Can you stray too far from God

Are you ever out of His reach?

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (Heb 10:26-27)

The story and experience of the Israelites…

The book of Judges...

Rebellion

Judgement

Restoration

But have they now gone too far?

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Jdg 21:25)

2 families contrasted...

Elkanah and his wife Hannah - Ordinary folk experienceing God's judgement!

Hannah was brokenhearted and was crying as she prayed, "LORD All-Powerful, I am your servant, but I am so miserable! Please let me have a son. I will give him to you for as long as he lives, and his hair will never be cut." Hannah prayed silently to the LORD for a long time. But her lips were moving, and Eli thought she was drunk. "How long are you going to stay drunk?" he asked. "Sober up!" "Sir, please don't think I'm no good!" Hannah answered. "I'm not drunk, and I haven't been drinking. But I do feel miserable and terribly upset. I've been praying all this time, telling the LORD about my problems." (1Sa 1:10-15)

Eli and his sons the priests getting away with all but murder!

Eli's sons were priests, but they were dishonest and refused to obey the LORD. 1 Sam.2:12

Have God’s people drifted too far from God's design? 

In this the answer is a clear No, Never!

Elkanah and Hannah,..

Elkanah gives birth to Samuel and dedicates him to God saying...

You make me strong and happy, LORD. You rescued me. Now I can be glad and laugh at my enemies. No other god is like you.,. You lift the poor and homeless out of the garbage dump and give them places of honor in royal palaces. You set the world on foundations, and they belong to you… You will judge the whole earth and give power and strength to your chosen king. (1Sa 2:1, 5,10)

Eli and his sons receive his judgement

Eli was now very old, and he heard what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. "Why are you doing these awful things?" he asked them. "I've been hearing nothing but complaints about you from all of the LORD's people. If you harm another person, God can help make things right between the two of you. But if you commit a crime against the LORD, no one can help you!" But the LORD had already decided to kill them. So he kept them from listening to their father. (1Sa 2:22-25)

But God replaces them with Samuel!

And of Samuel it is said: Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man. (1Sa 2:26)

Despite...

God has not....

Is this something God wants you to hear today?

4 stories to give us a resounding NO!

Firstly God speaks directly, audibly, to Samuel.

              “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” 1 Sam3:10       

Secondly Israel defeated and the Ark Captured

Chpt.4 v10: So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.

And the Ark of the Covenant captured. V.11

Clear evidence they have strayed too far!?

Thirdly judgement on Eli and his sons

And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. And the man said to Eli,…“Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years (1Sa 4:11-18)

And the symbol of God's presence captured

No further proof required - they are now beyond redemption

“The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” (1Sa 4:22)

BUT....

Fourthly - the mysterious journey of the Ark

The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. (1Sa 5:6)

But after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” (1Sa 5:9-10)

They were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it. (1Sa 6:13)

“all the house of Isarel lamented after the Lord” 1 Sam.7:2

Here we find a hint of hope...

Enter Samuel…

And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only. (1Sa 7:3-4)

And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” (1Sa 7:8)

And God is back!

“the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. (1Sa 7:10)

Despite all that they had done He has not abandoned them!

You can never stray too far from God - He will always welcome you home.

God is faithful.

       And would love to have you back

        Today. 

             Now!                    

COMMUNION

Once a man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, "Give me my share of the property." So the father divided his property between his two sons. Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat. He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs. He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating, but no one gave him a thing. Finally, he came to his senses and said, "My father's workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death! I will go to my father and say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.' " The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. The son said, "Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son." But his father said to the servants, "Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found." And they began to celebrate. (Luk 15:11-24