1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,359 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and she said, the glory is departed 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: from Israel, for the ark of God is taken first 3 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: Samuel four twenty two. Lord, through the power of this text, 4 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: I can see the message that you are speaking to me. 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: I will not allow myself to become complaisant and smug 6 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: in the calling that you entrusted me with. When your 7 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: hand of provisions sweeps over into my life, I will 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: make sure to mind my duties and stay committed and 9 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,480 Speaker 1: faithful to the task you have called me to accomplish. 10 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: I will remain alert in my life and in my calling, 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,279 Speaker 1: so that the spirit of familiarity that Hofni and Phineas 12 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: had for your ark and your presence won't rest on me. 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: I confess that your presence is my priority. In the 14 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: midst of battles and circumstances, I will not abandon your presence. 15 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: I will not allow the enemy to separate me from 16 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 1: you and your covering. When you are with me, no 17 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: opposition can stand against me, because where you are, victory 18 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: is today. I will cherish and protect my walk with you, Lord, 19 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: because I know that with you by my side, I 20 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: am covered on all sides. In Jesus' name, Amen. Listening 21 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: to these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue 22 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: hearing from the Lord by listening to today's Bible in 23 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: a Year, brought to you by Bible in a Year 24 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: dot com. 25 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 2: The Philistines defeat Israel. In our last story, we learned 26 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 2: about the rise of Samuel. In contrast to Eli's sons, 27 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 2: Samuel was attentive to the voice of God. He served 28 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: the Lord and his people selflessly, and was chosen by 29 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 2: God to guide Israel in a period of darkness and uncertainty. 30 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 2: In this story, we learn about the Philistines re emerging 31 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 2: as a threat to Israel. They take Israel's most prized possession, 32 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: the Ark of the Covenant. The Philistines quickly learned that 33 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 2: even though the Israelites are weak, their God is not 34 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 2: to be trifled with. Inspired by the Book of First Samuel. 35 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 36 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In our last reading, we 37 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 3: heard the story of how Hannah prayed for a child 38 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 3: and promised God to give her son back to him 39 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 3: to serve God his whole life. God granted Hannah's request 40 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 3: as she gave birth to Samuel. When Samuel was old enough, 41 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 3: Hannah took him to Eli the priest to raise him 42 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 3: in the temple as a servant of the Lord. Samuel 43 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 3: grew up knowing God and serving him unlike Eli's own son, 44 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 3: And when he was still young, God spoke to Samuel, 45 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 3: telling him that a new priesthood would be established. Samuel 46 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 3: was to be God's chosen man to lead Israel in 47 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 3: a whole new era. Today, we'll see a familiar foe 48 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 3: rising up against Israel. The Philistines are once again a thorn, 49 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 3: a terrible pain in the side of Israel. Israel will 50 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 3: call upon God's presence, taking the Ark of the Covenant 51 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 3: into battle, but it will be carried by Eli's sons, 52 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 3: and we'll see how God's judgment against these two wicked 53 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 3: men would cost the entire nation dearly and lead to 54 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 3: the loss of their most sacred symbol. Let's listen now 55 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 3: to today's reading. 56 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 2: The guidance of Samuel comforted the children of Israel. His 57 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: wisdom and closeness to God brought them great relief, for 58 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: they had been far from God for too long. His 59 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: words brought life, and the light of God's love was 60 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 2: slowly replacing the shadows that hovered over their hearts. Yet 61 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 2: a darkness was still present on the outskirts of Israel. 62 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: Miles away. The horde of Philistines lurked in the shadows 63 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: like a pack of wolves. They waited patiently for the 64 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 2: perfect moment to strike the sheep of Israel. The Philistines 65 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 2: approached the wilderness outside Israel and postured themselves in provocation. 