God’s Spirit Produces Cooperation

The defeat of the Ammonites convinced the people Saul would be a great leader, as we see in I Samuel 11:12-13.  “And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.”  Saul’s supporters wanted to kill those who had opposed him, but Saul refused because, it was God who had won the victory.   A wise leader realizes he doesn’t know everything and values the opinions of those who don’t agree with him, realizing they may know things he does not.   If he truly believes in God, he also understands that God allows people to form their own opinions and that mistaken opinions will not prevent God from accomplishing his purpose.  As a result, he does not have to destroy or drive out everyone who disagrees with him.  In fact, I Corinthians 12:18 tells us, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him,” so driving them out is going directly against God.

While Saul had been named king, many people had not been sure how he would be as a king.   His victory over the Ammonites reassured them about his leadership, and they came together to declare their commitment to follow him, in I Samuel 11:14-15.  “Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.  And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.”

When a new person takes the leadership of an organization or group, the people do not know exactly what to expect.  As a result, they are hesitant to follow him at first.  If the person is familiar and has worked closely with the group, it will be easier for him to get peoples support, but he will still have to prove he can handle the new responsibilities.  Studies show that it takes at least three years for a new pastor to gain a churches trust, and five to seven years before he has the confidence of the entire church.  Unfortunately, most pastors stay less than three years, and never gain that trust, and over time the church becomes increasingly less trusting, making it harder for a new pastor to gain the people’s trust because they don’t expect them to stay.

As their former leader, Samuel had a great deal to do with their accepting Saul as king.  He had remained in the congregation, and was the one who suggested renewing the kingdom.  He made sure they understood that Saul was now the leader, reminding them how they had trusted him in the past, in I Samuel 12:1-4.  “And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.  And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.  Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.  And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.”

Samuel then reviewed their history, pointing out that at each major event, it was God who had enabled them to succeed, allowing them to suffer the consequences of their actions when they turned away but forgiving them and blessing when they repented, using various judges including himself to lead them.  He went on to tell them that though they had been wrong in demanding a king, God would continue to bless them if they would obey him, and punish them if they did not, in I Samuel 12:13-15.  “Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.  If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.”

Having a new leader or a different kind of administration did not change their relationship with God or their responsibilities as Samuel reminded them, in I Samuel 12:20-25.  “And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.  Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.  But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.”

Samuel realized it would be sin for him not to pray for the congregation and their new king, or to come between the people and Saul.  For the next twenty years or so, he would continue to advise, while being very careful not to undermine Saul’s leadership, recognizing it was God who had chosen him as king.  Saul consulted Samuel periodically as long as he lived, recognizing He also had been chosen of God. 

Contrary to popular opinion, having a former pastor in the church is a real blessing to the church, if he and the younger pastor allow the Holy spirit to lead them, but if either gets proud and resentful of the other, the church suffers, because the focus is no longer on the Lord.  As I Corinthians 3:3 points out, conflict indicates they are carnal and not walking in the Spirit.

Saul’s Fist Official Action

A short time after Saul became king, the Ammonites attacked Jabesh Gilead, a small city on the east side of Jordan but well inside Israel’s borders. Outnumbered, and unsure of Saul’s response, the people wished to make a treaty with the Ammonites, as we see in I Samuel 11:1-2.  “Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.”

The Ammonite king demanded total surrender, even to the point of allowing them to put out their right eyes as a sign of their submission and acknowledging their inferiority.  The terms were so harsh the men of the city requested time to think it over and see if they could get some help, in I Samuel 11:3.  “And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.’  They sent messengers to Saul in Gibeah to see if he would be willing to help them, in I Samuel 11:4.  “Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.”

New at being a king, Saul had not yet developed the sense of superiority and entitlement many political leaders have and was out herding cattle when the message arrived.  The people who heard the message were upset about what had happened.  When Saul got home and heard what had happened, he immediately took action, in I Samuel 11:5-7a.  “And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.  And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.  And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen…”

The Spirit of the Lord moved Saul to defend Jabesh Gilead.  Unfortunately Saul set out to make victory happen in his own power.  In an effort to motivate the people, he declared that anyone who did not come out to help would have their work animals killed, essentially bankrupting them.  In doing this he went directly against the command of God in Deuteronomy  20:1-8.  “When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.  And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.  And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.  And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.  And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.”

