Principle
The return of the ark of the covenant to Israel eventually resulted in Israel’s repentance and return to GOD.
Explanation
Israel had foolishly turned to trusting in the ark of the covenant for deliverance from Philistine oppression, rather than repenting and seeking after GOD. When the Israelites brought the ark of the covenant into battle, the Philistines captured it.
However, when the Philistines took the ark of the covenant into their cities, they suffered great oppression and mysterious illness.
Eventually, the Philistines were humbled to the point that they sent the ark of the covenant back to Israel, as a sort of test to see if their recent negative events were indeed a direct result of the ark’s presence.
Sure enough, the cows carried the ark of the covenant straight back to the Israelite town from which it had been taken.
At first, the ark of the covenant’s return to Beth-Shemesh was a blessing. But then, perhaps concerned about whether the original contents had been removed, some men from Beth-Shemesh looked into the ark of the covenant. This was a bad idea:
19 Now the sons of Jechoniah were not pleased, nor were the people of Beth-Shemesh, because as they looked at the ark of the Lord, the Lord smote fifty thousand and seventy men from among them. And the people mourned because of the people the Lord smote such a deadly blow.
20 And the men of Beth-Shemesh said, “Who shall be able to come before this holy Lord? And to whom shall the ark of the Lord go up from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord, so come down and take it up with you.”
1 Kingdoms [1 Samuel] 6:19-21 OSB
Once again, the ark’s presence unsettled the people, and the ark was again relocated, this time as a blessing:
1 Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the covenant of the Lord safe.
2 It came to pass that from the very day the ark was in Kirjath Jearim, the days multiplied to become twenty years. And all the house of Israel watched for the Lord.
1 Kingdoms [1 Samuel] 7:1-2 OSB
After these twenty years, Samuel encouraged Israel to repent and return once more to GOD alone:
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, if you put away the foreign gods and the sacred groves from among you, and if you prepare your hearts for the Lord and serve Him alone, He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the sacred groves for Ashtoreths, and served the Lord alone. 5 And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out upon the earth before the Lord. And there they fasted on that day and said, “We sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
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13 So the Lord humbled the Philistines, and they no longer came into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines took from the children of Israel were returned; they returned them to Israel from Ekron to Gath, and they took the coast of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
1 Kingdoms [1 Samuel] 7:3-6, 13-15 OSB
This saga began with Israel scheming how they might use the ark of the covenant to defeat their enemy, the Philistines, rather than trusting in GOD.
GOD took that same item in which Israel placed their trust and used it to humble both them and their enemies.
Through the righteous man, Samuel, whom GOD had raised up as an example, leader, and judge over Israel, GOD’s people were eventually drawn back to Him.
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