Does the Ark of the Covenant have power? In the previous post, we learned that the Israelites thought all they needed to do was bring the Ark out to the battlefield, and God would give them victory over the Philistines. We learned the Israelites were wrong. Instead of the Ark destroying the Philistines, the Philistines destroy the Israelites and capture the Ark. But in this post, some very curious events happen around the Ark, almost as if the Ark does have power. Keep reading to find out.
First, we survey the rest of 1st Samuel chapter 4, which is an extended account of Eli hearing the news that his wicked sons passed away in the battle (which we learned about here), and in shock Eli falls off his chair, breaks his neck and dies. At the very end of chapter, we learn that one of his sons, Phinehas’ wife heard the news, and the shock caused her to go into labor and give birth. She dies in labor, her last words used to name her baby boy “Ichabod” which means “No Glory,” for in this story she saw that God’s glory had departed from Israel. Ichabod’s name reminds us that the arrogant Israelites, including her own husband, allowed the Ark to be captured by the Philistines.
At this point in the story, the narrative follows the Ark, which goes on an unusual journey and seems to emanate power. Chapter 5 takes place in Philistine territory. The Philistines transport the Ark of the Covenant to their city of Ashdod, and they place the Ark in the temple of their god Dagon. The next morning the Philistines find the statue of Dagon fallen face-down before the Ark, as if Dagon is worshiping the Ark.
The Philistines put Dagon back, but the next day it happens again, this time, though, the idol’s face and hands break off in the fall. Then God afflicts the people of Ashdod with tumors. In response, the Philistines move the Ark to their town of Gath, and the same affliction happens there. Next they carry the Ark to Ekron, and again affliction breaks out in Ekron. The people of Philistia begin to panic and cry out.
In chapter 6, the Philistines have had possession of the Ark for seven awful months, and they can’t take the resulting affliction any longer. They send the Ark back to Israel with a gift of gold. As they did in chapter 4 before the battle when they captured the Ark, the Philistines show they are very aware of Israel’s God’s reputation when he freed the people from slavery in Egypt. Look at 1st Samuel chapter 6, verse 6, where the Philistines say,
“Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When Israel’s God dealt harshly with them, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?”
The Philistines believe what is happening is similar to what God did to Egypt when he afflicted Egypt with ten plagues. The Philistines think God is now sending plagues on them. They do not want to fall prey to the same attitude of the Egyptian Pharaoh, hardness of heart. Arrogance.
The Philistines place the Ark on a cart pulled by calves, and they send it back to Israel, following it to the Israelite border town of Beth Shemesh. There the people of Israel rejoice at the Ark’s return, and they sacrifice to the Lord, which is their way of expressing repentance to God.
But in a scene reminiscent of the final moments of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark when the Nazis open the Ark and die (depicted above), seventy people of the town of Beth Shemesh decide to open the Ark, look inside and die. When they do this, they die because they arrogantly disrespect the holiness of God. Notice 1 Samuel chapter 6, verse 20,
“And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, ‘Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?’”
Hold that thought about the holiness of God, as we’ll focus more on that in the next post. For now, as we conclude this post, let’s turn to the beginning of chapter 7 where we learn the how the story of the travels of the Ark finishes.
As we can see in the verse I quoted above, the people of Beth Shemesh have just asked where the Ark will go. We learn in chapter 7 where the Ark goes. In verses 1-2, surprisingly, the Ark does not go back to the tabernacle in Shiloh. Instead, the Ark goes to the town of Kiriath Jearim, to the house of a man named Abinadab, and there it will stay for 20 years.
The Philistines have encountered the holiness of God. The people of Beth Shemesh in Israel have experienced, painfully, the holiness of God. The wicked priests have been killed. But what about the rest of Israel? And where is Samuel? We find out in the next post.
Engaging Scripture 