Where Is God?
Text: Deut.31: 17; I Sam.4: 12-22
Intro: I would suppose that every Christian, who has at some point in their life found themselves frustrated and discouraged by trials, has silently asked the question, “Where is God?” Even as we asked that question, we knew in our hearts that God hadn’t died or become unconcerned for us. But basically, our question meant that we were confused as to why God had not yet delivered or vindicated us in our trial. It really isn’t hard to understand how Christians, who love the Lord and honestly seek to live for Him, could occasionally ask such a question.
However, what is rather difficult to understand is how those, who for all practical purposes, have brushed God aside, seemingly with no intention to live for Him, could have the audacity in the midst of a series of tragic events, to ask, “Where is God?” They have lived their lives with only token loyalty to God, and for all intents and purposes, have lived their lives as they pleased; yet they wonder, “Why doesn’t God help me?”
The type of attitude mentioned above was the attitude of Israel in our text. They viewed God as sort of a “rabbit’s foot” that they could use when they were in a tight spot. These people had rebelled against God, yet they seemed to believe that God should be at their beck and call. They believed that God should be there for them when they needed Him. Otherwise, they had no used for God.
Though God, in His mercy will often intervene in the lives of nominal believers, and help them with their troubles, we should be aware that God grows weary of such cheap loyalty. God will not long permit Himself to be used only as a “Panic Button.”
Today I want to deal with the events that led up to the question, “Where is God?” In the process, we will seek to paint a mental picture of the spiritual attitude of Israel that produced these events.
Theme: The events that led to the question “Where is God?” are:
I. ISRAEL’S IMPUDENT DEPARTURE FROM GOD
A. The Priests Had Departed From God.
1. The sons of Eli were wicked priests.
I Sam.2: 12 “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.”
NOTE: The words “sons of Belial” basically translates as “Sons of worthlessness” (Professor F. Davidson, M.A., D.D., Editor, The New Bible Commentary, published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan; pg. 265).
a. Hophni and Phinehas were disrespectful of the Lord’s sacrifices.
I Sam.2: 15 “Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priests; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
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29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?”
NOTE: These two young priests had no respect for God. They seemed have forgotten that the sacrifices were for worshipping God, not filling their own bellies with the choicest cuts of meat. As a matter of fact, they had forgotten God altogether.
Woodrow Wilson’s father was a minister in the South. One day he joined a group of men caught up in a heated discussion. One of the men lost his temper and swore loudly. Only then did he see the Reverend Wilson in their midst. The man apologized profusely and said, “Sir, I had forgotten that you were present. Please pardon me.”
Dr. Wilson replied, “It is not to me that you owe an apology, but to God.”
Larry Brook, The Quiet Hour, September-November, 1997, p. 54
b. Hophni and Phinehas were defiled with the women, who came to the tabernacle.
I Sam.2: 22 “Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”
c. Hophni and Phinehas were disobedient to their father.
I Sam.2: 23 “And he (Eli) said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.
25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.”
NOTE: [1] The responsibility for correcting the misconduct of Eli’s sons lay with Eli himself. When he heard of the wickedness his sons were committing, he should have charged them before the people and had them kicked out of the priesthood. According to Old Testament law, their conduct was punishable by death.
[2] Verse 24 states that Hophni and Phinehas, by their conduct, were making “the Lord’s people to transgress” (v. 24b). “The LXX reads, ‘so that the Lord’s people do not worship;’ i.e., refuse to attend the services because the leaders are immoral” (Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; pg. 277). My, what a horrible influence these boys had on the people of Israel. What kind of influence does your life have on others?
Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed: “When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.”
J. O. Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, p. 24.
2. Eli was extremely lax in his parenting.
I Sam.3: 13 “For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.”
B. The People Had Departed From God.
I Sam.2: 17 “Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
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24b …ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.”
NOTE: [1] The word “abhorred” of verse 17 carries the ideas of “to scorn,” or “give occasion to blaspheme” (James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., The Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible, published by MacDonald Publishing Company, McLean, Virginia; #5006 of the Hebrew And Chaldee Dictionary, pg. 75). This is very much the same idea given in verse 24, where we previously learned that the people began refusing to come and worship because of the leaders immorality.
[2] Though the people were wrongly influenced by the wickedness of Hophni and Phinehas, they could not excuse themselves for disobeying God, due to a bad influence. We are individually responsible for our actions before the Lord.
Rom.14: 12 “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
II. ISRAEL’S INITIAL DEFEAT BY THE ENEMY
A. Israel Sustained A Significant Decimation.
I Sam.4: 1 “And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.”
B. Israel Seriously Questioned Their Defeat.
I Sam.4: 3a “And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us today before the Philistines…”
NOTE: [1] Can you believe this bunch? They had all but forsaken the worship of God; and those that still came to the services at the tabernacle were only going through the motions; yet they had the audacity to ask, “Where’s God? Why is He permitting us to be defeated by our enemies?”
