Was Dagon Trying To Make A Run For It?

# 73 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. 4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso was left of it. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. (1 Sam 5:2-5) Again, you gotta love this story! The first time they find Dagon on it's face before the presence of the God of Israel. They don't make the connection. The second night they find Dagon with its head and hands chopped off. All that was left was the torso and most of that was the bottom part of a fish. Dagon was rendered absolutely powerless by the one true living God. They find his pieces strewn on the threshold of the temple. (Was Dagon trying to make a run for it? Was this a picture that God was painting for us of the spiritual truth that devils flee before Him?) Well the Philistines still don't get it and decide to make the threshold of their temple holy ground from this day forth because their smashed clay pot of a god had touched it. Why is this information included in Scripture for us? It is God warning us again to not chase after other gods. This “stepping over thresholds” in temples is still a practice found in idolatrous practicing cultures even today. God has a stern warning for those who engage in idol worship. Zep 1:9a says, “In the same day I will punish All those who leap over the threshold,” As the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul in 1Co 10:14 says, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” Seek the power of the Holy Spirit to keep God and God alone on the throne of your heart.

The Lesson of Dagon

# 72 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 5:1 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. ( 1 Sa 5:1-3) Don't you just love this story! God allows the ark of the covenant to be captured by the Philistines because the Israelites had given themselves up to idolatry. The Philistines set the ark next to the image of their chief deity. Dagon. Dagon is half man and half fish, and this ark of the covenant was to be a reminder of the supremacy of their god. Ha! The next morning they go out to the temple and lo and behold, Dagon is in the dirt and on its face before the ark of the covenant. And the people react in much the same way you and I would react, “oops Dagon fall down,” So they set it back up again, perhaps making sure it was perfectly level and secure so it wouldn't happen again. They didn't make the connection that the God of Israel is the one true God! The fall of Dagon reminds me of what is said in Isa 19:1b, “The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. Dagon, tottered and fell before the presence of God, and this will be the case for all who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. Php 2:10 says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,” Bow now and live, to wait until judgment day is too late. And don't be lulled into a false sense of security. You don't know how much time you have left on this earth. Repent now, today, while you still have time. You don't get a second chance Heb 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

What A Woman

# 71 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:19-22, “Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, "Do not fear, for you have borne a son." But she did not answer, nor did she regard it. 21 Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured." (1 Sam 4:19-22) I wish Phineas' wife had a name. What a woman! Oh the pain and scandal she endured being married to that sleeping around scoundrel Phineas. But she hung in there honoring her vows. When the news of the capture of the ark of the covenant, and the death of her father-in-law and her husband hit her she went into early labor. The well meaning women who were attending her sought to comfort her through her labor, but they missed the real source of her travail. She wasn't listening to what they were saying except to hear that she had given birth to a son, whom she promptly named Ichabod which means the glory has departed. Her dying words were a lament over the spiritual state of the land brought on in part buy the actions of her father-in-law and her husband. This was her travail. And it proved her faith in the Lord. The glory of God mattered to this woman to her dying breath. I wonder how such an attitude would affect us today. How would we live if the glory of God mattered to us in all things? 1Co 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Reaping What We Sow

# 70 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:18b “ And he had judged Israel forty years. Eli had served as priest and judge for Israel in the city of Shiloh for 40 years. But now, the glory days of Shiloh have ended. God wants us to learn the lessons of Shiloh and tells us in Jer 7:12 "But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. This wickedness and subsequent judgment of God is detailed for us in the 78th Psalm beginning at v58. The people had provoked God by chasing after other idols. And so He “forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,” “delivering His strength into captivity.” (Allowed the Philistines to capture the ark.) But there was more as we read in v 62-64, “ He also gave His people over to the sword, And was furious with His inheritance. 63 The fire consumed their young men, And their maidens were not given in marriage. 64 Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows made no lamentation.” War became the lot of the Israelites. Their young men struck down in the prime of their youth. Maidens not given to marriage because of the shortage of men. Priests, (specifically Hophni and Phineas killed by the sword) and widows burned out in lamenting. Every time I read this Psalm, I think of what's going on in America today. We have a different kind of war that is consuming our young men and leaving our maidens single. It's a different kind of fire that is consuming our young people. It's called sexual lust and shows up in the sin of fornication. A recent survey reported that of first births from 2006-2010, 46% were to unmarried women. That's a lot of single maidens. Could it be that God is judging us again? Could it be that He is stepping back and simply allowing us to reap what we sow? Repent! Return to God and seek to serve Him and Him alone.

