Ascribe God His Glory

INTRO

I love 1 Samuel 3—4. How awesome is it to hear the voice of God calling you by name? We’re seeing the process of God’s anointing on special individuals, first on Samuel, then Saul and David. All of this points to the ultimate Anointed One, Jesus Christ. This becomes our phrase for the book of 1 Samuel, Anointed One. In 1 Samuel 1, we saw Hannah’s prayer being fulfilled with the birth of Samuel. In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah prayed prophetically and Samuel was placed in the tabernacle to serve the Lord. In 1 Samuel 3, Samuel learned to hear God’s voice. In 1 Samuel 4, the Israelites went to war against the Philistines, they lost the ark of the covenant, and God’s judgment on Eli was fulfilled. The chapter ends with the birth of Ichabod, whose name means “The glory has departed from Israel.” In chapter 5, the Philistines move the captured ark from city to city—from Ebenezer to Ashdod to Gath to Ekron. In each city, the people felt God’s hand heavy against them. They cried out, asking that the ark be sent away from them. The chapter ends with this description: “The men who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven” (v. 12).

TEACHING

1 Samuel 6:1–6: After seven months, the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners to find out how they could take the ark of the covenant back to Israel (vv. 1–2). Nelson’s Commentaryexplains that “diviners claimed to be able to predict the future and determine the will of their gods by observing such omens as the flight pattern of birds or the liver of a sacrificed animal.”¹The priests and diviners told them not to take the ark back without sending a restitution, trespass, or guilt offering with it if they wanted to be healed (v. 3). The Philistines asked what kind of offering they should give for restitution (v. 4a; Leviticus 5:14–19). The priests responded that they should make five gold tumors and five gold mice to represent the plagues they had suffered for each of the Philistine rulers (vv. 4b–5). When we begin to see other nations and other religions cry out to the Lord, we know that is a precursor to the end. Scripture states that what the Philistines did will actually happen in the end times (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:9–11; Revelation 5:13;). Nelson’s Commentary states the Philistines recognized the power of God to bring that affliction upon them.2 The priests reminded the Philistines what happened to the Egyptians when Pharaoh hardened his heart against Israel’s God, the afflictions only got worse (v. 6).

1 Samuel 6:7–12: The Philistines were given further instructions, to build a new cart and get two milk cows that had never been yoked (v. 7). The calves were taken away from their mothers and put in a pen. They were then to pack the cart, hitch the cows, and send it off toward Israel (v. 8). If the cows went toward Israel (Beth-shemesh), it was the Lord of Israel who had caused their affliction. But if the cows went a different way, then the affliction came just by chance (v. 9). Beth-shemesh was a Levitical city with pasturelands (Joshua 21:16), so the priests there would be able to take care of the ark. The Philistines did what they were told, and the cows went straight to Beth-shemesh without straying to the right or the left (vv. 10–12).

How many people studying this passage are so thick-headed that you know exactly what God is asking you to do, but you are too stubborn to give in and do it? Maybe you’ve refused to humble yourself and acknowledge that God is calling you to do something. If we’re not careful, we can be in the camp of the Philistines, refusing to listen to God and do what He wants us to do. But when we come before God in humility, even after seven months, He can forgive the situation and set up the next one (Psalm 139:9-10).

The cows were “lowing” as they went, crying for the calves they left behind. This is a picture of the tension that all who are called into ministry must face, as they try to balance their call to serve God and their love for their families.

1 Samuel 6:13–18: The people of Beth-shemesh were in the fields harvesting their wheat crop when they saw the ark approach. They were overjoyed to see the presence of God (v. 13). The cart stopped near a large rock. The people of Beth- shemesh chopped up the cart for wood and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord (v. 14). The Levites removed the ark and the gold offerings and placed them on a large rock while the men continued to make burnt offerings (v. 15). After the Philistine rulers saw what happened, they returned to Ekron (v. 16). Verses 17–18 summarize what happened.

2Nelson’s Commentary, p. 354

1 Samuel 6:19–21: However, God struck down the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark (v. 19a). This is possibly because they showed no respect for the ark or because they were gloating that the ark had been returned. God demands respect, reverence, and awe. God struck down 70 men of the 50,000 who were there (v. 19b). God’s message was to not repeat the mistakes from the past—do not take the presence of God lightly. The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand in the presence of this holy Lord God? Who should the ark go to from here” (v. 20)? Then, they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath-jearim, telling them to come get the ark (v. 21). Kiriath-jearim was located ten miles from Jerusalem,3 and the ark remained there until King David moved it into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1–9).

CLOSING

All of us must ascribe to continually give God the glory He deserves. First Chronicles 16:28–30 says, “Ascribe to the LORD, families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.”

3Nelson’s Commentary, p. 354