Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20011209.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part VII: Looking For God's Blessing In Permitting Tragic Leadership Decline
(1 Samuel 3:11-12; 4:1-21; 7:3-4)
  1. Introduction
    1. At times, we Christians may witness a very unsettling spiritual leadership failure in our nation or a local church or Christian movement that leaves us wondering about God's purposes for His people.
    2. 1 Samuel 4:1-21 is a sad chapter in Israel's history, a chapter on the fall of the whole house of Eli, the High Priest along with the capture of the ark of God by the Philistines.
    3. However, in view of God's purposes, this event was necessary for spiritual renewal under newer, godly leadership, and it shows us the need to trust GOD'S purposes even during tragic leadership failure:
  2. Looking For God's Blessing In Permitting Tragic Leadership Decline, 1 Sam. 3:11-12; 4:1-21; 7:3-4.
    1. 1 Samuel 4:1-21 as viewed by itself is an unsettling chapter of the tragic decline of erring leaders:
      1. Israel went to war with the Philistines with initial military failure due to the nation's sin and the sin of its spiritual leaders in Eli's house, 1 Samuel 4:1-2 with 1 Samuel 3:11-12.
      2. Thinking they would do better if the ark of God were brought out to the battlefield, Israel's warriors sent messengers to the tabernacle site in Shiloh to obtain the ark as a morale booster, 1 Samuel 4:3-4.
      3. At first, the ark's presence inspired the soldiers to bold warfare against the Philistines, 1 Sam. 4:5-8.
      4. However, the Philistines mustered themselves to meet this motivational challenge, and proceeded to route the Hebrews, capture the ark and kill Eli's two sinful sons who were with the ark, 4:4b, 9-11.
      5. When Eli received word of the death of his sons, Phinehas and Hophni along with the capture of the ark, he fell over backward in shock, broke his neck and died, 1 Samuel 4:12-18.
      6. Finally, Phinehas' wife who was close to delivering a child, heard of this sad news, and went into labor only to die upon delivering her baby, 1 Samuel 4:19-20.
      7. As she was dying, she named her infant son, Ichabod, meaning literally, "No glory!" (cf. Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, ftn. to 1 Samuel 4:21). The death of Eli and her husband, Phinehas and brother-in-law, Hophni with the capture of God's ark meant the absence of God's glorious presence in Israel.
    2. However, this very SAD chapter FITS the PLAN of GOD for fostering a spiritual renewal in Israel:
      1. God had previously told Samuel He was about to set in motion the destruction of Eli and his sons for the massive wickedness the sons performed, and for Eli's failure to restrain them, 1 Sam. 3:11-14.
      2. Also, God had previously established SAMUEL as God's prophet-leader in the sight of the entire nation: as the men of the nation would have known of Samuel's character in their many trips to the temple site where Samuel ministered, he was thus set up to be their spiritual leader, 1 Sam. 3:19, 20-21
      3. Indeed, the Word of God was already coming to the whole NATION before the tragic fall of Eli's household and the capture of God's ark, 1 Samuel 4:1a,b.
      4. Thus, just FOLLOWING the fall of Eli's household and the ark's capture, SAMUEL was set to call the whole nation to USE this tragedy EFFECTIVELY as a call to REPENT, 1 Samuel 7:3-4.
        1. Samuel felt free as Israel's recognized prophet-leader to urge the nation to abandon its idols and serve God wholeheartedly in order to gain divine deliverance from the Philistines, 1 Samuel 7:3.
        2. The people had already accepted Samuel's leadership, making his call weighty for them, 1 Sam. 7:4
        3. The fall of Eli's household and the ark's capture made Samuel's call additionally moving to the spiritually destitute nation so that they heeded Samuel's call, 1 Samuel 7:4.
Lesson: Though the fall of spiritually errant leadership in 1 Samuel 4 was an overwhelmingly SAD chapter in Israel's history, GOD actually USED this event to EQUIP spiritually effective leadership in SAMUEL to lead the nation, Israel to REPENT and obtain God's BLESSING!

Application: (1) God often USES events WE may view on the surface ONLY as TRAGIC when it comes to sad leadership failure as a MEANS of creating a strong "wake-up" call for His PEOPLE! In the process, HE can begin to show BLESSING that otherwise might NEVER arise for His own! (2) Likewise, we should LOOK for God's OPPORTUNITY for BLESSING when considering even the SAD DECLINE of an established leadership or format, etc. among God's people! (cf. Matthew 16:18)