God caused three hundred thirty thousand men to show up voluntarily, according toe I Samuel 11:7b-8.  “And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.  And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.”  Sau’s threat accomplished nothing.  Time after time before, God had given victories with much smaller forces when confronted by much larger ones. 

They sent a message ahead to tell jabesh Gilead not to sign the treaty because help was on its way, in I Samuel 11:9-10.  “And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.  Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.”

Believing that the People of Jabesh Gilead were going to surrender, the Ammonites were caught off guard by Saul’s army, as I Samuel 11:11 tells us.  “And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.”  The Ammonites were completely demoralized by the defeat.  Unfortunately Saul thought the people had come because of his threat, and would use such motivation again.  Far too often, like Saul, we try to motivate people using earthly means instead of simply obeying God and trusting him to give the victory, and if God gives the victory, we assume it was the result of our motivational efforts. 

God’s Calling Does Not Depend On Feelings Or People’s approval

Samuel had told Saul three signs to watch for as proof God wanted him to be Israel’s king.  He was not to just accept Samuel’s statement.  Because it is so easy mislead people about what God has said, Deuteronomy 18:21-22 said that they were to test what the prophet said.  If the sign he gave didn’t happen, he was a false prophet and was to be executed for lying about God.   Throughout the Old Testament, when a prophet told of a specific event occurring, he gave a sign so people could know it was in fact God’s word.  Even famous prophets such as Elijah and Isaiah were expected to provide such signs.  The same principle applies today.  I Corinthians 14:29 commands, “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.”  Check out the messages you hear. 

Saul started toward home, and on the way, the various signs Samuel predicted happened to him, as we see in I Samuel 10:9-13.  “And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.  And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?  And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.”

Before making Saul king, Samuel pointed out that God had delivered them from Egypt and they were responsible to him.  By setting a king to rule over them like other nations, they were rejecting God’s authority and power, but since that was what they demanded, God was going to let them do it as he explains in I Samuel 10:17-19.  “And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh; And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.”

God was going to allow them to have a king, but it was to be the man God specified.  I Samuel 10:20-24 describes how they determined who God had chosen.  “And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.  When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.  Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.  And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.  And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. “

The people were drawn to Saul by his physical size and good looks.  Unfortunately those kind of things do not indicate anything about a person’s qualifications or abilities.  Today, many people are choosing leaders on the basis of their appearance, their gender, their race or their age, rather than on the basis of their qualifications or abilities, with the result that those chosen don’t even understand what is needed.  When God chose him, Saul did not feel qualified to be king and hesitated to take the position.   Unfortunately later in life, he became quite proud of his position and was determined to keep anyone else from taking it.

Samuel took time to instruct the people how things were to be done and the consequences of messing up before sending them home, in I Samuel 10:25.  “Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.”

Saul had definitely been chosen by God, and some of the people followed hi.  At the same time, there were others who were not willing to follow him, as we see in I Samuel 10:26-27.  “And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.  But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.”  Had Saul based his decision on how he felt, or on unanimous approval, he would never have done what God had chosen him to do. 

God Yields To The People’s Demand

Samuel’s sons were taking bribes and payoffs to role in a person’s favor and the poorer people grew resentful.  As often happens, instead of demanding the people causing the problem be replaced, they demanded a complete overhaul of the system.  They were convinced that a strong central government, a king, would prevent corruption.  Samuel tried to tell them it would actually make it the problem worse, but like the people demanding socialism today, they refused to listen, insisting that is what they wanted.  Realizing they would not be convinced until they experienced it themselves, God told Samuel to give them a king, in I Samuel 8:21-22.  “And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.  And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city

When God has not specified what we are to do in a certain situation, we are free to choose what we want, but when we insist on something other than what he specified, we are in sin.”    God may yield to our demands it even though it is not pleasing to him, but we need to understand he will not bless it like he would if we were actually obeying him.  When people speak of being in the permissive will of God, they are actually out of his will, and are taking advantage of his love and patience.

