Dark times for Israel

This passage records the dark times that Israel is facing. It talks about the Ark of God being captured. The Ark of God is something very precious to Israel. It records Israel's relationship with God. It contains the tablets of commandments and it is the place where God's presence resides. Because of that, only people who are chosen are allowed to carry and minister to the Ark. It is a holy object and it is not to be messed with. Israel was fighting a war with the Philistines and they brought the ark of God out to "aid in the fighting" so that God's presence would be with them and the would win the battle.However, note that in the following passage, it was not mentioned that they consulted God about this.

You may ask, why God let this happen? All things work for the good of Christ.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I would not know the exact reason. Perhaps teach Israel a lesson? Perhaps show the Philistines something? We would not know the actual reason. But we do know that all things work for the good of Christ.

I am sure that when Philistines captured the ark, they would not expect devastation.

4 And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. ² The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. ³ When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
⁴ So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
⁵ When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. ⁶ Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”
When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, ⁷ the Philistines were afraid. “A god has^[a] come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. ⁸ We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. ⁹ Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”
¹⁰ So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. ¹¹ The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.