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1 Samuel 4: Ichabod – Departed Glory

Jan12

​Good evening y’all :). Today we are continuing our study of 1 Samuel with Good Morning Girls. We will be looking at chapter 4.

I pray you are blessed as you read 🙂

“And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel. At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. 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.” 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. 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!” (V1-5 NLT)

The Ark of the covenant signified the presence of God in those days. The Israelites went into battle against the Philistines. They lost the battle and their next thought was to get the Ark of the covenant onto the battle field so they could defeat their enemies.

On the surface, there is nothing wrong with them wanting the presence of God with them but how they went about it was wrong. The Ark of God was meant to be in the Holies of Holies where only the High Priest has access to. Although the Ark has gone out in battle before, but only on the Instruction of God (Josh 6: 6-8 , Num 31:6). In today’s reading, the Israelite didn’t even seek God’s opinion on whether to take the Ark or not.  They just assumed it was okay to take it. Interestingly, Eli didn’t restrain them, he even sent his sons along with the Ark!

They took the Ark anyway and they were still defeated. Infact worse than when they didn’t have the Ark with them. I ask how come?  I believe this was due to the sin and lawlessness that was prominent amongst the Israelites in those days. Recall that in the previous chapters it is written that the voice of God was scarce and the people did whatever pleased them. Instead of them to repent and wait on God, they chose to continue in their sin and still expect God to come through for them. 

Their foolishness cost them a lot. The Ark was captured by the Philistines. Eli’s sons died and he died as well on the same day. His daughter-in-law gave birth to son she named Ichabod meaning ‘The glory has departed…’She died immediately after giving birth. Truly the glory did depart from Israel on that day.

This makes me understand that it is possible for us to claim we know God and yet our lives and actions won’t allow His presence and power be fully manifested in our lives: especially if we are medling with sin. I’m reminded of 2 Tim 3: 5 which says: “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (NLT)

This quote from Charles Spurgeon sums its up well…..”Instead of attempting to get right with God, these Israelites set about devising superstitious means of securing the victory over their foes. In this respect most of us have imitated them. We think of a thousand inventions; but we neglect the one thing needful … They forget the main matter, which is to enthrone God in the life, and to seek to do his will by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Spurgeon) 

I pray as we go about our daily lives, God will give us the grace to live holy before Him and may His presence never depart from our lives In Jesus’s Name. Amen.

I will leave us with the words of Jesus in John 15:5-6 

 “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire”. (MSG) 

Thanks for joining today. Pls feel free to leave your thots and comments on the chapter. 

Have a blessed evening 😘

1 Samuel 3 – God still speaks today…

Jan11

​Good evening y’all :). Today we are continuing our study of 1 Samuel with Good Morning Girls. We will be looking at chapter 3.

I pray you are blessed as you read 🙂

“Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lordcalled out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” (Isam 2: 1-10 NLT)

Verse 1 in particular struck me while I was reading the chapter. It tells us in those days messages from God were rare and visions were uncommon. I wonder why this is the case. Perhaps the last verse in the book of judges will shed some light to this.

“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes”. (Judges 21:25 NLT)

The verse tells us that people did whatever they deemed right in their own eyes. That’s most likely the reason why the visions from God was very rare.

A quote from David Guzik on verse 1 says:-
“Why was the word of the LORD rare in those days? Probably, because of the hardness of heart among the people of Israel and the corruption of the priesthood. God will speak, and guide, when His people seek Him, and when His ministers seek to serve Him diligently.”(David Guzik, blueletterbible.org)

In the midst of all the corruption in Israel, God found a little boy named Samuel to speak to. Samuel was serving the Lord under the guidance of Eli. The Lord called out to Him three times. The first and 2nd time, Samuel assumed it was Eli calling out to him. Eli told him what to say when next he hears the voice call out his name. His response to Gods call shows his humility. He says “speak your servant is listening…”

God still speaks to us today, He speaks directly to our hearts, He speaks through his word, He speaks through his servants (Ministers, Pastors). The question is are we listening? Are we opening our hearts to hear from God? Is our response to God like that of Samuel or are we even too busy to hear him call out to us?. 

I pray in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of life we remember to always make time for God and listen out for Him, and even spend time in His word

God spoke to Samuel about what He would do to Eli’s family. Samuel told all of this to Eli and Eli accepted by saying, “Let God’s will be done”.

This got me thinking: could Eli have gone back to God to beg for forgiveness?…I’m reminded of how Hezekiah, after he was told he was going to die, went back to God and begged and God answered him, gaving him 15 extra years.  I’m thinking was Eli right in accepting just like that or could he have sought God’s face and also reprimanded his children and warn them of God’s word?

I pray we never get to a point where the grace of God expires in our lives, where we loose the opportunity to repent and turn from our evil ways

Thanks for joining today. Pls feel free to share your thots on the chapter.

Have a blessed evening 🙂