Know that I am God – the ark returned (1 Sam 6:1-12)

In primary school, a classmate taunted me with the command ‘Tell God to appear here for me and I will believe in Him’. Adults tend not to display such naked arrogance, but many will effectively believe the same thing: since God does not make His presence felt, therefore He does not exist or if He does, He is negligible. God’s activity is often hidden work and looking at the events of the world, many may conclude that He is defeated and not in control. For the Philistines, however, their sense of victory and control over Israel’s God turns to fear as the plague strikes and, after seven months, they have to admit defeat (1 Sam 6:1-2).

Our reading highlights several things about the Lord. First, when He acts, He always makes room for faith. In other words, there are often alternative explanations for what happens, so that people have the choice to acknowledge Him or not. Thus, God does not appear in all His splendour and enforce Philistine submission but sends illness as a way of calling attention to Himself. Neither does the ark sprout wings and fly back to Israelite territory but is sent back by the Philistines on a cart drawn by cows (1 Sam 6:10-11). God’s aim is not to entertain or awe us with the spectacular but to engender in us true acknowledgement of His sovereignty. When we look at the events of our lives, there will always be some doubt as to the interpretation of events, as there was for the Philistines when they reflect on whether the plague happened by chance (1 Sam 6:9). For them the Lord’s hand was revealed when the ark was taken by the cow-drawn cart straight over the border to the Israelite town of Beth-shemesh (1 Sam 6:12), even though the cows’ calves were shut up back in Philistine territory. God gives us enough confirmation to help us see His hand, if our hearts are willing to submit to Him.

Secondly, God’s purpose seems more focused on revealing Himself than on getting us from point A to B. Thus, He is remarkably persistent in achieving His end applying pressure to the Philistines until they are ready to acknowledge Him even though it takes months and months (and sadly the deaths of many). This is a point we have seen repeatedly in the story of the exodus, where God wanted the Egyptians to know that He was Lord (Exod 7:5; 9:14). In fact, the religious leaders of the Philistines encourage the people not to harden their hearts, i.e. resist Him, as Pharaoh did (1 Sam 6:6). Understanding this difference in God’s purpose and timetable should encourage us when we pray for the transformation of loved ones. Such things take time and persistence. It should also help us as we wait on the Lord concerning various issues in our lives. God may be more concerned about shaping our attitudes and character than about the achievement of our plan.

Finally, God deals with us according to our heart’s attitude, not according to our ignorance. Thus, the Philistines recognise that by not acknowledging God’s glory, they committed sacrilege (i.e. they did not treat God as holy) for which a guilt offering is required. This coincides with Israel’s understanding (Lev 5:14-16), but the gold tumours and mice as part of this offering is half-humorous and half-repugnant (mice were considered unclean in Israel – Lev 11:29). Neither do the Philistines observe Israelite laws about transporting the ark (to be carried on the shoulder by priests using poles – Num 4:5-6, 15; 7:9). Like the Ninevites who in their repentance make even the animals fast and wear sackcloth (Jonah 3:7-8), the Philistines, too, know no better. However, God overlooks their ignorance and honours their intention. This is unlike David’s transportation of the ark in a cart, which ends in disaster because, as an Israelite and a king, he should have known better (2 Sam 6:3, 6-7). It is important that we recognise that as God’s people we have and know so much more and therefore more is required of us. May we honour Him with all that we have and are.

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