Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: I Samuel 4-8
I Samuel 5:2
When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
Remember Samson? At the end of his life he was captured, his eyes were put out, and he was bound in fetters of brass; all at the hands of the Philistines. On an occasion of great pomp and circumstance the Philistines were having a celebration of Dagon, their god that they said had delivered their great enemy into their hands. In the past Samson had been the destroyer of their lands and had ended the lives of many Philistines. Here he was, in the house of Dagon, being made sport of by his dreaded enemies. But his hair had begun to grow again. You know the end of the story, on the day of his death, Samson sent more Philistines into eternity than he did in his entire life. Thousands of the best leaders of Israel’s great enemy died.
Now, in today’s reading, the Philistines carried out a great victory over the army of Israel and captured the ark of God. The ark represented God’s presence, his power (the staff), His provision (the jar of manna), and His Word (the tables of commandments). These Philistines, in a jubilant mood, took the ark to Ashdod and put it into the house of Dagon.
The next morning, Dagon had fallen upon his face before the ark of the Lord. They propped him up again. The second morning not only was this false idol down on his face again, but also, his head and both palms of his hands were cut off. He was just a stump. Once again it is recorded that no idol, no false god, no matter their supposed power or miracle working ability, can stand before the Lord God of the Bible. God not only humbled Dagon, He humbled the men, both small and great with emerods in their secret parts (5:9). They knew that the ark of God had to go.
The ark triumphed over Dagon. Always. God always wins.
Jesus is the true ark. He is pictured by Noah’s ark which transferred eight righteous souls to a new life in a new earth. Also, Moses’ ark, that his mother put him in, pictures Christ and His providential protection. Then there is the ark of the covenant, this too pictures Jesus Christ as the Word as John 1 boldly proclaims; as the Power as proclaimed in Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High; and as the Provision, for Philippians 4:19 states: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Yes, Jesus is the ark. The story of Dagon and the ark is one of many illustrations foretelling of things to come. Read Revelation 20, it relates the ultimate end story of that battle that began over 6,000 years ago in the innocent, beautiful, and magnificent Garden of Eden.
Dr. William T. Howe
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