The Philistines are mentioned nearly 150 times in 1st and 2nd Samuel. They were a strong and established group in the coastal areas and foothills of Canaan.
The Philistines were the ones to identify the Holy Land as Palestine. The Romans and the British solidified the term for that well-known area of the world.
The Israelites lost a battle to the Philistines and decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant into their camp, hoping it would ensure the Lord’s presence. Interestingly, out of the 61 times the word “Ark” appears in the books of Samuel, 36 of those instances are found in 1 Samuel 4-7.
So the people sent to Shiloh, and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God (1 Samuel 4:4).
The leaders knew that without God, they would lose to the Philistines. But they wrongly thought that God’s presence was tied to the ark.
When the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded (1 Samuel 4:5).
Even the Philistines were afraid of the presence of God, symbolized by the arrival of the ark among the Israelites.
When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp,
The Philistines were afraid; for they said, “Gods have come into the camp.” They also said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.
Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness” (1 Samuel 4:6-8).
In the ancient world, people believed that armies won battles with the help of their gods. The Philistines knew about Yahweh’s power, but they also trusted their own god, Dagon.
The Philistines chose to fight the Hebrews, even with the ark in their camp. They won the battle, killing many Israeli soldiers. They also captured the Ark and Eli’s two sons died.
When Eli found out his two sons were killed in battle and the Ark of the Lord was captured by the Philistines, he fell from his seat at the gate, broke his neck, and died. This event fulfilled the prophecy given to Samuel and previously told to Eli.
Reflections
I think we all are tempted at times to manipulate God to get what we want. It may be intentional and thought out, or an unintentional desire to get our way. Whatever our motive for attempting to use God to get what we want in life, this story should give us pause.
James helps us understand improper motives that seek God’s assistance to give us what we want in life.
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:1-3)
Fights and quarrels can be as big as a war or as small as a family squabble.
Where do these conflicts come from?
James says they come from our desires, pushing us to want things right away. Wanting something that isn’t ours is a flaw that God won’t support. We might ask God for what we desire, but if our motives are wrong, we won’t succeed.
This was shown when the ark was brought into the camp, and it’s shown in our lives through unanswered prayers.
Jesus provided a better way to respond when we get what we want.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7)
First, we should abide in him and let his will, plan, and purpose live in us. In this relationship with him, we can ask for what we want and trust that the Lord will give it to us in his timing and in the way he thinks is best.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 