Archive for June, 2008

Notes: June 28, 2008 - 1 Samuel 6 & 7

Bob Feather June 28th, 2008

Meditation Points:

  • When in doubt, ask for advice. Who better to turn to than to priests and diviners (1 Samuel 6:2). Of course, you ought to consult the priests and diviners of the true God - or better yet, consult God Himself.
  • Votive offerings-those gifts to deity which symbolize our thanksgiving. Ancient Greeks are known to have formed images of body parts that were recently restored to health, and they offered these. The museum in Corinth has various examples of thanksgiving images, including even “private parts”. Alas, the Greeks were not the first to think this way, for the Philistines offered the Lord five golden “emerods”, one for each of the great Philistine cities.
  • And mice (5). Was there an infestation of mice, or even plague-carrying mice, too?
  • Can unbelievers give glory to God (5)? For sure, Israel had not done so, and the glory had departed from them (1 Samuel 4:21-22).
  • And a box of jewels for a trespass offering (8). Oh, how they had trespassed. Do you think one box of jewels would be enough? Nothing less than the sacrifice of a sinless Christ can atone for sin.
  • Like Gideon’s fleece, the cow-drawn cart with the ark of the covenant was set before the Lord to do with as He pleased. And God pleased to lead the cows to Bethshemesh (12). Do cows have free will? Did God destroy their free will; or was it just an accident that they walked to Israel?
  • Although the men of Bethshemesh rejoiced to see the ark arrive, and they respectfully called for Levites to remove the ark of the covenant from the cart, and reverently cut up the cart and offered the two cows as a burnt offering to the Lord, they rebelliously opened the ark of the covenant to see what lay inside. For this, the Lord smote many of them (1 Samuel 6:13-15,19).
  • Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? Do you have the answer?
  • Men from Kirjathjearim retrieved the ark from Bethshemesh; and the ark remained in Kirjathjearim for 20 years. The house of Israel lamented. Why? Samuel suggested that if they were really repentant, then they would rid their houses of false gods and false religious practices (1 Samuel 7:3-5). Then he could and would and did pray for them. Sound advice for today.
  • On the occasion of Israel’s public repentance, the Philistines mounted an attack (7:7). Be aware that when you get serious about your sin, and begin confessing it to God and asking His forgiveness, the enemy of your soul will mount new attacks.
  • Also know, that he who perseveres in prayer will prevail at these times (1 Samuel 7:8). As God confused the Philistines that day, so also in our defense will God make the devil run away.
  • Samuel was a circuit-riding prophet (16-17).

 

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1 Samuel 6:2
2And 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.
1 Samuel 4:21-22
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
1 Samuel 6:13-15,19
13And 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.
14And 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.
15And 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.
19And 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.
1 Samuel 7:3-5
3And 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.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 7:8
8And 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.

Notes: June 27, 2008 - 1 Samuel 4 & 5

Bob Feather June 27th, 2008

Meditation Points:

  • The superstitious parading of religious art was not invented by early Christian heretics (1 Samuel 4:3). Nor did it stop with them.
  • At first the Philistines, too, believed some great power was inherent in the gold-covered box; but (at least) they discovered that without God, even members of the right group can do nothing (John 15:5).
  • Ichabod-no glory. Yes, the glorious ark of the covenant had been captured by the Philistines; and the glorious protector husband (and his father) had died. But the God of Glory had long since departed and left Israel to its own devices. Like Samson (Judges 16:20), the nation shook itself, but didn’t know that God was nowhere around.
  • The Philistines started their own superstitious custom of not stepping on the threshold of Dagon’s temple (1 Samuel 5:4-5).
  • If emerods are “hemorrhoids” or another painful, bloody disease, we can understand why the men of Ashdod were quick to move the ark (1 Samuel 5:7) and why the men of Gath wanted to be rid of it, too (1 Samuel 5:10); and why the men of Ekron demanded that it be taken away from their city (1 Samuel 5:11). One might think it was a container of nuclear waste.
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1 Samuel 6:2
2And 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.
1 Samuel 4:21-22
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
1 Samuel 6:13-15,19
13And 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.
14And 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.
15And 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.
19And 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.
1 Samuel 7:3-5
3And 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.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 7:8
8And 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.
1 Samuel 4:3
3And 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.
John 15:5
5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Judges 16:20
20And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
1 Samuel 5:4-5
4And 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.
5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
1 Samuel 5:7
7And 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.
1 Samuel 5:10
10Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
1 Samuel 5:11
11So 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.

Audio: June 26 - Ruth 1-4 & 1 Samuel 1-3

Bob Feather June 26th, 2008

Thursday evening Bible study.

1 Samuel 6:2
2And 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.
1 Samuel 4:21-22
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
1 Samuel 6:13-15,19
13And 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.
14And 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.
15And 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.
19And 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.
1 Samuel 7:3-5
3And 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.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 7:8
8And 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.
1 Samuel 4:3
3And 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.
John 15:5
5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Judges 16:20
20And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
1 Samuel 5:4-5
4And 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.
5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
1 Samuel 5:7
7And 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.
1 Samuel 5:10
10Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
1 Samuel 5:11
11So 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.

Notes: June 26, 2008 - I Samuel 2 & 3

Bob Feather June 26th, 2008

Samuel’s situation (Chapter 2)

  • Hannah’s Thanksgiving Hymn (1-10)
  • Eli’s fathering failure (11-26)
  • Prophecy of a permanent Priest (27-36)

Samuel’s call (Chapter 3)

  • The voice of God misunderstood 3 times (1-10)
  • Following Eli’s advice, Samuel listens to the Lord; following the Lord’s command, Samuel talks to Eli (11-18)
  • The LORD continued to speak with Samuel, and all the people knew it (19-21)
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1 Samuel 6:2
2And 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.
1 Samuel 4:21-22
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
1 Samuel 6:13-15,19
13And 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.
14And 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.
15And 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.
19And 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.
1 Samuel 7:3-5
3And 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.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 7:8
8And 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.
1 Samuel 4:3
3And 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.
John 15:5
5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Judges 16:20
20And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
1 Samuel 5:4-5
4And 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.
5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
1 Samuel 5:7
7And 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.
1 Samuel 5:10
10Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
1 Samuel 5:11
11So 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.

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