“When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.” -1 Samuel 5:1-5.
Dagon
Dagon was the national god of Philistia. In Judges 16 we see the Philistines offering a sacrifice to Dagon for giving Samson into their hands. Likewise, 1 Chronicles 10 records the death of Saul at the hands of the Philistines. After stripping Saul’s body the Philistine’s took his head and hung it in the house of Dagon. Like all idol worshipers, the Philistines were guilty of giving credit where credit was not due. In the presence of the glory of God, Dagon was put in his proper place. Face down. This may be one lesson we can learn from an idol.
When the Philistines defeated the Israelites and captured the ark of God, they brought it to the house of Dagon as a spoil of war, much like the armor and head of Saul. What they meant to be an act of tribute to their god turned out to be his exposure as a fraud. When the ark was set up next to Dagon, Dagon did not measure up. Inanimate though he was, he could not stand in the presence of God’s glory, and neither can we. The text says that when the Philistines found Dagon prostrate before the ark they put him back in his place. God had already put Dagon in his place. And He was going to do it again with emphasis. In case they did not recognize the superiority of Israel’s God; their god was now a mere trunk, with his head and hands cut off.
God
Yesterday, we looked at the danger of not accepting God as He reveals Himself in scriptures and in particular as He reveals Himself in Christ. We don’t have the liberty to redefine Him. God is so far above man that we have no right to bring Him down to our level. Instead we need to be confronted with the Holiness of God. Like Dagon we need to be set up next to God’s glory and see how we stand. Chances are, we won’t.
“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightening and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.'” – Exodus 20:18-19
“I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” – Job 42:5-6
“And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!'” – Isaiah 6:4-5
“But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'” – Luke 5:8
“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'” – Revelation 1:17-18
What Dagan did involuntarily, let’s do voluntarily. As an act of worship, may we humble ourselves at the feet of Jesus.
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” – Revelation 4:8b