I Samuel Chapter 4
The Philistines had long been a thorn in the side of the Israelites. They had never been captured when the Israelites entered the promised land and now, they were the aggressors taking action against them. In this chapter we read about two skirmishes in which the Philistines prevailed against the army of God, the army that should have been the victor. The Israelite army suffered many casualties in the first battle, and they realized it was because God was not with them. God had never been invited or entreated as to whether they should pursue the Philistines.
In the second battle they thought they were taking God with them, but they did so on their own terms. They brought God along in the form of the Ark of the Covenant to be a sort of good luck charm. They weren’t wrong in thinking that God dwelt between the two golden cherubim of the Ark of the Covenant, but this was not what God had ordained the purpose of the Ark to be. We notice that the two sons of Eli were instrumental in carrying out this scheme to steal the Ark of the Covenant from the tabernacle in Shiloh. This action led to the deaths of Hophni and Phinehas just as God had told Eli. God had said that both of his sons would die on the same day.
Let's Reflect
1. How many Israelites died in the first attack of the Philistines?
2. According to verse 3 what group of people decided that they should bring the Ark of the Covenant to help them in battle against the Philistines?
3. Do you read of any repentance before God from this group or did they pray asking for God’s guidance and wisdom?
4. Normally the people did not ever see the Ark of the Covenant unless God instructed it to be moved. It stayed within the boundaries of the Holy of Holies. What did the Israelite people do when they saw the Ark being carried into their camp?
5. Who was instrumental in stealing the Ark of the Covenant out of the tabernacle?
6. It is interesting that the Philistines knew about the power of the God of the Israelites and they were fearful when they heard about the Ark of the Covenant being with the Israelites. Their theology was wrong about the Israelites. They thought that Israel had many gods instead of the one true God. But they had heard about His power. What did they mention from Israel’s past that exemplified the power they were fearful of?
7. The Israelites did not win that battle that day, despite having the Ark of the Covenant with them. How heavy were the casualties of the second battle?
8. A man told Eli what had happened. He heard that both of his sons had been killed, but he also heard another bit of news, news that made him fall over and die. What was that news?
9. With all this terrible news, the pregnant daughter-in-law of Eli went into labor and gave birth. She was understandably distraught, and it caused her to go into labor. She seemed to be a woman of faith in God, because she understood the severity of what had just happened. What did this woman say that shows she feared the one true God?
