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and before which the waters of Jordan had fled backward, and the walls of mighty Jericho
had fallen down: that Ark was taken possession of by idolators. It had become a dead
thing to Israel, and the living God does not bind His Presence to a dead thing. One is
reminded of the words of Paul:
"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6: 11).
The two sons of Eli were slain. The word of God given to Samuel was fulfilled. They
had polluted the Sanctuary and been the prime cause of the continued idolatry of the
nation, and finally had betrayed the symbol of the Divine Presence in their midst by
bringing it into danger without a warrant from Jehovah. This surely filled the measure of
their iniquities. So God's judgment fell upon the house of Eli as the man of God had
foretold in chapter 2: 34.
The prophecies made by the Lord always come to pass. We need have no fear,
therefore, concerning those spiritual blessings that He has promised through the apostle
Paul which refer to that church that is the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head. This
hope of ours today is based on the words of the One true God, and whatever He has
promised, He will most surely perform.
"And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day
with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head" (I Sam. 4: 12).
Jewish tradition relates that this messenger was Saul. Without modern means of
communication swift runners were the usual means of passing messages and information
at this time. Occasionally we have their names recorded in the Scriptures. Cushi and
Ahimaz were the messengers sent by Joab to king David with the news that his son
Absalom was dead (II Sam. 18: 19-23). The rent clothes and earth upon the head were
the usual indications that the information brought were tidings of evil.
"And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart
trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the
city cried out. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the
noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and
eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see" (I Sam. 4: 13-15).
Some make the original text to read "Eli sat by the side of the way of the watchers",
that is, the street or way in Shiloh so named from the watch-tower situated in it. Others
translate "by the side of the gate watching the way". The old judge was naturally anxious
for news from the army. They had already suffered one major defeat at the hands of the
Philistines, and his chief anxiety now was for the safety of the sacred ark. Quite probably
he had sought to stay his sons from taking it from the Sanctuary. Blind and feeble as he
was, he had no means of stopping them, so he waited with sorrowful forebodings the
coming of a messenger. The words of the man of God in chapter 2: 27-34 which
prophesied judgment on him and his two sons would doubtless come vividly before his
mind. He then hears the tumult and the noise of grief and consternation, and the
messenger comes before him: