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Archive for 18. May 2009
God’s Presence Among the Enemy
18. May 2009 by Bernice Davis.
Hello:We are moving to the 5th chapter of Samuel and today’s story picks up with what happened to the Ark of the Covenant once the Philistines captured it. Let’s look at the text. Remember in your reading that the Ark of the Covenant represents the presence of the Lord. Watch what the presence of the Lord does in the enemy’s camp.
I Samuel 5:1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold. 6 The Lord’s hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors. 7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god.” 8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?” They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel. 9 But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” 11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy upon it. 12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
As you can tell from our story, the name of the God of the Philistines was called Dagon. Dagon was considered to be the god of grain and agriculture. I love this text and just think it is so powerful. Even though the symbol that represented the presence of God for the Israelites had been captured, it brought havoc upon the enemy’s camp. It destroyed parts of Dagon, brought tumors upon each camp of people it was moved to and finally it was decided to allow it to return to the Israelites.Tomorrow, we will study what happens when the ark begins its journey back to the camp of Israelites.
Stay encouraged!!
Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
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