"Eli . . . trembled for the ark of God," 1 Samuel 4:13.

(Preached in Penticton FPC, 26th September, 2010 - first preached in Kilskeery FPC, 27th August 1978)

Bad news travels fast. The news of the defeat of Israel on the battlefield is soon conveyed to Eli, Israel's judge.

The news is truly bad for Eli.

"Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken," 1 Samuel 4:17.

The most tragic aspect of the news for Eli is not the defeat of the army or even the death of his sons, but it says: "And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died," verse 18.

It was the loss of the ark that he deemed the greatest feature of the tragedy of that day's events. The ark is a picture or type of the blessings of the gospel. Its loss is to be seen in terms of the loss of the gospel ordinances today. As with the ark so with the gospel. It was the means by which the Lord conveyed His mercy and His blessing to Israel.

That is what the gospel is for us today.

My text is the verse 13 of this chapter. "Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God," 1 Samuel 4:13.

There is a need for the hearts of God's people to tremble for the ark of the gospel in these days of apostasy and disobedience and compromise.