1 Samuel 4:1-4
1 So the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and they camped beside Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped in Aphek.
2 Then the Philistines drew up in battle formation to meet Israel. When the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.
3 When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let’s take the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh, so that He may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”
4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord of armies who is enthroned above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
The Battle against the Philistines
Israel’s defeat
At that time, the Philistines were Israel’s principal enemy. The Philistines, a nation from the Aegean coast, were originally of Hamitic descent, that had migrated to the land of Canaan. (1) The Philistines set up their camp in Aphek, about 30 kilometers (about 20 miles) west of Shiloh. (2) Israel positioned itself near Ebenezer, east of the Philistine camp. (3) Israel was defeated in the battle, suffering around 4,000 casualties. (4) The elders of Israel were confused of why they had been defeated and as a solution, they decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to the camp. A recurring pattern in the Bible is that of the leaders with erroneous judgments lead the people in the wrong direction. This pattern is evident here as well.
Erroneous decision of the leaders
The elders of Israel understood that this defeat was the Lord’s doing. Their initial understanding was correct, but their subsequent decision was a mistake. They believed that the Lord would help them, once they bring the Ark of the Covenant into the camp. So, what was their mistake? (1) They misunderstood God’s omnipresence. God is present everywhere. The Ark of the Covenant was a “sign” symbolizing God’s presence. If the people of Israel were faithful to God, the Lord could give them victory, regardless of whether the Ark was there or not. (2) Indeed, there are records of battles where the Ark lead the people of Israel. The most prominent is the battle of Jericho in Joshua Chapter 6. However, that battle was under special circumstances during the entry into Canaan, meant to teach Israel that it was the Lord’s battle. It is a mistake to generalize this. (3) The elders attempted to win the battle through superstitious acts, similar to those practiced by pagan nations. (4) Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also priests who lacked spiritual discernment. Them resorting to superstitious acts showed their ignorance of the Lord. Remaining in the will of the Lord is the most secure path. Have you fallen into superstitious beliefs? Repentance and trust in the Lord are the ways to bring victory in life.
Today's prayer
O God of Israel, please free me from superstitious beliefs. Allow me to draw near to You with a broken heart. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.