Study 7: 1 Samuel 6: 1-21: Trent Evans

This sermon explores 1 Samuel 6 and the powerful themes of obedience, restoration, and the sovereignty of God. It underscores how delayed obedience leads to greater consequences, as seen in the Philistines’ mishandling of the Ark of the Covenant. The teaching challenges listeners to respond eagerly to God's direction, tether their actions to biblical truth, and surrender idols or disobedience that hinder intimacy with Him. The return of the Ark and the reactions of both the Philistines and Israelites illustrate how God's presence demands reverence and alignment with His commands—not cultural assumptions or human sentiment. Ultimately, the message calls believers to a life of immediate, joyful obedience, rooted deeply in Scripture and expressed through genuine transformation.

Sermon Outline

1. Introduction & Prayer

• Timestamp: 00:00–02:15

• Key Point: We enter the Word not to edify people but to glorify Jesus.

• Scripture: General opening prayer; focus on God revealing Himself through Scripture.

2. Background Recap: The Ark in Philistine Hands

• Timestamp: 02:19–07:11

• Key Point: The Ark's capture reflects Israel's disobedience; God's presence cannot coexist with idols.

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 5 – Ark placed beside Dagon; idol is repeatedly found fallen and broken.

• Application: Idols in our hearts cannot stand in the presence of God without producing conflict.

3. Delayed Obedience is Disobedience

• Timestamp: 07:22–10:13

• Key Point: The Philistines delayed returning the Ark despite recognizing the need, increasing judgment.

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:1–2; James 4:17 – "If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it..."

• Reflection: What areas of your life have you delayed obedience in, and at what cost?

4. God Desires Joyful, Eager Obedience

• Timestamp: 10:13–12:18

• Key Point: Psalm 119:60 – “I will hasten and not delay to obey…”

• Hebrew Word: Chuwsh – to act with eager excitement.

• Application: Obedience is more than duty—it's a joyful response to God's love and discipline.

5. Restoration Requires Ownership and Truth

• Timestamp: 12:18–19:18

• Key Point: Real restitution is impossible without owning our guilt.

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:3–5 – Guilt offering (five gold tumors and rats) symbolizes acknowledgment of guilt.

• Application: Restoration must be tethered to the truth, not emotions or misguided gestures.

6. God's Discipline is a Sign of His Love

• Timestamp: 19:18–24:11

• Key Point: God's persistent discipline is mercy in action, aimed at restoration.

• Scripture: Hebrews 12:6 – “The Lord disciplines the one He loves…”

• Reflection: Where have you experienced God’s loving discipline? How did it call you back?

7. Avoiding Accountability Through "Chance"

• Timestamp: 24:11–32:38

• Key Point: The Philistines set up conditions to explain away God's actions as "coincidence."

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:7–9

• Application: How do we rationalize away God’s conviction or guidance when it challenges our will?

8. Supernatural Obedience Overcomes Natural Instinct

• Timestamp: 32:38–38:11

• Key Point: Two cows—untrained, grieving, yoked for the first time—carry the Ark directly back.

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:12

• Reflection: God’s presence empowers even the unwilling or untrained to fulfill His will.

9. Reverence Matters: Even God's People Are Accountable

• Timestamp: 38:11–45:42

• Key Point: God strikes down Israelites in Beth Shemesh for looking into the Ark.

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:19–20; Joshua 21 – Beth Shemesh was a priestly city.

• Lesson: Proximity to the holy doesn’t excuse disobedience. God holds His people accountable.

10. God Desires Relationship—On His Terms

• Timestamp: 45:42–50:47

• Key Point: God fought to return the Ark, yet His people rejected His standards.

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:20–21

• Challenge: God sets the conditions for relationship. Will you meet Him on His terms?

Final Moment: Communion and Commitment

• Timestamp: 50:47–54:20

• Key Point: Communion is a physical reminder of Christ’s fight to restore us.

• Call to Action: “Own it and surrender it” – Let communion be a moment of repentance and renewed obedience.

Scripture References

1. 1 Samuel 5:1–5

• Timestamp: 02:19–03:44

• Context: The Ark is placed in the temple of Dagon. Dagon falls before the Ark, symbolizing that no idol can stand in God’s presence.

• Application: When idols are set beside God in our hearts, they cause conflict. We are often guilty of resetting them instead of removing them.

2. 1 Samuel 5:6–12

• Timestamp: 04:31–06:42

• Context: God's judgment spreads through Philistia as the Ark is moved from city to city (Ashdod, Gath, Ekron), escalating in severity.

• Application: God's discipline increases when disobedience persists. The longer we delay obedience, the greater the consequences.

3. 1 Samuel 6:1–2

• Timestamp: 07:13–08:19

• Context: The Philistines seek counsel on how to return the Ark after it’s been in their territory for seven months.

• Application: Delayed obedience results in greater judgment (five cities affected instead of three).

4. James 4:17

• Timestamp: 09:12–10:13

• Context: "If anyone then knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."

• Application: Knowing what is right and failing to act is sin. Delayed obedience is disobedience.

5. Psalm 119:60

• Timestamp: 11:06–12:18

• Context: “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”

• Application: Our response to God should be eager and joyful obedience, not delay or reluctance.

6. Hebrews 12:6 (Implied)

• Timestamp: 12:18–13:29

• Context: "The Lord disciplines those He loves."

• Application: God’s discipline is an expression of His love and desire to restore, even when it doesn’t feel good.

7. 1 Samuel 6:3–5

• Timestamp: 14:49–19:18

• Context: The Philistines are instructed to return the Ark with a guilt offering of five golden tumors and five golden rats.

