The arrogance of Israel’s super weapon – 1st Samuel 4:1b-7:17, Part 3

After a stinging defeat at the hands of the Philistines, the elders of Israel have a plan to strike back. It’s their secret super weapon. Why they didn’t bring out the weapon in the first place, we don’t know. But now they do, and the super weapon has a profound effect on the Philistines.  Let’s read starting in 1 Samuel 4, verse 4,

“So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.”

This is a big moment.  The priests Hophni and Phinehas lead the Ark out onto the battlefield as the Israelite soldiers cheer loudly.  Hophni and Phinehas probably have huge arrogant smiles on their faces. 

The Israelite elders and priests have made an assumption that it is automatic and guaranteed that where the Ark goes, God goes, and he is required to do whatever they want him to do.  The Israelites believe they are pulling out an unstoppable weapon.

Let’s keep reading in verse 6,

“Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, ‘What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?’ When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. ‘A god has come into the camp,’ they said. ‘Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!’”

The Philistines heard the stories of how Israel’s God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt.  The Philistines are like nearly all people in the ancient near east.  They believe that behind-the-scenes spiritual beings, gods, are at work.  So if they can just manipulate the gods in the right way, they will have victory.  The Philistines are scared that the Israelites have just pulled out a god-weapon, the Ark, that is more powerful than their Philistine gods.  Interestingly, the Philistines’ fear of the god-weapon, the Ark, leads to more fear, the thought of becoming subject to Israel.  What happens next is a shocker to everyone on the battlefield that day. It is Israel’s super weapon versus the Philistines. Here’s the result, in verses 10-11,

“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. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.”

What the Philistines didn’t know is that God is not with the Ark.  They don’t know that God isn’t required to do what Israel wants him to do.  This is not a genie in a bottle situation.

Though the Philistines think they are about to face the tremendous power of God, God is not there, and the Philistines deal another blow to Israel, this time significantly more severe. 

It wasn’t just the Philistines who didn’t know that God wasn’t with the Ark. The Israelites did not know that either. They should have known that. The priests Hophni and Phinehas especially should have known about how God is or is not connected to the Ark. The priests should never have allowed the Ark to be brought into battle.

What the priests and elders of Israel failed to realize is that God cannot be manipulated.  He is a holy God, and he is deeply saddened by the lack of holiness that Hophni and Phinehas had been perpetrating on the people (read more here and here).  Remember what we read last week in 1^st Samuel chapter 2?  Hophni and Phinehas were ripping people off, and sleeping with the women who served at the tabernacle.

Also their father Eli was not taking action to stop them.  When he finally did confront them, which only occurred after Eli himself was confronted by an unnamed prophet, Eli’s son refused to listen to him.  We learned that word spread far and wide that there was evil in the tabernacle.  Now the wicked priests Hophni and Phinehas commit the sin of arrogantly trying to use the Ark of the Covenant, to use God, without consulting him and hearing his wishes and inquiring of his wisdom.

God has shown that he is deeply concerned about this sin.  He is not going to overlook the sin and allow the elders and wicked priests to use him as a super weapon in battle. God is far more concerned about the heart of the people, about repentance. 

Photo by National Library of Scotland on Unsplash