patriarchs and prophets-第135节

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terrible　a　message　committed　to　him。　In　the　morning　he　went　about　his　duties
as　usual；　but　with　a　heavy　burden　upon　his　young　heart。　The　Lord　had　not
commanded　him　to　reveal　the　fearful　denunciation；　hence　he　remained　silent；
avoiding；　as　far　as　possible；　the　presence　of　Eli。　He　trembled；　lest　some
question　should　compel　him　to　declare　the　divine　judgments　against　one　whom
he　loved　and　reverenced。　Eli　was　confident　that　the　message　foretold　some
great　calamity　to　him　and　his　house。　He　called　Samuel；　and　charged　him　to
relate　faithfully　what　the　Lord　had　revealed。　The　youth　obeyed；　and　the　aged
man　bowed　in　humble　submission　to　the　appalling　sentence。　〃It　is　the　Lord；〃
he　said：　〃let　Him　do　what　seemeth　Him　good。〃

Yet　Eli　did　not　manifest　the　fruits　of　true　repentance。　He　confessed　his
guilt；　but　failed　to　renounce　the　sin。　Year　after　year　the　Lord　delayed　His
threatened　judgments。　Much　might　have　been　done　in　those　years　to　redeem　the
failures　of　the　past；　but　the　aged　priest　took　no　effective　measures　to
correct　the　evils　that　were　polluting　the　sanctuary　of　the　Lord　and　leading
thousands　in　Israel　to　ruin。　The　forbearance　of　God　caused　Hophni　and
Phinehas　to　harden　their　hearts　and　to　become　still　bolder　in　transgression。
The　messages　of　warning　and　reproof　to　his　house　were　made　known　by　Eli　to
the　whole　nation。　By　this　means　he　hoped　to　counteract；　in　some　measure；　the
evil　influence　of　his　past　neglect。　But　the　warnings　were　disregarded　by　the
people；　as　they　had　been　by　the　priests。　The　people　of　surrounding　nations
also；　who　were　not　ignorant　of　the　iniquities　openly　practiced　in　Israel；
became　still　bolder　in　their　idolatry　and　crime。　They　felt　no　sense　of　guilt
for　their　sins；　as　they

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would　have　felt　had　the　Israelites　preserved　their　integrity。　But　a　day　of
retribution　was　approaching。　God's　authority　had　been　set　aside；　and　His
worship　neglected　and　despised；　and　it　became　necessary　for　Him　to
interpose；　that　the　honor　of　His　name　might　be　maintained。

〃Now　Israel　went　out　against　the　Philistines　to　battle；　and　pitched　beside
Ebenezer：　and　the　Philistines　pitched　in　Aphek。〃　This　expedition　was
undertaken　by　the　Israelites　without　counsel　from　God；　without　the
concurrence　of　high　priest　or　prophet。　〃And　the　Philistines　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　four
thousand　men。〃　As　the　shattered　and　disheartened　force　returned　to　their
encampment；　〃the　elders　of　Israel　said；　Wherefore　hath　the　Lord　smitten　us
today　before　the　Philistines？〃　The　nation　was　ripe　for　the　judgments　of　God；
yet　they　did　not　see　that　their　own　sins　had　been　the　cause　of　this　terrible
disaster。　And　they　said；　〃Let　us　fetch　the　ark　of　the　covenant　of　the　Lord
out　of　Shiloh　unto　us；　that；　when　it　cometh　among　us；　it　may　save　us　out　of
the　hand　of　our　enemies。〃　The　Lord　had　given　no　command　or　permission　that
the　ark　should　come　into　the　army；　yet　the　Israelites　felt　confident　that
victory　would　be　theirs；　and　uttered　a　great　shout　when　it　was　borne　into
the　camp　by　the　sons　of　Eli。

The　Philistines　looked　upon　the　ark　as　the　god　of　Israel。　All　the　mighty
works　that　Jehovah　had　wrought　for　His　people　were　attributed　to　its　power。
As　they　heard　the　shouts　of　joy　at　its　approach；　they　said；　〃What　meaneth
the　noise　of　this　great　shout　in　the　camp　of　the　Hebrews？　And　they
understood　that　the　ark　of　the　Lord　was　come　into　the　camp。　And　the
Philistines　were　afraid；　for　they　said；　God　has　come　into　the　camp。　And　they
said；　Woe　unto　us！　for　there　hath　not　been　such　a　thing　heretofore。　Woe　unto
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。　Be
strong；　and　quit　yourselves　like　men；　O　ye　Philistines；　that　ye　be　not
servants　unto　the　Hebrews；　as　they　have　been　to　you：　quit　yourselves　like
men；　and　fight。〃

The　Philistines　made　a　fierce　assault；　which　resulted　in　the　defeat　of
Israel；　with　great　slaughter。　Thirty　thousand　men　lay　dead　upon　the　field；
and　the　ark　of　God　was　taken；　the　two　sons　of　Eli　having　fallen　while
fighting　to　defend　it。　Thus　again　was

584

left　upon　the　page　of　history　a　testimony　for　all　future　ages　that　the
iniquity　of　God's　professed　people　will　not　go　unpunished。　The　greater　the
knowledge　of　God's　will；　the　greater　the　sin　of　those　who　disregard　it。