Deuteronomy 17:14-15 stated they were to allow God to decide who their king would be.  “When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.”  Although he had no idea who to choose, Samuel expected God to show him the right man. 

God had chosen an unknown young man by the name of Saul to be the first king.  In order to bring him into contact with Samuel, god caused his father’s donkeys to wander off.  When they find them, they went to Samuel to ask God where they should look.   God had also warned Samuel that Saul was coming, as we see in I Samuel 9:15-20.  “Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.  And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.

And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.  And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

Saul was undoubtedly surprised that Samuel knew about the donkeys, and as a member of one of the least important families in the smallest and weakest tribe, he didn’t expect much attention, as we see in I Samuel 9:21.  “And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?”  He surely wasn’t expecting to be treated as special guest and asked to stay the night. 

The next morning, Samuel revealed what God had chosen Saul to be king.  He also listed three signs that would prove this was God’s will, in I Samuel 10:1-7.  “Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?  When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: And the spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.”

God sometimes uses another person to point us in the direction he wants us to go, but if he does, he will also tell us his plans.  If he does not show us signs that it is what he wants, we can safely assume that the suggestion was not from God.  We should not let respect for that person or emotional feelings push us into something that is not God’s will.  Even the most sincere and spirit led person can make mistakes, so we need to verify it is God’s will before acting on their advice.  Saul was not to act on Samuel’s advice until God had shown it was his plan.  Once it was clear this was God’s plan, Saul was to go Gilgal to take the next step, as I Samuel 10:8 tells us.  “And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.”

Wanting To Be Like Everyone Else

Samuel had been a great leader for Israel, setting an example for serving God from the time he was just a small child, but like everyone else he got old.  Under Levitical law, when the Levites and priests turned fifty they were to move to supervisory positions, allowing younger men to do the day by day physical work, filling in where needed, seeing that things were don properly as Numbers 8:25-26 tells us.  “And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.”

In a similar fashion, when he got old, Samuel appointed his sons to take over the physical work of Judging Israel under his direction.  Prior to this, god had always chosen the judges to deal with a specific situation.  Samuel probably thought he could prevent Israel from turning away again by setting up a permanent group of judges.  Unfortunately, his sons were not as devoted to the Lord as their father, as we see in I Samuel 8:1-3.  “And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.  Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.”

Under Levitical law, a man was not even allowed to serve as an assistant in the Tabernacle until he was twenty five according to Leviticus 8, and could not take a position of authority until he was thirty according to Leviticus 4.  If Samuel followed a similar pattern, it implies that he had served as judge at least twenty or twenty five years after the defeat of the Philistines, and that his sons were in their early thirties.  Many young people who seemed devoted to God while living at home and under their parents authority quickly turn away when they are no longer so closely observed, and once Samuel’s sons were free to act on their own, their behavior changed, allowing financial favors, bribes and payoffs to influence their decisions much the same as lobbyists influence modern politicians.   

Realizing they were not getting justice, the people demanded change, in I Samuel 8:4-5.  “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”   While God had designed their government, and it had served them well for over five hundred years through various invasions and attacks, they felt they needed a more upto date system similar to those of the countries around them, much like Progressives and liberals in America today want to turn away from the Constitution that has served us so well for two hundred forty years, and go with something more modern.  They failed to understand that the system they wanted was not truly new at all, but had been around for thousands of years, and had never been satisfactory.

Like many conservatives today, Samuel realized the danger in such a change.  When he prayed about it, God told him the change was just a continuation of their steady turning away from God and that he should accede to their demands, although he should warn them of the consequences of their decision, in I Samuel 8:6-9.  “But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.  And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 1sa 8:8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.  Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.”

It had never been God’s intention for Israel to have a king, but for every person to be directly accountable to God.  Recognizing that sinful man would rebel against answering to God and demand a human king, God gave guidelines for choosing a king when that time came, In Deuteronomy 17:14-20.  “ De 17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.  And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.”

