The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-07-04
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By Study OF the Inter.
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for
July Ii. 1 SAM, 4:f-18.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated aboye.l
SUBJECT: THE DEFEATS OF THE IsRAELITEs
By THE PHILIsTINEs NEAR EBENEzER.
1. Preliminaries.
God opened the way for the Israeltes to oo-
cupy Canaan. He did not clear it of enemies,
but he assured his people of his help and their
certain success, providing they would not lose
faith and heart and courage. They were obliged
to fight their way and secure title by conquest.
Though when our lesson opens 80 years had
passed away since the Israeltes entered the
Promised Land, they yet were hampered on all
sides. 1t is clear they were deficient in energy,
lacked confidence in their own ability, and
failed to have due faith in God. We find them
in a sad plight in our lesson. For 20 years
they had been in subsection to the Philistines,
and two decades pass before they are relieved.
Church and State were then combined. Eli
was both High-Priest and Judge. He had
ruled Israel for 40 years. ". 49, He was SO
years old. ". 49, Samuel, who was then about
80 years of age, was assistant of Eli, and, Eli
being so advanced in years, much authority
was vested in Samuel.
Nothing was SO CALLING to the Israelites as
subsection to foreign and heather Govern
ment. Every little while they made attempts
to escape their bondage to the Philistines. In
the case of the battle near Ebenezer it seems
the Israelites acted without consultation with
God and without soliciting his help. We can
not imagine they went forth at the direction
of Eli or Samuel. Had they been under d.
vine order they would not have so utterly
failed of success.
One fact probably made the Philistines the
more desperate, to wit, the youthfuness. vigor
and popularity of Samuel. For some years Eli
had been quite passive, but now it is seen there
is coming to the front man of great wisdom
and energy. IL is felt he is dangerous foe
for the Philistines, and he must be crushed.
1t will be best to consider the entire fourth
chapter. The account is practically Of single
incident.
2. Time and Place.
We may put the date of the battle In the
year 1868 A. NJ, or 1141 b. q. 1t occurred,
therefore, about 5000 years ago. The jewish
line of battle was near Ebenezer, and the Phil
istine line near Aphek. Ebenezer was about
six miles northwest of Jerusalem. The word
Aphek means fort. and there were several
such. The one referred to in this lesson was
in the vicinity of Ebenezer, and that was near
Mizpch, or Neby Samwil, about 20 miles south
west from Shiloh. The name Ebeuezer was
not given to the place until about 20 years
later. Il Sa., z: 12)
3. The Antagonists.
The battle was between tho Israelites and
the Philstines. The latter occupied the terri
tory by right of long settlement, while the
former were intruders. But the Israelitish
title came from God himself The Philistines
had held the Israeltes in subsection ever since
the death of Samson. We would suppose from
worse that the Israeites in frantic moment
attempted 10 throw off the foreign yoke. We
do not know the numbers engaged on either
side. There must have been numerous forces
where there were such heavy losses. We do
not know what Generals commanded. The
methods and weapons Of warfare were rude
indeed as compared with modern implements
for battle. There was no gunpowder, no can
non. The fighting was within near range.
Bows and arrows, swords, battle axes spears,
jayelins, slings, etc, composed the armory.
4. The attacks.
We study two attacks. The first Is given in
verses / and 2. IL was q fearful defeat Of the
israoltes. They lost 1000 men. OF course,
the Philistines must have met some loss. On
both sides too there were doubtless many
wounded. 1t was really serious battle. Why
were they so beaten2 We do not find they
consulted God through his prophets as to their
proposed action. We cannot learn that Gods
assistance was sought by prayer. Even the Ark
was IA afterthought. We see no evidence of
reform on their part. They did not realize
their ignoble condition was duo TO sin and
heartily repent of their evil. They went forth
in their own strength-headstrong and hard.
hearted (Lev., 20: l4-l7; Deu., %: 25; Ps.,
72: g.
Now notice the next attack. II must have
taken place several days after the former de-
feat. The Israelitcs meanwhile held q council
of war. They imagined their failure due to
Gods absence. They proposed to force him on
TO the field Of battle. He dwelt. according to
their conception, between the cherubim on the
mercy seat which covered the Ark of the Cow
enant; that is 10 say. the Ark containing the
Covenant, which was then practically the five
books Of Moses. They probably recalled M,
10: IS. They concluded the Amalekites beat
their ancestors because tho Ark was not at hand.
They remembered the effect Of the Ark at Jer-
icho. Josh, o II, 20.) 1t was q custom OF
heather nations TO carry idols into their
armies. Ii was n superstition having strong
hold Of heathen soldiers. The Philstines were
in the habit of taking images or symbols of
their god Dagon upon the battlefield. e Sa.,
5:2i.) We do not read that either Eli or Sam
uel was consulted The Ark had two rings on
each side, through which poles were inserted.
one on each side, the ends projecting before
and behind, enabling it to DO taken up and
carried. The two sous OF Eli, Hophni
and Phinehas. bore the Ark out from
tho sanctuary, and it was carried from
Shiloh TO Ebenczer Such d use of the Ark was
without precedent. 1t was sacrilege thus to
secularize the Ark. From the Israclitish point
it was proof of wrong conception of Deity.
God did not dwell between cherubim to the
exclusion of omnprcSence The plea might be
made that the presence of the Ark would have
threatening effect on the Phlistines, who as
suciated the presence Of their gods with images
OF them. Indeed the Philistines' courage was
| dampened fully as much as the hearts of the
| Israelites were elated. The Phlistines had
heard the story of the plaques in Egypt the
overthrow in the Red Sea, the wonders of the
| wilderness, and they dreaded such Deity.
Nevertheless they plucked up courage, cheered
til Rf 81