God has been clear with the Israelites that He desires loving fellowship with them. And, even though they’re imperfect, He has made a way for them to approach His perfect presence. What love the Father has for His children. Note that He didn’t make “ways”, lest they become confused or mistakenly intermingle one set of instructions with another. In His love, He made one perfect way.
Enter the Philistines, symbolic of Babylon, who care nothing for God and attack Israel. When Israel suffers some loss, they turn to Babylonian ways of coping instead of turning to God in faith. They sieze the ark from its rightful holy place, desecrating the presence of God. For their disobedience, God takes His hand of protection off Israel and they are soundly defeated. The Philistines then capture the ark, and the presence of God is removed from Israel.
Now the wrath of God falls on the Philistines, including death, disease and the destruction of their god, Dagon. In response to being chastised, the Philistines actually experience a heathy fear of the Lord of Israel and send the ark back where it belongs. However, instead of living in gratitude and relenting from their wicked ways, the Israelites once again violate the ark and suffer great loss at the hand of God.
Even though God repeatedly, clearly, and undeniably shows His presence and power among the Israelites, they still want to dismiss His flawless ability to bless them, seeking instead to try to bless themselves. Ironically, their desire is to live just like the Philistines. This time they resort to treason; rejecting God’s perfect kingship in favor of an imperfect worldly king. This is not going to bode well. Samuel knows this and he warns them of it.
Are you guilty of treason? When you experience a lack of peace in your life, the lives of family members, your country and the world at large, do you put your allegiance/hope in worldly leaders to provide your peace? If you do, how’s that boding?
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:22 NLT