The　most　terrifying　calamity　that　could　occur　had　befallen　Israel。　The　ark
of　God　had　been　captured；　and　was　in　the　possession　of　the　enemy。　The　glory
had　indeed　departed　from　Israel　when　the　symbol　of　the　abiding　presence　and
power　of　Jehovah　was　removed　from　the　midst　of　them。　With　this　sacred　chest
were　associated　the　most　wonderful　revelations　of　God's　truth　and　power。　In
former　days　miraculous　victories　had　been　achieved　whenever　it　appeared。　It
was　shadowed　by　the　wings　of　the　golden　cherubim；　and　the　unspeakable　glory
of　the　Shekinah；　the　visible　symbol　of　the　most　high　God；　had　rested　over　it
in　the　holy　of　holies。　But　now　it　had　brought　no　victory。　It　had　not　proved
a　defense　on　this　occasion；　and　there　was　mourning　throughout　Israel。

They　had　not　realized　that　their　faith　was　only　a　nominal　faith；　and　had
lost　its　power　to　prevail　with　God。　The　law　of　God；　contained　in　the　ark；
was　also　a　symbol　of　His　presence；　but　they　had　cast　contempt　upon　the
commandments；　had　despised　their　requirements；　and　had　grieved　the　Spirit　of
the　Lord　from　among　them。　When　the　people　obeyed　the　holy　precepts；　the　Lord
was　with　them　to　work　for　them　by　His　infinite　power；　but　when　they　looked
upon　the　ark；　and　did　not　associate　it　with　God；　nor　honor　His　revealed　will
by　obedience　to　His　law；　it　could　avail　them　little　more　than　a　common　box。
They　looked　to　the　ark　as　the　idolatrous　nations　looked　to　their　gods；　as　if
it　possessed　in　itself　the　elements　of　power　and　salvation。　They
transgressed　the　law　it　contained；　for　their　very　worship　of　the　ark　led　to
formalism；　hypocrisy；　and　idolatry。　Their　sin　had　separated　them　from　God；
and　He　could　not　give　them　the　victory　until　they　had　repented　of　and
forsaken　their　iniquity。

It　was　not　enough　that　the　ark　and　the　sanctuary　were　in　the　midst　of
Israel。　It　was　not　enough　that　the　priests　offered　sacrifices；　and　that　the
people　were　called　the　children　of　God。　The　Lord　does　not　regard　the　request
of　those　who　cherish　iniquity　in　the　heart；　it　is　written　that　〃he　that
turneth　away　his　ear　from　hearing　the　law；　even　his　prayer　shall　be
abomination。〃　Proverbs　28：9。

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When　the　army　went　out　to　battle；　Eli；　blind　and　old；　had　tarried　at　Shiloh。
It　was　with　troubled　forebodings　that　he　awaited　the　result　of　the　conflict；
〃for　his　heart　trembled　for　the　ark　of　God。〃　Taking　his　position　outside　the
gate　of　the　tabernacle；　he　sat　by　the　highway　side　day　after　day；　anxiously
expecting　the　arrival　of　a　messenger　from　the　battlefield。

At　length　a　Benjamite　from　the　army；　〃with　his　clothes　rent；　and　with　earth
upon　his　head；〃　came　hurrying　up　the　ascent　leading　to　the　city。　Passing
heedlessly　the　aged　man　beside　the　way；　he　rushed　on　to　the　town；　and
repeated　to　eager　throngs　the　tidings　of　defeat　and　loss。

The　sound　of　wailing　and　lamentation　reached　the　watcher　beside　the
tabernacle。　The　messenger　was　brought　to　him。　And　the　man　said　unto　Eli；
〃Israel　is　fled　before　the　Philistines；　and　there　hath　been　also　a　great
slaughter　among　the　people；　and　thy　two　sons　also；　Hophni　and　Phinehas；　are
dead。〃　Eli　could　endure　all　this；　terrible　as　it　was；　for　he　had　expected
it。　But　when　the　messenger　added；　〃And　the　ark　of　God　is　taken；〃　a　look　of
unutterable　anguish　passed　over　his　countenance。　The　thought　that　his　sin
had　thus　dishonored　God　and　caused　Him　to　withdraw　His　presence　from　Israel
was　more　than　he　could　bear；　his　strength　was　gone；　he　fell；　〃and　his　neck
brake；　and　he　died。〃

The　wife　of　Phinehas；　notwithstanding　the　impiety　of　her　husband；　was　a
woman　who　feared　the　Lord。　The　death　of　her　father…in…law　and　her　husband；
and　above　all；　the　terrible　tidings　that　the　ark　of　God　was　taken；　caused
her　death。　She　felt　that　the　last　hope　of　Israel　was　gone；　and　she　named　the
child　born　in　this　hour　of　adversity；　Ichabod；　or　〃inglorious；〃　with　her
dying　breath　mournfully　repeating　the　words；　〃The　glory　is　departed　from
Israel：　for　the　ark　of　God　is　taken。〃

But　the　Lord　had　not　wholly　cast　aside　His　people；　nor　would　He　long　suffer
the　exultation　of　the　heathen。　He　had　used　the　Philistines　as　the　instrument
to　punish　Israel；　and　He　employed　the　ark　to　punish　the　Philistines。　In　time
past　the　divine　Presence　had　attended　it；　to　be　the　strength　and　glory　of
His　obedient　people。　That　invisible　Presence　would　still　attend　it；　to　bring
terror　and　destruction　to　the　transgressors　of　His　holy　law。　The　Lord　often
employs　His　bitterest　enemies　to　punish　the　unfaithfulness　of　His　professed
people。　The　wicked　may　triumph　for　a　time　as　they　see　Israel　suffering
chastisement；　but　th