for July 7

Scripture

1 Samuel 4:1-10

¹ And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

In those days the Philistines mustered for war against Israel, and Israel went out to battle against them; they encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. ² The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle was joined, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. ³ When the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord put us to rout today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, so that he may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” ⁴ So the people sent to Shiloh, and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

⁵ When the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. ⁶ When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, ⁷ the Philistines were afraid; for they said, “Gods have come into the camp.” They also said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. ⁸ Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. ⁹ Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, in order not to become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”

¹⁰ So the Philistines fought; Israel was defeated, and they fled, everyone to his home. There was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. ¹¹ The ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. (NRSV)

Devotion

 Have you ever felt shocked that something that worked "last time" goes horribly wrong when you try it again?  You think,  It should have worked.  What went wrong?  That is the situation facing the Israelite in today's reading from 1 Samuel.

Our reaiding opens with the Israelites battling against their enemies the Philistines...and the Isrealites are losing.  This isn't a new sitution.  The books of Joshua and Judges contain many stories of the Isrealites going out to fight seemingly unbeatable enemies only to have God help them win the day.  The people would pray for God's help, and God would intervene by giving the leaders instructions and helping them win the battle.  In certain cases, including the Battle of Jericho, God told the armies to carry the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield with them.  In the case of Jericho, they actually paraded it around the city walls before they fell.  The Ark was the sign that God himself had arrived to defeat their enemies.  And time and time again, the Ark helped them win the day.

This time, the people quickly send word for Eli's corrupt sons Hophni and Phinehas to bring the Ark to the battlefield.  After all, it worked before.  Surely God won't let them lose if the Ark is with them. Unfortunately, the military and religious leaders' plan backfire.  The Philistine's fear actually inspires them to fight harder than they had before.  And so it is that they defeat the Isrealites, kill the corrupts priests, and take the Ark for themselves.  

Why did the Ark of the Covenant not grant the Isrealites victory like it had before?  Some scholars claim that it is because they disrespected God by treating the Ark like a trophy or idol.  But I think the problem had less to do with the action or even with the people's intentions than with their assumptions.  The people didn't pray for guidance or ask Eli what God wanted of them.  Instead, they simply assumed that God would want them to do exactly what they had done in they past.  The people neglected to consider the fact that times change.  Situations change.  And sometimes God wants us to do something different than what we've always done before. And so Hophni and Phinehas accompany the ark into battle, and the army goes forward, little knowing that they have done the thing that will seal their doom.

God, though, keeps doing new things. Even as the people grieve that the glory of God has departed Israel, the Ark of the Covenant begins wreaking havoc amongst the Philistines, causing panic, disease, and death in each city they take it to.  Soon, the Ark is back amongst the people, along with a guilt offering of gold.  God had worked in a new way that defied all the people's expectations.   

As life begins to open back up, we are all faced with choice.  Will be content to simply go back to life as it was before and do what we've always done, or will we take the time to ask God if it is time to try some new things?  Some things that may be better suited to the current state our ever-changing world?  I hope that we bold enough, wise enough, and insightful enough to listen for God's voice as we decide where to go from here.  And may God continue to work his grace among us.

Prayer

 Steadfast God, we know that though times may change and what is best for us to do may change with them, your love and presence remain changeless forever.  Give us the courage to discern your will and follow your guidance wherever it may lead.  Amen