That’s Not Normal! (Part 1 of 2)

Light had to stop blatantly wicked priests. And yet, strangely, they assumed that in spite of their wickedness God would continue to bless them with victory on the battlefield today on Truth for Life will learn about Eli's shocking response when he heard the devastating response of the battle Alastair biggest teaching from first Samuel chapter 4 verses 12 to 22. Amanda Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head when he arrived.

Eli was sitting on his seat by the road, watching for his heart trembled for the ark of God.

And when the man came into the city and told in use all the city cried out when Eli hared the sound of the outcry he said, what is this uproar, then the man hurried and came and told Eli. Now Eli was 98 years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see and the man said to Eli, I am he who has come from the battle. I fled from the battle today and he said how did it go. My son.

He who brought the news answered and said, Israel has fled from the Philistines, and there is also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons. Also, Hockney and Finney asked her dad in the ark of God has been captured, as soon as he mentioned the ark of God. Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate and his neck was broken and he died for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel 40 years now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phineas was pregnant. About to give birth and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead. She borrowed and gave birth for her pains came upon her and about the time of her death. The women attending her said to her, do not be afraid, for you have borne a son, but she did not answer or pay attention and she named the child Ichabod, saying the glory has departed from Israel because the ark of God has been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband and she said the glory has departed from Israel for the ark of God has been captured on father with our Bibles open before us, we humbly pray for the help and work of the Holy Spirit so that the page might be illumined to us that our eyes might be open to see our ears quick to listen, in our hearts ready to embrace all that you have for us in and through your word for.

We pray in Jesus name, amen.

While the verses to which we have turned are the versus which we consider this morning I found this week. In studying this passage as last time. Greatly challenged by and I also found that a phrase came to me from out of the dim and distant past I was able to track it down to Edinburgh.

I think 1976 when Susan and I had attended a play we didn't go to plays very often in those days and so I remember that it was a play I don't remember the name and I don't remember what it was about all that I remember is one line from that play and it was a recurring line because it was poignant and it was at the same time humorous. It was delivered by a lady with a kind of accented classical accent and as something would happen in the play, she would say that's not normal, just like that, that's not normal and so for the last 40+ years of our lives. Susan and I have nice things unfold in our marriage and in life we use that phrase has not normal and the reason it's in my mind is because I think that if you followed carefully when I read or if you've been reading this text during the week. You must have come to the place where you set yourself.

This is normal and surely not normal for this lady to get the news of a son being delivered and yet to pay no regard to the tall, because the news of the loss of a box on the battlefield so predominates in her thinking, and in the cases we will see this morning all of this woman. I will I not say that's not normal.

I think we would say though that's unnatural and then the only explanation we have is to conclude that in fact it is supernatural note in the telling of the story we the readers because we have read the first half of the chapter, we are aware of the disaster on the field of battle. We are aware of the fact that the judgment pronounced on the Heise house of Eli has begun how we are aware of all of that, but the news is only now reaching Shiloh is reaching Shiloh on the lips of a man of Benjamin who has run from the field of battle.

Note I tried to remind myself in my study and also knowing seeking to expound the text that what were dealing with here is of course a narrative when dealing with a story is being told in such a way that we, the readers might also enjoy the story and be intrigued by the story and learn from the story is not given to his in bullet points.

So we are supposed to get underneath if you like that the text itself. The various genres of Scripture some prophecy and some epistles and some history and some toiletries and so on are there in the vast diversity of the 66 books so that Farah is the enjoyment of the reading of the Bible might simply be that actually the enjoyment of, and even the opening phrase here. A man of Benjamin ran ought to make some of us think because we been reading well that sounds a little bit like how the book began because it is exactly how the book began, there was a certain man of grandma themes all theme. We also were introduced to another man, a man of God. In verse 27 and they of chapter 2 and there came a man so there was a man there came a man. And here we are again, and a man of Benjamin.

