Ordinary people, extraordinary God – Superstition never works
1 Samuel 4:1-22
Are you superstitious? More people are superstitious today and their lives are governed by their superstitions. Traditional religion and superstition are often joined together. Are your fears, anxiety and stresses governed by superstitions rather than reality? Will something bad happen if you don’t do your religious rituals?
Israel’s elders were superstitious:
- They asked the right question (vs 3) – It is never wrong to ask God “Why?” He might be trying to say something to you. Is He trying to teach you something? Is He unsettling you to move you on from somewhere? James 1:1-4 and 1 Peter 1:6,7 say we should consider it pure joy when we experience trials. The elders were not wrong in asking the question, but God was bringing judgement upon Israel because of the sin of the leaders. They should have realised that they deserved to be defeated because of their sin.
- They chose the wrong solution (vs 4) – They chose to use the Ark of the Covenant as a lucky charm.
- Superstition leads to false hope (vs 5) – We cannot force God to do what we want because we do certain things in the right order. The leaders hope was not in God, but in a mascot.
- The result of superstition (vs 17) – God’s glory had left the people. The fear of Israel’s God and their superstition motivated the Philistines to fight harder and 30,000 people lost their lives.