5/9/14

5/9/14

After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. They carried the Ark of God into the temple of Dagon and placed it beside an idol of Dagon. But when the citizens of Ashdod went to see it the next morning, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the lord! So they took Dagon and put him in his place again. But the next morning the same thing happened—Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark of the Lord again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact. That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold. (1 Samuel 5:1-5 NLT)

I have always been intrigued by this passage. The Israelite people have fallen away from God. They have been letting the lifestyle if the people around them influence them. They even lost the Ark of God in battle. The symbol of the presence of God....in enemy hands. But the presence of God is a blessing to those who fear Him, and a cancer to those who chase after other gods. We see that literally in this passage. I love how when the Ark is in the temple of Dagon, that even this statue, made by human hands is made to fall on it's face before the Ark. Was the ark God? No. But it symbolized where God's presence was. Where the Ark was kept, the holy of holies, was where the high priest would go to meet with God, and atone for Israel's sin. God's presence was made known around the Ark in a deeper way than any other place. Did Dagon decide that he needed to fall before the Ark? No. God made the "god" fall before the Ark to show the Philistines that Dagon is not even real, and has no power. And then He brought a plague on them. God used this situation to turn the people back to Himself, and prove to the people once again that He is their God.

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