1 Samuel 5:1-12

CAPÍTULO VII.

A ARCA ENTRE AS FILISTINAS.

1 Samuel 5:1 ; 1 Samuel 6:1

EMBORA a história em Samuel seja silenciosa quanto aos feitos dos filisteus imediatamente após sua grande vitória sobre Israel, ainda assim aprendemos de outras partes da Bíblia ( Salmos 78:60 ) Jeremias 7:12 ; Jeremias 26:9 ) que eles procederam a Siló, massacraram os sacerdotes, destruíram a cidade e deixaram-na um monumento de desolação, como continuou a ser para sempre.

Provavelmente, isso foi considerado uma sequência apropriada para a captura da arca - um modo adequado de completar e comemorar sua vitória sobre o Deus nacional dos hebreus. Pois podemos muito bem acreditar que foi essa característica sem precedentes de seu sucesso que predominou na mente dos filisteus. A idéia predominante entre as nações vizinhas a respeito do Deus dos hebreus era que Ele era um Deus de grande poder.

As maravilhas feitas por Ele no Egito ainda enchiam a imaginação popular ( 1 Samuel 6:6 ); a mão forte e o braço estendido com que Ele expulsou as sete nações de Canaã e preparou o caminho para Seu povo não foram esquecidos. Nem em conflitos mais recentes nenhuma das nações vizinhas obteve a menor vantagem sobre ele.

Foi em Seu nome que Baraque e Débora derrotaram os cananeus; foi a espada do Senhor e de Gideão que lançou tanta consternação nos corações dos midianitas. Mas agora a maré havia mudado completamente; não apenas o Deus hebreu falhou em proteger Seu povo, mas a ruína caiu sobre ele e sobre eles, e Seu próprio santuário estava nas mãos dos filisteus. Não é de se admirar que os filisteus tenham ficado maravilhosamente exultantes. Vamos varrer da face da terra todos os vestígios e lembranças de Sua adoração, era o seu clamor.

Vamos infligir tal humilhação no local sagrado ao Seu nome que nunca mais Seus adoradores serão capazes de recuperar sua coragem e erguer a cabeça, e nem nós nem nossos filhos devemos tremer mais com a menção de Seus atos terríveis.

Não temos uma palavra sobre Samuel em relação a tudo isso. A notícia do campo de batalha, seguida da morte de Eli e da esposa de Finéias, deve ter sido um golpe terrível para ele. Mas além de ser calmo por natureza (como mostrou sua postura depois que ele recebeu a mensagem sobre a casa de Eli), ele estava habitualmente em comunhão com Deus, e neste hábito desfrutava de uma grande ajuda para o autodomínio e prontidão de ação em emergências repentinas e perplexidades .

Que o plano imprudente de carregar a arca para a batalha implicava em qualquer humilhação real do Deus de Israel, ou teria qualquer efeito negativo sobre a aliança feita a Abraão, Isaque e Jacó, ele não poderia por um momento supor. Mas a confusão e os problemas que surgiriam, especialmente se os filisteus avançassem sobre Siló, eram uma consideração muito séria. Restava muito em Shiloh que precisava ser cuidado.

Havia vasos sagrados e, possivelmente, registros nacionais, que não deveriam cair nas mãos do inimigo. Por quais meios Samuel foi capaz de garantir a segurança deles; por que meios ele garantiu sua própria segurança pessoal quando "os sacerdotes caíram à espada" ( Salmos 78:64 ), não podemos dizer. Mas o Senhor estava com Samuel, e mesmo nesta hora de horror nacional, Ele dirigiu seus procedimentos e estabeleceu sobre ele a obra de suas mãos.

O fato para o qual chamamos atenção, de que foi sobre o Deus de Israel que os filisteus triunfaram, é a chave para as transações registradas tão minuciosamente no quinto e no sexto capítulos. O grande objetivo destes capítulos é mostrar como Deus enganou os filisteus nesse ponto tão importante. Ele os iludiu de uma maneira muito quieta e pouco demonstrativa. Em certas ocasiões, Deus impressiona os homens por Suas grandes agências - pelo fogo, terremoto e tempestade, pelo "vento tempestuoso que cumpre Sua palavra.

