Punishment: The Ark Taken
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Samuel was filled with fear and amazement at the thought of having
so terrible a message committed to him. In the morning he went
about his duties as usual, but with a heavy burden on his young heart.
The Lord had not commanded him to reveal the fearful denunciation;
hence he remained silent. He trembled lest some question compel
him to declare the divine judgments against one whom he loved and
reverenced. Eli was confident that the message foretold some great
calamity to him and his house. He called Samuel and charged him to
relate faithfully what the Lord had revealed. The youth obeyed, and
the aged man bowed in humble submission to the appalling sentence.
“It is the Lord,” he said; “let Him do what seemeth Him good.”
Eli Loses His Last Chance
Yet Eli did not manifest true repentance. He failed to renounce
his sin. Year after year the Lord delayed His threatened judgments.
Much might have been done to redeem the failures of the past, but the
aged priest took no effective measures to correct the evils that were
polluting the sanctuary of the Lord and leading thousands in Israel to
ruin. The forbearance of God caused Hophni and Phinehas to harden
their hearts and become still bolder in transgression.
The messages of warning and reproof to his house were made
known by Eli to the whole nation. By this means he hoped to coun-
teract the evil influence of his past neglect. But the warnings were
disregarded by the people, as they had been by the priests. The people
of surrounding nations also became bolder in their idolatry and crime.
They felt no sense of guilt for their sins, as they would have felt had
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the Israelites preserved their integrity. It became necessary for God to
interpose, that the honor of His name might be maintained.
“Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched
beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.” This expe-
dition was undertaken by the Israelites without counsel from God,
without the concurrence of high priest or prophet. “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.” As the shattered and disheartened
force returned to their encampment, “the elders of Israel said, Where-