The Ark Was Captured

(1 Samuel 4-6)

October 5th, 2025

Sunday Recap

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Sunday Recap •

Hey Fams!

The Philistines’ capture of the ark of the covenant reveals the folly of seeking God’s blessing over God Himself. The Israelites realized they were no match for the Philistines, so they pursued worldly wisdom instead of seeking God in prayer. Reducing the significance of the ark to a good luck charm set off a chain reaction of disastrous events. Yet, God provided His people a victory they did not deserve.

What was the significance of the ark? How does the Lord prove His might against false gods and among the nations of the world?

The ark served as a reminder of God’s promise to dwell among His people. Inside it was some manna from heaven, Aaron’s rod, and the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Each item demonstrated God’s provision, as well as His covenant promise to remain with them through the ages. 1 Samuel 4:5 tells us that when the Israelites entered the camp with the ark, their shouts were loud enough to shake the ground. These shouts, however, were empty praise not fueled by a right view of the Lord or His righteous cause among the nations.

God responded to the Israelites’ sin by allowing the Philistines to capture the ark that represented His presence and glory among God’s people. Yet, God used what looked outwardly like defeat to bring glory to His name by demonstrating His power over the enemy and His judgment of sin. This foreshadowed an even greater story of God claiming glory through what looked like defeat—when Jesus allowed Himself to be captured by people and crucified to satisfy God’s judgment on sin. Likewise, the surprising return of the ark by the unmistakable power of the Lord foreshadowed Christ’s resurrection to be with His people.

Lead the boys and girls in your care to see that the source of our hope lies not in our wishes of good fortune from the Lord, but rather in the salvation secured by Christ through faith in His name. Like the Israelites, we deserve judgment for our sin. By faith in Christ, however, we receive forgiveness and His righteousness. Pray for your kids to see the weight of their sins and the price Christ paid to secure them as His own forever.

** Next week: Freedom from the Philistines (1 Samuel 7)

Family Discipleship Plan

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Family Discipleship Plan •

• Read Scripture

  Read the 1 Samuel 4-6 from the Bible.

• Talk about the Scripture

  On April 21, 1980, Rosie Ruiz was declared the winner of the women’s division of the Boston Marathon. The only problem was that Rosie Ruiz was a fraud. Instead of running the 26.2-mile race, Ruiz waited in the crowd and snuck onto the road to run only the final mile of the race. She was disqualified, and the real winner was crowned. Clearly, she had no business running the race with the real marathoners!

  After the Philistines defeated the Israelites, they captured the ark of the covenant and took it back to their city. The ark was a symbol of God’s presence, but the Philistines placed it beside the statue of Dagon, a false god they worshiped. The next morning, the statue of Dagon had fallen on its face in front of the ark. The Philistines set the statue up again, but it fell again, causing its head and hands to fall off! God was making it clear that He is the One True God and that Dagon—or any false god—has no business standing next to Him!

  God promised to be with His people. This promise gives comfort to know that God is near, but it also gives courage to know that He is the One True God who has all power, authority, and control. There is no one as great as Him!

  God is holy and punished the Israelites and Philistines for misusing the ark. All people sin and deserve God’s judgment, but Jesus took that judgment when He died on the cross. All who trust in Jesus are forgiven of sin and saved from judgment.

  Pray:
  There is no one as great as You, God! You sent Jesus to be God with us. Help us believe in Him so we can experience the comfort and courage of knowing You are always with us. Amen.

• Practice the Key Passage

  Preschool:

  God gives us all we need in Jesus.

  Older Kids:

  My God will meet all your needs. He will meet them in keeping with his wonderful riches. These riches come to you because you belong to Christ Jesus.

  Philippians 4:19 NIrV

• Pray

  Mornings

  Worship God as the one true God. Praise Him because there is no one as great as Him! How do you see God’s superiority in this week’s Bible story? What other stories in the Bible show us that He is the one true God?

  Evenings

  Thank God for His power. Thank Him for the comfort and confidence that comes with knowing the Almighty God. How does this Bible story show us the one-of-a-kind power of God? How does His ultimate power help us trust in Him?

• Family Activities

  For Fun

  Go for a walk or run as a family. Allow your kids to pick the route. Talk about God’s promise to be with Joshua wherever he went. Ask your kids how God has extended that promise to everyone who believes in Jesus. How is God with them wherever they go?

  To Serve

  Volunteer to plant flowers or participate in another beautification project at your local church. Use your time and energy to be a light in your community. Talk with your kids about how God might use the church to draw people to Himself. Be sure to explain that God’s presence is not limited to the church building, but it can still be a reminder of God’s presence and activity for the community.