The Reporter and the Report

Q: What does the Bible say about the significance of the Ark of the Covenant?

The Ark of the Covenant symbolizes God's presence and glory among His people, and its loss brought great sorrow to Israel. The Ark of the Covenant was central to Israel's relationship with God, representing His presence and the covenant made with His people. It contained the tablets of the Law, manna, and Aaron's rod, which signified God's provision, authority, and the law that His people were to follow. Its loss, as seen in 1 Samuel 4, underscored the seriousness of Israel's transgressions and the consequences of their disregard for God's commands. Eli's primary concern at the news of its capture illustrates the deep connection between the Ark and the identity of Israel as God's chosen people, highlighting the gravity of their spiritual failure.

Q: How do we know that the report of the battle in 1 Samuel is trustworthy?

The report is reliable because it comes from a survivor who witnessed the events firsthand. The credibility of the report brought back to Eli concerning the battle is rooted in the identity of the messenger himself—a man from the tribe of Benjamin who had just come from the battlefield. His torn clothes and dirt-covered appearance serve as evidence of his experiences amid the fighting, differentiating him from mere hearsay. The emphasis on this man's firsthand experience reinforces the truthfulness of his testimony, consistent with the importance of reliable witness accounts throughout Scripture. Furthermore, the account is recorded in the Bible, which is divinely inspired, affirming its authenticity and significance for God's people.

Q: Why is the priesthood important in the context of Eli and Samuel?

The priesthood is crucial as it represents God's appointed authority and the means through which the people approach Him. In the narrative involving Eli and Samuel, the priesthood serves as the spiritual leadership for Israel, facilitating proper worship and maintaining the covenant relationship with God. Eli, despite his flaws, held the significant roles of both high priest and judge, illustrating the gravity of this office. His eventual downfall and the judgment concerning his sons reflect the serious implications of failure in spiritual leadership. Samuel, rising after Eli, signifies a renewal in leadership and points to God's ongoing commitment to His people, demonstrating that He continues to raise leaders who remain faithful to His will. This continuity underscores the importance of the priesthood in guiding Israel in their covenant obligations.

Q: Why does the sermon emphasize the concept of being 'escaped alone' in reporting bad news?

The phrase 'escaped alone' signifies the survivorship of a faithful witness amidst calamity, reflecting God's purpose. The emphasis on the phrase 'escaped alone' draws a parallel between the messenger in 1 Samuel and the survivors amidst trials in biblical history, such as Job’s messengers. This concept highlights that through God's providence, He often spares individuals for the purpose of bearing witness to His truth, even when the news is grim. The man who brought the report about the battle was not merely sharing information; his survival served a divine purpose in conveying the weight of Israel's loss and the seriousness of their sin before God. This principle reminds believers today of the responsibility that comes with being witnesses, called to testify about God's work in adversity, and the hope that exists, even amidst judgment.

Well, good evening. Join me, if you would, in the book of 1 Samuel chapter 4. And I'd like to begin reading with verse 12 of this chapter and go down through the point where Eli passes away. There has been a great battle. There have been 30,000 Israelites slain in that battle. There has been the loss of the ark There has been great shame brought upon Israel. We cannot express how they felt.

We can only listen to this man that brought back the report. I am thankful there's been many reporters that have reported on the events that took place in the Old Testament, and one of those is found here in the book of 1 Samuel 4, verse 12. It says, and there ran a man, 1 Samuel 4, verse 12, there ran a man, a Benjamin, out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day. And this is the condition that he arrived in. Now we can tell right now that he has a mission in mind.

He is a reporter. He's going to tell something about what took place that day. Ultimately, he's going to tell Eli what had happened that day. He's the most concerned probably of all of them. It says that this man the same day with his clothes ripped or torn and with earth upon his head.

Now I just stood there a little bit as I read that and I says, Lord, there's a big message right here in how this man arrived. He had been in the heat of the battle, yet spared to be a reporter. He was not one of the 30,000. No doubt he had seen many of those that had been killed. It was in his heart to make a report to Eli, and he ran.

That word there means that he did it with great speed. He traveled quickly. He was one of the army of Israel and he was of the tribe of Benjamin. It's interesting that Shiloh is in what was known as the tribe of Benjamin's territory. So he's going back home when he goes to Shiloh. He was of the army of Israel. He showed he was right there and not just spreading hearsay. By his looks, They could say he was right there. You know, it is impossible for us to share something that we don't know.

