“Dwelling in Dagon’s Den”, I Samuel 5.1-5 + 12
The Ark of the Covenant This sacred box, made from acacia wood and plated with gold, and topped with figures of angels, would be an archaeologist’s dream come true. It contained the stone tablets given to Moses on Mt Sinai (the Ten Commandments); a jar of manna from the wilderness journey to the promised land; and Aaron’s rod that budded miraculously.
More importantly, the Ark represented the presence and power of God, a visible reminder of the invisible God; and until its mysterious disappearance it was kept in the Jewish Temple, within the “Holy of Holies.”
In the previous chapter, the Ark of the Covenant was captured in battle, an unthinkable disaster.
The Philistines assumed that by seizing the Ark they had captured Israel’s God; just as Israel thought they lost Him. By stealing God the Philistines figured they could somehow access His power, and by removing Him from Israel they might remove His blessing from Israel’s enemies.
The Philistines were Israel’s Number One enemy. They were known as hard drinkers and fierce fighters, and were so immoral that the word Philistine is still used as an offensive name. The Philistines underestimated the Ark. It was not some magical tool , idol, good luck charm, or piece of spiritual technology.
Both thought that possession of the ark would provide them with supernatural power.
But God was not at their disposal. He will not do our bidding, but He will do what He’s promised.
The Ark was placed within the temple of Dagon, in Ashdod, put on display as a trophy of victory.
At this point the Philistines were clapping each other on the back and claiming that Dagon was more powerful than the God of Israel.
The name Dagon means, “grain”; he was their agriculture-god, prominent in pagan farming and fertility rituals Yet Dagon fell prostate before the Ark. The Philistines hurriedly set their idol back up
only to find him the next morning not just on the ground, but with his head and hands chopped off and incapacitated. The DAMMAGE TO Dagon was no act of vandalism; it was the wrath of God Almighty
Dagon fell, humbled, just as one day every knee shall bow before the Lord Jesus Christ.
God went one step further by afflicting the Philistines with painful tumours. What at first seemed good fortune became a curse. They now regarded the Ark as a weapon--it became one against them.
They began to fear the object they’d captured, and passed it off on several Philistine cities, which only spread the curse. Today we are dwelling in Dagon’s den. We’re in enemy-occupied territory False teachings and idolatries of all kinds surround us, especially the idolatry of self.
Idolatry is trying to find happiness in anything other than God. Yet the god of self is, like Dagon, a fragile idol.
We also live in an age where injustice and immorality seem to prevail, where “anything goes”.
People seem more interested in what they can get away with than what they ought to be doing. This incident deals with the question of why evil prospers. When wicked people get the upper hand, it certainly tests our faith. We may question God, His love, even His existence. But we don’t know the whole story. If we stop at chapter 4, we may sink into despair The glory had NOT departed. But it really seemed that way. No intensity of unbelief can banish God. People have the right to reject God, but God can overrule them. Faith has its rewards …and unbelief its consequences.
Israel’s response to the capture of the Ark is similar to how Jesus’ disciples reacted on Good Friday
When our Lord died, the hope of the disciples died. It seemed like “the glory had departed” Yet those disciples who lived through both the day of Crucifixion and Resurrection Sunday never doubted God again.
In the next chapter, the humiliated Philistines have had enough, and decide to send the Ark back to Israel, along with tribute (a guilt offering) to Israel’s God.
The Philistines were ignorant of how the Ark was supposed to be carried.
Priests were supposed to transport the Ark with poles, so that it would not be touched (defiled) by a human hand. The Philistines hitched the Ark to a cart driven by 2 cows that had never been yoked, with no driver, yet the cows knew exactly where to go. The Philistines didn’t know the true God, but their cows did! They headed straight for Beth-shemesh. The Philistines unwittingly provided the wood and animals for a sacrifice to the true God.
The Ark was then held in safe-keeping at Kiriath-jearim for twenty years until King David came to bring it to Jerusalem (II Samuel 6). The recovery of the Ark shows that God was in control.
What’s the point of all this? When the very worst happens, God can turn things around!
This should encourage us--although evil may appear to prevail, God will ultimately triumph.
We may not see it. We may have to live through exceedingly troubling times.
The Hebrew people had to endure hundreds of years in Egyptian captivity, years of silence, with no word from God, not one page of Scripture, until, at long last, Moses came upon the scene. Many did not live to see the Exodus
We’re waiting and trusting the Author and Finisher of our faith as we turn the next page with anticipation. We may not live to see our deliverance, but it is coming. We learn “the fear of the Lord” from this incident. God is not to be trifled with; He is holy. He is a consuming fire We need to cultivate respect for holy things.
We need to treat God, His word, and His church, with reverent awe and reverence. Although we’re dwelling in Dagon’s den, where life seems fragile and annoying, we are not alone in the universe.
Greater is He who protects us, than the forces of evil around us.
Evil may appear to prevail, but God will have the final word.
News from the Church New dates
15th April…. Knit and natter is a time to finish old projects or learn new skills
if you just want to talk well that’s OK too
6th May..…..Friendship Group, (this covers all ages and the lonely people)
ANSWERS TO 6th April QUESTIONS
1) Shepherd 2) Farmer 3) Cain 4) Am I my brothers keeper 5) The land of Nod
6) A descendant of Cain 7) Adah and Zillah 8) Jabal and Jubal 9) A herdsman 10) Musician
11) Tubal-cain 12) Seth 13) 930 years 14) 365 years 15) Methuselah 16) Lamech
Bible Quiz this week’s Quiz is about Genesis
1 What were the people like in the days of Noah?
2 How did Noah find favour with God?
3 Who were the sons of Noah?
4 What kind of wood did Noah use in making the Ark?
5 How many doors and windows were there in the Ark?
6 How many people were saved in the Ark?
7 How many animals were taken into the Ark?
8 How long were they in the Ark before it started to rain?
9 How many days did it rain for?
10 Who closed the door of the Ark?
11 How long did the flood last?
12 Two birds were sent out from the Ark, which two?
13 What was the sign of the covenant between God and man.?
14 How old was Noah when he died?
15 Who was Nimrod?
16 What was the cause of the confusion of languages?
God Bless