1 Samuel 5:1-12
Israel took the Ark of the Covenant into battle and lost it to the Philistines, their bitter enemies. This would never have happened if Israel listened to God and left the Ark in its appropriate place. The Philistines thought this was a great spoil of war because the Ark was where the Spirit of God dwelt among Israel. This was a disaster for Israel because the source of their blessing was missing. God is the source of a blessed life today. Are you living in God’s blessing? When the Philistines put the Ark next to their god, Dagon, they woke to find their god was cast down before the Ark. Why, because Dagon was a man made false god, hewn from wood. There is no false god erected by men that will ever stand before the true God. The Philistines lived in their sinfulness while worshipping a god that had no power to change their circumstance. “Dagon” didn’t mind the sinfulness of the Philistines. This is why many people seek a false god. The false gods of this world will not challenge our conscience. The presence of the true God condemns our sinfulness. We need to feel guilt over our sin so we can come to God and seek forgiveness. Mankind is condemned to death and hell without God but those who seek after God and accept the salvation made possible by Jesus no longer have to live in condemnation.
Romans 8:1
1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The Philistines found the presence of the true God very troubling. They were a sinful people and the unfiltered presence of God is destructive to sin. Their lives were totally disrupted by the presence of God. They had to deal with their dilemma. The presence of God will cause us to deal with our sin. We can either cry out for forgiveness or we will need to expel God’s presence from our life. The Philistines, like many in this world today, decided to expel the true God’s presence from their lives. They could worship Dagon all day long and not have to face any consequence for sin. People want churches today where they can go and feel good about their sinful lives and never hear the preacher mention a commitment to Christ. We are plagued by the “It’s not so bad” syndrome.
In front of “Dagon” we can justify any action but not so in front of the real God.
The Philistines wondered “what shall we do to the ark of the LORD”? It reminds me of when Pontius Pilate asked “What shall I do then with Jesus?” In both cases they chose to expel the presence of God from their lives rather than embrace it. What does it take for people to recognize the need for real God? The Philistines saw the power but wanted nothing to do with it. Why didn’t the Philistines send an emissary to Israel and enquire about the God of power? Why don’t so many enquire about God today? How will you deal with the power of the real God? Will you embrace it or will you expel it from your life? It is the hungry heart that cries out to know the true God. I pray that you have a hungry heart that longs for Him.
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