BIBLE STUDY LESSON 05
GOD’S JUDGMENT
THE FALL OF DAGON
From 1 Samuel 5
“After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the Hebrew camp at Ebenezer to Ashdod, one of their five chief cities. When they arrived in Ashdod, they took the Ark into the house of their god Dagon and set it by his statue. But early the next morning, when the people of Ashdod went to see their new prize, they found their own god Dagon flat on his face before the Ark of God, where he had been thrown mysteriously to the ground. Of course the people worked hard and finally got Dagon back in his proper place. Early the following morning, they all came back to the house of their god. Imagine their surprise when they found Dagon flat on his face again. But this time his head and his hands were cut off and were lying on the threshold. Only his body was left in one piece. When they saw that, Dagon’s priests and worshipers refused to walk on the threshold of Dagon’s temple from that time on. About that time, a plague of boils broke out in Ashdod and the neighbouring villages. The people realized that God was sending this plague, so they decided to move the Ark of God to some other place.
We must get it away from us, they said, or God will destroy us all, along with our god Dagon. Before long, there was a summit meeting of the heads of the five Philistine cities and their territories. The question for discussion was, what shall be done with the Ark of God? A decision was reached to send the Ark to Gath, another of the five Philistine cities. But as soon as the Ark arrived, the Lord began destroying the people of Gath the way He had done in Ashdod. The plague He sent was upon everyone, young and old alike and before long the city was in an uproar. The people of Gath didn’t want the Ark any longer, so they sent it to Ekron, another of the five Philistine cities. But the people of Ekron didn’t want it, either. Get it away from here, they cried out. Are you trying to destroy us, too? The people of Ekron called another summit conference. The heads of the Philistine cities and territories met once more, this time in Ekron. Send the Ark of God back to Israel, the people of Ekron begged their leaders. Put it back where it belongs before it destroys all our people. Already the people of that city were feeling God’s hand of destruction, for the plague had begun in Ekron. Those who did not die were very sick and the people cried out for help.”
COMMENTARY
THE WANDERINGS OF THE ARK
The Philistines captured the Ark and triumphantly brought it into the temple of the god, Dagon. The next morning the Philistine idol was found on its face, fallen before the Ark of God. Soon the people of that region began to suffer terrible tumours. God was acting to judge the Philistines and their gods. For almost forty years. the Ark was moved about in the wilderness with the Israelites. When at last the Israelites arrived in the Promised Land, the Ark was carried around Jericho seven times to assure victory. Sometime after that the Ark was put in the tabernacle at Shiloh, where it remained for three hundred and fifty years. But with the battle of Ebenezer, the Ark began another migration: (1) to the battlefield at Ebenezer; (2) thence to Ashdod, where it was placed in Dagon’s temple; (3) but after disease struck Ashdod, the Ark was sent to Gath, where the plague continued; (4) from Gath, the Ark was moved to Ekron, but the plague followed; (5) the Philistines returned the Ark to the Israelites at Beth-shemesh; (6) but after troubles there, the Israelites sent it to Kirjath-jearim, where it remained until the time of King David, when he took it to Jerusalem.
TEST YOURSELF
1.) To what Philistine city was the Ark first taken?
A) Gath
B) Ekron
C) Ashdod
D) None of these
2.) Where in the city was the Ark placed?
A) The city gates
B) Dagon’s temple
C) Ishtar’s temple
D) Next to the well
3.) What plague broke out among the people of the city and the surrounding villages?
A) Leprosy
B) Sand fleas
C) Boils
D) Famine
4.) What happened to the people of Ekron?
A) God began to destroy them as well
B) They became poor and desolate
C) Nothing
D) All of these are correct
5.) Who would finally bring the Ark back to Jerusalem?
A) Solomon
B) Saul
C) David
D) Samuel |