66 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: Israel accepted their challenge and marched as one army against 67 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 2: the Philistine menace. Israel camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines 68 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 2: camped a little ways away at Aphek. Like tidal waves 69 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 2: against a lost ship, the Philistines crashed upon the armies 70 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 2: of Israel. The battle spread in many directions, and Israel 71 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: was tossed to and fro. Four thousand Israelite soldiers were crushed, staffed, 72 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 2: and strangled under the hot Middle Eastern sun. Israel ran 73 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: for their lives, retreating back to a safe place to stratagize. 74 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 2: The Israelite elders rithed, dumbfounded that they would be defeated 75 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 2: so easily. Why has God done this? They shouted. Then 76 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 2: the elders remembered the stories of old how Joshua brought 77 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 2: forth the Ark of the Covenant before the Jordan River 78 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: and the walls of Jericho. They smiled and spoke again, saying, 79 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 2: we must bring forth the Ark of the Covenant. If 80 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 2: God is before us, we shall have power over our enemies. 81 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 2: The elder's intentions were pure and their ideas were sound, 82 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 2: yet they overlooked the most important detail of all. The 83 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 2: sons of Eli were in charge of the ark. The 84 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 2: two wicked priests, half Nigh in Phineas were the overseers 85 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 2: of the Ark of the Covenant, and God had vowed 86 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,919 Speaker 2: to destroy them for their wickedness. Ram's horns sounded in 87 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 2: the distance. The beaten up soldiers of Israel poked their 88 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 2: heads out of their tents. In the distance, the Ark 89 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,679 Speaker 2: of the Covenant was being brought into the camp. Chills 90 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 2: of hope crawled up their spines. A new song was 91 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 2: sung that day among the children of Israel. They sang 92 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 2: and shouted to God, knowing that he would deliver them 93 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 2: as he had hundreds of times before. Half Nigh and 94 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 2: Phineas puffed their chests up with pride as they heard 95 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 2: the cheers of the soldiers. They craved the attention, even 96 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: though the worship was directed towards God. They soaked up 97 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 2: the praises of his people. As soon as the Ark arrived, 98 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 2: Israel's shouts resounded like. 99 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 4: An earthquake across the land. The Philistines could hear their 100 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 4: battle cries and quivered with fear. They had caught word 101 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 4: that the Ark of the Covenant had made its way 102 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 4: into camp. The Philistines were no fools. They knew what 103 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 4: God had done to the Egyptians. They had been told 104 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 4: stories of their gods splitting seas and crushing armies. They understood, 105 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 4: perhaps more than Israel, what it truly meant to fear God. 106 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 4: Their God will strike us down by fire or plague. 107 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 4: Some of them shouted, we have never faced a threat 108 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 4: like this. We had doomed more of them, exclaimed. One 109 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,160 Speaker 4: commander of the Philistine army stood tall among them and shouted, 110 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 4: take heart, oh Philistines, do you wish to become slaves 111 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 4: to the Hebrews as they have been to us. He 112 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 4: raised his spear high in the air and shouted, be 113 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 4: men and fight. The Philistine horde erupted in screams of 114 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 4: war and bloodthirst. Without hesitation, they descended upon Israel like 115 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 4: a tempest, the Philistines showed no mercy. They tore men apart, 116 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 4: limb from limb. Complete chaos ensued across the Israelite army 117 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 4: in camp. Every man retreated to protect himself, and mighty 118 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 4: warriors begged for mercy under the sword of the Philistines. 119 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 4: Half Nigh and Phineas were in their tent eating when 120 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 4: the Philistines attacked. It was their responsibility to protect the 121 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 4: Ark of the Covenant. However, when the Philistines stormed the camp, 122 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 4: the two priests gathered their belongings and abandoned the Ark. 123 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 4: They ran for their lives, leaving the people behind them. 124 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 4: Their lungs heaved as they ran with their fattened bodies, 125 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 4: for they continually gorged themselves on the temple's food. They 126 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 4: were immediately knocked to the ground by two Philistine soldiers. 