Always On God’s Terms

​1 Samuel 4 – 7
 
The Philistines and the Israelites in this episode were preparing for battle. Although the youthful Samuel had just been confirmed a prophet (1 Sam 3:19-21), Eli was still effectively Israel’s Judge, and he was possibly instrumental for this encounter with the Philistine army encamped at Aphek. The ensuing battle, with 4,000 Israelites killed, was one of their worst defeats. In a revealing debrief on the battle, the elders’ intuition informed them that God was responsible for their defeat (1 Sam 4:3), but instead of consulting Him, assumptions were made and a counterattack launched, with the ark of the covenant as their standard bearer. Yahweh’s reputation had preceded Him among the Philistines, as they lament their coming defeat in the second combat (1 Sam 4:5-8). However, the Israelites were again crushed and lost another 30,000 men; and surprise, surprise, the Philistines captured their ‘God.’ Eli’s two sons died in the battle, and when news reached him, he fainted and perished too.
 
The ark, since the days of Moses, represented Yahweh’s presence with the people of Israel, and the elders surmised that it’s deployment at the battle front would guarantee their victory, as God would be with them. A fine line had been crossed when His commitment is presumed by His symbolic presence in the ark, without having His face sought and direction approved; and in doing so, the Israelite leaders had treated the ark of the covenant as an ‘idol,’ breaking the 2ndcommandment (Ex 20:4-6). The ark itself could never be an idol, but in their hearts, it became one, as they used it willy-nilly in achieving their objective. God’s presence cannot be at our bidding convenience, and He is much more than is represented by His ark. Furthermore, Eli’s tacit accent for his sons’ use of the ark furthered their unrepentant sinning against God as priests (1 Sam 2:12-17, 22). This attempted manipulation of God resulted in the loss of His presence and in the capture of the ark by the Philistines (1 Sam 4:11; 5:1-2). 
 
The Philistines feared Yahweh, but like the Israelites, their perception of Him was immature. When the ark was in their possession, the typical Middle Eastern mentality was that Dagon had overpowered Yahweh; therefore, the ark was brought into Dagon’s temple as a trophy to him. The next morning, they found the Dagon statue on its face. They sat him upright! The following morning, Dagon was again on his face, and on this occasion, his hands and head were decapitated (1 Sam 5: 3-4). This cultural significance would not have gone unnoticed, as it was a Canaanite practice to sever their enemies’ hands, and sometimes their heads, as an offering to their gods. Despite the removal of the ark out of Ashdod, the Philistine’s capital city, to Gaza, Ashkelon, and then to Gath and Ekron, He visited them with death and tumours for 7 months until it was returned to Israel (1 Sam 6:1-12, 17). 
 
Allowing Yahweh to be God is of the essence in the exercise of our faith; He will not allow any competition in our hearts to take His place when we belong to Him. On the ark’s return at Beth-shemesh, the Israelites were none the wiser in the conduct of their relationship with Yahweh; their removal of the ark’s cover for a curious peek brought about a devastating judgment, and 50,070 perished (1 Sam 6:19-21). Will we ever learn how to relate to a holy God? 
 
After a 20-years’ cold war with the Philistines, the prophet Samuel began to judge Israel, and at his initiative, their relationship with Yahweh began to take centre stage. At Mizpah, led by Samuel, confession, restitution, and restoration followed. Almost immediately, the Philistines attacked but Yahweh routed and subdued them. Israel reclaimed back their territories from Ekron to Gath and there was peace (1 Sam 7:7-14). God will not submit to human manipulation, and He will judge any attempts at it. However, He delights in the heart that seeks to remove all its idols to serve only Him (1 Sam7:3-4).