Lesson #05

1 SAMUEL 4
Lesson #05
DISCERNING THE LACK OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD

• Memory Verse: Matthew 7:21

• Read 1Sam 4:1-11 Two Battles with the Philistines
• The date was about 1075 BC.
• Samson was the judge during this time for the 20 years between chapter 4 and chapter 7.
• The defeat at Ebenezer (1-2)
• Who were the Philistines?
• There are common references to them in Egyptian texts that call them “the sea people”.
• They were Indo-Europeans who migrated from the Aegean Islands (Amo 9:7) and Asia Minor to the Eastern Mediterranean coastal region in the 12th century BC.
• They had superior iron weapons.
• The battle was located between Ebenezer and Aphek.
• Aphek was a strategic border city at the Northern edge of the Philistine territory.
• The location of Ebenezer is uncertain.
• The name, Ebenezer, means = stone of help.
• The name was given to commemorate Israel’s victory at the site some 20 years later. (1Sam 7:12)
• There were 4,000 Israelites warriors killed in this battle.
• Israel’s use of the ark of the covenant:
• Why did the presence of the ark of the covenant not save them from the Philistines?
• The presence of the ark marching around Jericho enabled them to have victory at Jericho in Jos 6:7. What was different here?
• The battle of Jericho was by God’s leading.
• The Israelites failed to ask for God’s direction before they entered the battle in 1Sam 4.
• The Israelites failed to ask for God’s direction before taking the ark of the covenant to the battlefield twenty three miles away. (3)
• It was a custom of pagan warriors to take their idols into battle with them as talismans so that their gods would deliver them. (2Sam 5:21)
• The Israelites failed to distinguish between the ark of the covenant as a symbol of God’s presence and the actual presence of God.
• The Israelites were using the ark of the covenant as a talisman or a good luck charm instead of using their faith.
• The majority of Israelites failed to recognize the omnipresence of God.
• Read Psa 139:7-10
• The Israelites came to believe that God’s presence existed only inside the promised land and as long as they possessed the land and stayed in it, God’s presence would bless them. David was the exception. He knew the omnipresence of God.
• This limited idea of God’s presence came about because of the presence of God over the tabernacle in the form of a cloud.
• The Israelites failed to recognize God’s omnipotent power.
• Read Psa 115:30
• Application and Discussion:
• How do we as Christians fall into these same failures in limiting God as the Israelites did?
• How do we as Christians sometimes use Jesus name in prayer as a magic talisman in place of faith?
• How do we as Christians presume upon God to put a stamp of approval upon our plans instead of asking God for direction?
• A Spiritual Truth:
• God is not as concerned about a victory over a temporary enemy as He is about a heart relationship with Him and in building our character.
• Why were the Philistines afraid of the ark of the covenant?
• God had a reputation even among the pagan people for delivering the Israelites from Egypt.(8)
• Israel’s defeat and the loss of the ark of the covenant (10-11)
• 30,000 Israelites warriors were killed in this battle.

• Read 1Sam 4:12-22 Judgment on Eli and his household
• This was the fulfillment of the prophecy given to Samuel in 1Sam 3:27-36.
• Read 1Sam 2:30-36
• The consequences of Eli’s sin had a generational aspect. (1Sam 2:31)
• The prophecy consisted of the mention of an enemy (1Sam 2:32)
• In 1Sam 4 we discover that the enemy God had in mind was the Philistines.
• The prophecy contained exceptions. (1Sam 2:33,35)
• Abiathar was the great grandson of Phinehas.
• His life was spared in 1Sam 22.
• However, Abiathar was a grief to his family name.
• Read 1Kin 2:26-27
• Zadok, the grandson of Phinehas
• He remained faithful to David and the priesthood through many rebellious coups. (1Kin 1:8,45 1Kin 2:35 Eze 44:15-16)
• Jesus Christ is the faithful High Priest (Heb 2:17 Psa 18:50)
• The death of Hophni and Phinehas occurred in one day (1Sam 4:11)
• Eli’s reaction to the news about the ark seemed to be greater than his reaction to the death of his two sons.
• Perhaps the shock of the death of his sons was lightened by the prophecy.
• Perhaps he did not think God would let anything happen to the ark of the covenant.
• He evidently knew how devastating it would be to Israel to have the glory of God depart with the loss of the ark.
• The word “Ichabod” means = where is the glory?
• There was no glorious presence of God for it had departed with the ark.
• Read Psa 78:55-64
• This passage gives us God’s viewpoint.
• Why were the people so surprised that the glory of God departed?
• =1= The glory of God does not depart all at once. It had been a gradual departure due to the perverted worship.
• =2= If one were not listening to the Holy Spirit, one would not know the glory of God was departing.
• =3= The glory does not depart unless God first gives a warning.
• In this New Testament age, how can we tell when the glory of God is present and when it is not?
• You can discern it by who is being lifted up. (Joh 15:26 Joh 16:14)
• God does not share the glory with man. If Jesus Christ is not the one being lifted up, the glory of God is not present.
• You can discern it by the fruit of the ministry. (Mat 7:16-23)
• Read Joh 2:13-21
• How does this passage parallel the event in 1Samuel 4 concerning religious hypocrisy and the disregard for a personal God?
• The religious leaders did not recognize the glory of God in their midst, so they asked for a sign.
• The religious leaders thought they had a right relationship with God, but they could not discern the moving or anointing of the Holy Spirit.
• Read Jon 18:1-11
• How does this passage parallel the event in 1Samuel 4?
• The people expected salvation from a physical enemy in Jesus’ day and in Samuel’s day.
• Everyone fled when the ark was taken just as everyone fled when Jesus was taken.
• Hophni, Phinehas, and Eli died because they had betrayed God, just as Judas died because he had betrayed the Son of God.
• Application and Discussion:
• What causes people to become so spiritually blind as Eli and the religious leaders in Gospels?

HOMEWORK
1 SAMUEL 5 and 6
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of 1Sam 4
• In prayer, examine your own spiritual attentiveness to the Holy Spirit. How can you increase your spiritual awareness of God?

• Preparation for 1Sam 5 and 6
• Background:
• Dagon was the principal god of the Philistine. He was thought to be the father of the god, Baal. Dagon was worshipped throughout Old Testament times. The specifics about him are unclear. He may have been a fertility god, as some think the name comes from a word meaning, “grain” or “corn”. The Philistines were an agricultural people. He may have been a god with the top of his body like a woman and the lower half like a fish.
• Ashdod was a strong beautiful city of great importance in trade with Egypt.
• Read 1Sam 5:1-12
• What do you think God was trying to prove in 1Sam 5?
• Read 1Sam 6:1-21

• Memory Verse: Joh 14:6