      • A better question would have been before the fight to ask – God are you with us!
      • Too often in life we make our decision without asking God first…
      • Then after the fact – when things have gone terribly wrong…
      • We ask God why – in effect blaming God for not taking care of us…
      • If you jump off a cliff – then ask God to catch you on the way down…
      • The likely answer you will get is – why did you jump off the cliff in the first place!
    • God did not answer Israel – so they came up with an idea of their own…
      • Let us bring the Ark of the Covenant into the battle with us – it will save us!
      • Israel was not trusting in the ‘God of the Ark’ – they thought the box had power…
      • They thought a gold covered box – with stones inside – could give them victory…
      • They were trusting in an object – cause they did not have a relationship with God!
    • When Israel sinned in the wilderness – God sent deadly snakes – Numbers 21…
      • They repented God told Moses to put up a bronze serpent – look at live…
      • But many years later (over 600) – the people began to worship the serpent…
      • II Kings 18:4 – “[King Hezekiah] broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had begun to worship it by burning incense to it.”
      • The people were far from the Lord – so they worshiped something God has used!
      • The serpent was just a chunk of metal – the power to save only comes from God!
    • The farther we are from the Lord – the greater our tendency to worship things…
      • I think of the shroud of Turin – the cloth that supposedly was used to wrap Jesus’ body
      • Millions of people flock to see it – on the rare occasion it is put on display…
      • They believe there is power in a cloth – because Jesus dead body was buried in it…
      • How foolish to put your faith and trust in a piece of dirty laundry!
      • When we do not have a strong relationship with God – are not close to the Lord…
      • We fill the void in our lives with superstations / trinkets that remind us of God…
• But there is no power in charms/idols/superstitions – only God has the power to save!
• 3^rd – Hophni and Phineas arrived with the Ark – and all of Israel rejoiced… vs. 4-10
  • The sound a their cheers were so loud – they very ground shook…
    • When the Philistines heard it – they wanted to know what had happened…
    • They were told the ‘Ark of God’ had come into the camp of Israel – they panicked!
    • They had heard the stories of what God of Israel did to Egypt – the 10 plagues…
    • How the God of Israel had parted an ocean to let His people walk through…
    • Interesting that all of those things happened BEFORE the Ark was created…
    • The Philistines were not afraid of the Ark – they feared the God of the Ark!
    • Our enemy knows what to be afraid of – and it is not ‘pretty golden boxes’…
    • Satan does not care if there is a crucifix on your wall…
    • He is not concerned if there is a ‘manungal’ and salt over your door…
    • The only thing that satan fears is God Almighty – He trembles at His name!
  • Philistines – fight as you never have before…
    • Ironically the Ark had the opposite effect from what Israel expected…
    • Israel put all their faith in the Ark of God – so did not fight hard…
    • The Philistines afraid of the God of Israel – put all they had into the battle…
    • The result was Israel was soundly defeated – over 30,000 men lost their lives!
    • Our faith is only as effective – as the strength of the one we put our faith in!
    • We can have faith in a government – that they will make our lives better…
    • We can have faith in a person – that they will give us money when we need it…
    • We can have faith in a ‘faith healer’- that they will heal us when we are sick…
    • The problem with all of these is that they can let us down – they are not faithful!
    • Only God has all the power – never fails – only God’s Word is absolutely true…
    • When we put our faith in God and His Word – our faith is powerful!
• 2^nd – Worried over nothing…vs. 12-22 Read: I Samuel 4:12-22
  • The Philistines captured the Ark – and killed Hophni and Phineas… vs. 12-13
    • Fulfilling the prophecy given to Eli – your sons will die in one day – I Samuel 2:24
    • One of the warriors from Benjamin ran to Shiloh – his clothes torn in grief…
    • Eli who was 93 years old / completely blind / and VERY fat…
    • Was waiting by the road – worried for the safety of the Ark – but not his sons…
    • The Ark was not in any danger – but his sons were in danger of the judgment of God!
    • Too often we are worried about all the wrong things…
    • We spend all of our time worrying about food / school / electric bills…
    • How much will the sugar cane sell for this year / will I have enough money…
    • Yet God promises us He will provide for all of our needs – Luke 12:32
    • What we should be worried about is those who do not know Jesus Christ!
  • When Eli heard the commotion – he demanded to know what had happened… vs. 14-18
    • The messenger told him Israel had been defeated in battle – terrible news…
      • He went on to say that thousands of troops had been lost – even worse news…
      • The sons of Eli had died – the greatest fear of any father – devastating news…
      • AND – I am sure the was a pause – the Philistines had captured the Ark of God…
      • When Eli heard the Ark was captured – he fell backwards broke his neck and died!
    • When we worry about the wrong things – it kills us…
      • Life can have a tendency to throw bad new / problems our way…
      • Sometime the new can go from bad / to worse / to terrible / to unimaginable!
      • In one day Job found out he lost his livestock / money / house / and children!
      • The problem is worrying about our problems does not help – it makes things worse
      • It can make us physically sick – upset stomach / high blood pressure…
      • Proverbs 12:25 – “Worry weighs a person down…”
      • Worry is the opposite of trust– we are worried because we are not trusting in God!
      • So instead of killing ourselves by worrying – run to Jesus and find peace!
      • Philippians 4:6 – “Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything…  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
  • Phineas’ wife was pregnant… vs. 19-22
    • It can be assumed that with the death of Eli – and both of his sons…
      • That his new baby became the new High Priest of Israel at his birth…
      • When she heard her husband and father-in-law were dead – and the Ark captured…
      • She went into hard labor – and died giving birth to a son…
    • With her dying words the mother gave him a name – Ichabod – ‘the glory is gone’…
      • She thought the glory was gone – because she was looking at the circumstances…
      • The glory was not gone – God was still on His throne – He had not abandoned Israel
      • When we focus on our problems – it is VERY EASY to get overwhelmed…
      • But when we look up – our perspective changes – we see things in a new light…
      • The Glory is still there – God is still on His throne – we have nothing to fear…
      • We no longer see our problems – instead our God who is greater than any problem!

