When God came to Visit

Read 1 Samuel 5-7:2.

The Philistines beat Israel decisively and captured the Ark of the Covenant.  They placed it before their god, Dagon, as a spoil of war and probably as a sign of submission to their idol.  However, God allowed the Philistines to take the Ark in order to demonstrate His great power to them.

Here are a few insights:

If you have to keep helping your god stand up, maybe you need a new god.

If your god needs you to repair it, maybe you need a new god.

If your god keeps falling down before the presence of the God of Israel, perhaps someone is trying to tell you something.

Next, God caused physical discomfort by sending a plague of tumors among them.  There were five city-kingdoms among the Philistines ruled by five lords.  Moving the Ark from city to city only proved that the tumors came with it.  The false priests and so-called "diviners" came up with a plan to appease the God of Israel and to return the Ark.

Do not miss their statement in 6:6.  They knew the power of God.  They knew what He done to the Egyptians in the Exodus.  They even included as part of their plan "a guilt offering" (vv.3, 8).  Yet, instead of such knowledge and experience leading them to repentance of their sin and embracing the LORD, they only devised a plan to rid themselves of Him.

Once across the border, the men of Beth-shemesh celebrated in worship, making sacrificial offerings to the LORD.  Worship and offerings are inseparable in the scriptures.

Some of the men decided to look inside the Ark and make sure all the contents were still there.  This was directly against what God had instructed.  Such foolish action cost them their lives.  Unlike false gods, the LORD is able to take care of Himself.

The Ark remained there for the next twenty years; just enough time for Samuel to mature, reestablish true spiritual leadership in the nation, and prepare it for the next leader (7:2).

The people asked a great eternal question in 6:20- "Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?"  On our own, the answer is no one.  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  That is the bad news.  The good news is this-"And are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).