Learn From Shiloh

# 69a – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:18 “ Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. Sometimes we forget that even though we are in the Book of Samuel, Israel was still being ruled as they were in the period of the judges. Eli was the last judge of Israel before the era of the kings began. Israel, didn't exactly go out in a blaze of glory. In fact the glory had departed with the capture of the ark by the Philistines. The city of Shiloh, which had been the center of worship would no longer have such prominence. It would be a city utterly forsaken by God that would serve as a forever reminder to God's people of what happens when we forsake Him through idolatry. Jer 7:12 "But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. It's important to remember that it wasn't just the wicked priests , (Eli and his sons) who brought this on the people. They brought it on themselves and God speaks of it in great detail in the 78th Psalm beginning at v58: “For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images. 59 When God heard this, He was furious, And greatly abhorred Israel, 60 So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men, 61 And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the enemy's hand.” There is more from this Psalm concerning Shiloh, but we don't have time to get into it today. For today, let us ponder that it was God's grace that established the prominence of Shiloh. It is His grace that has established the prominence of the United States of America. But God will not put up with a people who refuse to stop chasing other gods. Let us learn from Shiloh. Let us return to the Lord our God and serve Him alone.

A Glimpse of God's Holiness

# 69 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:16-18 “Then the man said to Eli, "I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line." And he said, "What happened, my son?" 17 So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured." 18 Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. The news of the battle now comes to Eli. Note what happens as he hears each successive report.....nothing until the ark of the covenant is mentioned. Israel defeated. No reaction. A great slaughter of the people. No reaction. His sons were killed. No reaction. But when the news of the ark of God being captured reached his ears, he fell off of his seat backwards, broke his neck, and died. I believe Eli was knocked over because God gave him a final glimpse of His holiness, which was embodied in the ark of the covenant. I say that because we read that it happened (Eli fell over) when the messenger “made mention of the ark of the covenant.” The effect of the mere mention of the ark of the covenant on Eli underscoring that the holiness of God is not to be trampled on as he and his sons had done. Grace and mercy are not to be abused I am reminded of the arresting party in the Garden of Gethsemane. They too were allowed a brief glimpse of the holiness of God. They were seeking Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus replied, “I am He.” “Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground. (Jn 18:6) “I am” being the Old Testament name for God, and the mere mention of His name floors the arresting party. God will reveal Himself in all His holiness on the Last Day, don't trample on His mercy and grace, don't profane His name. For only those who have put on Christ in faith and remained in Him will be able to stand.

Eli's Weight Problem

# 67 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:16-18 “Then the man said to Eli, "I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line." And he said, "What happened, my son?" 17 So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured." 18 Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. Eli, sitting by the gate of Shiloh. The old and heavy priest anxiously waiting on word from the battle. Why did the Holy Spirit feel it was necessary to include Eli's weight problem here? Perhaps it was by way of explaining one of the physical reasons for his broken neck, or maybe it was a final reminder to us about the sin of covetousness which caused he and his sons to skim off the offering designated for God. It was covetousness that led them to profane the offering of God, and covetousness will lead us to profane (make common) the cross (the offering) of Christ. Here was a priest and judge of Israel who got fat off of his God-given office. In one sense he and his sons were like the scribes Jesus described in Lu 20:47, “who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation." This mention of the body mass of Eli at his death should cause us all to consider where the path of covetousness leads. Php 3:18,19 says, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame--who set their mind on earthly things. Beloved, let us set our minds ”on things above, not on things on the earth. 9Col 3:2)

Guard Your Heart

# 66 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:12 Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 13 Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on 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 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, "What does the sound of this tumult mean?" And the man came quickly and told Eli. 15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see. ( 1 Sam 4:12-15) Eli and the people of Shiloh waiting for news of the battle and the first news they get is a man running to them with torn clothes and dirt on his head. This does not look good. The man passes by Eli and Eli being 98 years old and blind does not see the condition of the man, but when the messenger tells the news to the city a mighty sorrowful cry rises up to the ears of Eli. This does not sound good. Then the man came quickly to Eli to tell him the news. It's obvious that Eli had been waiting anxiously for the news from the front. His heart was “trembling for the ark of God.” And rightly so. He, being the high priest was responsible for it and had allowed it to be taken in an unauthorized manner into the battle, carried by the two most irresponsible people in all of Israel. Friends, remember the new ark of the covenant, the new dwelling place of God is in the heart of the baptized believer. Guard your heart! Do not lend it to the philosophies of this world. Do not let it be carried off by the irresponsible desires of your flesh. It is your responsibility to watch over it. When we get careless with our heart and flirt with sin we invite fear and trembling into our lives. This is not the way God desires for us to live. 2Ti 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Fear is removed when we learn to take our sins to the cross, receive His forgiveness, and purpose to walk in newness of life, in the power of the Spirit.

