I SAMUEL 4 lesson # 6
DEALING WITH GOD'S POWER SYMBOLS OF FAITH
I. Greetings:
II. Introduction:
Note: Among secular historians one of the major breaks or dividing lines in history occurs at 1200 B.C. It begins what historians call the Iron Age. It was when Iron was invented (the age before was the Bronze Age).
Q If one had a sword of Iron and a sword of bronze? Who would have the advantage?
An = Iron dents bronze in a sword fight. The fellow with a sword of bronze would see his weapon cut in half.
Q Guess who had Iron and who did not?
An = The Philistines did and the Israelites did not. The Philistines had advanced weapons technology and they were a highly organized, militaristic people. Israelites had no king and were basically farmers. The Philistines were probably a part of the famous "Sea Peoples" that were migrating sometime near 1200 B.C. They were organized around five major cities.
III. The Two Battles: I Samuel 1:1-11.
Q Do men in uniform pray? Why?
An = In crisis we often look for something greater than ourselves because death is so near.
Q How many of you prayed before you were Christians about some crises?
Q What was the result? Did God answer?
An = Could some of you share or tell us your story.
Note: <<Carefully note these. There are some that received answers, amazing answers because they sincerely prayed and some who did only the ritual of prayer only. Do not comment on their stories, only take careful note of what is said.>> Tell them we will come back to this theme later.
A. The First Battle: I Samuel 4:1-3.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 4:1-3.
Q After the serious defeat, what did the Israelites propose to do?
An = Bring the Ark of the Covenant. The ark Moses was commanded to make.
Q Why did the Israelites want the ark according to I Samuel 4:3?
An = Because the presence of the ark would give them victory. They believed if it was there then God would be in their midst.
Q Did the Israelites believe God had defeated them in battle?
An = This is what they say in 4:3. Remember this, I believe this is the key to understanding chapters 4-6, but we will come back to this later too!!
B. The Second Battle: I Samuel 4:4-11.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 4:4-8.
Q Which important priests were carrying the ark?
An = Phinehas and Hophni
Q What do we know about these guys?
An = They were corrupt and the unknown prophet (man of God) of chapter 2 had predicted their deaths.
Q Was Israel excited when the ark arrived?
An = According to 4:5, their shouts resounded every where.
Q Was there a momentum swing?
An = Yes.
Q How important is momentum in battle, especially hand to hand combat?
An = Extremely important! Think how important momentum is in a physical contact sport like football. Think how important momentum is in basketball, also a physical demanding sport. Hand to hand combat in the ancient world was deeply dependent on morale or momentum.
Q On the face of things, does religion figure very prominently in battle morale?
An = Yes, it seems to very important here. <
Note: The Philistines had bad theology. They viewed the Israelite religion, which was monotheistic (Only one God), in light of their own polytheistic beliefs (many gods). See 4:8 where they attribute the ark as "gods".
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 4:9-11.
Note: Is not 4:9 very similar to a locker room pep-talk? Knute Rockney of Philistia gave a good "half-time" pep-talk and they reversed the mental momentum back that Israel acquired though bring the Ark of the Covenant, representing the very presence of God.
Q Who won the battle?
Note: It seems that good pep-talks, appealing to national pride are better motivators than trust in religious truths like: "God is with us". Strange story, but so typically biblical.
Q What happened to the corrupt priests?
An = Have someone read to the group I Samuel 2:33-34. When God's Word speaks, it happens in history. It may take time, here it appears to have taken decades, but God's Word (and justice He predicts) will prevail.
Q What happened to the Ark?
Q What does this story imply about the holiness and power of religious objects like the ark?
An = See 4:11. It appears that the Ark of the Covenant is weak. This also lowers the reputation of Israel's God, who made the covenant.
IV. The Report of the Battle: 4:12-22.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 4:12-15.
Q Why was Eli's heart trembling or disturbed in anticipation according to 4:13?
An = For the ark of God. Eli is a grey character. He is both blind spiritually (or with dim eyes, see what your author says in 4:15), and yet he was used of God with Hannah and he gave Samuel good advice. However, his leadership had lead Israel into spiritual ruin. Eli is a nice guy who certainly loves the things of God, is moral himself, but an imperceptive ruler, who did not disciple those under him, and therefore destructive to the nation. Eli is not all black, not white, but grey.
Q Why does the author mention Eli's eyes again?
An = See I Samuel 3:2, eyes are mentioned. Now turn to Deuteronomy 34:7 and read together. Eyes are the organs of perception. Eyes represent to biblical authors the perceptive capacity of their owners.
Q Is it good that a man is more interested in the ark of God, than the people or his own sons?
An = Tough question, huh? Is it not good to be concerned with the articles that represents God's presence. Yet are religious articles more important than people?
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 4:16-18.
Q According to 4:18 what news caused Eli's death?
An = The capture of the ark, not the death of his sons. The text is very clear about this.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 4:19-22.
Note: The word "Ichabod" means "no glory". Her concern seems to be caused by three factors: the death of husband, Eli, and the capture of the ark.
Q Was Phinehas' wife correct?
An = No! His glory had been rare for years, but was already returning through Samuel. To the family of the Priesthood the key to God's presence was the ark, the symbols of God. But the Bible disagrees. It the hearing of His Word. Besides, see 4:1 a. (If time allows take them back to 3:1, the Word of the Lord is rare, to then 3:21, the Word of the Lord was becoming more frequent, to 4:1a, where the word was coming through Samuel. According to the narrator, the nation was in better condition than before.
Q Did Phinehas' wife agree?
An = No, not to her.
Note: Go back to our discussion of those who prayed before they were Christians. They might have been heard because they actually "talked" to God instead of just "doing religion". The difference is between talking to God and doing a prayer. The difference is between relationship and magic: real prayer or manipulation.
Q Were the priestly family, Eli, Phinehas's wife serious about religion?
An = Yes, deeply so! Many people are today.
Q Did it help the people, or please God, or was their concern God's concern?
An = No. The priests and the people were religious (see how the author wrote the chapter: 4:5, 4:13, 4:18, 4:21-22), but this had nothing to do with God. It seems that the most irreligious person in the book of I Samuel is God.
Q What could this mean for us today?
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