The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 4:22,
"The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."
The nation of Israel had been blessed by God as his special chosen people. They were God's people that he intended to use to roll out his program of redemption to our lost and fallen world. The reason God chose Israel was because of their progenitor's faith, the faith of Abraham, Genesis 15:6.
God, in fact, did use his people to pursue his plan of redemption. As Paul observes, "Theirs (the Israelites) is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!" Romans 9:4-5.
However, at this point in her history, the nation of Israel experienced the loss of the Lord's presence as the ark was captured. This was but just a physical indication of a spiritual reality: God's hand against Israel's enemies was removed as well as his blessing on the nation for a time.
Why did the Lord leave Israel to her fate with her enemies? As we read the history of this time we find Israel had abandoned her faith in God and began to look in other places to replace him in the life of the nation. Therefore God "gave them over" to their enemies to manipulate the events that would prepare Israel for his use of them to ultimately bring Jesus Christ into the world and have him give his life as a ransom for all mankind.
What might the Lord have to do in our lives today to prepare us for use by him? Something to consider...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."
The nation of Israel had been blessed by God as his special chosen people. They were God's people that he intended to use to roll out his program of redemption to our lost and fallen world. The reason God chose Israel was because of their progenitor's faith, the faith of Abraham, Genesis 15:6.
God, in fact, did use his people to pursue his plan of redemption. As Paul observes, "Theirs (the Israelites) is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised!" Romans 9:4-5.
However, at this point in her history, the nation of Israel experienced the loss of the Lord's presence as the ark was captured. This was but just a physical indication of a spiritual reality: God's hand against Israel's enemies was removed as well as his blessing on the nation for a time.
Why did the Lord leave Israel to her fate with her enemies? As we read the history of this time we find Israel had abandoned her faith in God and began to look in other places to replace him in the life of the nation. Therefore God "gave them over" to their enemies to manipulate the events that would prepare Israel for his use of them to ultimately bring Jesus Christ into the world and have him give his life as a ransom for all mankind.
What might the Lord have to do in our lives today to prepare us for use by him? Something to consider...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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