Israel’s defeat and God’s presence (1 Sam 4:1-11)

One of the things that distinguished Israel when God claimed them as His people in the exodus was His presence with them. He sent the plagues, protected them from the pursuing Egyptians, guided them and fought on their behalf. When Israel is defeated by the Philistines, the elders conclude that God was not with them and remedy the situation by bringing the ark of the covenant, the visible expression of God’s presence, into the camp. While God cannot be contained in a physical box such as the ark, Scripture is clear that it was not merely a symbol, but somehow the Lord was genuinely manifest through it (1 Sam 4:4). No wonder that the Israelites were jubilant and the Philistines terrified (1 Sam 4:5, 7-8)! It is all the more shocking then that Israel is defeated and the ark captured. What has gone wrong? Why did God’s presence not make any difference?

We need to pay close attention to the text and the wider context to make sense of the events. The leaders of Israel draw the right conclusion that God caused their defeat, but beyond asking ‘why’ they do not seek Him for an answer (1 Sam 4:3). When we cannot understand what God is doing in our lives, it is tempting to look for quick reassurance rather than ask searching questions. God had earlier confirmed Samuel as His prophet (1 Sam 3:20-21), so Israel’s leadership had no excuse for not inquiring of the Lord further. Given the sins of Hophni and Phinehas (which Israel was also aware of; 1 Sam 2:24), it is disconcerting to read their carrying of the ark (1 Sam 4:4). God will surely not stand behind a project including these two! In the past, Israel’s defeat was frequently a sign of their sin, as in the famous battle at Ai after Achan took from the spoil of Jericho dedicated to God (Josh 7:10-12), so this is an avenue the leaders should have explored.

At the heart of the problem is the way Israel uses their privileged position as God’s people with God’s presence (theoretically) at their disposal to try and harness God’s power to their selfish ends. In this sense, the theme of power and its use and abuse is discernible not only in individuals like Eli’s sons, but also in the wider community of Israel. What Israel has not learned is that God is not at their beck and call, their servant to make them happy and prosperous on their terms. The Lord cannot be tamed or manipulated and such efforts backfire, as Israel’s defeat demonstrates.

In what way might we try to manipulate God? An obvious example is the attitude expressed in the prosperity gospel: if you have faith, if you visualise what you really, really want, God cannot help but bless you and fulfil your desire. As in the case of Israel (bring the ark and victory is assured), the prosperity gospel reflects a very mechanical understanding of how God operates (you slot the money into the machine and out pop the goodies). There is no room to ask whether God may have a different purpose in mind than the material benefits that we crave or where sin (our selfishness in what we want) may enter into the equation. In a more subtle way, we may try to rubber-stamp our plan with God’s approval through Bible verses. Who hasn’t fooled themselves with a Bible verse that promised the granting of their heart’s desire (e.g. Ps 37:4) in some form, only to find their hopes dashed and their whole being disappointed with God? A more sinister example is one a pastor shared of a Christian man who decided to leave his wife for another woman and claimed God’s peace in his heart. It is as if God’s Word carried less weight than his subjective feelings. How deceptive can our hearts be! May we let the Lord search us and lead us in His way (Ps 139:23-24).

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