Eli's Problems (3) Solution

Philistine Solution
The Philistines seemed to understand spiritual reality better than the Israelites. The tabernacle was a place of spiritual warfare. Evil spirits hung around their demanding the blood of sacrifice in return for leaving the Israelites. When the covenant box was taken out of the tabernacle and sent into battle, they naturally went with it, because they assumed that warfare would produce plenty of blood and guts for them to enjoy. When the Philistines took the covenant box to their cities, the spiritual powers of evil went with it, looking for people to kill and destroy, and they found what they wanted.

As noted, the Philistines represent the people of the world. When the church is defeated by the world due to the failure of pastors, the spirit called Death a free hand to do evil in the nation. One of the things his team loves to do is to inflict cancers on young people in accordance with the curse of Eli.

The Philistines had amazing spiritual insight, because they knew how to put the situation right. They knew that they needed to get rid of the spiritual powers of evil that had attached themselves to the covenant box. Their pastors knew that they had to make a guilt offering to attract and appease these evil spiritual powers. They made five gold tumours and five gold rats representing the rulers and people of the five cities that had come under attack. Sickness had attacked the rulers and people alike, so a solution that covered both was essential (1 Sam 6:4-5).

The Philistines knew that Pharoah was destroyed because he hardened his heart against God when plagues came upon Egypt. They did not want to make the same mistake, so they wanted to get the covenant box out of their territory (1 Sam 6:6).

When the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines, they needed a miracle, but they tried manipulation and witchcraft instead. Instead of getting a miracle, they suffered an even greater defeat. In the face of terrible attacks of sickness, the modern church desperately needs miracles, but when it does not get them, it falls back on a method of manipulation and control (a form of witchcraft) that are anathema to God.

In contrast, the Philistines had faith for a miracle. To return the covenant box, they loaded it on a wagon and hitched up to cows with calves that had not been weaned. Separating a cow from the calf it is feeding is incredibly difficult, so if these two cows headed away from their calves and back to Israel, it would be a miracle.

If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us but that it happened to us by chance” (1 Sam 6:9).

This test would confirm the cause of their misery. If the cows stayed near their calves, the Philistines would know that their suffering was the result of chance. However, God caused the cows to pull the covenant box back to Israel, confirming that their troubles were spiritual.

The Philistines wanted the covenant box to return to its own territory (1 Sam 5:6; 6:9; 6:12). Understanding the spiritual control of territory is important for spiritual protection. The Philistines understood the significance of territory more clearly than many Christians.

The cows stopped by a large rock, which was in the field of Joshua (saviour). This rock represents Jesus. He is the rock the church must build on in obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Once the miracle had occurred, the Philistines knew that the Lord had allowed the disaster to come on them, because they had stolen the covenant box. They understood that the plague of cancer had not come about by chance.

Israelite Response

When the Israelites offered the gold tumours and gold rats as a sacrifice, along with the two cows pulling the wagon, the spiritual powers of evil had to be satisfied and could not demand any more blood and death. This brought to an end the pestilence and plague of tumours that Eli had inadvertently released by remaining silent.

Death ended this incident with one last flourish. Some of the Israelites looked into the covenant box, something they were forbidden to do. They ignored God’s instructions and did what they wanted to do for their own benefit. Seventy men died. They were struck down by the spirit called Death, who was hanging around the covenant box looking for someone to destroy. This made the Israelites afraid, so they sent the covenant box to Kiriath Jearim. Eleazer was sanctified to guard it, so Death was unable to do harm (1 Sam 7:1).

The people of Israel wept and sought after God (1 Sam 7:2). Losing the covenant box, and then having it returned by a miracle must have shocked them into repentance. Samuel the prophet spoke to the people and challenged them to get rid of their foreign gods and commit themselves to serving only Yahweh. He promised that if they did, God would deliver them from the Philistines. The nation assembled together and fasted and confessed their allegiance to him (1 Sam 7:5-6).

When the Philistines attacked Israel, the prophet called out to the Lord. God “thundered loud thunder” against the Philistines and threw them into a panic, so they were routed by the Israelites (1 Sam 7:10). The Philistines were subdued.

Unfortunately, this season of blessing did not last long, because when Samuel got old, the Israelites asked for a king so that they could be like the other nations (1 Sam 8:4-9). The modern equivalent is the common cry of God’s people. Give us a leader who will tell us what to do, so we can pay him and his team to do God’s work on our behalf.

Church Response
Two options are available for responding to the stronghold that Death has established in the church.

1. The Philistines understood that they had made a mistake and needed to get rid of the called Death, so they did what they had to do to get rid of him. God’s miraculous power was released, and they were delivered.

2. After a slow start, the Israelites listened to Samuel and agreed that they would only serve Yahweh. This brought blessing, and the Philistines were defeated. Yet, they did not put the covenant box back to the Tabernacle where it needed to be, so they did not re-establish their spiritual protection from Death. Worse still, they began to cry out for a King like the other nations.

I worry that the response to any setback for the church will be a half-hearted response that might bring some small victories, but like the Israelites, they will continue to cry out to God, “Give us an executive pastor like our competitor churches so that we can be successful too. That approach will not defeat Death.

Christians who are concerned about the increased incidence of cancer amongst young adults should be asking if their church or its leaders have given the spirit called Death a place in their city or nation. This is a tough question to face but we need the courage to ask it honestly. Instead of patiently accepting every evil that strikes us, we should be seeking the cause of his attacks and looking for solutions that will bring about his defeat. Eli's experience provides an important clue.

The full series is at Eli's Mistake.