The Rise of the King #3: Ark and Glory

September 24, 2023         Rev. Thomas M. Cox

• OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK

1. PURPOSE: To point God’s people to the One True King!

1. KEY PEOPLE: Samuel, Saul, and David
2. TIMEFRAME: c. 1100-1000 BC

1. SUMMARY: Sometimes it's easier to define something by pointing out what it’s not– The message of Samuel is NOT simply that David was brave and respectful so God’s people should do likewise. Instead, the vivid stories of 1 Samuel (such as the defeat of Goliath) are intended to demonstrate how the Lord raised up David to be the anointed king of Israel in such a way that it appeals to the need for the ultimate Davidic King, Jesus the Christ.
   

2) TODAY’S PASSAGES- 1 Samuel 4:1, 11, 17-18; 5:1-5, 11-12; & 7:3-12

ICHABOD JONES & THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

➢ The A__ of God was captured and it seemed that the G____ had gone from Israel. (s. 4:19-22)

➢ The Lord is no Scrooge: From Ichabod to E______________ (7:12)

➢ The Philistines gave the ark back. The Lord fights His O____ battles and subdues His enemies. 

3) TAKEAWAYS:

1. Know the purpose of the Book of 1 Samuel in God’s redemptive plan. Read Chapters 8-10.
2. Note the use of I________ and H________ in the Bible.
3. Interpret Scripture with Scripture- see Deuteronomy 27 & Joshua 4
4. Make Modern Day Applications: I confess my sin of ___________ and will serve the Lord only.

1 SAMUEL 4:1, 10-11, 17-18; 5:1-4, 11-12; & 7:3-12 (ESV)

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel…

10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died… 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years. 5 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him… 11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven… 

7 3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah 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 people of Israel at Mizpah. 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”