When they chose a king, he was to be just one of themselves, not some special royal family.  He was not to use his position to enrich himself or gain power and respect by accumulating great wealth or a large harem of women, or military alliances and building up a massive military force.  He was to go out of his way to be sure he followed the same laws and rules the common people followed. 

Samuel warned that rulers tend to feel that their position gives them special rights, in I Samuel 8:10-18.  “And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.  And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.  And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.  And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.  He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.  And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.”

Like progressives and Liberals today, the people refused to listen to the warnings about what would happen, in I Samuel 8:19-20, demanding to be just like the other countries.  “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”

It is insane to think you can do the same thing others have done and have it turn out differently, because the same principles are still in effect.  God’s people have the opportunity to be different.

Faith Results In Victory

Samson had shown little concern for the things of God, and his attitude permeated Jewish society, with idolatry, crime and immorality increasing greatly.  While Eli served the Lord, his sons aggravated the problems, ripping off the sacrifices and taking sexual advantage of the women who offered sacrifices so that people began to see the Jewish religion as just a way of taking advantage of people.  God became less important to them than the objects used in worship, such as the priest’s ephod or the Ark of the Covenant.   God had allowed the Ark to be captured by the Philistines, probably to drive home the point that the Ark was only symbolic and had no power of its own.   In the process, the Philistines learned that God was far more powerful than the gods they served, and returned the Ark. 

Samuel had been a small child when the Ark was taken.  Later, he began to hold regular worship services in Bethel, Mizpeh, and Gilgal, while making his home at Ramah.   After twenty years of attacks and domination by the Philistines, the Israelites wanted peace.   Samuel told them that God would give them peac if they would turn to him completely, in I Samuel 7:3.  “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.”

The people heeded Samuel’s advice, and gathered at Mizpeh to make a firm commitment to serve God as I Samuel 7:4-6 describes.  “Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.  And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.  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.”

When people turn to the Lord, Satan often attacks, playing on their fears and past failures to discourage them.  The Philistines had terrorized Israel for twenty years, and they wanted to prevent any cooperative effort by the Israelites, so they attacked in an attempt to distract the people, in I Samuel 7:7.  “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.”

The Israelites were terrified of the Philistines, but there was no way to avoid dealing with them.  They prayed for protection, then went out to face the attack, in I Samuel 7:8-11.  “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.  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.  And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.  And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.”

Israel could have avoided the conflict by scattering to their homes, but instead they chose to trust god and face the problems.  When they did, God intervened and gave them the victory, driving the Philistine army completely out to Israelite territory.  Had they yielded to their fear and avoided the situation, they would not have seen God’s power and would have remained under Philistine oppression. 

Samuel set up a memorial to remind the people what God had done, in I Samuel 7:12.  “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.”  Each time they saw that monument and called it Ebemezer (the rock of help), they would be reminded God gives the victory.  As a result of this victory, I Samuel 7:13-14 tells us the Philistines would not invade Israel again while Samuel served a judge.  “So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.  And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.”  Israel even reclaimed the land the Philistines had seized. 

We do not know how many years Samuel judged Israel before Saul became king, but I Samuel 7:15 tells us, “And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.”   The Philistines would not attack Israel again until several years after Saul became king.  He continued to hold regular meetings throughout his life as described in I Samuel 7:16-17.  “And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.  And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.”  All this time, the Ark remained in Kirjathjearim, while the Tabernacle was in Shiloh, limiting their practice of the Jewish religion.   

A Lack Of Faith Leads to Disobedience

It was totally unnatural for the milk cows to leave their calves behind and stay on the road to a place they had never been, yet that is exactly what the two pulling the cart with the Ark had done.   When the Israelites saw the Ark, they were thrilled, as we see in I Samuel 6:13-15.  “And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.  And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, 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.  And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.”

