An interesting story about a very bad time in Israel. As I have previously mentioned, the Philistines are becoming a major political influence in the Eastern Mediterranean. The are migrating from the Island of Crete in large numbers and they are bringing the implements of war from Greece including iron technology. Their military expertise makes them the superior fighting force in the region. There are 5 Philistine kings ruling 5 city-states. They are aligned with each other.
The Philistines have picked a fight with Israel and they have roundly defeated them. 4000 men lose their lives in the fight. Israel decided that they will bring God with them in the form of the Ark of the Covenant to the next fight. This strikes fear in the Philistines because they have heard what the Israeli armies led by the Ark have done to the Egyptians and at Jericho and as Israel took over this part of the country. They know this is a mighty God and they spur their soldiers forward with the advice that if you don't fight now prepare to be made subjects of Israel.
Phineas and Hopni, the evil priest sons of Eli, are leading the Ark into the battle. Here is the problem. Israel is using the Ark like a lucky rabbits foot. They are trusting the Ark rather than trusting God. That was somewhat like what happened during the crusades when the European forces were led into the battles with soldiers bearing the cross. Talismans, lucky charms, 4 leaf clovers......God is not in any of those........his blessing of Israel comes out of obedience. Israel has strayed, there is sin in the camp and some of the chief sinners are those two priests who are leading the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was to be kept in the Holy of Holies, ministered to there by the Chief Priests and only once per year at the time of the Atonement not paraded around as an implement of war. Israel is crushed, 30,000 soldiers die, Phineas and Hopni are killed and when the results of the battle and the loss of the Ark are reported to Eli, he too dies. Sad, Sad story!! The prophecy of 1 Samuel 2:34 comes true; Hopni and Phineas die on the same day. Israel weeps. The Glory of The Lord has left Israel.....or has it?
The Glory of the Lord was not the tabernacle per se. The Glory of the Lord was not in the Ark of the Tabernacle per se. The Glory of the Lord was not in the offerings or the altar. The Glory of the Lord was in his Spirit and his Spirit was made manifest in the people of God as the obeyed his will and his way. The Glory of God abounds in God's people! When God's people refuse God's way then God's Glory has no place to abide. Where God's people are serving in obedience.....God's Glory can also be found. Israel was trusting the wrong article of Faith.
The Philistines discover more about Jehovah than they wanted. The take the captured Ark to their temple of worship to Dagon. In the night Jehovah topples Dagon. The idols hands and head are broken off. This symbolizes the Dagon has neither the wisdom or the strength to stand before the One True God!! A plague begins to decimate the Philistine city. The pass the Ark off to another Philistine City and the plague follows. It is thought that the plague may have been transmitted by mice or rats thus the golden rats and golden tumors (probably shaped like the tumors that the plague was raising on them) as an offering to the God of Israel as they returned the Ark. The Ark is a "hot potato" to the Philistines. After 7 months they want it out of there. They devise an elaborate scheme to send it back and at the same time to test whether the God of Israel is really real. The cows, the cart, the offering are all headed up a dirt road and, would you believe it, they traveled 10 miles to an Israelite village. When the kings of Philistia saw this they were convinced that they didn't want to mess with this God who could control such events.
Israel recieved the Ark and rejoiced at its return. Again they failed to honor the God who had given instruction for the building of the Ark and for what it was to contain. They violated the instruction to not touch it. Some of them looked inside of it. 1000's were struck down. Does it seem that God holds Israel to a higher standard? Indeed he does, even as he does all those that he calls his people. We should be aware of this principle as well. God expects more of us having heard the good news of Jesus Christ. "Who can stand before this Holy Lord God??" Of course, none of us can. When we realize the holiness of God, we pale at his righteousness and if we are lucid in our thoughts, we drop to our knees in adoration and praise. God is in the house, holy, holy, holy should be the cry from our lips even as it should have been from the lips of Israel.
They sent the Ark on to the village of Kiriath Jearim and there it remained for 70 years until King David takes it to Jerusalem. Another story for another day. Enjoy the sunshine. God is good. Worship him in the fullness of his glory and perhaps he will reveal himself to you.
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