Some of you will remember Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark, a film released several years ago but still showing up from time to time on cable and satellite television movie channels. Today we are going to trace a bit of the history of the ark as reported in 1 Samuel 4-6. We will not experience any of the dangers faced by Indiana Jones. We will encounter some marvelous Hebrew satire as well as some profound insight into the strange ways of God. But before starting I want to lift up two enigmatic texts and peg them in the air so that they hover over our thought.

Here is a verse from Psalm 78. The Psalmist is reflecting on the capture of the ark by the Philistines: He abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mortals, and delivered his power to captivity, h…