Sermon: God Is King

1 Samuel 6-7:2The Philistines have Israel’s God captured, or so they think. The Ark of the Covenant, the holy symbol of God’s presence, which was so easy to take and move around and place inside their temple, is now causing all sorts of national problems. The Philistines can’t handle God’s presence, the ark must go. Maybe when the ark is returned to Israel all will be better again? Not so much. Israel can’t handle God’s presence either. Who then can stand before this holy God?

"Is God the Lord?” After Israel loses a big battle, the Philistines think very little of God. After their capture of the ark of God, the Philistines set it up in the house of their god, Dagon. Israel’s God seems weak and defeated, but is that true? How will he respond?

“Why were we defeated?” After defeat in an important battle, the people of God look to God for deliverance but don’t address the real issue: their sin. They try again but don’t turn from sin, leading to another lost battle, more ruined lives, their enemies capturing the Ark of God, and one of the most terrible lines in the whole bible, “The glory has departed from Israel.”

As we continue in 1 Samuel we see Israel is livingIsrael is living in the dark because God’s speaking to his people was rare. Then, into that darkness God calls Samuel to be his prophet, bringing the light of his word to Eli and Israel. Just like our bodies need food when we are hungry, we need the prophetic Word of God in order to live. We will be asking ourselves this question: Are we living our lives guided by God’s prophetic word?

After Eli, the priest, has confronted his sons regarding their sin, God sends an unnamed prophet to confront Eli. Eli’s house has been honored by God for generations and received great blessings, but has, in return, dishonored God. God rejects Eli and his line, but his redemptive plan won’t end. Instead, He will raise up another line of priests who will be faithful forever.

As we find out the priests are stealing from God in his Temple, the darkness increases in the Book of Samuel. After all, sin is to be confessed, not committed, in God’s presence. And even when confronted about their sin, these priests won’t stop. Yet, God was also growing a light in the darkness. We’ll find that, amidst all of the corruption and contempt, the boy Samuel is growing in favor with God and man.

This is the end of Hannah’s story. She made a big ask, she promised a huge response, God answered her prayer, and she moves forward in faith. Hannah turns Samuel over for lifelong service to the Lord. The gift she received from God becomes a gift from Hannah to the world. Hannah is a link in the glorious chain of God’s promise of redemption tracked through history.Hannah’s God is holy and sovereign, and he is in control of the fates of mankind, so what else could she possibly do but sing?

The Book of Samuel begins with the story of Hannah, a barren woman who has felt forgotten by God and frustrated by her family. Completely heartbroken, Hannah’s pain grows year after year. But Hannah does not give up her faith. Instead she pursues God in worship and prayer until … when things are seemingly at their worst … God gives her peace, remembers her, and makes Hannah “no longer sad.”