God brings the ark back by himself, he doesn't require any help! (see post on 1 Sam 4) He brings His presence back to His people. Most of them are very happy about that but some are either apathetic or disrespectful (v19 either not worshipping or looking into the ark) and get wiped out by God.
Jesus shows that God still makes a way for people to be back in His presence, and that still results in different reactions today - some accept it joyfully, some don't care, some reject it. While we are unlikely to see the second two groups of people being killed instantly, they are still on a trajectory towards death and eternal separation from God. Surely that realisation, that fear of God, that respect of who He is and His holiness should inspire action from us, not just sitting back and taking it easy. "the absence of godly fear signifies a lack of the knowledge of God" Jonathan Edwards.
Chapter 5 shows the power and independence of God. God does not require any one's assistance. He humiliates dagon and demonstrates his power to the philistines without any of the Israelites in sight. God does not require my help or my assistance. He is perfectly capable of defending Himself, revealing Himself, doing whatever He wants to do without my help, which makes it even more amazing that He usually chooses to work with us to carry out His purposes. Pagan gods are dependant on what man is doing. The God of the Bible is not.
When I was dead in my sin, unable to help myself (as dead people usually are!), God again showed His power and Independence by coming to earth as a man, dying on the cross and coming back to life. I needed help and He helped me. He pursued me and revealed Himself to me. He does not need me, but He wants me. Crazy!
This chapter starts with the Israelites defeated in battle which leads them to ask in v3 - "Why has the Lord defeated us". They are asking the right question but they don't seem to consider it for very long or wait for an answer before saying they should bring the ark out into the battle so that it can save them.
This reveals a superstitious type of religion where they think God will have to come through because they bring the ark out. There is surely no way God will let them lose when they've got the ark. As it happens, God is more than willing to let them lose, and even lets the ark get captured by the Philistines. The ark was a holy, important object, but not as important as God Himself. If they'd brought the ark out because they wanted to recognise their dependence on God for victory, then the outcome might have been different, but they didn't. they brought the ark out because they though it guaranteed victory.
What are the superstitions that creep into my life as a Christian? What are the good, important things that then replace God? Am I praying because I am asking God to act or because I think a certain amount of time spent in prayer will produce action? Am I going to church, reading the Bible etc to grow closer to God, or because they earn me some sort of credit? All of those things are good, but they are the means to get God, who is the ultimate prize. God is not the means to get something else.
Dale Ralph Davies, in his commentary on this passage, says " whenever the church stops confessing "thou art worthy" and begins chanting "thou art useful"... you know that ark of God has been captured again". He also makes the point that " [God] will suffer shame rather than allow you to carry on a false relationship with Him, and [He] will allow you to be disappointed with Him if it will awaken you to the sort of God He really is".