" But these are not needed on this occasion. Agencies much less striking will do the work. God will recover His name and fame among the nations by much humbler forces. By the most trifling exertion of His power, these Philistines will be brought to their wit's end, and all the wisdom of their wisest men and all the craft of their most cunning priests will be needed to devise some propitiation for One who is infinitely too strong for them, and to prevent their country from being brought to ruin by the silent working of His resistless power.

1. First of all, the ark is carried to Ashdod, where stood the great temple of their God, Dagon. It is placed within the precincts of the temple, in some place of subordination, doubtless, to the place of the idol. Perhaps the expectation of the Philistines was that in the exercise of his supernatural might their god would bring about the mutilation or destruction of the Hebrew symbol. The morning showed another sight.

It was Dagon that was humiliated before the ark - fallen to the ground upon his face. Next day a worse humiliation had befallen him. Besides having fallen, his head and hands were severed from the image, and only the stump remained. And besides this, the people were suffering extensively from a painful disease, emerods or hemorrhoids, and this too was ascribed to the influence of the God of the Hebrews.

The people of Ashdod had no desire to prolong the contest. They gathered the lords of the Philistines and asked what was to be done. The lords probably concluded that it was a case of mere local ill-luck. But what had happened at Ashdod would not happen elsewhere. Let the ark be carried to Gath.

2. To Gath, accordingly, the ark is brought. But no sooner is it there than the disease that had broken out at Ashdod falls upon the Gittites, and the mortality is terrible. The people of Gath are in too great haste to call again on the lords of the Philistines to say what is to be done. They simply carry the ark to Ekron.

3. And little welcome it gets from the Ekronites. It is now recognized as the symbol of an angry God, whose power to punish and to destroy is unlimited. The Ekronites are indignant at the people of Gath. "They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people." The destruction at Ekron seems to have been more awful than at the other places - "The cry of the city went up to heaven.

" The lords of the Philistines are again convened, to deliberate over the failure of their last advice. There is no use trying any other place in the country. The idea of local ill-luck is preposterous. Let it go again to its own place! is the cry. Alas that we have destroyed Shiloh, for where can we send it now? We can risk no further mistakes. Let us convene the priests and the diviners to determine how it is to be got quit of, and with what gifts or offerings it is to be accompanied. Would only we had never touched it!

The priests and the diviners give a full answer on all the points submitted to them. First, the ark when sent away must contain an offering, in order to propitiate the Hebrew God for the insults heaped on Him. The offering was to be in the form of golden emerods and golden mice. It would appear that in addition to the disease that had broken out on the bodies of the people they had had in their fields the plague of mice.

These field-mice bred with amazing rapidity, and sometimes consumed the whole produce of the field. There is a slight difficulty about numbers here. There are to be five golden emerods and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:3); but it is said after (1 Samuel 6:18) that the number of the golden mice was according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities and country villages.

It is surmised, however, that (as in the Septuagint) the number five should not be repeated in the middle of the first passage (1 Samuel 6:4), but that it should run, "five golden emerods, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, and golden mice, images of the mice that destroy the land.

" The idea of presenting offerings to the gods corresponding with the object in connection with which they were presented was often given effect to by heathen nations. "Those saved from shipwreck offered pictures of the shipwreck, or of the clothes which they had on at the time, in the Temple of Isis; slaves and captives, in gratitude for the recovery of their liberty, offered chains to the Lares; retired gladiators, their arms to Hercules; and in the fifth century a custom prevailed among Christians of offering in their churches gold or silver hands, feet, eyes, etc.

, in return for cures effected in those members respectively in answer to prayer. This was probably a heathen custom transferred into the Christian Church; for a similar usage is still found among the heathen in India" (Speaker's Commentary).

