Israel put their trust in a "what" not a "who".
Chapter 4 of 1 Samuel opens with a battle between Israel and their archenemy, the Philistines. The battle did not go well for the Israelites who lost four thousand men in defeat. This is the scene that unfolds when the remaining battered Israelite army trudged home:
3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord defeat us today before the Philistines? Let’s bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then it will go with us and save us from our enemies.” (1 Samuel 4:3 CSB)
This is a critical verse to understand what follows, so let’s break it down by asking four questions to help us rightly observe what is here.
Who did the elders ask to explain what happened? It might be easier to answer the opposite of this question: Who did the elders not ask to explain what happened? The answer to that one is easy: God. While the elders recognized that God brought about their defeat, they did not ask Him why. It’s fascinating, isn’t it? Instead of going to God, they apparently asked one another. They tried to make sense of what happened through group think without going to the only One who would have been able to provide what they needed. Don’t miss the fact that it is the elders here who made this mistake. The elders were in a position to lead God’s people, for better or worse. And this time, we will see it was the latter.
Who made their plans? It makes sense, then, that because the elders failed to go to God for an explanation of what had happened, that they would not go to Him for what they should do next. Rather, they boldly declare, “Let us…”, an echo of the people of Babel in Genesis 11:4. Babel didn’t turn out so great back then, and this won’t turn out so well for the Israelites either.
What did the elders trust in? The importance of this question, and the elders’ failing, is revealed in the pronoun used. When it comes to trust, using the pronoun “what” never bodes well. Rather, it should be “who”, as in God. The elders put their trust in the ark of the Lord instead of in the Lord Himself. The ark symbolized God’s presence among His people and it was at the center of at least one great manifestation of God’s power: crossing the Jordan River. But the ark was not God and it did not possess power. The ark could do nothing for the people on its own.
What did the elders assume? Once again, pronouns matter. Notice what the elders declared: It, as in the ark, would go before the people and it would save the people from their enemies. It was bad enough that the elders believed they were assured victory, but what they based that assurance on was even more pathetic—a physical object rather than the person of God.
It’s not a surprise that the Israelites got their hats handed to them once more in the battle that followed. This time thirty thousand men were killed, including Eli’s two sons… and the ark was captured (v. 10-11).
Preschool Tip: For your youngest ones, focus on the idea that is most important—that God wants to be with His people and that He had done so in Jesus. Even when the Israelites made a mistake, God did not turn away from them. That is one of the central themes throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament. God is faithful even amidst our faithlessness. That is a great seed to plant in the minds and hearts of your preschoolers.
Kids Tip: Just as the big idea for preschoolers is that God wants to be with us and is in Jesus Christ, that is the main take-away for kids as well. However, for kids, be ready to talk with them about what they trust in. What are their talismans? Lovingly challenge them to think through the wrong things they put their faith in and help them direct their faith to God alone.
-From Brian Dembowczyk at TGP website
#JesusJam Have fun worshiping together to some songs!
CLICK HERE for this weeks story summary
Christ Connection: The ark of God reminded the Israelites that God was with them. Years later, God gave His people something greater than a sign that He was with them; God gave them His Son, Jesus—God in the flesh. One of Jesus’ names is Immanuel, which means “God with us.”
If you have a bible at your house, 1 Samuel 4-6. If you don't have one, that's okay! CLICK HERE.
Questions from Kids:
Create a comic (USING THIS PRINTABLE)
Provide colored pencils and a comic page for each kid. Choose a volunteer to read the caption on each panel of the comic page. Invite kids to illustrate each scene of the Bible story. Kids may refer to 1 Samuel 4–6 in their Bibles.
As kids work, ask the following review questions:
1. Why did the Israelites take the ark to the battlefield? (They thought it would give them victory, 1 Sam. 4:3)
2. What happened when the Israelites fought the Philistines again? (The Israelites lost and the Philistines took the ark of the covenant, 1 Sam. 4:10-11)
3. Where did the Philistines take the ark of God? (to a temple where they worshiped a false god, 1 Sam. 5:2)
4. What happened to the statue of Dagon? (It fell facedown before the ark and broke, 1 Sam. 5:3-4)
5. What happened to the Philistines in the cities where the ark was? (They got sick, 1 Sam. 5:9)
6. How did the Philistines return the ark to the Israelites? (They put the ark on a cart with gifts, and two cows pulled the cart; 1 Sam. 6:10-12)
Remind the Kids • The Israelites were wrong to take the ark to the battlefield as if it were a good luck charm. When the Philistines captured the ark, God showed the Philistines that He is the one true God. Is anything or anyone greater than God? No, God is greater than everything and everyone.
Design the Ark of the Covenant (USING THIS PRINTABLE)
To make your tiny model of the ark of the covenant, print out these pages and have some scissors and glue (or tape) handy. Easy and fun, kids will get a better idea of what it is and what it looks like!
Cut out and place the 10 commandments inside.
:)