"Magical Religion" February 27 Readings: 1 Samuel 1-5

  

Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2024

This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened." Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New. 

Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 1-5

Background:  

As Judges 17-21 took Israel to the nadir of its history, this passage is the beginning of the rise to Israel's greatest days. God's grace restored Israel. The irony is that when Israel reached its worst days at the end of the period of the Judges it was only 50 to 75 years or so from its glory days under King David. It all began when one woman prayed fervently for a son, and then gave that son to God. Samuel grew to lead Israel back to God and eventually anointed a young shepherd as Israel's second king (after the near-miss with Saul). 

When things look terrible, God may be about to do something great. 

Daily Devotional: Magical Religion

Israel couldn't figure it out. The Philistines had defeated them soundly in battle. Where was God? Why was he not delivering his people and defeating their enemies? Why had God failed them? So, they came up with a plan; one that would bring them success on the battlefield.

"Let’s bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then it will go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

All they had to do was get the Ark of the Covenant and bring it down to the battlefield. When they marched into the war against the Philistines with the Ark in their midst, the power of God would surely manifest itself and they would be victorious.

Alas, it did not happen. In fact, it became one of the most horrible defeats Israel ever had. Over 30,000 men were killed in the battle, the sons of Eli were killed and the Ark itself was captured by the Philistines, leaving Israel devastated. When Eli heard of this, he fell off his chair and died.

This was, perhaps, the low point in Israel's era of the Judges.

What happened? Why didn't it work? The people had the ark which represented the powerful presence of God and still, they did not succeed. How did it all go so wrong?

It is simple. God is not moved by magical religion. Magic is the manipulation of spiritual forces to achieve one's goals. Israel wanted victory so they brought in the Ark as a talisman to attempt to summon God's presence on their terms. But God would not be controlled or manipulated.

Israel did not have to summon a talisman. All they had to do was repent of their sinful ways and seek God. If they returned to him in faith his promises would be restored to them. The way to defeat the Philistines was to seek God, not to seek to use God through their own manipulative efforts.

We don't gain brownie points with God by going to church, giving money, doing nice things for others or any other work. There are no magical words of prayer or positive confession that can manipulate and control God's power. We gain the presence of God and his power when we repent and trust him, when we submit our lives to his control.

Our faith is not about magic, but about yielding fully to him!

Father, forgive me for when I've foolishly tried to manipulate you with my fleshly actions. You are God and I yield today to you and your glory. 

Consider God's Word:

Do you walk in faith or do you attempt to practice magical faith?
Think through the difference between dependence on God and attempting to manipulate him with your religious acts.