The Israelites were often defeated in war because of the sin of one individual or the entire nation (Joshua 7). In this defeat, no one checked if sin was the reason. It seems no one asked the Lord if they should fight the Philistines in the first place (see 1 Chronicles 14:13–16). Instead, the Israelites used the ark, the most sacred symbol of the Lord’s presence, as a way to bring good luck. Bringing the ark into battle was not always wrong (see Joshua 6:2–21), but it did not guarantee God’s blessing and victory.