They had not realized that their faith was only a nominal faith, and had lost its power to prevail with God. The law of God, contained in the ark, was also a symbol of His presence; but they had cast contempt upon the commandments, had despised their requirements, and had grieved the Spirit of the Lord from among them. When the people obeyed the holy precepts, the Lord was with them to work for them by His infinite power; but when they looked upon the ark, and did not associate it with God, nor honor His revealed will by obedience to His law, it could avail them little more than a common box. They looked to the ark as the idolatrous nations looked to their gods, as if it possessed in itself the elements of power and salvation. They transgressed the law it contained; for their very worship of the ark led to formalism, hypocrisy, and idolatry. Their sin had separated them from God, and He could not give them the victory until they had repented of and forsaken their iniquity.


Patriarker og profeter kapitel 57. 302.     Fra side 583 i den engelske udgave.tilbage

Filisterne tager arken

"Og israelitterne rykkede ud til kamp imod filisterne og lejrede sig ved Eben-Ezer, mens filisterne lejrede sig ved Afek." Israelitterne begyndte denne krig uden at spørge Gud til råds og uden at opnå ypperstepræstens eller profetens bifald. "Filisterne stillede sig op til kamp mod Israel, og kampen blev hed; Israel blev slået af filisterne, og de dræbte i slaget på åben mark omtrent 4000 mand." Da den slagne og modløse hær vendte tilbage til lejren, "sagde Israels ældste: "Hvorfor lod Herren os i dag bukke under for filisterne?" Nationen fortjente i allerhøjeste grad Guds straf, men folket kunne ikke se, at det var deres egne synder, der var skyld i den frygtelige ulykke, som havde ramt dem. De sagde nu: "Lad os hente vor Guds ark i Silo, for at han kan være i vor midte og fri os af vore fjenders hånd!" Herren havde ikke givet befaling om, at arken skulle bæres ud til hæren; han havde heller ikke givet tilladelse dertil, men israelitterne var sikre på sejren og brød ud i et vældigt jubelråb, da Elis sønner bar arken ind i lejren.

Sætning:
- skal ændres til:
navn og/eller e-mail:

Oversætterens indentitet er ikke nævnt her. Ændringen foretages efter vurdering.