Now, I read some time ago, I used to, one year Nancy and Tim and I went to Montana and my class, history class, was the great event that took there in 1876 when Custer was defeated, but we saw a lot that had led up to that point. The report that we had from those guys was based upon people who had been there.

Now, the guy that wrote the most important book of the day had never even visited the site. He had never been to Montana, and he wrote a book that was acclaimed as the truthful representation of that great battle, and that was in the late 1870s that that book was written. Well, a lot of books have come out since then, and people have actually traveled to the site, and they have looked at some of the old manuscripts and so forth, so there's a lot better view of that battle now. Well, this man has come out, he's not representing someone else's words. He's been there. He showed he had been right there and not just spreading hearsay. His clothes were torn. I can just see in my mind's eye some Philistine grabbing a hold of this guy as he was attempting to evade him, and he tore his clothes, but he escaped. God had a ministry, a mission for this man, this reporter.

And I can also see by what's on his head. I don't know about you, but the only times I ever had a lot of dirt on my head was when I was down in the dirt. I can just see this man pushed or shoved or flung himself to the ground in the heat of battle, and he had that dirt all over him.

He's representing that he had been there. Someone had to hold him, and he had this dirt all over him. He represented as a representative of the truth that he was carrying. How had this happened? He was on the ground. He'd been knocked down and so forth. And he ran to tell Eli the report of what had taken place.

You know, right here, I think of the events that are mentioned right up in chapter one of the book of Job. I went over that this afternoon about those reporters that were there. Let's just turn over there for a moment. There's five verses, I believe, in the first chapter of Job.

And I've often thought that those guys were very blessed because they're the only ones that escaped. You know, I thought about that today and I was at a stoplight and it struck me that I know very few people in very few families who have more than one person or even no persons in their family they can fellowship in the gospel. I have escaped alone. I am escaped alone.

Notice here in the book of Job, the book of Job chapter one, and there beginning with verse 15, all of the catastrophic events that God did, God performed on Job and his possessions. In the verse 15, it says, the Sabaeans fell upon them and took them away. Yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Now, those words are repeated several times here, four more times in this chapter, as the events that took place are reported.

These are reporters. God needed a reporter, so he spared one. I only am escaped alone to tell thee. And I just thought about that in my own family, how few there are. I could go back generations and find fewer. There are. That just didn't know anything about the gospel, so I can say I only am in my generation, and in the generation before me that I know of, I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

All right, down there in verse 16, it says, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, the fire of God is fallen from heaven. Now, that's interesting. The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. And then if we drop down to verse 17, while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, the Chaldeans made out of three bands and fell upon the camels and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword. And one more time, I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

And then we notice there in verse 19, and behold, there came a great wind. This one is bringing the subject up. There's two verses, 18 and 19. It says, a great wind from the wilderness that smote the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead.

And I only am escaped alone to tell thee of the host of servants that Job had out in the field for Get back to Joe. I only am escaped to tell you. Well, of all the folks that had been in that battle that day, 30,000 had died. The rest of them, it says they ran to their tent.

But thank God there was one reporter that came back with the report. He is very interested in sharing this report back in Shiloh with the town and also with Eli. So may we go back to the book of 1 Samuel chapter four, and it tells us there in verse 13. It tells us there in verse 13 of our reading is this man, this reporter, he's got news, not good news. You know, a lot of times reporters don't have good news. You really can't appreciate the good news unless you've heard some bad news. Ruined by the fall. Ruined by the fall.

I was talking to Brother Wayne Boyd, and he said he was asked to hold a funeral. And if I've said this, told you this already, please forgive me. I just don't know what you've forgotten. But he said he was holding a funeral. He didn't know the guy. He mentioned that. I didn't know this guy. I've just been asked to conduct this funeral, and I just want to know.

I want you to know. that we're all here, we're all sinners. He started off with ruined by the fall. A lady got up, walked out and slammed the door. She had her vote. I'm not a sinner. Well, we're all sinners. That's the news he's gonna come back with. And when he came, lo Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching.

For his heart trembled for the ark of God. He's the only one that those words are used about. His heart trembled. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out. So we have this man rushing into the city and there's people all over and they're the first ones to hear this message. Now there's such an uproar as we're going to find out that Eli knew something was going on. It goes on to tell us here, when he came low, in verse 14, and when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, what meaneth the noise of this Tomo? And the man came, in hastily and told Eli.

