Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 4 and Psalm 52

On a tragic day for the people of Israel, the evil of their spiritual leaders (Hophni and Phinehas) caught up to them. God set incredibly high standards for the holiness of those who bore the ark, and even for the ways they transported the Ark. As we saw in 1 Samuel 2, Hophni and Phineas were guilty of sacrilegious greed and sexual immorality, and yet they thought that they could bring the ark of God into the camp of the Israelite army and somehow guarantee God’s favour and victory.

But God’s favour had already departed from His people, and now he allowed the ark itself to be carried away by the Philistines in a stunning defeat of Israel. The shocking news of the ark’s capture brings sudden death to Samuel’s mentor, Eli, and Phinehas’ widow prophetically names her newborn son Ichabod (Hebrew for “no glory”) proclaiming that God’s glory had departed from His people with the capture of the ark.

What a sad end to the life and ministry of Eli. He had been so upright in his own ministry. But, in his weakness, he had been unable to disciple his sons in the ways of the Lord.

Father forgive us for our failure to mentor and disciple those who are younger than us in the faith. Give us the grace to walk in uprightness ourselves, and to guide those we lead to do the same. Thank You that, by Your mercy, You have promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Empower us to walk in the light of Your glory every day, and let Your glory never depart from us we pray. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.