485 beat us every time in that game. So long as Satan acts from within there is sure defeat. Satan must be driven out of our lives and out of the church. By their own sin Israel fell in disgrace and were overcome by heathen whose rites they imitated. Judgment begins at the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17, 18). (4) THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF DE FEAT, and DEATH OF ELI, vs. 12-18. What a sad closing picture for the life of Eli! Nearly a hundred years old, nearly blind, waiting at the gate. A good-hearted but weak man. God’s prophecy given to the child Samuel was fulfilled (3:11-14). “ Be sure your sins will find you out.” “ The wages of sin is death.” “ Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” Sons slain,— Ark of God taken,— Is rael defeated,-r-his life closes with a pathetic picture. His great sin wa4 parental weakness. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Calling for charms and ceremonies win no battles. (2) In calamity, call upon God. (3) When the priests slight the Word of God, the people slacken in the work of God. (4) A crisis in church or community is conducive to a clarified atmosphere. (5) God’s enemies are often chosen to chasten His children. (6) God’s laws are vindicated by the visitation of punishment upon the lawless. (7) The Ark in the army was a de vice of the devil. (8) Eli’s sons sinned in the security of the priesthood, but God punished them in a public place. (9) The tabernacle was barren without the Ark.
THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S What a little thing is needed to change the course! “ And they fought” ,— and that is the need always,— to fight; fight the good fight of faith! But here are the enemies of God driving the children of God to the.ir tents. Where was the Ark? Where is the shout? What has changed the tide? Was not God on their side? No, because they were not on God’s side. They had the Ark, but not the Shekinah glory. Have you not heard the shout at a convention, seen the waving of hand kerchiefs, heard the roar of a great gathering as they sung “ The Whole, Wide World for Jesus,” or “ I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go.” It seems so easy to shout; so easy to take the world for Christ, while in a convention; but how different it all seems when the hosts of Satan move upon us and our eyes are upon thè foe! (Eccl. 7:5, 6; I Ki. 20:11). How different was the shout of faith when the walls of Jericho went down (Josh. 6:20). God intends that our enemies shall be afraid of our shout (Ex. 15:14). Why did God permit the enemy to be victorious? Why permit the Ark to be taken? Because the Ark in itself was helpless, a mere golden box; and be cause in the Ark were the Ten Com mandments which broke out against them and brought defeat and disgrace. There is no virtue in externals. Ex ternal worship means nothing to God. Rites, symbols, ordinances, days, forms, — all may become a snare if depended upon. When we trust in ceremonies, in the energy of the flesh, failure follows. As I write I can hear the shout of “ A million souls for the church!” but I would have more confidence in the slogan of “A thousand souls for Christ” provided a week of fasting and prayer and of waiting upon God preceded it. • Worldly methods will never bring victory to the church. The world can
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