Beware of Settling for Religious Routine

# 65 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. ( 1 Sam 4:11) God exposes the false security of the Israelites by allowing Himself to be captured by the enemy. The glory has departed! This is the lot of dead orthodoxy. But what do I mean by dead orthodoxy? I mean any and all religious expression that becomes rote. It's the age old trap of getting very comfortable with religious routine and ritual. So comfortable that you begin to think that it's all you need to do. Dead orthodoxy is not restricted to what we call liturgical churches. Every church has their own liturgy. Every church settles into a routine of worship, and this routine always poses the danger of becoming a substitute for true worship of God. We would do well to learn from the early church in this regard. It was their custom to meet on the first day of the week, which they referred to as “the Lord's Day,” commemorating the day of His resurrection. This worship service had two main elements. The preaching of the Word and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Ac 20:7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. Midnight!!!!! Talk about a hunger for anointed preaching! Prayers, praise, and thanksgiving were also very likely a part of the service. It was a great time for strengthening mutual faith. But the true test of faith always took place during the rest of the week. I like the way the Lutheran biblical commentator Paul Kretzmann put it in commenting on this passage from Samuel. He said, “many have the name of Christ in their mouths but are far from accepting Him as their personal Savior. God wants true repentance, faith, fear of His Word. A dead orthodoxy without piety of the heart avails nothing.” Beware of settling for religious routine!

Who Are YOU

# 64 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:8-10, "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 "Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!" 10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. (1 Sam 4:8-10) The Philistines represent, or are a type of the devil and his demons. This whole scenario is a great picture of spiritual warfare and is applicable to our spiritual life today.. The Israelites entered the battle with the ark of the covenant, the dwelling place of God with them. Problem is, though their ideas about God were vague. They really didn't know the God they claimed to serve as made evident by their idolatry, and the thievery, and blatant sexual sin committed by Hophni and Phineas in the name of the Lord! Sound familiar? Friend, don't expect any kind of spiritual victory if all you have is a vague idea of who God really is. A foggy idea of how holy He is as evident by your own disregard for His Word. I am reminded of an incident in the Book of Acts involving the seven sons of Sceva: Ac 19:13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. The question of the evil spirit ought to ring in our ears, “Who are you? Because the answer to that question determines where you will spend eternity. Find out what it means to “put on Christ,” because it is your only hope.

The Reality of Spiritual Warfare

# 63 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:8-10, "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 "Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!" 10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. (1 Sam 4:8-10) The ark of the covenant has arrived in the camp of the Israelites. The Philistines have heard of what God had done with the mighty Egyptians, yet they do not run! They decide to fight, and to the amazement of all, they win! How can this be! Remember, the Philistines represent the devil, his demons, the world, and our flesh. With this in mind we can see the reality of spiritual battles that you and I face. They are intense! The Philistines (the devil and his demons) rev up for battle with words like, “Be strong and fight!” And they do! Learn from this. The devil does not give up easily! And if Jesus were not in us, fighting for us, we would not have a chance! Think about it. Even when Jesus was casting out demons, there were signs of struggle with the convulsions and audible sounds of those being delivered. But even though there were struggles, Jesus never lost a battle. He never lost because HE was perfectly yielded to the Father. Our own victories in spiritual warfare are directly related to the degree of our own yieldedness to the Lord. He must fight for us, because our own flesh is no match for the evil one. Eph 6:11,12 reminds us to “ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. These Israelites were not totally surrendered....they lost. How about you?

God Enters the Arena

# 62 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:5-8 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. 7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp!" And they said, "Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. 8 "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. (1 Sam 4:5-8) Imagine being in a football stadium when the star athlete of the team has been missing from the team and suddenly makes his appearance out of the tunnel. You know the sound. You've heard the sound! The stadium absolutely erupts. Now with the star athlete here, the home team will win! I imagine the army of Israel was thinking along those same lines. “The pastors are here and they brought the ark! Victory is ours! Meanwhile the Philistines, in the visiting locker room here the roar of the crowd and dread comes over them. They have heard of the reputation of the Israelites star player. They had heard of what He did to lead the Israelites to victory over the the powerful Egyptians. But the cheering Israelites forgot something. God is not Someone who performs for us at the snap of our fingers. He is God! He has performance clauses in His contract with the team if you will. In this particular instance, the star player (God) would not go to battle for the Israelites because they had been worshiping other star athletes. (Other gods) Samuel would set the people straight on this matter in 1 Sam 7:3, when he told the Israelites to “return to the Lord with all their heart and put away their foreign gods and serve God alone. Then and only then would the Lord deliver them “out of the hand of the Philistines.” By all means, cheer for God, but be sure He alone is on the throne of your heart.

Don't Allow Hophni and Phineas To Tag Along

# 60 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:4b, “And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.” Kind of a chilling addition to the story isn't it? It seems the Holy Spirit wants us to make special note of the fact that the wicked sons of Eli, (Hophni and Phineas) were tagging along with the ark. If we read ahead, we know that Hophni and Phineas would meet their end in this battle and that even with the ark of the covenant leading the Israelites into battle, they still lose big time. They lose because they allow Hophni and Phineas to tag along. You just can't allow sin to tag along and expect to be victorious. Last time we talked about the New Testament ark of the covenant being in the heart of those who received Christ. The very presence of God, in the form of the Holy Spirit dwelling with you! But if you want to release the full power of the Spirit in your life, then you must deal with Hophni and Phineas, you must deal with your sin. Listen to what the Spirit says in 1 Cor 6:19,20, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.” Glorify God be seeking to live a holy life! Again, listen to the Spirit, “Do you not know that fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals,sodomites, thieves,covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners will not inherit the kingdom of God? (1 Cor 6:9,10) Those who do not deal with their sins will be dealt with just as sternly as Hophni and Phineas were! But there is hope! 1 Cor 6:11 says, “But such were some of you!” We don't have to drag Hophni and Phineas into battle with us. We can confess our sins to God and receive His forgiveness through the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Indeed, we must if we are to taste of the ultimate victory.

The Dwelling Place of God

# 60 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. The ark of the covenant was one of those items that God gave meticulous instructions for the building of, and care of, to Moses. It was a focal point of His presence among His people. This is what God had to say about it in Ex 25:22 "And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. In Nu 7:89 we read of a time when God indeed spoke to Moses from between the cherubim. “Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.” In 2 Sam 6:2, Ps 80:1, and Ps 99:1, God is referred to as the one who “dwells between the cherubim.” This was indeed the very presence of God in the Old Testament Church. It's not that He was restricted to that locale, for God is omnipresent, but His presence between the cherubim was so real that He spoke to Moses. So real that His holiness had to be cautiously observed, or a price would be paid. Since the Day of Pentecost in the New Testament, God has chosen to dwell in the hearts of all who receive Christ in the form of the Holy Spirit. That's why believers are referred to as “the temple of God.” (2 Cor 6:16) Would that we would revere this truth and learn to meet with Him regularly and listen to His voice. Would that we would learn to regard His holiness. For what agreement has the temple of God with idols? (2 Cor 6:16)

When Defeat Comes

# 59 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:3 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies." (1 Sam 4:3) 'Why has the Lord defeated us today?” Or we might say something today like, “Why did the Lord allow this to happen in my life? It's a common question when things aren't going right. More often than not, it is couched in the language of a complaint against God. But more often than not, we would do well to start out by examining our own lives. Are we living in ways that invite defeat? Look what was taking place in the church of Samuel's day. Eli and his sons had made a mockery of the offerings given to God. Hophni and Phineas were engaged in blatant, public sexual sin, and the people were chasing after other gods. Yet they ask, “Why is God allowing us to be defeated?” But instead of looking at their sin which was placing a barrier between them and God, they looked to a mechanical, ritualistic answer. After all isn't this what Moses did? In Nu 10:35 we read, “So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said: "Rise up, O LORD! Let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee before You." We are so like them aren't we? When things don't go right, and we think about the Lord, our first response is something like, “maybe if I went to church more, or maybe if I gave more, or maybe if I prayed more.” We look at our rituals rather than examining our relationship. Listen, when defeat comes, seek to mend your relationship with the Lord. He will get you through the hard times, and lead you to ultimate victory.

Prepare Properly For Battle

# 58 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:1-3a, “And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2 Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. 3 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? " (1 Sam 4:1-3a) Enter the Philistines. The arch enemies of the people of God. A very real nation, with very real people, who fight very real battles with the people of God just as they are recorded in Scripture. These accounts of the Philistines and their battles are used by God to portray for all time the battle between God's people and the world, the devil, and our flesh. They serve as an ensample for Christians even today. The Holy Spirit reminds us in 1Co 10:1,12 “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Let us therefore learn from these battles with the Philistines because the end of the age has come. The return of Christ is imminent, it could happen at any moment, therefore let us not get caught unawares. Let us not get caught without an active living relationship with God. The Israelites were confident as they went off to battle the Philistines because they had a true prophet in their midst. Surely God was with His people again! That's like thinking because you have a new dynamic Spirit-filled pastor in your church, your battles are over. I got news for you....they likely are just beginning. The Philistines aren't happy about it and they will seek to stir up the pot. Prepare yourself for battle. You do this through personal and corporate repentance, thereby re-establishing your relationship with God and opening yourself up to the work of the Holy Spirit in your own life, and in the midst of the congregation.

God Bares All

# 57 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:19 So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. 21 Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. ( 1 Sam 3:19-21) This whole chapter has dealt with the call of God on Samuel to be a prophet. The test of a prophet is first of all that the Lord is with him. The proof of the Lord's presence in a prophet's life is found in the words of the prophet. Do the words spoken by the prophet come to pass? Then He is a spokesperson for God. Jer 28:9b says, "when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent." We can infer from this latter part of 1 Sam 3, that all the declarations and pronouncements that came from Samuel, came to pass. This resulted in establishing him firmly in the hearts and minds of the Israelites “from Dan to Beersheeba” as a true prophet of God. Samuel remained at Shiloh and the Lord continued to reveal Himself to Samuel by His Word. Interesting word, “revealed.” In the Hebrew it means “denude” God bared Himself before Samuel. How did He do this? Through His Word. Sometimes we get caught up in the trap of thinking that God has to give us something spectacular in order to have a fuller revelation of who He is. While God is certainly capable of doing that, beware, lest we allow the spectacular to overrule His Word. In 2 Peter 1:17-21, Peter relates the spectacular glorification of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. As spectacular as that was, he goes on to say in v19 that , “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,” He was talking about the Holy Scriptures. It is in His Word that God bares all we need to know about Him, words that we all would do well to heed.

Where's the Good In This Judgment?

# 56 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:18 Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him." (1 Sam 3:18) This is an impressive statement from Eli. God had just announced a horrific judgment against his posterity because Eli had not restrained his sons from their wickedness, and note his reaction. No whining. No complaining. No attempt to strike a deal with God. Just this simple statement, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” In one sense, this statement serves as his confession for his sin. It is an acknowledgment of his wrongdoing, and an agreement that God has every right to exact this punishment. Furthermore, Eli acknowledges that there is goodness in God's action of judgment. There is goodness in justice. What possible good can come out of a situation where sins are not atoned for? How about the reminder to all who read this portion of Scripture, that there is such a thing as eternal damnation! God is love, and He does not desire to send anyone to hell. 2Pe 3:9 says that He is”longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.' But this incident with Eli reminds us that God is also just, and those who reject His Son will spend eternity in hell with Eli's sons and others who have rejected God's grace. People are sent to hell because their sins still cling to them, and sin cannot remain in the presence of God. And the only reason they cling to them is because they have rejected Jesus. He is the only way to avoid the lot of Eli's sons. Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me Come to Jesus. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior. It is your only hope!

