Know Your Bible Devotions for MenChikamu

How Could the Philistines Steal the Ark of the Covenant?

After losing four thousand men in a battle with the Philistines, the Israelites were shaken, wondering why God hadn’t given them victory. But instead of directly asking God what they should do, the elders of Israel decided to take the ark of the covenant into their next battle with the Philistines. The elders knew they needed God’s presence but they sought it incorrectly. They turned the ark into a kind of good luck charm. The Philistines were terrified when they found out the Israelites were bringing the ark into battle, but they fought desperately, killing thirty thousand more Israelite soldiers and winning the battle (1 Samuel 4:2–11). In addition, they captured the ark and killed the sons of Eli the priest. Israel’s elders went terribly wrong by treating the ark of the covenant in a way God never intended or approved. That day, the ark became just a manmade box. May we never lose our sense of awe at God. Yes, He’s our Father, who has made us brothers of Jesus Christ. But He’s not a good luck charm — He’s the creator and sustainer of the entire universe!