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1 Samuel 4:5-7
The Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of God, and when the Israelites saw it, they all began to shout. Their response was fitting and correct because their divine King was among them. However, the rest of the story reveals He was intensely displeased with Israel and gave the victory to the Philistines. This episode occurred when the sons of Eli had disgraced the priesthood, and God had largely removed Himself from the nation. The Israelites thought they could use the Ark like a good luck charm. They trusted in a holy object, not understanding the principle of reciprocity in their relationship with God. As He told King Asa much later, “The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (II Chronicles 15:2; emphasis ours). So, the neglectful Israelites presumed to bring God into battle with them, and He fought against them. The shout of the King was among Israel, but God's presence brought destruction rather than favor.
David C. Grabbe
The Shout of a King
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