Gospel Reflections #887: When Victory is not Granted

1 Samuel 4:1 "Then Israel went out against the Philistines and drew up their battle lines at Ebenezer. The Philistines drew up their battle lines at Aphek."

Following this verse, it is written: "The Philistines prepared for battle against the Israelites, but when the fighting began, the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield."

Israel did not realize that their faith had become merely nominal, having lost the power to move God.

They failed to consider that only God's law endows the Ark of the Covenant with its sanctity, and that only when they obeyed that law did God's presence bring them prosperity.

Their sin separated them from God.

Therefore, God could not grant them victory until they repented and turned away from evil.

This was not God's punishment, but His guidance within His mercy.

God sees our motives, even those we ourselves are unaware of.

Therefore, let us go to God, confessing our weaknesses and unbelief honestly before Him, never giving up on asking Him to make us like Him.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.