You know it by little it might force you forward just a page in your Bible to chapter 9 where we find again. There was a man of Benjamin and the thought is that the way the writer puts this is to provide just a little hint so that in the same way that when you read something it triggered something in your mind. And when you read the beginning of chapter 9. You know that what is described there is actually he who had a son whose name was Saul handsome young man and did some Jewish traditions they actually believe that the certain man here of Benjamin in verse 12 was none other than Saul himself, how they arrive at that. I don't know you are not to be unsettled by it because as you would tell me it's not a main thing or a plain thing, but this man of Benjamin has run from the battle that tells her something because we know that the battlefield was about 20 miles or more away cross-country that's quite a run is almost a marathon runner and he is arrive not wearing Lululemon or Nike. As you can see, but he is arrived with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. Unless we understand that this is an expression of morning, we will assume that is actually fallen or been beset by robbers on the way the very way in which she reveals himself is an indication of the bad news that he brings. It would be obvious to anyone who so I'm coming that he was a bearer of bad news, of course, it couldn't be obvious to Eli as we know, because Eli was blind. The fact that he's blind doesn't stop the writer from saying in verse 13 that Eli was sitting on his seat by the road, watching and so how do you watch when you're blind. Well, presumably you watch with your ears and friends that I've had to physically unable to see seem to have a perception, a grasp of things that is almost uncanny and that their alerted things that we who look with our eyes may actually miss ourselves. There may be something of that there he was watching and he was at the same time were told trembling and he was trembling for the ark of God.

There is more in this than were going to unpack at the moment, but if you think about it, you realize that he had been on the receiving end of the request for the ark to be taken to the battlefield.

Back in the earlier part of the chapter therefore's defeat was significant. They figured if we use the ark as a kind of magic box then and maybe that will work for us.

Eli knew better than to respond to that Eli knew better than to dispatch the art and certainly in the custody of his two worthless sons. As we have had them described and he knew that in doing what he had done it was actually contrary to the purposes of God.

God one to the ark in a place with the people coming to the art rather than the people using the ark as if it was a talisman so is not a surprise that we are told that he was trembling in this way.

Incidentally, when you read a text like this for yourself on your own when you're seeing to study the Bible, one of the ways in which we can understand where the emphasis lies one of the ways in which we can make sure that we don't go wrong in our exposition of the text is to consider where there is repetition and the repetition in these verses is focused entirely on the ark, and if you read it out loud to be struck by how many times you're saying the ark.

It's in verse 11 verse 17 verse 19 verse 21 verse 22. So what we know. We know that the writer wants us to think significantly about this matter of the ark of God. What is happened to what is represented by it and what it means now the arrival of this man.

The messenger has caused an uproar in the city. The uproar in the city has spread out and Eli now who couldn't determine from seeing the man as he ran past what was going on inquires about the uproar and were told in verse 14 that then the man hurried and came and told Eli as I thought about it at the will of the uproar was so great and people and found out.

Surely anybody could've told Eli what was going on and that I think would be absolutely accurate, but nevertheless he hears it is aware from the horses mouth and then the man hurried and he came to Eli and he introduced himself before he introduces himself the narrator. The writer tells us that Eli was 98 years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see, presumably just a reminder, as in the story as it unfolds that the man coming up to Eli would not steal his own funder by a virtue all of his torn clothes in the dirt in his hair because Eli couldn't see either of fact.

Therefore what he was now about to tell him was going to be news and so he introduces himself for 16 eyes as I imagine him saying just by way of introduction, I am he who is come from the battle inside. I fled from the battle today which Eli says how did it go. My son I guess when you're 98 years old. You can call everybody son right.

I don't mean this is a term of endearment invite if we put it in more common parlance, it goes something like this or just by way of introduction, I I am the man who was at the battlefield. I fled from the battlefield at which Eli refight replied get on with it by tell me what you're here to report notes noticed that in the telling of the story. The pace slows that this is this is important in telling a story. If you do creative writing at school and you're writing a story you can use your best lying in the first paragraph you don't have a story all you've got. Subparagraph therefore if you seeking to build suspense. One of the ways in which you build suspense is by delay how you will notice he who brought the news answered and said we know it was he who brought the news but the writer is just slowing the pace purposefully. The writer writes it in such a way that there is an enjoyment in getting to the point and the Bible is not a boring book that people tell me the Bible is so boring.

I'll tell you one thing you've never read it. You've never read it on your knees, that's for sure.

