The God Who Is Willing to Lose
A Battle Lost, A Lesson Learned
One of the most important moments in the Hebrew scriptures comes tucked away in what might feel like a throwaway story early in the book of Samuel. The Hebrew people go into battle against the Philistines, and they lose. Then, undeterred, they try again—this time bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the fray as if wielding divine presence like a secret weapon. But again, they lose.
What if the significance of this story is not in the failure itself but in what it reveals about the nature of God? What if the willingness of the Hebrew God to lose—even when God's reputation is on the line—is not a weakness but a theological cornerstone?
God's Reputation vs. God's Character
This moment, humbling and disruptive as it is, becomes foundational to the identity of the Hebrew people and their understanding of the Divine. It also becomes vital for Christians who read back through these texts, discovering the threads that lead to the cross.
The crucified Christ—humiliated, mocked, seemingly defeated—embodies this divine posture. The willingness of God to look the fool, to endure shame, and to lose for the sake of what is right, becomes a lens through which we can understand Jesus' sacrifice in profoundly personal and transformative ways.
Fetishizing the Divine
When the Israelites decide to bring the Ark into battle, there's a tacit belief that God's presence can be wielded like a weapon. And honestly, that wasn't unusual thinking for the time. Militaries often turned gods into talismans. Everyone else was doing it—why not them?
But it doesn’t work. In fact, it backfires. Not only do they lose again, but they also lose the Ark itself, the sons of Eli die, and Israel is left leaderless. The message is clear: God refuses to be conscripted to our causes, even those wrapped in religious fervor.
God Does Not Play By Our Rules
The ancient world assumed that gods cared about honor the way we do. Win battles, get praise, earn esteem. And if you brought your god to battle, you believed they had a vested interest in making sure you won—after all, their reputation was at stake.
But this God? This God isn't interested.
In fact, this God seems to say, "Maybe now is the time for a reset."
No Oppression, Just Aggression
What’s especially interesting is that this isn't a defensive battle. There's no oppression mentioned, no external force to throw off. As Robert Alter translates, the Israelites "sallied forth" against the Philistines. They just wanted a fight.
And God opts out.
That should give us pause. Because what if not every fight is righteous? What if God isn’t with us just because we invoke the name?
A Nonviolent Posture
In a narrative full of violence, here is a glimpse of another way. A moment when God refuses to participate. And in doing so, begins to guide the people back.
God is not our warrior. God takes no joy in our violence. And even though God always sides with the oppressed, there is no endorsement here of aggression, even from God's own people.
This is a God who would rather lose than endorse our addiction to war. A God who chooses the humiliation of peace over the pride of victory. And that—that simple, radical idea—is something that Christians and Hebrews, pacifists and others, can all learn to embrace.
Conscripted to Peace
God's willingness to lose for the sake of love? That is the path that leads to the cross. And at the cross, where loss and love collide, forgiveness blooms into something final and full.
Because when we confront the reality that God will not be pulled into our wars, perhaps then we will find ourselves drawn into God's peace. When we stop trying to carry God in our back pocket, supporting our agendas, we might begin to walk the path of God's kingdom—here, now, and always.
