It was a time of tragedy and sadness in Israel, but it is one of the gloriously hilarious stories of the Bible, as long as you are not a Philistine. In yesterday's reading, the glory departed from Israel as the ark was taken by the Philistines, Eli and his sons died and Israel was defeated. And the reason for all of this was that Israel tried to use God and his ark as a magic talisman rather than coming to him in repentance and faith. God refused to help Israel on their terms if they did not come to him on his terms.
But in 1 Samuel 5, God made it absolutely clear that there was no problem with his power. He was still the one true God of heaven and earth. The Philistines defeated Israel, but it was because of Israel's failures, not the superiority of Dagon, the Philistines' God.
The ark was taken into Dagon's temple in Ashdod as an act of triumph. The Philistines gloried in Dagon's greatness and the defeat of Israel, putting the Ark before the idol as a tribute. But God would not be disrespected. When the Philistines entered the temple in the morning, their idol was bowing down on its face toward the ark. They set things right, but the next day the idol had fallen again and this time its head and hands fell off.
Then, things got even worse. A mysterious illness (a wide range of horrific diseases have been suggested) broke out in Ashdod. These folks had enough, so they blessed their neighbors in Gath with the ark's present. Let them "revel" in Dagon's victory. Gath fared no better than Ashdod and the same mysterious disease broke out. Gath decided to share the blessing with Ekron, but those people wanted no part in it.
So, they called a confab with the Philistine elders and they decided to send the ark back to Israel, even attaching some golden offerings with it.
The point of this story is clear. Israel was defeated because of their sin, not because of the lack of power on God's part. He remains strong, but often we fail to experience that power because of our own sin and our failure to walk in faith. When that happens, it is not as though the power of the Cross has lessened, but that we have failed to look to Calvary.
Father, your power is real and great. May I experience that power as I walk in humility, repentance and faith.
Thought God finished this encounter with the Philistines on a humorous note. I don't remember this one from Sunday School. He hitched 2 cows with nursing calves at side, to a cart, and then locked up the calves at home and the cows went straight away and to Israel. Anyone who has been around cows and calves knows that there would be no stopping those cows from getting back with their calves. They went in the opposite direction by divine guidance.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Clay!
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