1 Samuel 4 – Raiders and the Lost Ark
A new section in the story begins in chapter 4. God has placed his priest and prophet, in preparation for raising up his King. Now we come to the story arc about the Ark. I’m stretching the Indiana Jones reference in the title a little. This chapter is about the loss of the Ark of the Covenant, and the Philistine people who capture it are referred to as “raiders”. But not until chapter 13! Though, the Indiana Jones reference is not totally useless for anchoring this passage in our consciousness. The object at the centre of chapter 4 is the same object pursuit by the Nazis in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. The wooden, gold covered, cherubim topped box was the symbol of three things: God’s rule over his people (4:4); God’s revelation to his people (the 10 Commandments were kept inside); and God’s reconciliation with his people (blood was sprinkled on it to atone for sin). It was kept in the Holy of Holies and only the High Priest could go in to it. And he could only go in once a year. It was Israel’s most precious and most holy object. The very symbol of God’s presence among them.
In the movie the Nazis are pursuing it because it is believed that “the army that carries the ark before it is invincible.” For once Hollywood is not way off the charts. The ark did go into battle before Israel. Each time they moved in the wilderness it went before them with a battle shout, (Numbers 10:35). It crossed the Jordan into the promised land at the head of the people and as they marched round Jericho. As for the belief that the army would thus be invincible, this seems to be behind the actions of God’s people in 1 Samuel 4. But as for the Nazis in the film, so it is a cataclysmic miscalculation by God’s people. The events of chapter 4 are catastrophic and calamitous, an unprecedented national disaster. This is her greatest defeat in battle thus far. This is the darkest day in the darkest period of her history (the days of the Judges) up to now. This is midnight. The anarchy and depravity of the period of the Judges is encapsulated by the impious and immoral behaviour of the priests Hophni and Phinehas. This chapter is God’s response.
Questions
- Why was the ark so important to Israel?
- At the same time as raising Samuel up to bless his people, God judges his people by sending this national disaster. What does this teach us about God’s ways in the world?
Prayer Points
- Pray that God would speak to us of his glory and his wrath as we study this chapter this week.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.