1 Sam
4:3, 10-11 (NIV) When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel
asked, "Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the
Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord's covenant from Shiloh, so that
it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies."
. . .
10 So
the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to
his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot
soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and
Phinehas, died.
NOTE: A couple of
thoughts arise. One, why did Israel mistakenly view the ark as a good luck
piece? Apparently, Samuel's teaching still had a long way to go. This sounds
more like the thinking that was prevalent during Judges (which is when the
event occurred). The Philistines are the enemy, much as they were the enemy
during Samson's days, the last of the judges in the book of Judges.
Two, where is
Samuel? Either this event is prior to his teaching, in which case 4:1a merely
foreshadows his life, or he is out on circuit when the battle occurred. When
Samuel does appear in the story, over 20 years later (7:2), Israel has changed.
Israel repents of her sin, and Israel experiences a miraculous victory over the
Philistines.
APPLICATION: God
doesn't answer our prayers according to our instructions. God does what is best
for us, for his name, and with a bigger picture in view. We have to trust. Our
anger over the lack of answers is a real emotion, but prolonged only reveals our
lack of trust.
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