127 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 4: Fumbling around in the dirt, the two brothers had no 128 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 4: time to collect their thoughts before an axe was lodged 129 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 4: into their skulls by the hand of the Philistines. God 130 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 4: fulfilled his promise to rid Israel of their selfish and 131 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 4: wicked priests. The Philistines looked upon the abandoned Ark of 132 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 4: the Covenant They laughed and drug it back to their 133 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 4: camp over the dead bodies of fallen Hebrews. The represented 134 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 4: and manifest presence of God was being taken back to 135 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,559 Speaker 4: the Philistine camp, something they believed to be a victory. 136 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 4: Yet God cannot be captured. No, the Philistines would live 137 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 4: to regret ever touching a single finger on the sacred 138 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 4: relic of God. Unlike Israel, God can fight his own battles. 139 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 4: A Benjamite boy ran for his life from the slaughter. 140 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 4: Dirt and bloe ud caked his face, and his clothes 141 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 4: were torn to expose his wounded and bloodied body. Eli 142 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 4: sat beside the road a few miles away from battle, 143 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 4: listening to the cries of his people. Eli was ninety 144 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 4: eight years old and his body trembled constantly. He wept 145 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 4: for his fallen brothers and wondered about his son's safety. 146 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 4: Eli spotted the Benjamite boy hobbling his way towards the 147 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,959 Speaker 4: city to warn the people. What is this uproar coming 148 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 4: from the battlefield, Eli asked. The Benjamite could barely see straight. 149 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 4: Gasping for air, he managed to recount the battle to 150 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 4: Eli with great anguish. 151 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 2: He said, Israel has fallen to the Philistines. All have 152 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 2: fled in different directions. Your sons half Nigh and Phineas 153 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 2: have been slain, and the Ark of the Covenant has 154 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 2: been stolen. Eli clutched his heart upon hearing the news. 155 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 2: His eyes rolled back, and he stumbled backwards and fell 156 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: by the side of the gate. His neck fell on 157 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 2: a curb and appt Eli not too long after his 158 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 2: sons perished. He had judged and ministered over Israel for 159 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 2: forty years. Israel had lost over thirty five thousand soldiers, 160 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 2: their priests, and the Ark of the Covenant. The hope 161 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 2: that once caused them to cheer was replaced with fear 162 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 2: and panic. In many ways, they felt as though God 163 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 2: was taken captive. Yet God is captive to no army, 164 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 2: nor is he confined to a relic. The Philistines would 165 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 2: soon learn to not trifle with the God of Israel, 166 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 2: and the Hebrews would behold God's sufficiency and power. 167 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 3: When we begin today's reading, Samuel is already a leader 168 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 3: in Israel. His closeness with God has established him as 169 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 3: a trusted voice for God among the people. Israel has 170 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 3: been distant from God now for many years, but now 171 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 3: under Samuel's leadership, they are turning back to the Lord. 172 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 3: Still there is danger lurking enemies intent on defeating God's people, 173 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 3: and one of those is a familiar foe, the Philistines. 174 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 3: The two clash in battle and Israel is defeated by 175 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 3: the Philistines. They run to safety, but only after four 176 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 3: thousand Israelite soldiers die. The elders of Israel, of course, 177 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 3: are wondering why God allowed this terrible defeat. Then they 178 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 3: remembered their stories how God went with Joshua into battle, 179 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 3: handing him victory after victory. So in First Samuel four 180 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 3: to three they say, let us bring the ark of 181 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 3: the Covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it 182 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 3: may come among us and save us from the power 183 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 3: of our enemies. They knew they absolutely needed God in 184 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 3: this fight. It of course, is a reminder for us 185 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 3: today that the battle is always the Lord's. We do 186 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 3: not face our battles alone. God has promised us victory 187 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 3: in our Lord, Jesus Christ, so he is our weapon, 188 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 3: is our defender. The elder's hearts were in the right place. 189 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 3: They wanted God's presence, but there was a huge problem. 190 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,199 Speaker 3: Eli's sons, Hofni and Phidias, were in charge of the ark, 191 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 3: and they brought and carried this ark into battle. The 192 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 3: mere sight of the ark filled the troops with excitement, 193 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 3: and they shouted loudly. When the Philistines discovered the Ark 194 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 3: was with Israel, they knew this battle would be different. 