I love the stories in the Old Testament. There’s one in 1 Samuel 4-6 that always gives me hope. Samuel was a young man and not yet judging Israel; Eli was the aged judge. The Philistines were once again on the warpath and in the first battle, the Philistines defeated Israel and killed about 4000. Israel was upset and decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant from its current location in Shiloh to the battlefield.
When the Ark arrived, Israel began to shout, which unnerved the Philistines who realized in that moment that the Ark of God was in the camp. Their reaction, “We’re in trouble! Be men and fight!” [4:7-9]
That’s exactly what they did, defeating Israel who lost 30,000 soldiers. The Philistines also captured the Ark. The part of the story that gives me hope is found in chapter 5. The Philistines who thought they were the victors, took the Ark from Ebenezer to Ashdod and put it as a souvenir of victory in the temple of their god, Dagon. When they returned the next day, Dagon’s image had fallen over. So, they set him upright. The following morning, he was once again fallen on his face on the ground, this time with his head and hands broken off.
God then afflicted the people of Ashdod so severely that they deported the Ark to Gath. Then God afflicted the people of Gath who sent the Ark to Ekron. When the people of Ekron saw the Ark coming to them they realized that they too were doomed. Somehow, they needed to get the Ark back to Israel before they were all dead. “For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy upon it. Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.” [5:11-12 NIV]
I find hope in this—there are times when it seems that the enemy wins, but those are only temporary setbacks, because the presence of the Almighty God in our lives changes everything! There is always hope when we are aligned with the covenant-keeping God.
