1 Samuel
5:1-12
When the
Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the
Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set
it up beside Dagon. 3 And
when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen
face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they
rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the
ground before the ark of the Lord,
and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold.
Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 This
is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread
on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 The hand
of the Lord was heavy against the
people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod
and its territory. 7 And
when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of
Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against
Dagon our god.” 8 So
they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said,
“What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the
ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of
the God of Israel there. 9 But
after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and
he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out
on them. 10 So they
sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the
people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God
of Israel to kill us and our people.” 11 They
sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said,
“Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place,
that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic
throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who
did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
The people of God were defeated in battle. The ark of God was captured by their enemies, the Philistines. They place the ark of God before their god, Dagon. They bring the ark of God into the place, temple, or house of Dagon. There the Lord God forces Dagon to bow at his feet. There in defeat God claims victory, and is sent back to his people.
There are many times in the life of Israel, where all seems lost. There are many times of great defeat. Likewise, in our own lives there are times when we are made low, and think we have reached rock bottom. There are horrible times of defeat.
But even in times of defeat, God claims victory. Even at the cross, Christ claims victory. He dies. We even confess his descent into Hell, there in the Devil's house he claims Victory. He forces the Devil to bow. He then returns to his people pronouncing his greatness. He returns revealing his full glory, and power to redeem the people of Israel.
When the curtain is torn, the ark is not there. Jesus is dead. Yet, even in death he claims victory over his enemies. He provides new life for you.
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