195 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 3: There was now a divine force with Israel. But they 196 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 3: didn't retreat. They only fought more fiercely, determined not to 197 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 3: be conquered by the Hebrews, and once again they came 198 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 3: out victorious, sending terrified Israeli's scurrying in fear. But Hofni 199 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 3: and Phineas, along with thirty thousand soldiers, were killed, just 200 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 3: as God had told Samuel Eli's sons were wiped off 201 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 3: the face of the earth and punished for their blasphemy. 202 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 3: One thing we can always know, God will execute his 203 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 3: judgment when necessary. These two men had abused and misused 204 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,319 Speaker 3: their position. They had disrespected God and refused to change 205 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 3: their hearts in repentance, so God dealt forcefully with their sin. Tragically, 206 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 3: their sins cost an entire nation, as Israel fell to 207 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 3: the Philistines in this battle. Despite the presence of the Ark. 208 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 3: Unresolved unrepented of sin always has consequences, and God did 209 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 3: not give victory to his people on that day because 210 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:34,359 Speaker 3: of the sins of Eli the priest's sons. The Philistines 211 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,119 Speaker 3: rejoiced in victory, and when they saw the Ark abandoned 212 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 3: on the battlefield, they took it as a prize because 213 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 3: they wanted a divine presence with them. But God will 214 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 3: not be used like that, and when unholy hands tried 215 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 3: to weaponize God's power for their own benefit, they will 216 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 3: pay a heavy price. The Philistines would soon discover just 217 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,719 Speaker 3: how high that price would be. When Eli heard of 218 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 3: the defeat of Israel and the fate of his sons, 219 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 3: he fell out of his seat and broke his neck. 220 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 3: God's words to Samuel came true that day to Israel, 221 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 3: God's glory had departed from them. The glory had departed 222 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 3: the word is Ichabod. But God was not done with 223 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 3: his people. And the next time we'll hear how the 224 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 3: Ark returns to Israel. Dear God, first of all, we 225 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 3: turn from our sins and trust in you. We thank 226 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 3: you for the cross where you died for us, and 227 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 3: for the resurrection. May we live in the power of 228 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 3: Jesus and his resurrection. We know that we never, in Christ, 229 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 3: fight our battles alone. May we always look to You 230 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 3: and trust in You and experience a closest to You 231 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 3: and therefore victory in Jesus. And it is in his 232 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 3: name that we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to 233 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 3: today's Bible of the Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas, 234 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 3: and you can download the prey dot com and make 235 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 3: prayer the priority of your life. It is our prayer 236 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 3: that you would know Jesus Christ in a personal way. 237 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 3: Jesus and knowing him is the key to understanding the Bible. 238 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 3: Jesus is on every page in the pathway of Scripture, 239 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 3: so I pray that you would know him and look 240 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 3: to Him for eternal life. As we see all of 241 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 3: these stories, some of them very sordid, we realize just 242 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 3: how desperately we all need the Lord. So invite Christ 243 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 3: into your life and receive Him as your Lord and savior. 244 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 3: I would also encourage you to download thepray dot com 245 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 3: app and let others know about this podcast. And if 246 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 3: you want more resources on how to know God and 247 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 3: experience his presence in your life, be sure to visit 248 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 3: Jack Graham dot org. God Bless you. 249 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare 250 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality. Welcome 251 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: to the Pray News podcast, where hope is our only bias. 252 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: Each day, we'll unpack the most prominent stories happening in 253 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 2: the news and offer a Christian perspective. 254 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: We won't shy away from the hard topics, and we 255 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: won't dilute the hopeful message of Christ. This is more 256 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: than a daily brief on the news. 257 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 2: It's a way to be informed and transformed. 258 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: Listen to Prey News on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 259 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.