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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Friday, 18 July 2025:
1 Samuel 4:1–2 — And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines… and the Philistines drew up in line against Israel… and they defeated Israel, killing about four thousand men on the field of battle.
Although Samuel was now established as a prophet, the people were still operating in spiritual ignorance. They assumed that going into battle meant God would be with them. But they never sought God’s guidance — they simply moved ahead in presumption. Defeat followed. This is a warning to us today: activity for God is not the same as intimacy with God.
1 Samuel 4:3–4 – “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant… that it may come among us and save us….”
Rather than repenting or seeking God’s counsel, the Israelites turn to ritual — they treat the Ark like a lucky charm. The phrase “that it may save us” reveals their misplaced trust. They have reduced the Ark, a symbol of God’s presence, to an idol. Like Samson believing his strength came from his hair rather than his relationship with God, Israel had forgotten the true source of power: a living relationship with the Holy God.
1 Samuel 4:5–10 — As soon as the ark… came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout… the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.”
Both Israel and the Philistines misunderstood. Israel celebrated as if victory was guaranteed — mistaking noise and emotion for spiritual power. The Philistines, though fearful, fought even harder. Religion without righteousness provokes no true fear in the enemy, and in the end, Israel suffers an even greater defeat.
1 Samuel 4:10–11 — So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated… and the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
God allowed His own Ark to be captured—He would not be used as a tool for man’s purposes. This judgment falls exactly as God had warned in 1 Samuel 2–3. Hophni and Phinehas, unrepentant and corrupt priests, die in battle. When God’s presence departs, even religious symbols cannot protect us.
1 Samuel 4:12–18 — As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell… and his neck was broken and he died… for his heart trembled for the ark of God.
Eli is deeply disturbed not just by the loss of his sons but by the Ark being captured. This reflects a reverence for God’s presence, but his earlier passivity had already paved the way for this downfall. His fear came too late. His leadership failed not through disbelief, but through delay in disciplining sin. Spiritual leaders must act decisively when God’s name is being profaned.
1 Samuel 4:19–22 — She named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!”
This tragic name sums up the whole chapter. Yet even here, the real departure happened before the Ark was captured. God’s glory had already left when His people left Him. The loss of external signs only revealed what had already occurred spiritually. The lesson: God’s presence doesn’t rest on symbols but on sanctified hearts.
- Matthew 15:8–9 — “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me…”
- 2 Timothy 3:5 — …having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
- Matthew 24:37-39 — For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- John 14:15 — “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
This moment crystallizes the consequences of covenant disobedience. The ark of God, wrongly treated as a talisman of victory rather than a symbol of God’s holy presence, was captured by the Philistines. Israel presumed that the outward presence of the ark guaranteed God’s favor, but God had not been with them in power because they had not been with Him in obedience.
This was not a new error. As Deuteronomy 28 warns, blessing follows covenant faithfulness, and curses—including military defeat—follow covenant unfaithfulness (Deut. 28:15–25). The elders of Israel, instead of repenting after their initial defeat, tried to manipulate God’s presence by bringing the ark to the battlefield (1 Sam. 4:3). But God is not mocked or controlled. His glory departs from those who dishonor Him.
The grief of Eli and his daughter-in-law shows that the loss of the ark meant more than just military defeat. It was a visible, gut-wrenching sign that God had withdrawn His protective presence from His people. Yet this “departure” does not mean that God was no longer present in creation — He is omnipresent (Ps. 139:7–12). Rather, it meant the removal of His blessing and favor. He had handed Israel over to the consequences of their rebellion.
This same principle applies to the church today. God will never forsake His invisible church — all true believers who trust in Christ. But He may withdraw His blessing from the visible church — the institutional or local body — when it persists in theological error, compromise, and disobedience. Even the faithful remnant in such a body may suffer for a season when the glory departs.
Centuries later, Jeremiah would rebuke a similar false security: “Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord…’” (Jer. 7:4). God’s presence cannot be presumed upon or manipulated. His glory dwells with those who walk in holiness and truth. If we desire His ongoing presence in our homes, churches, and communities, we must remain faithful to His Word and intolerant of error and sin (Ps. 23:4; Rev. 2:5).
Let Ichabod serve as a warning to never treat sacred things as mere symbols or formulas for blessing. God’s glory departs from institutions, families, and nations that reject Him—even if His name remains on their lips.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 18 July 2025: Are you relying on spiritual symbols — church attendance, Bible reading, religious service — without cultivating a real relationship with the Lord? Israel treated the Ark like a magical object, but it could not replace obedience, repentance, and walking in the Spirit. Examine your heart: Are you presuming on God’s favor without His presence? Spend time today examining your motivations. Ask God to reveal any ways in which you’ve replaced relationship with ritual. Read Psalm 139:23–24 and invite the Spirit to search your heart. Repent of any known sin. Seek God—not just His gifts.
Pray: “Lord, forgive me for the times I have treated Your presence as something to control or use. I don’t want an Ichabod life where Your glory has departed. Help me to walk humbly and obediently with You, and never substitute religion for relationship. Restore Your presence in me, and let me live in awe of Your holiness. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 