The Philistines Win

Dei Break

1 Samuel 4:1 – 22

The Philistines had been in the area for hundreds of years and had established five city states along the west side of Canaan along the Mediterranean coast. While a number of Israelite enemies were longtime cousins, the Philistines probably came from the area of Crete. From the time of Samson, any enemy of Israel could find an ally in Philistia. The Philistine army with its chariots, iron weapons and military power would soon influence Israel toward a monarchy form of government. In a few years David would meet one of their champions, Goliath.

When Israel lost the battle at Aphek, they did ask the right question, ""Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines?" They knew that God could defeat any enemy if He chose to do so. They had seen it many times. However they answered the question by their own wisdom, which they seemed to be doing regularly. They decided that if the Ark of the Covenant was on the battlefield, God would have to crush the enemy. The ark was in Shiloh about 25 miles away, a huge distance in those days, but men were immediately dispatched to bring the box. It didn't help—the Philistines beat them again. The Philistine victory was as big a surprise to them as to the Israelites (vs.7).

What was wrong with Israel's logic? Israel believed that God was in that little box and that by controlling the box, they controlled God. Israel had adopted the attitude toward their God as the Canaanites had toward their own. When the Philistines captured the ark, Israel believed that their God had gone with it. Eli's daughter-in-law also accepted that superstition. When she named her son "Ichabod" ("there is no glory"), she believed Israel's power was gone and that the glory of God had been removed with the capture of the ark.

The Philistines also believed that, along with the ark, they had captured their enemy's God. They would soon discover that the God of Israel was not as easy to control as they believed.

Next time: The Power of Stone Gods