1. What does it mean “the word of Samuel came to all Israel”?
The word of Samuel came to all Israel. The text of 1:1–3:21 climaxes with the establishment of Samuel as God’s spokesman/representative. Observe that “the word of the Lord” (3:21) has become equivalent to “the word of Samuel.” In the land of Israel God had raised up a prophet who would now represent and speak for Him.
2. Who were the Philistines?
Philistines. From the period of the judges through the end of David’s reign, the Philistines (“Sea Peoples”) (immigrants) were an ever-present enemy of Israel. They were non-Semitic immigrants (see Ge 10:14; 1Ch 1:12; Jer 47:4, 5; Am 9:7) who settled along the coastal regions of southern Canaan, organizing their power in five chief cities: Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza (1Sa 6:17; Jdg 3:13). It is unknown exactly where they came from in the Mediterranean, probably came from the Island of Crete. They were already living in the land of Cannan when Abraham came there.
The Philistines appear to have been deeply superstitious: they carried their idols with them on their campaigns , 2Sa_5:21, and proclaimed their victories in their presence. 1Sa_31:9. The gods whom they chiefly worshipped were Dagon,the God of the Sea who appeared like a fish. and Ashtaroth, the Moon godess,the queen of heaven, and Baalzebub, or Ba’al. Remember Elijah killed the 400 priest of Ba’al on mon=unt Carmel. The Philistines carried the images of their gods with them directly into battle.
The army consisted of archers (I Sam 31:3), cavalrymen and charioteers (I Sam 13:5), and was divided into hundreds and thousands (I Sam 29:2). In battle the whole army would hold the front line and small units would be sent forward to attack. Another method, alien to the Hebrews was the use of a champion, such as Goliath.
They went into battle clad in a "bronze helmets" and a "coats of mail",
Aphek. (means strength) A town about 12 miles northeast of the coastal city of Joppa.
3. Why was Israel fighting the Philistines?
It is unclear who was the aggressor in this battle. Most wars are preceded by a period of escalating tension. Before the Japanese attacked us at Pearl Harbor there was a long period of Japanese expansion in China and Southeast Asia. We just didn’t think they would be bold enough to attack and in fact their peace delegation was in Washington at the time the bombs began falling. Since before the time of Sampson the Philistines had dominated the nation of Israel. Eli had been the judge of Israel for 40 years since the death of Sampson. It was a period of military and spiritual weakness for the Hebrews. The location of this battle is at the border of Philistine territory and the nation of Israel. Some feel that the Philistines were on the move in an effort to expand their territory into what was then Israel. Some feel that Israel was the aggressor in an attempt to throw off the yoke of the Philistine oppression. Some believe that the rising influence of the young prophet Samuel had alarmed the jealous fears of the Philistines. They had kept the Israelites in some degree of subjection ever since the death of Samson and were determined to prevent the possibility of under the leadership, of Samuel, reasserting their national independence.When the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.3 When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies."
4. Why had the Lord allowed them to be defeated?
Presumption…….I see no record of Israel consulting with Samuel or even Eli before going to war. The Israelites were rash and inconsiderate in rushing to the field without obtaining the sanction of Samuel as to the war, or having consulted him as to the subsequent measures they took.
Israel went out against the Philistines to battle without God’s approval.
Judges 21: 25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:5-9
Many times we think God is with us when in reality we are on our own. We are not walking with God and we have not consulted Him and we are living on out past successes which happened when we were being obedient. We are surprised when we “Crash and burn” and it’s because we have turned our back on god and then we expect Him to rescue us when we get into trouble.
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts who sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5. Why bring the Ark up to the battle?
They incorrectly believed that the Lord’s presence with the ark was guaranteed, rather than being subject to his free decision. They reflect the pagan notion that the deity is identified with the symbol of his presence, and that God’s favor could automatically be gained by manipulating the symbol.
They believed God was in the box. The Philistines dragged their “fish god” Dagan with them into battle, maybe it would work for us. They looked at the ark of God as though it was some kind of magic charm. The failed to recognize that because of their sin, God had long sense left them. God is not our lucky rabbits foot in the sky.
I hear on the radio, “come out tonight to our healing service at xyz church” “see God heal the blind and the lame and the sick, drug addicts etc. “ How stupid and arrogant. It’s idolatry to try to use God like a magic wand. You need to get the sin out of your life first before presume to think that God will do anything for you.
There were times when God ordered them to take the ark and use it for their victory. Crossing the Jordan….
Joshua 6:6 Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD."7 And he said to the people, "Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the LORD” ………Jericho fell.
Joshua 7 Joshua attacks Ai….should be a piece of cake…they got their butts kicked… what happened….?
"There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you… Then it shall be that he who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.' "…And Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I have done:21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it."
They took Achan, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor.25 And Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day." So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
6. How was the Ark to be treated?
And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the Mercy Seat.
Holy of Holies….High priest ………..Very specific instructions concerning how the ark of God was to be handled. It was not to be touched by human hands. Large rings with poles carried by the priests. It must be covered when moved.
So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; …….6. And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.7 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. 2 Sam. 6
As the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded.6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the noise 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 The Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.8 Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.9 Take courage and be men, O Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you; therefore, be men and fight."
7. Why were the Philistines afraid of the Ark of the Covenant?
Even though the Exodus was 500 years before, the stories were still in the memories of the people of the region. They had all heard of the God who communicated with the Hebrews between the cherubim above the Ark. Who lead the nation as cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night and who enabled the Hebrews to crush all opposition as they entered the promised land. To them the Ark was an idol.
Lev. 26:8 Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.
So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
8. Why didn’t God protect the two sons of the high priest?
1 Sam 2:33-35 And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age.34 Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them.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.
Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and dust on his head.13 When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road eagerly watching, because his heart was trembling for the ark of God. So the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out.
9. Why would Eli’s heart tremble for the ark of God?
This was unthinkable. It meant that the symbol which represented God was now in the hands of uncircumcised heathens who were viewed as less than dogs. For us it would be much like Osama Ben Laden the leader of Al Qaeda sitting in the oval office, with his feet up on the president’s desk smoking a cigar, or Hugo Chavez taking the Statue of liberty back to Caracas Venezuela.
14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, "What does the noise of this commotion mean?" Then the man came hurriedly and told Eli.15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were set so that he could not see.16 The man said to Eli, "I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today." And he said, "How did things go, my son?"17 Then the one who brought the news replied, "Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken."18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years.
10. Why would Eli fall off his seat after hearing about the Ark but not the death of his sons?
He knew it was just a question of time before God brought judgment on him and his two sons. The loss of the Ark was totally unexpected and too much for Eli to bear.
Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas's wife, was pregnant and about to give birth; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her.20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, "Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer or pay attention.21 And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.22 She said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken."
11. How would you like to be named Ichabod?
ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes
JFB…………..Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
VWS……………..Vincent Word Studies
MSBN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes
CMM………….Commentary on Matthew and Mark
NIVSN…..NIV Study Notes
BDB………….. Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)
JVM ….J Vernon McGee,
Darby………..John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT
ACC …. Adam Clarke’s Commentary
Johnson………Johnson's Notes on the New Testament.
BN …..Barnes Notes
NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary: Matthew and Mark.
CN …… Constables Notes
IC……….Ironside Commentary
NET………Net Bible Study Notes.
JFB…………..Jamieson Fausset Brown Commenta
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