For the Bible is magnificent all inspired for our correction for our reproof, for our training in righteousness, and were expected to read the narrative of first Samuel four in a different way than we read, for example, Ephesians chapter 2 why because it is written differently in order to present this truth. So he presented the news Israel has fled before the Philistines's number one. There is also been a great defeat among the people is a slaughter as number two.

Your two sons also half Nate and Phineas. Now he's not telling Eli his somethings names is reminding us so we make sure they were not talking about any other sons that there might've been, still the same two worthless characters. Your two sons are dead still not at the punchline stop there for a moment, can there be a greater grief for her father, then to be informed that his two impenitent sons are lost. That would be enough to induce a heart attack and most fathers look at Eli sitting there, squeeze your eyes together and say under your breath. It's not normal because notice that it is the punchline, and the ark of God has been captured.

See how it builds up to the pace slows the information is provided. What is the significant thing. Where does the focus like what is the writer telling us telling is that this is the most significant thing of all, and the mention of the art which had caused Eli's heart to tremble is now the occasion of his death. He's old, he's heavy he's blind. He said he's dead 40 year career comes to a crashing end in a moment of your something that ought to give us pause when we read this, we had to say.

I'm not sure I remember many places in the Bible where somebody's weight is mentioned or where their girth is described so therefore it must be a significant thing. Well, you could say yes and sheer terms of the physicality over that would explain why if he was heavy and that way a fall would be sufficient to bring about his death but I see we know that is more than that because what was the problem early on with the three-pronged fork and the digging in the meat. It was that they despise the place that God had appointed decided that the preoccupations of themselves and their father took precedence over their own earthly longings over their own needs. Hey you give us this stuff will take it from you forcibly yeah, but you're supposed to allow the fact to burn off as an aroma as a sacrifice of praise to Almighty God.

Don't you worry about Almighty God, we are the custodians of Almighty God. Just do what were telling you we will take the facts. So what you where's the glory in one sense wrapped around Eli's belly for his girth is in itself a physical expression of the spiritual chaos represented in the priestly function of Shiloh and let me tell you why I know this because in Hebrew the word for heavy transliterated's cabinet KA be ED, it is the verbal form of a word which is translated glory which is K a B all D and the writer is making a play on words throughout this saga, showing how when those who are fastened on themselves and their own significant seeking to rob God of his glory.

They treat him as if he is light and may be manipulated and so they themselves regarding themselves as heavy take precedence in everything. This little scene here is a is a sad scene is and that the sun is setting on Eli's life.

He dies miserably, but I want to believe that he didn't die eternally. The Lord knows these things I say that because even in his death is actually clear that his deepest concern is not what is happening to him, or even what happened to his sons, but the news that God had forsaken his dwelling in Shiloh. The news that they are have now been captured the news the glory. If you like had departed.

Eli is one of a number of individuals in the Bible, particularly in the realm of religious profession and in religious exercise in terms of priestly or pastoral function. If you like, who stands as an is a huge warning warning that is encapsulated in Paul's words. Remember in first Corinthians 10 let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls. I want to believe that Eli died of a broken heart rather than of a broken neck. I want to believe that the former preceded the latter I don't know what is main and plain. Eli died, no one tries to rob God of his glory gets away with listing to Truth for Life Alistair Begg with part one of a message titled that's not we hope you're enjoying these powerful stories and relatable warnings that come to us from the book of first Samuel, this is the first time the series is been heard on Truth for Life. The series is titled give us a king and for five dollars you can own all 54 messages through the entire book of first Samuel. The study is available on a USB drive. You can purchase it through our mobile app or online@truthforlife.org/store that you often hear me talking about truth partners on this program. True partners are people who give the Truth for Life each month. They provide the ministry with the resources needed to produce this daily program. If you have benefited from Alister's teaching and are strengthened in your relationship with Jesus by listing to these messages would like to ask you to consider becoming a true partner today. When you do, we will say thank you by inviting you to request both of our monthly book offers. You'll love today's recommendation that the study of the personal and work of Jesus, written by Alister along with his friend Sinclair Ferguson. The book is titled name above all names you can request a book when you sign up to become a true partner Ormonde for life.org/partner or call 888-588-7884 could also request a book with a one time donation. Just visit our website@truthforlife.org/donate Bob Lapine thanks for joining us today. What could be worse news for a pregnant mother then learning her husband had been killed in battle. Find out tomorrow.

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