Battle defeat meant there was a problem in the covenant relationship with the Lord. Wrath instead of favour. But instead of inquiring about the Lord, the Israelites made a plan to twist God’s arm. They remembered how the ark of the covenant was present at the battle of Jericho (Joshua 6:1–27). They remembered how the people marched behind it, priests blowing on their trumpets. And so they think to themselves: That is what we need. If we get the ark, the Lord will fight for us. Then it will all be good. There is no need for repentance, no need to consult the Lord or hear from his prophet. If we get the ark, the Lord will be forced to help us. The ark is the footstool of his throne; he is obligated to protect his ark. The Philistines think along the same lines. When they hear the ark has come, they are expecting the Lord to fight on behalf of his people. His sacred object is with them, how can he do otherwise?

We may not have a gold-covered ark with us today, but we are by no means immune to this kind of reasoning. Similar to the time in which Jesus lived, we naturally think there are various things we can do to manipulate God—whether it is long prayers that are somehow more likely to be answered (see Matthew 6:7), or the idea that our giving will result in prosperity, or that church attendance must be rewarded with good health, or that the words we speak have the power to force God to act on our behalf. If I pray to God, he must heal me, he must make me feel better, he must give me covenant blessings, even if I ignore his wisdom in other ways.

But the Lord will not be manipulated. He is not like one of the pagan gods, he is not a figment of our imagination. We cannot control him or get him to do what we want. He is God. He will not give covenant blessings where there is no covenant obedience. He will not allow Israel to treat him like a genie, to think that he is obligated to serve their interests because they have his ark and because his honour is on the line. No, there is judgment and defeat for the people of the Lord.