God Trumping Sam's Fears

# 55 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son!" And he answered, "Here I am." 17 And he said, "What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you." (1 Sam 3:16,17) God had appeared to Daniel in the night and told him the judgment that would come upon the house of Eli. Eli, knew something was up between God and Samuel, because Samuel had woken Eli up twice during the night mistaking Eli's voice for the Lord's. So Eli, quite naturally asks Samuel what God had spoken to him. You and I would do the same thing. What's interesting is that Eli senses that he was the subject of the conversation, AND that the conversation had something to do with judgment against Eli and his family. How did he pick up on that? Maybe he sensed the fear in Samuel that we read about in v15. Maybe he knew it was time for he and his sons to be taken to the woodshed for their willful sins. Ultimately though, I believe that it was God who caused Eli to pursue the matter. And it wasn't for Eli's sake, but rather for Samuel's sake. It was God forcing Samuel to deal with his fear. I have a note in one of my study Bibles by this verse that reads, “God trumping Sam's fears.” I have no idea when I made that note, but I know why I made it. I made it because in spite of Samuel's fears, God forced the issue. Samuel probably would've been content to go about his temple business and not bring the matter up, but Eli forces his hand with his questions and his oath. Sometimes we are paralyzed by fear. Take heart from this passage. If the matter is important to God, He will keep putting us in a place where we have to face our fears, and with a ready heart and His help they can be overcome.

It's Not Easy Telling Someone They Are Going To Hell

# 54 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:15 So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. (1 Sam 3:15) God has spoken to Samuel. He did not give him any specific instructions, He just told Samuel what He was going to do to Eli and his sons by way of judgment because of the vile behavior of his sons and his failure to restrain them. It's not easy to tell someone they are going to hell is it? How much more difficult for the boy Samuel to tell his mentor. Samuel's personal fear puts us in good company when we tremble at the thought of telling someone about the realities of God's judgment. “But,” we may say. “God hasn't appeared to me in a vision like Samuel with details of judgment” No need my friend, God has left us with His Word, and like it or not it has much to say about the realities of hell, and those who are in danger of punching their ticket to this final destination, where the “worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” (Mr 9:44) Most are not called to stand on a street corner and preach about the possibility of damnation, but it certainly is a message that needs to be relayed from the pulpits of our land, and when the opportunity presents itself, we, like Samuel, must be prepared to announce what God's Word says about the matter. We, the church, have a responsibility to warn of the realities of God's judgment, listen to these words from Ezekiel: Eze 3:18 "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. Tell of God's judgment, and tell of His way of escape!

The Great transgression

# 53 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:12-14 "In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 "For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 "And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever." I want to spend another day on this portion of Scripture because the consequences of presumptuous sinning are so serious. Eli's “presumptuous sin” was that he knew what his sons were doing but he did not seek to restrain them. Please note what God said in v13, “the iniquity which he knows.” Eli knew what to do, but he refused to do it. We are so much like Eli. We know what the word of God says. We know how God wants us to live, and so often we do it our way instead. Jas 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Presumptuous sinning is playing with fire, for it is God that grants genuine repentance, and if He chooses to withhold it, we can find ourselves in the same boat with Eli and his sons. Listen to what David pleads for in the King James version of Ps 19:13, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Why would David call presumptuous sinning the “great transgression?” Because he knew that willful sinning can lead to being cut off from God. And so he pleads, “don't let willful sinning call the shots in my life. (Don't let them “have dominion over me.”) Caught in the trap of willful sinning? God is calling you right now to repentance! Pray with David and be spared the judgment that comes with the great transgression!

Inviting A Hardened Heart

# 52 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:12-14 "In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 "For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 "And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever." Chilling! The opportunity for repentance withdrawn completely. Iniquity, (depraved actions or sin) that God would not accept atonement for, forever clinging to Eli, his sons, and even future generations! Yes, God is a merciful God, but mercy comes by His prerogative, not by our demand. Listen to Rom 9:16,18 “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.” God willed hardened hearts for Eli and his posterity. Yes, you can push God too far. We live in a time where people seem to think they can live as they please, then simply confess their sins, tell God they are sorry, receive His forgiveness, and move on. But this passage in Romans serves as a reminder that repentance is not a matter of our will, it is something that God produces in our hearts. It is called godly sorrow over our sin. It is this Holy Spirit produced godly sorrow that leads to repentance and forgiveness. When David was confronted by Nathan with his sins of murder and adultery, God granted David the gift of repentance. Listen to the verbal exchange in 2Sa 12:13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Genuine repentance is a gift from God and presumptuous sinning is an invitation to a hardened heart. No wonder the psalmist prayed: Ps 19:13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.Inviting A Hardened Heart