This man arrived with a report. It was a report that he was familiar with. It was a report that he knew about. It was a report that he had seen. And God had spared him for this one purpose, and that was to take the report back to Eli. Also, we find out that that man's report was recorded in the Word of God so that we can read that report tonight.

This is the report of the events that took place, and these are the concerned people that heard that report. Now, the city people were more concerned about the report because they had people that had died in that battle. 30,000 people dying in a battle, it means there's a lot of people have been affected by that war.

But Eli is more concerned about one other thing, and that is, where is the ark? Where is the ark? In verse 15, it mentions here, let me just read, let me say whatever. In verse 15 it says, Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dim that he could not see. His eyes were dim that he could not see. And the man said unto Eli, Now there's a verse here that I'm missing. Oh, verse 13. I want to back up to verse 13. There it is. And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside. Did you see that word? Watching. Eli's watching, but the verse in verse 18 says he can't see a thing.

Well, it reminded me of a passage of scripture over in the book of Hebrews. So would you join me in the book of Hebrews chapter 11? In the book of Hebrews chapter 11, we find this passage of scripture. Eli was watching, though he couldn't see anything. He's blind, but there's some things he could see. Here in the book of Hebrews, New Testament, Hebrews chapter 11.

In Hebrews chapter 11, beginning with verse 13, we read this. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. We sing a song, invisible, immortal. There's another word that goes with it. God only wise, invisible, immortal. There is something about God. He is invisible.

And yet we read here, as I think we can read about Eli, these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a city, a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.

So, having not seen it, they saw it. Having not seen it, he saw it. Over there in the book of 1 Samuel chapter four, he was watching and yet he was blind and yet he could see. All right, let's go back over there if you would to that passage of scripture in the book of 1 Samuel chapter four. In 1 Samuel chapter four, we have the man coming, he's a reporter, he's coming with the message, he's stopped by the people in the city and they cry out when they hear the news.

Oh, the deaths that had taken place, the events that had taken place. But now we're going to have a report made by this reporter to Eli that covers everything that happened on that day. Here we have, as the reporter comes to Eli, it says in verse 16, and when the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army.

I'm telling you the truth. I've been there. I've seen it. And if you could see me as these folks over here could see me, they could tell you that I've been there in the thick of the battle. My clothes are torn. I'm all dirty for being on the ground. I, only I, am left to escape.

And then he goes on to say here, he that came out of the army and fled today out of the army, and he said, what is there done, my son? And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines. In other words, we lost the battle. And there has been also a great slaughter among the people. 30,000 footmen were slain in that battle. 30,000. And then he goes on to say, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead. And last, and the ark of God is taken. Now we just read up here that his concern was about the ark. The ark of God, for his heart trembled for the ark of God.

He knew it was gone. I believe he prayed that it would be returned. It would be put back where it belonged. This part of history of Israel could be put behind them, and they no longer have to face the disgrace of doing what they did. And yet now this ark is gone, and we're gonna spend a chapter with the Philistines dealing with it in the next chapter. And Eli heard the noise. He heard the people.

And when the message got to him, it tells us here, and it came to pass in verse 18, When he made mention of the ark of God, it wasn't his two sons, it wasn't the great slaughter, and it wasn't the loss that Israel had in battle. It was the ark of God. When they had heard this, mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck break, and he died, for he was an old man and heavy, and he had judged Israel 40 years." He was also the high priest during that period of time. So he filled in two places that God had provided. The report that was brought back to him was dissatisfactory. It was not a good report, but it was an honest report. He was old, he was heavy, and he judged Israel 40 years.

You know, that Ark of the Covenant had been in Shiloh about 350 years, since the time that the children of Israel had crossed the Jordan River and come into what we call Canaan, or the Promised Land. It had been at Shiloh for about 350 years. This Ark will never be returned to Shiloh. When the Philistines decide it's time to get rid of it, they send it off and it ends up in Judah. Appropriate place and not too far from where David is going to build a temple. Okay, there are only two other places in the Bible that this man's name is mentioned. I'd like to read both of those. They're short.

