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".
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