Putting Dagon In His Place

I Samuel 5:1-5 If you can fix it or adjust it it’s not God! This was illustrated to the Philistines very graphically when Samuel was a young man in Israel. At this time Israel’s faith in God was cold, the priesthood was rotten. I Sam. 3:1 puts it “...In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.” The Ark of the Lord was carried into battle against the Philistines as though it were an idol; and the Lord gave the victory to the Philistines. The Ark was captured, the sons of the high priest were killed and the high priest, Eli died as a result of the news. According to the practice of the day, the Ark was placed in the temple of their god Dagon as a trophy of the battle. The next morning when they went into their temple their idol was on its face on the floor. They carefully put it back in its place. The next day, not only had it fallen over, but its head and hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. The Philistines did something very spiritual, from that time on they would never step on the threshold of the temple. Notice Israel served the true God and treated Him like an idol; the Philistines had and idol and treated it as though it were a god. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is exactly as He says He is in the Word!! If the God we serve is less than or different from that One, we don’t have God. We only have something that we’ve manufactured for our own convenience. We need to seek Him for who He is. We need to seek to be on His square not try to move Him to ours. Yes, there is grace and mercy and second chances; but on His terms, not ours. There can never be revival nor any spiritual power nor unity until we seek Him on His terms. He is sovereign and holy and does not change. Blessed be His Holy Name!!