[2] In reality, Israel should have immediately known why they were defeated before the Philistines. God had assured Israel victory over their enemies as long as they kept His commandments and obeyed Him (Lev.26: 3, 7-8).
[3] America has done much the same as Israel of old in forsaking God. I seriously fear that one day soon America is going to find herself defeated in some world hotspot, and ask, “Where’s God? He’s always bailed us out before.” And by the way, the U.S.A. could still find itself humiliated in Iraq. This thing isn’t over yet.
Isa.59: 2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
III. ISRAEL’S IDIOTIC DECISION VIA THE ELDERS
A. Israel Fetched The Ark.
I Sam.4: 3b “…Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.”
NOTE: The sad thing here is that Israel was so estranged from God that she seemed to be oblivious to the fact that possessing the presence and power of God in symbolism (the Ark) was not the same as possessing the presence and power of God in substance. All they had at this point was symbolism without substance. Israel basically saw the Ark as a good luck charm that would bring them victory (v. 3).
B. Israel Fostered A False Sense Of Assurance.
I Sam.4: 5 “And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.”
NOTE: [1] The armies of Israel shouted so enthusiastically it vibrated the ground under their feet (“the earth rang again”). One version translates as follows:
When the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud that it made the ground shake!
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois; pg. 293.
[2] Folks, religious enthusiasm is not a substitute for obedience and intimacy with God. Shout all you want, but if your heart isn’t right with God, all the shouting in the world won’t produce victory. Israel did not make even one attempt to repent before God before the battle.
C. The Philistine Army Was Seriously Affected.
1. At first they were fearful.
I Sam.4: 6 “And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.”
2. Suddenly, their fear turned to fortitude.
I Sam.4: 9 “Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.”
NOTE: Why did the Philistines’ fear suddenly turn to fortitude? The best explanation I know is this: Fake religion won’t fool people for long. False religion is simply a lot of pomp, but no power; it is activities without an altar; it is mere excitement and entertainment without heavenly enlightenment. “Some people have just enough religion to make themselves miserable” (Harry Emerson Fosdick).
IV. ISRAEL’S IRONIC DISASTERS FOLLOWING BATTLE
A. Israelites Were Slaughtered.
I Sam.4: 10 “And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.”
B. The Ark Was Seized.
I Sam.4: 11a “And the ark of God was taken…”
NOTE: To Israel, the Ark was the visible representation of God’s presence with His people. But though the Philistines had defeated the Israelites, capturing the Ark in the process, they had not defeated God. This became all too evident in the next chapter, where we are told that God wreaked havoc on the Philistines as long as they were in possession of the Ark. Defeating Israel’s army was inevitable, since Israel had forsaken God. But to defeat Israel’s God was impossible.
C. The Priests Were Slain.
1. Hophni and Phinehas died on the battlefield.
I Sam.4: 11b “…and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.”
NOTE: This was in fulfillment of God’s prophecy given to Eli, earlier.
I Sam.2: 34 “And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.”
2. Eli died of a broken neck, after falling backward.
I Sam.4: 17 “And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy tow sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.”
D. A Baby Was Named Strangely.
1. Upon hearing the evil tiding, Phinehas’ wife immediately went into labor.
I Sam.4: 19 “And his (Eli’s) daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.”
2. In her dying breath, she gave her son a strange label.
I Sam.4: 20 “And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
21 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.
22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.”
NOTE: There is an interesting thing about the word, “Ichabod.” In Hebrew, it is actually a question. The word literally means, “Where is the glory?…’Glory’ is also used as a surrogate for God. Here it means, ‘Where is God?’” (Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; pg. 279). This name spoke of hopeless despair; which is exactly what one can eventually expect from forsaking God. It was not likely that anyone would ever forget this child’s name.
The 200-year-old church was being readied for an anniversary celebration when calamity struck: the bell ringer was called out of town. The sexton immediately advertised for another.
When the replacement arrived, the sexton took him to the steps leading to the bell tower, some 150 feet above them. Round and round they went, huffing and puffing all the way. Just as they reached the landing, the bell ringer tripped and fell face-first into the biggest bell of all. Bo-o-o-o-ong!
Dazed by the blow, the bell ringer stumbled backward onto the landing. The railing broke loose and he fell to the ground. Miraculously, he was unhurt—only stunned—but the sexton thought it best to call an ambulance.
“Do you know this man’s name?” asked the doctor when he arrived.
“No,” the sexton replied, “but his face sure rings a bell.”
Jerry Zenk, quoted by Alex Thien in Milwaukee Sentinel.
Theme: The events that led to the question “Where is God?” are:
I. ISRAEL’S IMPUDENT DEPARTURE FROM GOD
II. ISRAEL’S INITIAL DEFEAT BY THE ENEMY
III. ISRAEL’S IDIOTIC DECISION VIA THE ELDERS
IV. ISRAEL’S IRONIC DISASTERS FOLLOWING BATTLE
