Suggested Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 4-8
Devotional Thought:
Title: “God Is Not a Good Luck Charm.”
The events of chapter four were disastrous for Israel. A huge number of men died, but the loss of the Ark of the Covenant was the most devastating part. Arguably, even to the average reader today, this must be a chapter as bleak as Ezekiel 10 when the glory departed from the temple in Jerusalem and the temple, city, and land were lost for 70 years. In each case the root cause was sin in the nation. In both of these cases the responsibility is laid at the door of those in authority… the priests and the elders. It should not be surprising that, at the very time God raises up a man who will become one of Israel’s mightiest prophets, the enemy attacks. In the mind of the Philistines there may have been no connection, but their master, Satan himself, could see the danger posed to him by this godly man that the Philistines could not see. The Philistines were immigrants from Caphtor in Crete according to Amos 9:7. He indicates that the hand of God was involved in their migration from Crete: “Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? And the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?” However, the Philistines had no claim on Israel’s territory. The initial stages of the battle went badly against Israel. The text indicates that 4,000 Israelites fell that day. (vs. 10) Despite the heavy losses, there were no signs of repentance in Israel. Only on their second encounter with the Philistines is the ark involved. When the tide of the battle turned against Israel, the people turned to the elders. The elders’ proposal to go retake the ark was simply to use the ark as a good luck charm. The problem is that the Lord is not to be used as a good luck charm. So many Christians clean their lives up when they want something from the Lord. Some are sure to have their devotions the day they want something from the Lord, but most other days they ignore the Word of God and live independent from its power and wisdom. That “the Lord hath smitten” was an accurate assessment of their plight (vs. 3); it was not that He had not been with them when they were routed; He had been against them and therefore they were routed. We can make the decision to do our own thing, but we must remember that when we do, we are on our own. The Lord God was saying to them what later He would say to Jerusalem not long before it fell to the Babylonians: “Behold I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.” (Ezekiel 5:8) There is no substitute for repentance for the sins that moves God against us in chastisement, but there was no appetite for repentance among the Israelite people. They simply did not see themselves in an honest perspective before God. I cannot help but believe that too many Christians in America have found themselves in this same place.
Personal Prayer Requests:
- Lord, please help me to realize my relationship with you is one of submission to your program, plan, and Person.
- Lord, please help me to elevate being in fellowship with you as the joy and fulfillment of my heart. Please never let me see you as a good luck charm for my selfishness, but rather as the very source of my being and fulfillment in life.
- Lord, thank you for your mercy and grace and for the patience you have with me. Thank you for the Bible that is my source of wisdom and guidance.