1 Samuel 5:1-12
The Philistines and the Ark of God
Verse 1-2
The Philistines, after defeating the Israelites in the battle of Aphek, took the Ark of God from the Israelites and brought it to Ashdod. They placed it in the temple of Dagon, alongside the idol of their god.
Verse 3-5
The next morning, the people of Ashdod found the idol of Dagon fallen on its face before the Ark of God. They picked up the idol and put it back in its place, but the next morning, they found it fallen again, with its head and hands broken off. The people of Ashdod were filled with fear and dread.
Verse 6-8
The Lord's hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and he caused tumors to break out on them. The people of Ashdod cried out to their gods, but they were unable to rescue them from the plague. They realized that the God of the Israelites was the true God, and they decided to move the Ark to Gath.
Verse 9-12
However, the same thing happened in Gath - the Lord's hand was heavy upon the people, and they too were afflicted with tumors. The people of Gath cried out to their gods, but they were unable to rescue them. The Ark was then taken to Ekron, but the people of Ekron refused to accept it, fearing the wrath of God.
Summary
In this passage, we see the Philistines mistreating the Ark of God and suffering the consequences. The Ark, which represents the presence of God, is not something to be taken lightly. The Lord is a holy God who demands respect and obedience. The Philistines, who did not worship the true God, were punished for their disobedience and lack of reverence.
Through this passage, we are reminded that God is a holy and powerful God who demands reverence and obedience. We must approach Him with humility and respect, recognizing His power and majesty.