Some of the local Levites placed the Ark on large flat rock.  They broke up the cart and killed the two cows as a sacrifice thanking God for the return of the Ark.  Having seen all this, the Philistine leaders were convinced That the plague had come from God and they had made the right choice in returning it and sending a trespass offering for each of the Philistine cities with it, as I Samuel 6:16-18 describes.  “And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.  And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;  And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.”

The celebration in Bethshemesh was short lived, however.  Although God had caused the to milk cows to bring the Ark to them without a driver, and the Philistines had sent a significant amount of Gold with it, the Israelites were afraid God had not protected it and the Philistines might have removed something from it, so they opened it up to see what was inside. 

God had designated the Kohath Levites to carry the various items used in worship in the tabernacle, but they were never to touch anything other than the poles for carrying them, as we see in Numbers 4:15.  “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.”  In fact, they were not even to be present until the various items were wrapped in their protective covers and could not be seen, according to Numbers 4:19-20.  “But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.”

Not trusting God to take care of his own things, the people of Bethshemesh ignored the warning and looked inside.  It had horrible consequences, as I Samuel 6:19 tells us.  “And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, 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.”   Romans 14:23 warns, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” and sin nearly always leads to more sin. 

Terrified by the results of their disobedience, they sent the Ark to Kirjathjearim, in I Samuel 6:20-7:2.   “And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?  And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.   And the men of Kirjathjearim 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.  And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.”

It would be twenty years before Samuel was old enough to officially take the leadership and fully restore their worship of God.  The priests and the Tabernacle were still at Shiloh, but without the Ark and the Mercy seat, they could not offer the atonement or certain other sacrifices.  Since they had not moved the Tabernacle in about five hundred years, they were no longer sure how it was to be transported, and were afraid of breaking the rules.  The Ark would remain in Kirjathjearim until after David became king, almost a hundred years after it was returned. 

Test Before Committing

In the seven months the Philistines had the Ark, the plague had killed thousands.  The Philistine leaders could no longer ignore the crisis.  They decided to send the Ark back to Israel, in hopes that would resolve the problem.  They asked their Shamans how to do it properly, as we see in I Samuel 6:2.  “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.

Wanting to impress people with what they are doing, political leaders often take major actions without taking the time to make sure their actions will produce the desired results.  The Shamans warned them that if their taking the Ark was the cause of the plague, they would need to send a trespass offering with the Ark, as an apology and repayment for having taken it, in I Samuel 6:3-5.  “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.

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.  Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.”

The Shamans recognized there was a connection between an infestation of mice and the bubos or swollen lymph nodes of those who got sick.  Bubonic plague is carried by rodents, and is passed to humans by fleas who have bitten infected mice, resulting in extreme fever and swollen lymph nodes, often overwhelming the body’s natural defenses.  They could only hope that by acknowledging God had caused their problems and offering gold would satisfy God. 

If the problem was truly from God, delay would only make things worse, but if it was just a result of a natural invasion of mice, they would be losing their trespass offering as well as the value and psychological advantage having the Ark gave.  The Shamans suggested a way to check out whether it was a natural occurance or something caused by God, in I 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?  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:  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.  And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, 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.”

Left to themselves, cows naturally wander from one clump of grass to another aimlessly.  Having never been worked as a team, they would constantly be struggling to go their own way rather than working together, and being mothers, they would be especially concerned about protecting their calves.  If the cows followed their natural instincts it would be safe to assume that the timing of the plague was just a coincidence and keep the Ark, but if they violated all their natural instincts it would indicate there was a supernatural cause and they should let it go.   

When they followed the Shamans’ advice, it quickly became clear they had been right to assume the plague was the result of their having taken the Ark, as we see in I Samuel 6:10-12.  “And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: 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.  And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, 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 Bethshemesh.”

Just to make sure, the Philistine leaders followed the cows all the way to the border at Bethshemesh.  The cows never wandered or hesitated, sticking to the road and ignoring both the food along the way and the cries of their calves.  It was conclusive proof God was directing the cows, and that the plague had been caused by God.   