One of them was found in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 14. 1 Samuel, chapter 14. Now, we could have read on and found out that one of the boys had a son the day that the report got back. And we know that son's name from American storytelling, Ichabod. He's born that day, and he's given a very poor name, but it was indicative of the glory departing from Israel. All right, now here in the book of 1 Samuel chapter 14, we read this, 1 Samuel chapter 14, and they're in verse three. It says, and Ahaiah, the son of Ahathob, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord's priest in Shiloh, wearing the ephod, and the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

So we have Eli's name mentioned one more time, along with his son and his grandson. Now, one more time, his name is mentioned, and it's found over in the book of 1 Kings chapter two, and in this verse of scripture, it is brought up exclusively that what is taking place was to fulfill the word of God to Eli. In 1 Kings 2 and verse 27, we read these words, so Solomon, 1 Kings 2 and verse 27, so Samuel thrust out Abathar, he got rid of him, from being priest unto the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. There would not be anybody that was of the household of Eli that would be in a position of a priest.

It was going to be removed from him. Well, you know, when you say, well, that happened when the sons were killed. No, we're going to find the rest of that chapter that there was a grandson born and there were several grandchildren that Eli had. And this is going to come to a halt under Solomon, the fulfillment of that. In closing this evening, I asked myself the question, was Eli one of God's elect?

I have to admit, it's very hard to discern, just like it is with everybody else. I would never tell anybody that they're saved. I will listen to them. They will have to say. I'm not going to tell anybody, well, you've made the profession of faith. I had that happen to me. Since I had that happen to me, then they told me I was saved. Well, that's not salvation. And that's not how God identifies people. I'll never forget Brother Henry Mahan telling about Brother Rock Barnard holding a meeting and afterwards, He was leaving, went down the aisle and there were two young men that were over there and he stepped beside him and he just mentioned this, only a lost man will tell another lost man that he's saved. Because they were trying to convince each other that they were saved. Well, I don't know about Eli. Eli was a high priest, I know that. Eli was a judge, I know that. Eli had two terrible sons, two marks against him.

But I want you to travel to 1 Samuel 8, if you would. 1 Samuel 8, and let's look at this verse of scripture. 1 Samuel 8. 1 Samuel 8, verse 1. This is about Samuel. Samuel is old. We've traveled many years between the death of Eli and Samuel at this point.

And so it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The more I read about it, the more I find out it's not good to make sure that your sons are called to preach. Now, the name of the first was Joel and the name of the second Abiah. They were judges at Beersheba, and his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre." You know what that is? Money. Took bribes and perverted judgment. And when I read this, I says, these are Samuel's sons.

They're doing almost exactly the same thing that Eli's sons were doing. And God brought great judgment upon Israel over. And they perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel and to Ramah and said unto him, behold, thou art old, thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. You know, It offended Samuel, but they do have a point. It hasn't turned out well in the past. So I do know this, we all know this. Would you turn with me to the book of Matthew chapter seven. Matthew chapter seven. In Matthew chapter seven, we read these words. The Lord Jesus spoke these so long ago in his Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter seven, verse 21.

Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Now we know what that will is. Trust Christ and don't move a muscle. It's not works, it's not legalism. It is Christ and Christ alone. And then we have a word that carries a lot of weight. Many, verse 22, many will say, not a few, not a minority. But many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works.

And then while I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. So everything they did was iniquitous. It was iniquity. It was sin. The plowing of the wicked is sin. God is angry with the wicked daily. So he's gonna make this for sure. We know this. This is going to happen. It is happening. It has happened. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not done? Now, will you travel with me just a little bit further?

Over to the book of Matthew chapter 25. In Matthew chapter 25, as we think about these things with regard to Eli or to Samuel or any of the other Old Testament, I believe all the prophets, they appear because we have God's word on it. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But here in the book of Matthew chapter 25, we read this. Chapter 25, verse 19. Excuse me, verse 31.

When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations, and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. and he shall set the sheep on the right hand with the goats on the left.

Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand. I am reminded of what we read in one of the letters that the Apostle Paul wrote, the Lord knoweth them that are his. No mystery about those. He knoweth them that are his. Well, here he says he shall set the sheep on the right hand But the goats on the left, then shall the king say unto them on the right hand, come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. So this preparation has been made from the foundation of the world. He has purposed to have everybody that is there in attendance, the sheep on his right hand, it has been purposed.

