Perhaps one of the most fascinating chapters in First Samuel is Chapter 5. Immediately before, in Chapter 4, we saw the devastation of Israel’s army as they nonchalantly grabbed the Ark of the Covenant like it was a “good luck charm” and ran into battle against the Philistines without seeking the Lord. Over 30,000 men were lost in battle!
Not only were they slaughtered, but the Philistines took the Ark of the Covenant, and brought it to Ashdod! In Chapter four, the Ark had seemed so powerless against the Philistines, but in Chapter 5, that all changed. I Samuel 5:2 says, “When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.”
Now it was just the false idol Dagon, and the God of Israel, represented by the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark itself was not an idol to be worshipped by man, but it did represent God. When the Philistines returned early in the morning, they found that their idol, Dagon, was fallen on its face before the Ark of the Covenant, and that the head and hands of Dagon were broken off!
This scared the Philistines and their priests, and God brought destruction and a plague on the inhabitants of Ashdod. So, they sent the Ark to Gath; the destruction and plague followed. So, they sent the Ark on to Ekron. Sure enough, God judged Ekron with the same destruction and plague.
Sometimes we are like the Israelites in Chapter 4 – so confident that God cannot help but use us; we are His children. We have His presence. He needs us! Or so the thinking seems to go when we lift ourselves up in pride.
Chapter 5 of I Samuel reminds me, however, that the God who Created the Universe, including you and me, is perfectly equipped to take care of everything Himself, with or without our help. His abiding presence in our lives is a gift that we should not take for granted. The fact that He chooses to walk with us as we walk with Him and that He will graciously guide and direct our steps is an unspeakable gift! I am so grateful that the all-powerful God would choose to dwell with sinful me!