'Appreciating God's Love'
A) Before the death of Joshua, he divided up Canaan land for each tribe to possess except for the Levites whose earthly inheritance was the Lord. Joseph had two portions under the tribe of Ephraim and the tribe of Manasseh.
Jos 10:43 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
The Camp or Headquarter of the Israelites was in Gilgal.
Jos 18:1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.
The Tabernacle of God was set up in Shiloh.
Jud 3:1-4 Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it), namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
Since the Israelites had rebelled against His commands, God would not fight the enemies and let them harvest the spoils (with miracles in Egypt, Red Sea and Jericho). God took this opportunity to allow them to fight the enemies themselves so that they became warriors.
B) For about 300 years, God was patiently and faithfully sending judges (using signs and wonders) to continuously deliver the sinful Israelites from their oppressors. He was hoping to bring them back to be His people even though they had faithlessly rebelled against Him.
Jud 2:18-19 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.
Not only were the Israelites faithless, but also the priesthood and Levites. Many of them were faithless and had lost the fear of God, that they even dared to commit abominations within the temple ground. The two sons of Eli the priest were the worst.
I Sam 2:12,17,22 Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord... Therefore *the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord*... Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
C) Ark of the Covenant Captured
I Sam 4:4,10-11 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God... So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
As Israel was suffering from defeat after defeat, they brought out the Ark of the covenant from Shiloh, hoping that God would help them to fight the Philistines.
The priesthood and the Israelites were wicked that God was no longer with them. So God used the Philistines to kill both the wicked sons of Eli and also allowed them to capture the Ark of God. Eli died when he heard the bad news.
It is extremely painful for God to help the enemies kill His own people and capture the Ark of God.
1 Sam 4:17-18 So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured." Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
