After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, brought it into the temple of Dagon and placed it next to his statue. When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. This time, both Dagon’s head and the palms of his hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso remained.
1 Samuel 5:1-5
My words…
Praise
Poor Dagon. There he was, hanging out in his temple. Minding his own business. Then BAM! On his face! This demonstration of Your power had nothing to do with Dagon, I am guessing. It was the Philistines who created their own deity. They named him. They decided his dimensions and fashioned him from stone and gold. They placed him in a pretty room and worshiped him. Everything was going along swimmingly until they came upon You and learned the difference between a man-made god and The God. Your creation didn’t make You. We didn’t name You. We didn’t decide Your dimensions. There is no other god like You. There is no other god besides You. And that is why I worship You.
Prayer for us all
When the Philistines found their god destroyed, they didn’t walk around, scratching their heads, wondering what happened. They knew the God of the Israelites had defeated the god of the Philistines. They wanted You out of their temple – out of their presence. So they took the Ark and sent it home. The “Philistines” are still around today. They know of Your power, but they don’t want you around. You disrupt what they worship. They are my neighbors, they are my co-workers, they are my family. I pray they will come to know who You really are and what Your love can do in their lives if they would only allow it. And my heart breaks as I confess that sometimes they are me. I live a very secure, comfortable life, which I hold dear. You have taught me not to worship what I own, it’s all Yours anyway. But sometimes I grasp it all a little too tightly and call it mine. Forgive me.
More praise
Dagon didn’t fall backward; he fell forward in Your presence. On his face. That’s where the whole of creation belongs.
