God's Fullness For an Empty Vessel - Part 1 of 2

Will fire, and should ensure ready Junior welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible. Our will and and and and and and and and and and and and and glad you joined us today. I hope you make it a part of your scheduling a regular basis. Listen to these messages we bring from God's word. If you can help us with the support of the program will shortly be thankful fire at our address is the Baptist Bible. Our Box 1737, Cincinnati, OH 45217 look at first Samuel chapter 4 second verse says, and the listings put themselves in array against Israel.

And when they joined battle.

Israel was smitten before the Philistines, and they slew of the Army in the field about 4000 man. This was obviously a disastrous day as far as Israel was concerned. The Philistines were their perpetual enemies and they come out to fight and are successful in killing 4000 men among the Israelites.

Verse three says and when the people were coming to the camp, the elders of Israel said, wherefore, hath the Lord smitten us today before the Philistines that one thing is to be noted here. These people didn't just conclude that it was a bad day and they had been unlucky. They said, why has the Lord smitten us and we need to be sensitive to the hand of God to afflictions that come our way to the things that he is orchestrating in our life to get our attention and teach us many lessons. But while they raise the right question.

They didn't come up with the right answer. Let us fetch the Ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh and to us that when it cometh among us. It may save us out of the hand of our enemies. They decide that the reason they have lost this battle is because the ark was not present with them Ark of the covenant of the Lord, the ark was built according to the pattern that God gave to Moses. This wasn't something that people just sat around thinking about one day and said what can we do to add some kind of religious symbol bring something into our order of worship that will make it more interesting or give us something tangible that we can look at God commanded them to make the ark. The ark at various times was carried away by their enemies, and now they conclude that evidently the reason they lost this battle is because the ark was not there. So if we can bring the ark. It may save us out of the hand of our enemies are the ark couldn't save anybody the ark was good the ark was made because God told him to make it, but it could not save anybody. Amazing how quickly people will get their eyes onto something that is tangible, something they can see with the I and rely upon it, rather than God himself. Because God is not seen with the natural line we can't reach out and touch him physically. It seems sometimes difficult us to lay hold of his promises and say I want to rely on this because God said and I'm I'm going to trust him, although storms are raging around in the adversities are coming in rapid succession. I'm still in trust God because he's promised that he will not leave me nor forsake rather than that. Not that anybody in this day would depend on our such as they did in that day because that symbol has long since passed off the scene but did not do very much the same thing today are not people very ready in many circles to rely upon something that is seen something that does the work of an artist, something that is that which they can hold their hand in touch and say this this file were not worshiping this symbol. This is nevertheless a significant part of our worship and rather than leaning on the Lord's very easy at times to begin to lean on people. Isaiah chapter 2 says CC for man, whose breath is in his nostrils. We began to lean upon man rather than on God on plans schemes programs anything else other than God himself. We will have problems in these people had problems they had the wrong conclusion. They were not looking to the Lord. There was no confession here. They didn't say we've lost 4000 men.

And so there must be seen among us. We need to examine ourselves and search our hearts. All they're saying is we need to bring the ark so inverse for the people sent to Shiloh, but they might bring from fence the ark of the covenant, the Lord of hosts, which dwells between the Germans and the two sons of Eli Hoffman I and many of us were there with the ark of the covenant of God, that wasn't bad enough just to be relying on the ark rather than on the God of the ark. The fact that the ark was in the company of these two sons of Eli made it even worse because you look back in the second chapter. First Samuel chapter 2, the 17th verse says wherefore the sin of the young man was very great before the Lord for man afford the offering of the Lord and the young man whom the reference is made for the two sons of Eli and if you want to know little more about them look back in the 12th verse now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, they knew not the Lord.

They knew not the Lord. Remember that it says that Eli had failed to restrain his sons. Kind of a unique story. Sad indeed that Eli had very good communication with Samuel, who was brought up to the temple like his mother, panel and dedicated to the service of God. Looking to his own sons. He was negligent. He did not restrain them, and we read that they came to an early death.

So the ark was in the company of two men of whom it is said they knew not the Lord and the people therefore were looking to the wrong place for him. So verse five says when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth rang again.

Now that they have both are out to the battlefield side of things will be all right there was a tremendous shout, great shout so that the earth rang again that when we see that all that shouting was in vain. They were soon to experience another terrible defeat realize that this was a very empty shout, they were boasting all right, but it did mean thing didn't mean that every thing was all right did mean they will have victory and that should be a lesson that just because somebody may at times say I'm excited and happy about a situation doesn't necessarily mean that the situation is going to be like they perceive it to be person can be very bold, boastful, very determined, very reassured and all of it leave without a valid foundation now verse six says when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, what mean that the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews and they understood that the ark of the Lord was coming to the camp and the Philistines were afraid, for they said God is come into the camp.

They make the same mistake in judgment that is really got the idea one of the ark is there. That must mean there God is there. So we are frightened by Worthing.

They said woe unto us for there have not been such a thing hereto for one to us who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods. These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness, as they say these be the gods. They had many gods and they assume that Israel did that but they had heard the report they heard what Israel's God had done to the Egyptians, and so they assume that with the are now present. That meant there, God was present and that also translated into the thought that they were in deep trouble.

So what I say. Be strong, quit yourself like me and all you Philistines that she be not servants of the Hebrews as they have been to you quick yourselves like men and fight in the Philistines fault and was slick so they have a says apartheid week. We are standing tall today. You have to be strong enough to stand up like real fighting men because we got a terrible task in front of us. Israel has brought in the art that means there God is with them.

Not one of the pushover like you were. Today we kill 4000 other men.

