King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Wednesday, April 09, 2025
Chapters: I Samuel 4-7
Message: I Samuel: The Philistines And The Ark
Hello My Friend,
As we continue in the reading of 1 Samuel we learn that God will have no other gods before Him whether we know Him personally or not, and repentance is the only way that He will save us.
[Acts 17:24-25,27-30 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:]
Yesterday we learned that God had given Eli and Samuel a prophecy in regards to Eli’s sons dying in one day and his entire family being eliminated for not only abusing their positions as priests, but in him permitting and condoning their sin in the Tabernacle. Today we learn that the prophecy is coming to pass. Israel’s biggest enemy were the Philistines, they had been plotting their vengeance since Samson killed thousands of their people by bringing down their Baal worship center. The Philistines literally encircled the Israelites and invaded their camp.
[1 Samuel 4:1-3 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. 2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. 3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.]
So the elders, who were supposed to be wise, instead of calling on God for help to learn why they were invaded and how to correct the situation they decide to take the Ark of the covenant, which a box that contained the Law as well as the tablets with the ten commandments written on them with the finger of God. Now, there are two problems with that, they were looking at the Ark as an idol and the only one who could even get near it was a priest, not to mention that they would die if they touched it. Well, God allowed Eli’s sons to take it from off its place above the mercy seat in the Tabernacle and bring it into the camp.
[1 Samuel 4:4-6 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.]
This is exactly why the Ark is still in hiding today, they turned it into an idol, and they would still be worshiping it today if it were to be out. They foolishly believed that God was in the trunk and even the Philistines got scared for a second, but that only made them fight harder.
[1 Samuel 4:8-11 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. 10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.]
Thirty thousand men in addition to Eli’s sons and the four thousand before they came up with their ridiculous plan, died in that battle and it was not even over yet. Foolish people! Of course, the Philistines would believe that a box covered in gold would be a god, but Israel ought to know better. The Philistines did have one thing going for them, they understood that Israel’s God was the Almighty God and a powerful God at that. The world may reject God, but they know that there is only one God, He just happened to use Israel to show them that, [Romans 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.]
Those fools did not know what danger they put themselves in when God permitted them to take the Ark. We learn that Eli knew that Hopni and Phinehas had taken the Ark, but when he got the news that this sons were killed and the Ark was taken he fell back in the chair he was sitting in, broke his neck, and died.
[1 Samuel 4:13-14,17-18 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.]
Eli, knew that judgment was coming to his house not only because of the wicked behavior of his sons, but by his condoning and allowing the sin to continue, but did not anticipate the Ark being taken. Not only did Eli die, his daughter-in-law, who was pregnant did as well when she heard the news.
[1 Samuel 4:19-21 And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. 21 And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.]
They really were foolish for thinking that they needed the Ark to know that God was with them, but they had never been taught correctly so all they could do was what they knew. It is pretty sad really, the world and even the religious want the power of God upon their lives, but they do not have the knowledge to do that correctly and therefore, they too will see the glory of God depart from them, [Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.]
God always has a plan, even when allowing the enemy to judge His people and feel as though they have won the battle. God allowed the Philistines to take the Ark for a specific purpose, they prided themselves of talking possession of the Ark, even going as far as to believe what Micah believed in that his idol along with God meant that they were blessed and God was going to prove to them that He will have no other gods before Him. These fools literally placed the Ark next to a shrine that they had for their god.
[1 Samuel 5:2-4 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.]
To get a picture of this idol, Dagon was a statue with the upper body of a human and lower body of a fish. Sound familiar? And we wonder why we have all these myths about mermaids? God will have no other gods before Him! And He will not share His time with any other god, even if the world is ignorant to that fact. While He may not have struck them down dead just yet for touching the Ark, He did afflict them quite badly with emerods, which are hemorrhoids.
[1 Samuel 5:6-8 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god. 8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.]
I always laugh when I read this, and they say that God does not have a sense of humor. Actually, it is not very funny, but God will have no other god before Him. If they were going to believe that a box covered in gold was a god, then so be it. It did not matter where they sent the Ark, the entire town was plagued.
