04.10.2017 – Old Testament: 1Sa 5.8–9

To read the Bible in a year, read First Samuel 4–6 on April 10, In the year of our Lord 2017

By Don Ruhl

The Philistines captured the ark of God during a battle with Israel. However, the ark did not belong to the Philistines, rather it belonged in the tabernacle. Therefore, God cursed the Philistines, and they did not know what to do about it,

Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them (1 Samuel 5.8–9). 

They knew that possessing the ark of God had caused their problems, but they still did not know what to do about it. Evidently returning it to Israel did not occur to them, or if it did, they feared that returning it would strengthen Israel. What then did they decide to do? Send it to another city in Philistia! Now that makes sense. The ark cursed us, so let’s see if it will curse another one of our cities.

Questions:

• Do you know what to do with God?
• Do you know what to do with the things of God?