1 Samuel 4:10-11 NIV
[10] So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. [11] The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
During this time, Israel had no king. Israel was ruled by a judge. Eli judged the nation of Israel for forty years. During his time, his sons openly lived in sin (which he did not put a stop to) and Israel did not hear from God. Now towards the end of his life when he hears that the LORD has had enough of his lukewarmness and his sons’ evil acts, Israel goes to battle.
But the LORD wasn’t with them in battle, so they tried to force God’s hand by getting the Ark of the Covenant (where the presence of God rested) and went back to battle. What happened? God’s presence did not remain with them and the Ark of the Covenant was taken by their enemies. Eli’s two sons were killed. And Eli himself died when he heard the Ark was taken.
I want you to notice something. Just because they had the Ark didn’t mean that the LORD was with them. When the leader of a nation does not have God with them, the nation does not have God with them either. Does that mean that God abandons individuals within those nations that have leaders like this? No. God was still with Samuel, but as a nation, God was not with them.
Now, get this, the Ark did not return to Israel until a leader came forth who the LORD was with. It wasn’t until Eli was dead and Samuel became the new leader that the presence of the LORD returned to Israel. This is why we are to pray for our leaders.
We may not agree with everything they say or do, but as a nation, they are our head. And if the head of the nation is corrupt, then the entire nation is corrupt. The LORD will only dwell where He is wanted and pursued. Therefore, pray for your leaders. Pray for their salvation. Pray that the LORD Himself will guide them, keep them, and lead them as He did Samuel, so that His presence may always remain in our nation.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pray For Your Nation’s Leaders.