It is always wise to test ones ideas before committing fully to a course of action.    Entrepreneur Mark Morgan Ford recommends a strategy he calls Ready, Fire, Aim, in which you develop your idea, then try it on a small scale to see what happens.  Based on the results of that first test, you then adjust your plan and try again, only committing fully when it is clear the plan will work.  Using such a strategy one can develop a successful program without spending excessive amounts of resources on unworkable ideas.  Unfortunately, because they are using their follower’s money rather than their own, many leaders do not take the trouble to test their ideas before committing, costing their constituents dearly.   The Philistines were doing the same thing Gideon did with his fleece. 

The Philistines Recognize God’s Power

The Ark was designed to focus people’s attention on God.  Because Israel had begun to worship the Ark itself, when the Philistines captured it, they thought God would no longer act on their behalf, as Phineas’ wife stated in I Samuel 4:22.  “And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.”  Sometimes God has to take away a pastor or some revered teacher or musician, or a building to make people think about what they are worshipping.  How the people react to such things reveals a lot about where their focus is. 

God’s power is not dependent on some person or religious artifact.  The Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant, thinking they had gotten Israel’s God.  They thought adding him to their other gods would give them extra power.  Things didn’t go quite the way they expected, as we see in I Samuel 5:1-7.  “And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.  When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.  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. 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.  Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

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.  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.”

The first night, the idol of Dagon was bowed down before the Ark.  The people set it back up, assuming something had happened to knock it over.  The second night, the idol was bowed down, but its head and hands were cut off, so the statue could not be repaired.  It was obvious Dagon was not the equal of God, and the Philistines quit worshipping him.  In addition, the people of the city began to develop swollen nodes in their bodies called bubos in Greek.  Such swollen nodes are a major symptom of Bubonic Plague, and it is not clear why the word was translated emrods or hemorrhoids, other than the fact that the entire population was not wiped out like it was in many of the European villages that were infected with plague.    

Fearing the plasgue would kill them all, the Philistines at Ashdod Asked that the Ark be taken somewhere else.  Unwilling to believe the Ark was the cause of the plague, the Philistine rulers had it taken to Gath instead, in I Samuel 5:8-10a.  “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. And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.  Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron.

Knowing what had happened at Ashdod and Gath, the people in Ekron felt like their lives were at risk and demanded it be sent back where it belonged, in I Samuel 5:10b-6:1.  “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.  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.  And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.  And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.”

The plague spread and thousands died as a result, and those who survived lived with the painful swollen nodes.  After seven months, the Philistines were desperate to get rid of the Ark in hopes of stopping the plague.  They were definitely aware that God was more powerful than any of their gods, and as we will see in the next few verses, they realized the power was not in the Ark itself, but was from God, and he was still working, even though the Ark was not in Israel.   

Superstition Instead Of Faith

As The high priest, Eli was responsible for seeing that the priests followed God’s law, and removing any who would not.  He knew that his sons were not following the commandments and warned them, but refused to put them out of office even after being warned by God twice.  As a result, the people were losing their respect for God’s commands.  While Samson had broken the Philistines power over forty years before, they had recovered and were again invading Israel in an attempt to take over, as we see in I Samuel 4:1-2.  “…Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.   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.”

The only times Israel had lost so many troops was in civil conflicts, when Jephthah fought the Ephramites and in the fight against Dan.  They were shocked to loose so many to the Philistines in a single day.  They decided they needed God’s blessing, as I Samuel 4:3-4 tells us.  “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 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.”

The lid of the Ark of the Covenant was called the Mercy seat and represented God’s throne in heaven.  God had promised to speak to the people from the Mercy seat.  Anyone who touched the Ark would die.  The people came to believe there was special power in the Ark, and concluded that if they took it into battle, it would protect them.  They were sure they would win with it among them as we see in I Samuel 4:5.  “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.”

The Philistines were equally superstitious, and were terror stricken by the thought the jews had brought God to fight them.  Their fear cause them to fight even harder as we see in I Samuel 4:6-11.  “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.  And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.  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.  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.

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.  And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.”

