God Makes His Point-1 Samuel 5

Summary of 1 Samuel 5

God Makes His Point

The Philistines, having take the Ark of the Lord in battle, place it in a temple in one a Philistine city. They put it next to their God, Dagon (Dagon was half fish, half man). This display would be their way of saying "our god is stronger than your God"). The next morning they found the statue of Dagon fallen down on it's face before the Ark of the Lord. Missing the point completely, they put Dagon back up next to the Ark. The second morning not only did it fall on it's face but its head and hands are removed (this was a sign often used in battle to show an enemy was dead). When people started getting sick all over that city they get scared and send the ark to another Philistines city. When the people of that city get sick, the began to see a pattern. The third time this happens they finally give up and send the Ark back to Israel.

What I learned from 1 Samuel 5:

1. God has a sense of humor
2. No matter what people witness, if God doesn't change their hearts they still don't turn to Him.
(Romans 9:14-18)
3. You can't mess up God's plan. He knows how to get things done. He graciously uses us, but His plans don't depend on us to happen.
4. When we forget that God is in control he has His own ways of reminding us.
5. God will be glorified even among people that don't believe in Him

Read 1 Samuel 5:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+samuel+5&version=NIV