So that we can see the power and victory God brings to every problem!

3^rd – There is only one God…vs. 1-12 Read: I Samuel 5:1-12

The Philistines took the Ark to the city of Ashdod… vs. 1-6

The put the Ark in the temple of their god Dagon – ‘our god defeated your God…’

Dagon had the head and torso of a woman – but the body of a fish (mermaid)…

The next morning – Dagon was on its face in front of the Ark…

Jeremiah 5:10 – “Do not be afraid of [idols], they cannot do evil of good…”

Idols have no power – they are neither harmful nor helpful…

It is foolish to trust in them to help – just as foolish to be afraid of them…

They are just a block of wood or cement – no more powerful than a stick or rock!

The Philistines set the statue back up (must have been an earthquake)…

The next morning – Dagon was again on the ground in front of the Ark…

But this time the heads and hands had been cut off the statue…

They were thrown to the side – so there could be do doubt God had done it! 

Too often people make the mistake of thinking satan is the equal of God…

Satan is not God’s equal – God has no equal – God has absolute power over all…

God kicked satan from glory – kicked out of heaven – Revelation 12:9

He and the angels that followed suffered quick reprisal for rebelling against God…

He fell like a flash of lightning – so quick if you had blinked you would’ve missed it!

One day all of them will bow down and kneel before Jesus – Philippians 2:10

The Hand on the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod… vs. 7-12

The Lord sent a plague on the people of the city – hemorrhoids!

The modern definition of hemorrhoids is a sore butt – painful to sit / bathroom…

It would have been inconvenient – but more humorous than a lethal judgment…

But the LXX adds rats began to overrun the city – causing death and destruction…

It is possible that the rats brought some form of the ‘black plague’…

When Europe experienced the ‘Black plague’ in the Middle Ages – millions died…

Bubonic or ‘black’ plague – spread by contact – killed within 24-48 hours…

People would be alive and well in the morning – dead by evening!

The people realized it was a judgment of God – the Ark had to go!

So the leaders got together and decided to move the Ark to Gath…

Gath was the largest and most powerful city of the Philistines…

The moment it arrived – the plague followed – causing panic and hysteria…

So they sent the Ark to the city of Ekron – but when they saw it coming…

They cried out – ‘They are brining the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us too!’

So the people begged the leaders to send the Ark back to Israel…

What had seemed like a defeat for Israel – and a humiliation for God…

In the caused more death and damage to the Philistines than if Israel had won…

And as a result the whole nation now believed in the power of God (hemorrhoids)…

God always has a plan – it is just not always obvious to us! 

He wants us to learn to trust in Him – not in the things of this world…

And learn not to worry – but to instead keep our eyes fixes on Him…