Today, a lot of people fall for similar superstitions, believing that wearing a crucifix or a St. Christopher medal will keep them safe, or that having an open Bible by their bed will keep demons away while they sleep.  While the Ark contained God’s written word, as given to Moses on the two tables of stone, and the mercy seat represented God’s throne, The Ark itself had no power.  In crediting it with power, the people had begun to treat it as an idol, disobeying God.  God allowed it to be taken away so that they would not worship it anymore.  We are to worship God, not the religious symbols or things which direct our attention to him.  When we begin to focus on a preacher, a religious organization, or even the Bible itself, rather than on God, we make those things an idol.  God does not honor idolatry.  Even the Holy Spirit does not focus attention on himself, as John 16:13-14 tells us.  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”

Warned Again

Hannah had prayed for a son, and when Samuel was born, she dedicated him to the Lord, and brought him to Eli to teach him.  Unlike Eli’s sons, Samuel wanted to serve God, as I Samuel 3:1 tells us.  “And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.” 

Before he gave the law, God regularly spoke to his people in visions wherever they were.   Some of those visions to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and even Moses are described.  After the law was complete and the Tabernacle was finished, there was no longer such a need for open visions to give special messages as they had his complete word.  Exodus 25:21-22 tells us that once the tabernacle was complete, god would speak to the High priests from the mercy seat.  “And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”  Because they were rare, these messages from God were precious to the people

We find a similar situation with prophecy in the New Testament.  Before the scriptures were completed, the gift of prophecy was crucial, but I Corinthians 13:9-10 tells us, “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”  Once the scriptures were completed, the gift of prophecy was no longer needed, and special revelations from God became rare.  Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for using those gifts to promote themselves rather than for building up the people, in I Corinthians 14:26-33, Giving guidelines as to how they were to be used properly.  “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.  If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.  But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.  If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.  For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

Everything done in the church is to be done for the purpose of strengthening the Christians, not for attracting attention to oneself.  As a result tongues must be interpreted so everyone could benefit.  There should be no more than one person speaking in tongues at a time, and no more than three during a service. 

Prophecy simply means telling people what God has said,  and does not always refer to predicting some future event.  Today, that is called preaching, and Paul said they all could preach, but it still had to be done one at a time, with no competition or self-seeking involved.  While one preached, the others were to be checking out what he was saying to make sure it was scriptural.  If the Holy Spirit was empowering the preacher, he would be able to control himself, both physically and doctrinally to prevent causing distractions, because God does not cause confusion.  Paul finished up by saying that if a man is really Spirit led or familiar with God’s word, he will recognize these are God’s rules, in I Corinthians 14:37-38.  “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.  But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.”  If he doesn’t recognize these rules as coming from God we are to recognize he is ignorant about the things of God. 

God had warned Eli about what was going to happen, yet Eli had taken no actionss to stop his sons.  Although Samuel was just a small boy, God appeared to him with another warning to Eli, in I Samuel 3:11-18.  “And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.  In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.  For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.  And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.   And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.

Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son.

And he answered, Here am I.

And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.  And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.”

Eli recognized this was God’s word, yet he still made no effort to stop his sons, apparently believing there was no hope.  Centuries later, when Ahab was warned about what God was going to do to his family, he repented and God postponed judgment, in I Kings 21:27-29.  “And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.  And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.”

Had Eli acted on God’s warnings, his sons might have repented or Eli’s life might have been spared, but because he took no action things would go exactly as prophesied, leaving Israel without a judge for twenty years until Samuel grew up.  If God gives a warning, it would be wise to act on it rather than assuming it is too late.

Putting Others Ahead Of God

Samson had set a very poor example before the nation of Israel, though he was called of God.  After his death, they went even further from the Lord, even to the point of homosexuality and murder.  Even the priests of God were affected by the lack of respect for God, as we see in I Samuel 2:12-17.  “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.  And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh, unto all the Israelites that came thither.  Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.  And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.  Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.”

