1 Samuel 5-7
It is interesting to note here that the Philistines could have and should have followed up this victory, but didn't. In this last battle with Israel, they slaughtered 30,000 men. We can't even grasp that kind of loss of life in a battle. Yet God had now accomplished His task and had no desire for the Philistines to go further, and He had no need of an army to stop them. As disciples, we need to develop a mature perspective of God's work in the world among nations: What He allows and disallows. The real issues in play on this planet are above politics and human rights.
1 Samuel 5
Vs. 1-5 I don't think Dagon fell down before the ark as in worship. I think if it was next to the ark, the image just fell down. If the hands and head were over the threshold of the entrance of the temple, the statue couldn't have been facing the ark. Some preachers would have the statue bowing before the ark.
This little tradition of jumping over the threshold is interesting; because surprisingly, when you read through Malachi, years ahead in Israel's history and months ahead in your reading, you'll find it there too. Not many people link that reference back to this, only because they don't read their Bibles through like you are doing.
1 Samuel 5:6 - 1 Samuel 6:12
Just as God used Samson to terrify the Philistines into inactivity, God was now doing the same thing through the ark.
Everywhere the ark was sent, men were dying and all the people were afflicted by tumors and by a massive mouse outbreak. This last thing was anything but "Disney." It would have been horrific, from devastating their food supply to keeping them awake at night, to keeping them on edge every minute of every day. What an ingenious thing for God to do.
Notice in 6:6 how the Philistines believe in, and take to heart, what God did in Egypt 350 years earlier. They actually had some of the information correct too, knowing that Pharaoh had hardened his heart. Too bad Israel didn't have this kind of faith. But actually, this wasn't real faith. True faith would have led the Philistines and Israel to reject all impostors and worship and follow the only true God. This culture was very eclectic religiously.
Vs. 7-12 The two "milk" cows were actually cows that were still nursing calves. This means that the likelihood of them wandering away from their calves was not good. So in all of this, it was a mini miracle because God was in it, and therefore, proof to the Philistines that they had done the right thing.
1 Sam. 6:13-21
V. 15 shows there were Levites present, living among the people. Apparently the ark still had the carrying poles.
I wonder about the sacrifice they sacrificed there. Why didn't they take the ark back to Shiloh and sacrifice there? It should have been forbidden to offer sacrifices any place other than the Tabernacle.
Vs. 19-21 Joy turned to sadness. Finally, people could sneak a peek into the ark, forgetting of course that God was present and watching. That is the sadness in all of this. Religion was a national, distant pursuit. The personal love for God and understanding of His presence was gone. They didn't really respect or fear Him.
1 Samuel 7
This will probably blow your mind. The ark will never return to Shiloh and I have no reason why not. The Tabernacle must have fallen into disuse. The ark stayed at Kiriath-jearim (KJ) for 20 years, but this time is just a designation for how long it took the people to come to the place of wanting to worship and serve the Lord alone. It took 20 years of the ark being separated from the Tabernacle, and 20 years of Samuel teaching, to make the people understand they needed to reunite under the Lord. According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC), the ark was at KJ about 100 years when David brought it to Jerusalem.
Vs. 3-4 We haven't yet heard of the ministry of Samuel, going from town to town in a circuit, teaching the people and leading them in worship. But apparently that was one of the factors that finally brought the people to the place of returning to God.
Vs. 5-17
During this period of time the Philistines ruled, but kept their distance. Finally, when it seemed to them that there was an "unlawful assembly" that could unite Israel, the Philistines decided to crush it and keep Israel docile.
This assembly was true in heart and the people confessed their sin and repented.
During this assembly the Philistines must have suddenly appeared as an army and the people only had one place to turn, to God.
V. 13 From this point on, Israel was never ruled by the Philistines again; and during the judgeship of Samuel, they stayed out of Israel.
Vs. 15-17 Since Samuel visited and offered sacrifices in these towns (He took a sacrifice to Bethlehem when he anointed David and he built this altar in Ramah.), the worship at the Tabernacle must have been secondary. Apparently this was the only way that the people could be brought together in worship, regionally, and God allowed it.
John 6:1-21
Time-wise, if the event at the beginning of John 5 is a Passover, then a year has gone by. Verse 4 says that the Passover (another Passover) was at hand. This then would be the third Passover during Jesus' ministry and so, about a year before he died and was raised.
During this year Jesus has healed the man with the withered right hand, chosen His disciples, done the Sermon on the Mount, healed the centurion's slave and raised the widow's son, been questioned by John the Baptist, been anointed by a sinful woman, freed Mary of Magdalene of 7 spirits, been accused of being possessed of Satan, taught many parables, stilled the sea, freed the man with the Legion, healed the woman with the hemorrhage, raised Jarius' daughter, healed two blind men, cast out a dumb demon, been rejected a second time in Nazareth, and sent out His twelve to preach and heal. While the disciples were gone, John the Baptist has been killed. Now they returned to Jesus, and they tried to go to a lonely place; but the crowds have pursued them. The disciples are emotionally exhausted, and it is a strange time because John the Baptist has just been killed.
Jesus will not be in Jerusalem for this Passover, that we know of. The multitudes are mobilized to go to Jerusalem, but this is the pinnacle of Jesus' popularity. Knowing what He could do for the sick and needy, they would make a detour on their way to Jerusalem.
V. 15 Jesus is in "stealth" mode, avoiding the people. He sends the disciples out on the sea and goes back up on the mountain so the people see they are separated. The people wait for Jesus; but at night, He walks down to the sea, slipping in and out of shadows and begins walking across the sea to meet up with the disciples.
The people are fooled, but not for long.
Psalm 106:13-31
Reading this makes me think of the faulty reasoning of "seeing is believing." It didn't work for Israel. There has to be the need for deliverance, repentance and believing and doing the Word.
Also, I like the mention of Phinehas in verse 30.
Proverbs 14:32-33
I think the refuge that is found in the death of the wicked is "justice," knowing that God is just and that righteousness will win.
I like the idea of wisdom resting in the heart of a person; just being so much a part of a person that it naturally comes out in all situations.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
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