- Then the man said to Eli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.”
And he said, “What happened, my son?” - So the messenger answered and said, “ISRAEL HAS FLED BEFORE THE PHILISTINES, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; AND THE ARK OF GOD HAS BEEN CAPTURED.”
- THEN IT HAPPENED, WHEN HE MADE MENTION OF THE ARK OF GOD, THAT ELI FELL OFF THE SEAT BACKWARD BY THE SIDE OF THE GATE; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
- Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, due to be delivered; AND WHEN SHE HEARD THE NEWS THAT THE ARK OF GOD WAS CAPTURED, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labour pains came upon her.
- AND SHE SAID, “THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL, FOR THE ARK OF GOD HAS BEEN CAPTURED.”
1 Samuel 4:16-19,22 (NKJV)
• The ark of covenant is the glory of Israel.
- The glory of every child of God is the covenant relationship which such has established with God through Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9,10).
YOUR covenant relationship is the glory of God in your LIFE.
• What are the things in the ark of God of Israel:
POT of manna was in it.
STONE TABLETS of the Law was also in it.
AND THE Aaron's rod that budded.
- The three things found in the ark signify, symbolize, the Acts of God in the midst and the lives of His people.
THE Acts of God are the proofs of their covenant relationship with God. - When there are no PROOFS in your LIFE as a believer, it means the covenant is not in place between you and God.
- The covenant you have with God will rise to defend YOU when the enemy rises against you.
• The ark of covenant of Israel plagues the Philistines
- "BUT THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS HEAVY ON THE PEOPLE OF ASHDOD, AND HE RAVAGED THEM AND STRUCK THEM WITH TUMORS, BOTH ASHDOD AND ITS TERRITORY.
- And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, FOR HIS HAND IS HARSH TOWARDS US AND DAGON OUR GOD."
- Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”
And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. - So it was, after they had carried it away, THAT THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS AGAINST THE CITY WITH A VERY GREAT DESTRUCTION; AND HE STRUCK THE MEN OF THE CITY, BOTH SMALL AND GREAT, AND TUMORS BROKE OUT ON THEM.
- Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “THEY HAVE BROUGHT THE ARK OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL TO US, TO KILL US AND OUR PEOPLE!”
1 Samuel 5:6-10 (NKJV)
• If your covenant relationship with God is strong and intact, when the devil stirred up people to confront you Or rise against you, AND you remind God of His covenant with you, He will surely rise to fight on your behalf.
YOUR safety and preservation are in your covenant relationship with God.
IF your standing is right with God, He plagues whoever rises against you.
ONE major thing that will make your covenant relationship with God strong is obedience—total OBEDIENCE to GOD.
- The covenant that God establishes with the Israelites premised on the obedience of the patriarchs, their fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
IF you followed Him with all your heart, obeying all His commandments, living in line with His Word, you cannot but experience His faithfulness.
A COVENANT is established when there is an agreement between two or more people.
• The News of what happened, about the ark of the covenant of Israel, LED to Eli's death (1 Samuel 4:12-18).
- Acts of covenant of Israel is the reason for Eli's priesthood office. IF there was no ARK, Eli has no business in the priesthood.
- If there is no relationship, fellowship, AND the agreement between you and God, it means you have no reason to do whatever you are endeavouring to do for Him.
- Those who are not serious with their Christian life, but give themselves to frivolities, The Scripture says such are Dead whilst Living: "BUT SHE [he] WHO LIVES IN PLEASURE [indulgence] IS DEAD WHILE SHE [he] LIVES" (1 Timothy 5:6).
- What makes a believer thick with God IS the covenant such establishes with Him.
WHAT makes you thick with God is not your Church attendance, how often you attend Church meetings, though, attending Church meetings is important, but your intimacy with God is much more important.
KNOW that intimacy is built with God through communion, Fellowshipping with Him through conversational PRAYERS
• Do you have a rapport with GOD?
IF you do, How cordial is the rapport?
- Invest quality time BY staying in God's presence in order to establish a strong and cordial fellowship with Him.
THROUGH that, a covenant that can defend YOU in the day of adversity would be established.
EVERY believer, children of God in general, is expected to walk in the covenant relationship with God.
• You will not die before your time in Jesus' name.
Peace!