Though they had grown up in the high priest’s home and knew and practiced all the Jewish rituals, and were actively engaged in ministry, Eli’s sons did not know the Lord and were serving Satan, whether they realized it or not.  God had specified that the offerings were to be treated in a certain manner and ther specific parts of each sacrifice were to be given to the priests.  Not content with what God had provided, the priest had changed the way things were done,  taking the part they wanted before offering the sacrifice, and threatening anyone who didn’t go along with them.  People began to feel like Judaism was just about enriching the priesthood rather than pleasing God, and felt they were being taken advantage of.  Sadly, we see much the same attitude developing in many churches today, with more stress being placed on fundraising programs and expanding the ministry than on loving and obeying God.   

Eli was troubled by the changes his sons were making and especially their using their positions as priests to get women to have sex with them.  He warned them that they were going against God, in I Samuel 2:22-25, and causing people to sin, but they paid no attention.  “Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.  And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.  Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress.  If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.” 

Samuel grew up under Eli’s teaching as well, but followed God, according to I Samuel 2:26.  “And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.”  Eli’s sons had chosen not to believe in God, even though they had the same teaching.   

As high priest, Eli was responsible for seeing that God’s principles were followed.  While Eli had warned his sons about what they were doing, he had not stopped them.  God sent a prophet to warn him of the consequences of not taking his responsibility, in I Samuel 2:27-36.  “And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?  And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?  Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.  And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.  And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.  And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.  And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.”

By allowing his sons to change God’s commands and continue in the ministry while doing things that clearly disqualified them, Eli clearly indicated he cared more about his sons than he did about God.  While God honors and blesses those who respect him, those who do not will suffer the consequences.  Eli’s family would be permanently removed from the priesthood and replaced by priests who would put God first, because Eli had not. 

Focus On Discipline, Not On Punishment

Israel had just sought to punish Benjamin for their sin.  In the process they killed all but about six hundred men who fled to the rock Rimmon.  When it was all over, they realized what they had done, in Judges 21:2-3.  “And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?   While the sin could not be ignored, they had gone too far, and carried too far, punishment becomes abusive and does more harm than good. 

In his teaching on church discipline, in Matthew 18:14-17, Jesus was very clear, the goal is to correct, not to punish.  “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.”  Punishing them by putting them out of the church was only to be used if they refused to correct the problem.

In I Corinthians 5, Paul addressed such a situation with a man involved in an incestuous relationship who refused to change even though both Christians and unsaved considered his behavior wrong.  In such a case, Paul said they needed to act, putting the man out of the church.   The punishment resulted in the man changing his behavior, and in II Corinthians 2:6-8, Paul told them to forgive him and receive him back because the purpose had been accomplished.  “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.”  A failure to forgive might well do more harm, driving that person, or others completely away from the Lord.    We are to forgive others just as God has forgiven us.

Upset about the sin and Benjamin’s refusal to deal with it, the Israelites had basically disowned Benjamin, refusing to allow them to marry women from the other tribes as if they were no longer Israelites, according to Judges 21:1.  “Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.”   Suddenly, the people realized that if the survivors of Benjamin were not allowed to marry and reproduce, the tribe would disappear completely in a few years.  They started to look for a way to undo the harm they had done in their anger, and they didn’t dare break their vow, according to Judges 21:4-7.  “And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.  And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.  And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.  How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?’

Somebody remembered the rest of their vow to God that they would kill any group that didn’t support in enforcing God’s law.  They started asking who hadn’t helped, in Judges 21:8-9.  “And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.  For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.”

By executing the people of Jabesh Gilead and giving their daughters to Benjamin they could partly resolve the problem and fulfill their vow at the same time, so that is what they did, in Judges 21:10-15.  “And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.  And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.

And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.  And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.  And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.  And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.”

There were not enough girls in Jabesh Gilead, so the leaders told the other Benjamites to kidnap girls at the feast in Shiloh, reasoning that since the parents were not asked, they couldn’t be charged with violating the vow.  When parents complained, the leaders convinced them to let it go and things got back to normal, in Judges 21:24-25.  “And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”   People continued to be responsible for their own actions.

Improperly done discipline can do as mush harm as the sin that prompted it, and may be harder to correct.