Tingling Ears

# 51 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:11“Then the LORD said to Samuel: "Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.” God is about to do something so astounding to Eli and his sons that when people hear of it their ears will tingle. What a strange sensation....tingling ears. What does it mean? The Hebrew word means “tinkle.” It's not a literal tinkling of our ears but rather a resounding. In other words when people hear of it, they cannot help but think about it over and over again. It will be the sort of thing that people will not be able to put out of their mind. This word shows up in two other places in the OT 2 Ki 21:12, and Jer 19:3, and both times it is a reaction to the severe judgment of God involving the Babylonian captivity. It was so improbable and at the same time horrific that people could not put it out of their mind. But alas, how quickly we forget the reasons for God's judgment in the first place. What were the people doing that caused God to judge them so severely? They had turned to idolatry. This idol worship went so far as to involve child sacrifice! We read about it in Jer 19:4 "Because they have forsaken Me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents” Friends, it is my hope that these words from Jeremiah would cause our ears to tingle. I hope and pray we will not be able to get them out of our mind because in America, we have filled the land with the blood of over 50 million innocent unborn children through legalized abortion. How much longer will God withhold judgment on a “place filled with the blood of innocents?”Tingling Ears. What Does It mean? “….filled with the blood of innocents......filled with the blood of innocents. Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle.” Lord have mercy on us and forgive us.

What Is Your Attitude Toward the Speakings of God?

# 50 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears." This is amazing! The Lord came to Samuel and actually stood by him and called his name! The other times, the Lord's voice was apparently more distant to Samuel's ears and therefore he assumed it was Eli calling, but not this time! God was right there with Samuel, calling his name! Why? What changed? The only thing that has changed is Samuel has been given instruction on how to respond when God calls. I wonder how we are doing in instructing our young people in the area of discerning God's voice, and how to respond to it? Do they see our generation listening for God's voice and responding to His Word? How do we do this? First and foremost we must understand that God speaks to us through His Holy Word, the Bible. Heb 1:2 tells us that “in these last days” God has “spoken to us by His Son,” and Jesus said in Joh 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” And in 2 Tim 3:16, we are reminded that ALL Scripture is God-breathed.” That means every time you read or listen to Scripture, God is standing by you and talking to you, just as sure as He stood and talked to Samuel. Your attitude toward the speakings of God is perhaps the greatest way to teach your children how to listen and respond to God in their own lives. Let us heed the words of Eli and teach our children to respond to God's Word with this reply, “Speak Lord for your servant hears.” It is the humbly eager, and ready heart, that God chooses to draw near to. Teach this to your children, but unlike Eli, back it up with your own eagerness to listen, to believe, and to obey. Let your children catch you in acts of faith and obedience!

You Must!

49 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:8,9 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. Then he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Even though Samuel and Eli didn't get it at first, God is persistent in His calling. Are you a believer? Have you ever thanked God and given Him praise for His persistence? He was relentless in His pursuit of you. He keeps calling us until we “get it.” I think of my own conversion experience, and looking back I can see the times in my life that He called, but I, like Samuel and Eli didn't “get it.” I could give a million reasons as to “why” I didn't get it, but I think it's all summed up nicely with Eli's statement, “if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.'" Did you catch that? Eli said “You MUST say, “Speak , Lord, for your servant hears.” Now, it's not that you and I must say these exact same words, but our heart must be in such a “servant” mindset, that we are ready to reply in faith and obedience to what the Lord has to say. We have to be willing to allow Him to be Lord of our lives. Personally, I had come to the end of my own rope. My lordship of my own life wasn't working out very well. I needed a new Lord. I needed THE LORD! By His grace He came to me, assuring me of His forgiveness, and giving me a new start. A start that was marked by a renewed reliance on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide me through His Word as I submitted to His lordship in my life. This start is necessary for all followers of Christ and it begins when we say with Samuel, “Speak Lord, for your servant hears.”

God Wants An Intimate Relationship With You

# 48 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:6 Then the LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.) The Lord speaks Samuel's name again, and again he assumes it is Eli calling. It's a natural assumption since Samuel had not yet encountered God in a personal manner. This God whom Samuel knew of by way of symbols and prescribed worship as he learned the ropes of the priesthood was distant to him. It had never occurred to him that this God desired to have an intimate, personal, relationship with him. Does that sound a little familiar? We bring our children to church for years. They know all about God, but they don't understand the personal relationship part of our faith. Without that vital experience, our children are easy prey for the devil, the world, and their flesh. We wring our hands about the departure of our young people from the church and rightly so, but why are they leaving? I would propose to you that this lack of an understanding of this personal, intimate relationship with God is a major reason. Once you have tasted and grasped the personal forgiveness that comes to you through faith in Jesus, you will find yourself running TO Him instead of away from Him. This relationship by the way, is always initiated by God. He calls, but like Samuel, we must respond. So how do we get this point across to our young people? Number one, we must teach them about God's desire to be intimate with them. We must teach them about the Holy Spirit's role in all this. The Holy Spirit dwells in all who have been baptized and He longs to be involved in every part of our lives. Far too often, He is the forgotten person of the Trinity, yet it is He who fosters our intimacy with God. Our young people need to catch us often being intimate with God. They need to see that our intimacy is real, and finally, since it is God who calls us into intimacy, we need to pray that He will keep calling our children until they hear.