4. Next, as to the manner in which the ark was to be sent away. A new cart was to be made, and two milch cows which had never been in harness before were to be fastened to the cart. This was to be out of respect to the God of Israel; new things were counted more honourable, as our Lord rode on a colt "whereon never man had yet sat," and His body was laid in a new sepulchre. The cows were to be left without guidance to determine their path; if they took the road to Judea, the road up the valley to Bethshemesh, that would be a token that all their trouble had come from the God of the Hebrews; but if they took any other road, the road to any place in the Philistine country, that would prove that there had only been a coincidence, and no relation of cause and effect between the capture of the ark and the evils that had befallen them.

It was the principle of the lot applied to determine a grave moral question. It was a method which, in the absence of better light, men were ready enough to resort to in those times, and which on one memorable occasion was resorted to in the early Christian Church (Atos 1:1). The much fuller light which God has given men on moral and religious questions greatly restricts, if it does not indeed abolish, the lawful occasions of resorting to such a method.

If it be ever lawful, it can only be so in the exercise of a devout and solemn spirit, for the apostles did not make use of it by itself, but only after earnest prayer that God would make the lot the instrument of making known His will.

At last the ark leaves the land of the Philistines. For seven terrible months it had spread among them anxiety, terror, and death. Nothing but utter ruin seemed likely to spring from a longer residence of the ark in their territories. Glad were they to get rid of it, golden emerods, golden mice, new cart, milch kine, and all. We are reminded of a scene in Gospel history, that took place at Gadara after the devils drove the herd of swine over the cliff into the lake.

The people of the place besought Jesus to depart out of their coasts. It is a solemn truth that there are aspects of God's character, aspects of the Saviour's character, in which He is only a terror and a trouble. These are the aspects in which God is seen opposed to what men love and prize, tearing their treasures away from them, or tearing them away from their treasures. It is an awful thing to know God in these aspects alone.

Yet it is the aspect in which God usually appears to the sinner. It is the aspect in which our consciences present Him when we are conscious of having incurred His displeasure. And while man remains a sinner and in love with his sin, he may try to disguise the solemn fact to his own mind, but it is nevertheless true that his secret desire is to get rid of God. As the apostle puts it, he does not like to retain God in his knowledge (Romanos 1:28).

He says to God, "Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways" (Jó 31:14). Nay, he goes a step further - "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Salmos 14:1). Where he still makes some acknowledgment of Him, he may try to propitiate Him by offerings, and to make up for the transgressions he commits in some things by acts of will-worship, or voluntary humiliation in other things.

But alas! of how large a portion even of men in Christian lands is it true that they do not love God. Their hearts have no yearning for Him. The thought of Him is a disturbing, uncomfortable element. Heart communion with Him is a difficulty not to be overcome. Forms of worship that leave the heart unexercised are a great relief. Worship performed by choirs and instruments and aesthetic rules comes welcome as a substitute for the intercourse and homage of the soul.

Could anything demonstrate more clearly the need of a great spiritual change? What but the vision of God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself can effect it? And even the glorious truths of redemption are not in themselves efficacious. The seed needs to fall on good soil. He that commanded the light to shine out of darkness must shine in our minds to give the light of the glory of God in the face of His Anointed.

But surely it is a great step towards this change to feel the need of it. The heart that is honest with God, and that says, "O God Almighty, I do not love Thee, I am not happy in Thy presence, I like life better without Thee; but I am convinced that this is a most wretched condition, and most sinful. Wilt Thou, in infinite mercy, have compassion on me? Wilt Thou so change me that I may come to love Thee, to love Thy company, to welcome the thought of Thee, and to worship Thee in spirit and in truth?" - such a heart, expressing itself thus, will surely not be forsaken.

How long it may be ere its quest is granted we cannot tell; but surely the day will come when the new song shall be put in its mouth - "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."

5. And now the ark has reached Bethshemesh, in the tribe of Judah. The lords of the Philistines have followed it, watching it, as Miriam watched her infant brother on the Nile, to see what would become of it. Nor do they turn back till they have seen the men of Bethshemesh welcome it, till they have seen the Levites take it down from the cart, till they have seen the cart cleft, and the cows offered as a trespass offering, and till they have seen their own golden jewels, along with the burnt-offerings and sacrifices of the people of Bethshemesh, presented in due form to the Lord.

