God's glory

We are working our way through the saving history of God with his people Israel.

Last night we explored the terrible calamity of the ark of the covenant falling into the hands of the Philistines (1 Samuel chapter 4).

How can God allow such a holy object to be captured an ungodly people?

Part of the answer is that in the end there are no ‘holy objects’ – only a holy God. He will not share His glory with anyone – even such a historically key thing like the ark which housed the tablets on which God had written the 10 commandments – and Aaron’s budding staff. The ark had become an idol. The Israelites said the it had led them out of Egypt – and it would give them victory. Hardly. God allowed the foolishness to be un-masked. He was willing to have the symbol of his presence go into exile and captivity – because the people of Israel had been persistently abandoning Him.

The key is that the ark was the ‘ark of the covenant’. It was the covenant that was important – not the gold overlaid wooden box. The covenant needs two parties to be a live agreement. God had never let his part down. The Israelites had done so almost continually.

The other part of the answer is that God desired to start afresh. God’s judgment was served on the evil priests of Phineas and Hophni – men actively oppressed, were sexually immoral and despised everything that was holy while greedily feeding themselves from the offerings of the people. Their aging father had half-heartedly tried told them to stop – but did not take any real steps to remove them as he should have. His gradual physical blindness mirrored the spiritual blindness as he become ever more spiritually impotent – and hugely fat.

The glory of God departed. But God’s presence and his plan continued. Samuel – the silent observer to all this was being groomed by God himself – and is about to start his public ministry.

Where are we in this story? Are we like Hopni and Phineas – blatantly using the name of God to justify our own fleshly desires? Are we like Eli – compromised and vacillating – unable to make a stand for what he knows is right? Or are we like Samuel – pure and devoted – regardless of the corruption and immorality around us?

May the Spirit of the Living God help us to be faithful to Him. He has wonderful plans for us – far greater than anything even Samuel was able to do.