Samuel Ran!

# 47 – # 47 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, "Here I am!" 5 So he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." And he said, "I did not call; lie down again." And he went and lay down. (1 Sam 3:2-5) “And it came to pass,” is one of the phrases the Holy Spirit uses in Scripture to set the stage for an important event. This particular event would serve as a test for the young Samuel. He would be called upon to share some very unpleasant words of judgment from God with Eli. He will pass the test as we shall see. The Holy Spirit gives us a little background information here to help explain Samuel's initial reaction to hearing his name called in the sanctuary in the middle of the night. Eli was growing old. His eyesight was growing dim. It was nighttime in the sanctuary and the only light available was what was called the “lamp of God.” Now, if you've ever taken care of an elderly person, you know they can have all sorts of nocturnal problems. These problems and poor eyesight are not a good combination. Samuel may have had visions of a missed chamber pot to clean up, but it doesn't matter. What matters was his response to hearing his name. He quite naturally assumes that Eli was calling for help. Please note his reaction. It was instantaneous! He says, “Here am I!” Which is another way of saying, I'm on my way and at your service! Then he RUNS to Eli's side. He RUNS! There is a real sense of urgency here. Kinda makes you wish you could've heard the inflection of God's voice when He called Samuel doesn't it? What level of intensity did God use, to cause such a reaction on Samuel's part? Well, it doesn't matter, what matters is Samuel's willing and prompt response.

A Famine of Hearing

# 46 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 3:1 Then the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. (1 Sam 3:1) Even as Samuel served dutifully, we hear the somber word that in those days “the word of the Lord was rare and there was no widespread revelation.” Why? What gives? The revelation of God was available to the priests and the people in the form of the writings of Moses as found in the Pentateuch or what we know as the first five books of the Old Testament. They had the Word of God! God's Word was (like today) perfectly preserved and ever near. Romans 10:8 says, "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart". The nearness of the Word of God is never the issue. The issue is the HEARING of the Word of God. I remember attending church sporadically in my prodigal years and the sermons and liturgy would just bounce off my ears, but when, by God's grace I came back to the faith, those same words quickened my spirit, bringing conviction, peace, and joy! What changed? Only my ability to hear. Ro 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. God's revelation finally broke through my hardened heart, and His Word was no longer “rare” to me. The period of spiritual deafness in my life was brought on by my persistent resistance to His grace. When we choose to resist God's grace and ignore God's Word we invite spiritual deafness, just as the people did in the days of Amos. These people ignored the poor and were caught up in materialism, and spiritual famine followed. Am 8:11 says "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. Sound familiar? Then take heed, stop resisting the Holy Spirit lest it happen to you!

In the End, Who Is Left Begging?

# 45 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 2:35 'Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever. 36 'And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, "Please, put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread."'" The prophet continues to speak God's judgment against Eli and his descendants. The fact that God says He will raise up a “faithful” priest indicates that Eli and his house were NOT faithful. This new priest would be faithful in following the instructions for the offerings and sacrifices as he and his family would “walk before God's anointed forever.” God's anointed is Jesus Christ, and this new priest would carry out his duties in a fashion that would keep pointing to the unblemished Messiah that would one day come and redeem God's people. This prophecy was fulfilled when Solomon became king and removed Abiathar from the priesthood and installed Zadok: (1Ch 29:22) Eli's descendants were left out in the cold and relegated to begging for a morsel of bread. Eli and his sons had abused the office of priest by using it to satisfy their own fleshly lusts, and now their posterity would be left with nothing. Do you understand the implications of this? You and I are priests in the house of God. Re 1:5b,6a says, “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father,” To spend the blessings of this office on ourselves is to be like Eli and his sons or the foolish rich man who passed by the beggar Lazarus who was outside his gate every day. In the end, who was left begging? It's not about satisfying our fleshly lusts. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.