1 Samuel 4-7; Psalm 67
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Within these chapters there are two times the Israelites and
Philistines go up against one another.
The first time in chapter 4 Israel is being defeated, so they decide to
bring the Ark of the Covenant into their camp hoping that would change their
fate. The problem was they didn’t
believe in the presence and power of God who the ark was a symbol for. They were not living according to the
commandments of God within the ark.
It was just a religious symbol they hoped would save them; to them it
did not represent a relationship with God as He had intended it to. And they were defeated. Israel lost 30,000 foot soldiers.
Then in chapter 7 Samuel leads the people to return to the Lord
wholeheartedly, to get rid of their foreign gods, and commit to serve the Lord
alone. They fasted and confessed
their sins against the Lord. They
meant it. So when Samuel cried out
to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, God answered him. God gave Israel the victory and then peace in the land.
Once again, it is all about the heart…about relationship. God wanted their whole hearts. He would not allow them to use Him as a
means to get what they wanted.
When they truly trusted Him, then He provided.
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