In 1 Samuel 4 we read of the Philistines conquering Israel and taking away the ark of the covenant. The Israelites in despair had said, "Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto us, that when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies." So they brought the ark into the battlefield. But they were defeated, nevertheless.

Some 300 years previously the ark had gone before the Israelites into the waters of Jordan, -and the waters had fled, and let them over dryshod. Then soon after the ark was likewise effectual in the destruction of Jericho. But now circumstances were different. Notice the word "it" in the cry of the Israelites-"that it may save us." Jehovah was not vividly before them, they had departed from Him, and were serving Baal and Ashtaroth, and now they expect that the ark of Jehovah, whom they have forgotten, will have magic power to deliver them. But it proved to be nothing but a gilded wooden box. Even its mercy-seat of gold, with the cherubim, was powerless. The cherubim were but lifeless images. "Ichabod" (the glory is departed) was on the ark, even before the Philistines took it. It had no power in itself, no more than Moses' serpent of brass, which at one time was a symbol of salvation, and later nothing but "a piece of brass" (Num. 21:2 Kings 18:4, margin).

God requires reality. When our Lord said, "God is spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth," He was declaring truth that men should have known and acted upon from the beginning. Ordinances, sacrifices and typical things were ordained to be representations of spiritual realities, but when they came to be regarded as something more than shadows, as having value in themselves, and people imagined they could appease God with such things, so that He would be tolerant toward their persistence in transgression, then such things became to Him abomination like unto abominations of the heathen (Deut. 10:16; 30:6; 1 Sam. 15:22; Isa. 1:11-17; Jer. 4:4; Rom. 2:25-29; Acts 7:51; Phil. 3:3; Ps. 40:6-8; Heb. 10:5-9).

There are mysteries in truth, but no magic. A mystery is something which invites attention and inquiry, such as the mysteries of gravitation and electricity, and in the higher realm, the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, etc. But magic fosters credulity. Magic belongs to the realm of darkness. It characterizes false religion, false Christianity included. It is found too in false science-for example, evolution and relativity-much that goes under these terms is nothing but magic. False religion allows man to go on in sin while making a show of devotion by ritual, ordinances and sacrifices.

Even with the two ordinances appointed by the Lord Jesus, water-baptism and the breaking of bread,-the valuation of these in man's mind may become magical rather than spiritual, even on the part of Christians who are not given to ritualism. There may be the setting of value upon the performance of the ordinance itself (as is the case with ritualists), instead of the realization that the ordinance is but a symbol appointed for expressing the faith of the heart, to be confirmed by the works of the life.

Now, to return to the subject of the ark. Another change occurs, circumstances again differ. The Philistines at first had feared when they heard that the ark was come into the camp of Israel (1 Sam. 4:6-8); but having defeated the Israelites they are encouraged, and bring the ark into the house of their god, under the impression that their Dagon had proven to be as great or greater than Jehovah of Israel. However, the bringing of the ark into the house of Dagon by the Philistines was quite a different matter from the bringing of the ark into the battle by the Israelites. Jehovah had rebuked the idolatry of the Israelites by not manifesting Himself in connection with the ark, because they were trusting in the ark and not in Him. Now by action the very opposite He rebukes the idolatry of the Philistines. To the Philistines the ark represents Jehovah, a Jehovah who is no more powerful after all than Dagon. So Jehovah manifests Himself, and Dagon falls twice, the second time more disastrous than the first (Read 1 Samuel 5, and see comment in The Numerical Bible).

There is something" similar in more recent history. In Japan, in the 17th century, persecution broke out against Christians. Many Romanist converts suffered torture and death rather than trample on a cross or on a picture of Christ, as they were commanded to do. Though such symbols were to a large extent magical charms, the paraphernalia of Christianized idolatry, yet by the circumstance that enemies took these symbols as evidence of Christian faith, we may believe that the attitude of these martyrs towards such symbols at such a time, did give evidence that out from all the superstition and idolatry, there was shown real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour.

So in the spiritual realm also, circumstances alter cases.

-E. B. Craig.
"BE STILL AND LET GOD MOULD THEE"