[1 Samuel 5:10-12 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people. 11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.]
Their cries for salvation went all the way up to the heavens, but since they were not willing to let go of their idol they suffered in their sin. The Philistines were forced to acknowledge that in this place the almighty hand of the God of Israel was heavy. When unbelievers presume to attack the Word of God, to blaspheme and pervert the Gospel, and, refuse to bow under the chastening hand of God they will learn the hard way that every knee shall bow to Him, [Romans 14:11-12 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.]
The Philistines had no idea what to do with the Ark, for seven months they passed it from town to town and the same thing happened. Since they would not forsake their idol, they finally came up with a plan to have the Ark sent back to Israel territory.
[1 Samuel 6:2-4 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place. 3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.]
How sad that it never occurred to them to just get rid of the false gods and turn to Him, but then that is the majority of the people who do believe that God exists. In fact, they know how powerful God is, and yet continue to reject Him. Nevertheless, these trespass offerings, which are also laughable, I mean, images of hemorrhoids and mice overlaid in gold. The mice invaded their crops, and this was their way of humbling themselves to God, even though they were still skeptical.
[1 Samuel 6:6-9 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? 7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them: 8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. 9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.]
Many will try to say that this was the cause of their diet, but they knew it was God. How? Everywhere they sent the Ark, the same thing happened to the entire city. The world who rejects God often has to convince themselves that the judgment was not from God, but just happened by some chance so that they can feel good about themselves. Nothing is by chance and even though they were still skeptical, their plan worked.
[1 Samuel 6:11-14 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. 12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh. 13 And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.]
Then men of Bethshemite rejoiced to see the Ark and could not wait to tell everyone, and while they really had no idea what they were doing in regards to giving the offering to God they had good intention, but made one grave mistake that cost their lives, they opened the Ark to look at what was inside.
[1 Samuel 6:19-21 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.]
They too were ignorant to the Law and therefore the same rule applied to them as well, whether or not we like to believe that ignorance to God’s Word will save people, it will not, those who are ignorant to His Word will be right there with the ones who chose the idols, [Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.]
Well, the people of Bethshemesh finally called for help, in which a priest sanctified himself and was able to keep the Ark with him for twenty years. Samuel, rightfully took his place as not only judge, but priest, and prophet as well. The entire congregation asked what they needed to do to be free from the Philistines.
[1 Samuel 7:1-3 And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. 3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.]
It does no good to cry out to God if one is not willing to do it the correct way. Think about it, until we know Christ as our Saviour we might as well be speaking a foreign language because He does not hear our cries, [John 16:26-27 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.]
Once Samuel told Israel what they needed to do to not only get right with God, but get the Philistines off their back they followed through. Not only did they fast and pray, they put away the false gods and gave their all to God, the proper way. Now, the test came when the Philistine heard that they were in Mizpeh.
[1 Samuel 7:6-9 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. 7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.]
Let me tell you, if it were not for God fearing honorable men and women praying for those whom have fallen, very few people will come to repentance, and even fewer will be led to Christ. There is great power in the prayers of Christ’s faithful saints, and even more in the prayers of those who return to Christ, [2 Corinthians 7:9-11 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.]
This entire story is a reminder that God does not no cannot dwell in any box, statue, or building, He is the only living God, and therefore can only live in living human beings. Jesus said it this way, [John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [1 Samuel 7:8-9 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.]
Today’s Prayer: God, That You for giving Your Son to save my soul. Thank You for my salvation, I can stand before You and live, not for anything that I have done, but for what Your Son has done for me. There is nothing more exciting than to see Your power come pushing through the most unbelievable things, but is also comes through the little things we do every day. It can be easy to lose sight of Your power as every day life seems to get more and more of my attention and less of Yours. Lord, give me Your power, keep me in Your Word, lift my spirit by Your living Word. Speak through me, let me be Your voice to tell the truth no matter what the cost, and do it in a way that is tactful, yet to the point. More importantly, let me lead by being a humble and Godly example so that there are no discrepancies in my own life. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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