We know what's going to happen to the rest. We just read about them in the High the Sermon on the Mount. Many shall say in that day, and that's just going to continue on until the end of time. So what about Eli? I defer. You have to do what you think. I know this.

His most concern was for the ark. His boys the men that died, the defeat in battle, but his heart was with that Ark of the Covenant, the Ark. Now, it's interesting how little the elders of Israel thought of God and His Word when they permitted the Ark of the Covenant to be taken. how little they thought of God and how little they thought of His Word.

This is not to be a haul around instrument. This is not for show. They had no regard for God. They had no regard for God's Word. You're not to look on this. You're not to have it around you. It's to be put into the Holy of Holies and left there. When that ark is brought back The first time, I believe there's 53,000 people are slain by God who looked at that Ark. Not one Philistine died. Doesn't apply to them. They're gonna die anyway. All right. How little they thought of their rebellion.

You know that Ark was filled with three items? Inside of that ark, there was three items. There were two tables of stone, there was a golden pot of manna, and there was Aaron's rod that budded. And these are recorded, turn with me to the book of Hebrews chapter 3, as we think about the disregard that Israel had, that these from Benjamin had, these from Shiloh, that had been holding the Ark of the Covenant, the tabernacle, for 350 years, how little they thought about God and how little they thought about their rebellion.

This rebellion had been recorded and placed inside that ark for a constant reminder, but it also was put under the ark for our rebellion is placed under the blood. I'm just so thankful for that. Anyway, notice here in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter nine. In Hebrews chapter nine, we read this about the ark. Hebrews chapter nine, verse three, The scriptures share this. He says, and after the second veil, the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had a golden censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna that was collected out of rebellion.

Oh, God can't feed us. God can't feed us. Aaron's rod did budded. God can't decide who's gonna rule over us, we'll take care of that. And the tables of the covenant, the second set was put in the Ark of the Covenant because the first set was broken by Moses when he looked out and saw what those Israelites were doing.

Dancing around a golden calf without any clothes on. and over at the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat, of which we cannot now speak particularly. The third thing that I note, how little they thought of the need of a blood atonement. This doesn't matter.

This is supposed to be here, and once a year, the high priest is to come in, and in a picture, scatter the blood, spread the blood on the mercy seat, covering pictorially the sins of the people, the sins of Israel, his sins and the sins of Israel, the blood, and how little they thought of that way God determined to deal with sin. And so it is with Christ, even today, how little people think of the blood atonement. It took his blood to atone for the sins of God's people. So here we are, how little they thought of the need of the blood atonement, how little they thought of the rebellion that they were doing right now. Because it's recorded here in the Ark of the Covenant and how little they thought of God and His Word. It doesn't matter what God said, we'll go do it our way.

And it was the elders of Israel that brought this idea up. Well, we're going to be facing some times here in the book of 1 Samuel that they're not going to have that ark. The Philistines are going to have that ark. But before we get there, we have to travel to 1 Samuel chapter 4, verses 19 through 22. And we're not going to spend our time here tonight. We'll wait for the next time. But here's Ichabod. The glory is departed from Israel. No glory. inglorious, the things that happened here.

Let's just turn over there to 1 Samuel 4, verse 19, 1 Samuel 4, verse 19, and read the events, and then Lord willing, we'll cover these at our next appointed time. 1 Samuel 4, verse 19, we read this. And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas, We've just had Eli die, verse 18. He just fell over and broke his neck, verse 18. And his daughter-in-law, Venus' wife, was with child, near to be delivered.

And when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, then her father-in-law and her husband were dead. She bowed herself and travailed, for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death, the woman that stood by her said unto her, Fear not, for thou hast borne a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband. And she said, the glory is departed from Israel for the ark of God is taken. Last words. All right, we'll stop there tonight and we'll pick this up at our next meeting, Lord willing.

The Reporter and the Report

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the significance of the Ark of the Covenant?

How do we know that the report of the battle in 1 Samuel is trustworthy?

Why is the priesthood important in the context of Eli and Samuel?

Why does the sermon emphasize the concept of being 'escaped alone' in reporting bad news?

Sermon Transcript

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The Reporter and the Report

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the significance of the Ark of the Covenant?

How do we know that the report of the battle in 1 Samuel is trustworthy?

Why is the priesthood important in the context of Eli and Samuel?

Why does the sermon emphasize the concept of being 'escaped alone' in reporting bad news?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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