1 Samuel 4-8
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! Don’t forget, the greatest thing about St. Patrick has nothing to do with wearin’ green or eating corned beef and cabbage. It has everything to do with St. Patrick’s witness for Jesus. God called him to go back to Ireland and witness the gospel to the very people who had kidnapped and enslaved him as a child! So, go ahead and wear green, but do it in honor of St. Patrick’s incredible witness!
The day and time we read about in 1 Samuel for today was anything but happy.
In their war with the Philistines, Eli’s wicked sons think they can haul out the Ark of the Covenant, like some sort of good luck charm, to help them win. Instead, Eli’s two sons are killed (just as the prophet had said), the ark of God is captured, and when Eli receives the news, he falls over backward and dies. So great is the day’s sadness that one of the boys’ widows names their newborn Ichabod.
The only other Ichabod I’ve ever heard of is Ichabod Crane. Ichabod is not the sort of name we use for our children very often, and for good reason. It means, “The glory has departed!” The glory of God’s presence in the Ark of the Covenant had departed from Israel.
So, the Philistines have the ark, but it’s not a happy time for them, either; their idols fall over in its presence, and their people are afflicted with boils. They can’t get rid of the thing soon enough. The Philistines place it on a cart drawn by oxen; load it with extra golden images; and send it back to Israel.
After Eli’s death, Samuel becomes the last of the judges of Israel. Though he judges long and well, when Samuel is old, the thankless people of Israel demand a king. Though Samuel carefully explains all the hard things that kings will do, they insist.
Tomorrow, we will see what sort of king they get.
Pastor Gary
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