This is this going to be a real challenge. They fled Everyman into his tent and there was a very great slaughter for their sale of Israel 30,000 foot man instead of things getting better.

Not a whole lot worse first time 4000 men die second time 30,000 men die. You know how alarming it was in this recent war when you heard on a given day that 10 men were killed dozen men were killed just kind of cringe to think how terrible that our young men are giving their lives on the distant battlefield you can sympathize with their families think what grief they were experiencing was supposed during that war. The word come back that 4000 of our soldiers had died in one day. It was a started on that march toward Baghdad. There was a lot of apprehension just what might happen. What kind of weapons are being secured their germ warfare or whatever else it might have brought about the death of a great many soldiers quickly.

You know how disturbing that was being heard of 4000 men killed in the day.

Then, if close on the heels of that, the word came that 30,000 men had died how terrible it we read these Bible stories and reading these figures and it's something that we've read before somewhere kind of accustomed to it and I think when we read over it. We just glide past it and and don't translated into what it was like in real life. This isn't just a story know this is not like the parable in the New Testament. This is this is an actual account of something that took place. Think of the wives and the mothers and the children that were affected by such a tremendous loss. Is this in the ark of God was taken and the two sons of Eli Hoff and I and Finney Haas were slain. So these two rebellious wicked sons of the prophet die. That very day and then they come to bring the word to Eli.

Verse 14 says that when Eli heard the noise of the crying he said, what mean of the noise of this tumult, and the man came in hastily and told Eli not Eli was 90, and eight years old and his eyes were dim, that he could not see the man said in the Eli I am he that came out of the Army and I fled today out of the Army and he said what is there done to my son and the messenger answered and said Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there have been a great slaughter among the people and died two sons.

Also, Hoff and Finney's are dead, and the ark of God is taken and it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate and his neck break and he died for. He was an old man and heavy and he had judged Israel 40 years. He was a heavy man. So when he fell from his seat under his own weight. It broke his neck and he died. Talk about a dark day.

Men on the battlefield being killed in great numbers, the sons of the prophet being killed the prophet himself falling to his death and his daughter-in-law, Finney Haas, his wife was with child near to be delivered and when she heard the Tydings at the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead.

She bowed her self and travailed for her pains came upon her in about the time of her death. The women that stood by her said under her fear not, for thou was born the son, but she answered not. Neither did she regarded and she named the child Ichabod, saying the glory is departed from Israel because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband and she said the glory is departed from Israel for the ark of God is taken to a child is born. At this time and before this mother's death.

She gives the child a name Ichabod saying the glory is departed.

One Adar day. What a terrible time when God's own people have fled from before their enemies when God has sent judgment upon them because of their disobedience and they have suffered so greatly.

Principal lesson I wanted to see here is that they went out feeling sufficient they went out fool. They came back empty but in vivid contrast, when we turn to chapter 7 we see that go out empty and they come back full God's fullness for an empty session to chapter 7. Time has passed and it says that it was 20 years and all the house of Israel had lamented after the Lord.

Verse three and Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, if you do return on the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and asked her off from among you, and prepare your hearts on the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines entirely different approach year rather than talking about recovering the ark rather than there being a vein empty and meaningless shout that all is well now the ark is recovered same. It was given the proper instruction so you want the Lord to return.

You want the Lord's blessing upon you. You want him to deliver you you return to the Lord you return to the Lord with all your heart, not just with some idle passing expression you indicated by putting away the strange gods from among you is not enough just to say what we have sinned, Lord forgive our sin, but demonstrate your true repentance by getting rid of your idols, and serve him only serve him only thought serve our not be relying upon some religious former ceremony. Even though there were sacrifices that had to be offered in that day even though there were various rituals that were implemented according to the direction the God given to Moses, not those things were to be relied upon tabernacle. The next day the temple in its day. The beauty of the Lord's house. It was the Lord himself would be their defense, their strength, their support you think you will ever get confused about that in this day look to things that might be good in themselves may be something even the Lord himself has authorized but if we're looking to those things rather than to God himself and were going to suffer loss. These are brought keenly aware of the point at this time that they need the Lord. Verse four says that the children of Israel did put white male minister off and serve the Lord only, and Samuel said, gather all Israel to miss me and I will pray for you on the Lord. Notice the sequence of events year there's a call from the prophet to return return.

Sometimes I talk to people say well I feel that I've strayed gone so far away. I don't Lord ever hear me again like it may just be a hopeless case but I love to see how many times the prophets of the Old Testament use that word return find it frequently in the writings of Jeremiah talking to a people who had forsaken the Lord, gone astray, gone down the path toward items return return return was of me.

If a person was gone astray is returning there doing what they're repenting. Repentance is a change of mind change of heart. It's a change of direction, not just a lot of idle words, saying, well, yes, I've done wrong or if I've done anything wrong, forgive me, though it's a matter saying I am wrong I have done wrong. I have gone the wrong direction. I'm acknowledging it saying with the psalmists that are justified when thou speakers in other words, I'm not going to complain against the corrective rot of the Lord. I'm not going to suggest that God is being unfair to me because of the consequences, and I'm suffering as a result of our own sin.

I'm coming to him with true confession that I acknowledge my sin but in repentance I'm turning from it.

There's a change. I'm not going to continue down the same path and all and you will is encouraging to know that when we feel our unworthiness does not mean that we cannot be used in God's service. God gives us what we are lacking and service that is rendered to the glory of his name is that which is enablement empowered by his Holy Spirit.

I hope that you will write us at Baptist Bible hour box 17 oh 37, Cincinnati, OH 45217 two. We greet you next time. This is Michelle Bradley Junior bidding goodbye and may God bless you see all day and she and all and see all