• Application: True restoration must be grounded in truth, not symbolic gestures or emotional offerings.

8. 1 Samuel 15:22 (Implied)

• Timestamp: 19:18–19:31

• Context: “To obey is better than sacrifice.”

• Application: What pleases God is obedience, not superficial acts of restitution or religiosity.

9. Genesis 6:13 (Implied)

• Timestamp: 23:11

• Context: The word "destroy" used here is paralleled to Genesis, indicating serious judgment.

• Application: God is still in the process of destroying what disobedience clings to—His judgment is active, not passive.

10. Psalm 23:5 (Implied)

• Timestamp: 40:27–40:50

• Context: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

• Application: The people of Israel worship God as the Philistines witness it—an act of God’s vindication and restoration.

11. Joshua 21:9–16

• Timestamp: 43:14–44:01

• Context: Beth Shemesh was a Levitical city designated for priests.

• Application: The priests, who should have honored God’s holiness, instead violated His law by looking into the Ark.

12. 2 Samuel 6 (Previewed)

• Timestamp: 49:13–49:34

• Context: Uzzah, son of Abinadab, is referenced as the Ark remains in his house until David retrieves it.

• Application: God’s story continues—He always has faithful people ready to respond to His call.

Word Study

2. אָדוֹן (Adon) shadows1. חוּשׁ (chuwsh) — "Hasten" or "Hurry"

• Pronunciation: khoosh

• Meaning: To hurry, make haste, or act with eagerness.

• Scriptural Reference: Psalm 119:60 – “I hasten and do not delay to obey your commands.”

• Usage in Sermon (Timestamp: 11:06–12:18):The speaker emphasized chuwsh to encourage joyful, eager obedience to God’s commands. It highlighted the difference between reluctant compliance and fervent response driven by love and reverence. This set the tone for understanding that obedience is not just about obligation, but about delight in God's direction.

2. שָׁחַת (shachath) — "Destroy"

• Pronunciation: shah-khath

• Meaning: To ruin, corrupt, or destroy; often used in contexts of divine judgment.

• Scriptural Reference: Genesis 6:13 – “I will destroy [shachath] them with the earth.”

• Usage in Sermon (Timestamp: 23:11):The word used to describe what the rats and tumors were doing to Philistia—actively destroying—was paralleled to the term in Genesis. It signifies a present-tense unraveling of stability due to disobedience. This highlighted that God's judgment wasn’t past-tense or symbolic; it was real, unfolding, and tied directly to resistance to His will.

3. אָשֵׁם (’asham) — "Guilt" or "Guilt Offering"

• Pronunciation: aw-shawm

• Meaning: Guilt, offense, or the offering made to atone for sin.

• Scriptural Reference: 1 Samuel 6:3 – “Send a guilt offering to him…”

• Usage in Sermon (Timestamp: 14:49–18:31):Though not explicitly called out in Hebrew during the sermon, the concept of ’asham was central. The Philistines were instructed to offer a "guilt offering" (five golden tumors and rats), an act intended to acknowledge wrongdoing. The sermon unpacked how even pagan recognition of guilt points to the biblical principle that restoration requires ownership of sin and an offering rooted in truth, not symbolic appeasement.

Reflection Questions

1. 1. God’s Presence and Our Idols

   • What “idols” in your heart or life do you sense are in conflict with God's presence?

   • How do you respond when God begins to confront these areas? Do you surrender or try to "set them back up"?

     
     

   2. Delayed Obedience

   • Can you identify a time when you delayed doing something you knew God was asking of you? What were the consequences?

   • How does the phrase “delayed obedience is disobedience” challenge your current walk with God?

     
     

   3. The Cost of Inaction

   • The Philistines waited seven months to return the Ark, worsening their judgment. What truth or direction from God have you delayed acting on?

   • How does this sermon push you to move from knowledge to action?

     
     

   4. Restoration and Truth

   • The Philistines tried to make restitution with golden tumors and rats. Have you ever tried to "make things right" with God on your terms instead of His?

   • What does “restoration tethered to truth” look like in your relationships or spiritual life?

     
     

   5. Discipline as Love

   • How do you typically interpret God’s discipline—in your circumstances, relationships, or spiritual tension?

   • In what ways has God’s discipline shaped your understanding of His love for you?

     
     

   6. Hearing and Responding to God

   • Psalm 119:60 encourages eager obedience. Do you feel like your spiritual posture is one of urgency or reluctance when it comes to following God’s direction?

   • What would change in your daily life if your obedience was immediate and joyful?

     
     

   7. Ownership and Accountability

   • The sermon emphasized owning our guilt before God. Are there areas of sin or compromise you’re still hesitant to fully acknowledge?

   • What do you think is preventing full transparency with God—and possibly with others?

     
     

   8. God’s Terms, Not Ours

   • The people of Beth Shemesh were judged for treating the Ark casually. What does this reveal about the danger of approaching God with irreverence or on our terms?

   • Are there ways you may be trying to shape your relationship with God around your comfort or preferences rather than His holiness?

     
     

   9. The Example of the Cows

   • The untrained, grieving cows supernaturally obeyed God's direction. How does this challenge your assumptions about your ability—or willingness—to follow God?

   • Where do you need to trust that God can guide you even when it feels unnatural or uncomfortable?

     
     

   10. What Will You Do With God’s Presence?

   • After the Ark returned, the people of Beth Shemesh pushed it away instead of repenting. Have you ever resisted God's presence because it came with conviction?

   • How can you prepare your heart to welcome God's presence and leadership fully, even when it’s uncomfortable?