Like us, the Israelites needed to learn the same lessons over and over. One thing they needed to learn was that the power is in God, not in any objects. The river stopped when the Ark of the Covenant was carried into it. They won wars when the Ark led them into battle. So some Israelites thought that power was in the Ark itself. Well …
…, the Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel…. 1 Sam 4:1
… Israel was defeated; …The ark of God was captured, 1 Sam 4:10-11
There was no power in the Ark of the Covenant. Just like there is no power in rosaries, in church buildings, or in pieces of bread. Those things just help us get in touch with God. The power is in God. And God does have power.
Now the LORD dealt severely with the [Philistines] … He ravaged and afflicted the city 1 Sam 5:6
The ark of the LORD had been in the land of the Philistines seven months 1 Sam 6:1
…, “The Philistines … returned the ark of the LORD; 1 Sam 6:21
…, and the whole Israelite population turned to the LORD. 1 Sam 7:2
So the Israelites put away their Baals
(their little carved idols, their false gods)
… and [the Israelites] worshiped the LORD alone. 1 Sam 6::4
In the time of the Exodus, the Israelites had developed FAITH/BELIEF.
Now, in the time of the Judges, they had developed HOPE/TRUST.
They were ready for God’s call to LOVE, in the time of prophets and kings.
# 1610 see also # 356
God’s call to LOVE is mostly in the books of the prophets, but our story is mostly in the books of Kings and the books of Chronicles and the books of Samuel.