Thus far all goes well at Bethshemesh. The ark is on Hebrew soil. The people there have no fear either of the emerods or of the mice that so terribly distressed their Philistine neighbours. After a time of great depression the sun is beginning to smile on Israel again. The men of Bethshemesh are reaping their barley-harvest - that is one mercy from God. And here most unexpectedly appears the sight that of all possible sights was the most welcome to their eyes; here, unhurt and unrifled, is the ark of the covenant that had been given up for lost, despaired of probably, even by its most ardent friends.

How could Israel hope to gain possession of that apparently insignificant box except by an invasion of the Philistines in overwhelming force - in such force as a nation that had but lately lost thirty thousand men was not able to command? And even if such an overwhelming expedition were to be arranged, how easy would it not be for the Philistines to burn the ark, and thus annihilate the very thing to recover which the war was undertaken? Yet here is the ark back without the intervention of a single soldier.

No ransom has been given for it, no blow struck, nothing promised, nothing threatened. Here it comes, as if unseen angels had fetched it, with its precious treasures and still more precious memories just as before! It was like a foreshadow of the return from the captivity - an experience that might have found expression in the words, "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream."

Happy men of Bethshemesh, for whom God prepared so delightful a surprise. Truly He is able to do in us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! Never let us despair of God, or of any cause with which He is identified. '' Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;" "The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought; He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, and the thoughts of His heart to all generations."

But alas! the men of Bethshemesh did not act according to the benefit received. Their curiosity prevailed above their reverence: they looked into the ark of the Lord. As if the sacred vessel had not had enough of indignity in the din of battle, in the temples of the uncircumcised Philistines, and in the cart drawn by the kine, they must expose it to a yet further profanation! Alas for them! their curiosity prevailed over their reverence.

And for this they had to pay a terrible penalty. "The Lord smote of the men of Bethshemesh fifty thousand and three score and ten men." It is the general opinion, however, that an error has slipped into the text that makes the deaths amount to fifty thousand threescore and ten. Bethshemesh was never more than a village or little town, and could not have had anything like so great a population. Probably the threescore and ten, without the fifty thousand, is all that was originally in the text.

Even that would be ''a great slaughter" in the population of a little town. It was a very sad thing that an event so joyous should be clouded by such a judgment. But how often are times and scenes which God has made very bright marred by the folly and recklessness of men!

The prying men of Bethshemesh have had their counterparts many a time in more recent days. Many men, with strong theological proclivities, have evinced a strong desire to pry into the ''secret things which belong to the Lord our God." Foreknowledge, election, free will, sin's punishment - men have often forgot that there is much in such subjects that exceeds the capacity of the human mind, and that as God has shown reserve in what He has revealed about them, so men ought to show a holy modesty in their manner of treating them.

And even in the handling of sacred things generally, in the way of theological discussion, a want of reverence has very often been shown. It becomes us all most carefully to beware of abusing the gracious condescension which God has shown in His revelation, and in the use which He designs us to make of it. It was an excellent rule a foreign theologian laid down for himself, to keep up the spirit of reverence - never to speak of God without speaking to God.

God has drawn very near to us in Christ, and given to all that accept of Him the place and privileges of children. He allows us to come very near to Him in prayer. "In everything," He says, "by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known unto God." But while we gratefully accept these privileges, and while m the enjoyment of them we become very intimate with God, never let us forget the infinite distance between us, and the infinite condescension manifested in His allowing us to enter into the holiest of all.

Nunca nos esqueçamos de que, à Sua vista, somos “como pó e cinza”, indignos de erguer os olhos ao lugar onde habita Sua honra. Combinar reverência e intimidade em nossos tratos com Deus, - a mais profunda reverência com a intimidade mais íntima, é realizar o mais elevado ideal de adoração. O próprio Deus deseja que nos lembremos, ao nos aproximarmos dele, que Ele está no céu e nós na terra. "Assim diz o Altíssimo, que habita a eternidade e cujo nome é santo, eu habito no lugar alto e santo, mas também com aquele que é contrito e humilde de espírito, para reavivar o espírito dos humildes e reavivar os corações dos contritos. "