05/01/2024 - THE LESSON THAT PREVAILED

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And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. 1 Samuel 5.4

God’s mercy was upon the Philistines. They managed to seize the ark and take it to Dagon’s temple without dying. However, even though they saw the fallen figure of their god, they didn’t repent of their evil deed, but erected it in the same place. If they had been wise, those men would have changed their hearts to worship the Lord of lords, and not a portrait of Satan, as they had done until then. There are people who do not want to see the Truth!

It was as if they were saying: “Who will take our ‘great god’ away from his place?”. Perhaps they even set up watchmen to prevent anyone from harming the one they considered their protector. What a paradox! Dagon was the god who guarded them, but couldn’t stand before the ark of the Lord. How many people today still put their trust in images and other objects that they say are powerful, when they could be protected by the one and only sovereign God (Psalm 115.1-8)!

The restlessness in the souls of the Philistines was great and was probably caused by their priests who didn’t understand what was going on, or even did, because they themselves weren’t actually healed of their ailments by Dagon. Blind faith ends up blinding those who believe in it and leads them to live in the useless and vain hope that a stump of wood, or other material, has the power to protect them from those they consider their enemies. But whoever knows the Truth is set free by it (John 8:32).

Many barely waited for daybreak and would already get up to see who had dared to touch their god. It was the creature trying to believe in the protection of the god made by his hands. Poor lives, blind leading the blind! After all, if Israel had someone who guard them, why couldn’t they believe in who they thought was the greatest? Dawn was already showing that a new day was coming, and they approached the temple confidently!

The Philistines couldn’t believe their eyes. Despite all the care taken with the fabricated god, he again prostrated himself before the ark of the Lord, with his face to the ground, as if asking for mercy from the God of Israel, who was not represented by a figure or even by the ark, because He was in the ark itself. Today, the Omnipotent is in the hearts of those who love Him. But there are many people who miss out on the best things in life!

The more emotional ones cried; others thought they had sinned against Dagon and therefore could no longer see him “act”. Many people don’t know that faith in God is the most beautiful thing to do. The Most High, as well as being true, is the Almighty and does not need protection. On the contrary, He protects those who come into His presence. Let us turn to the Lord and make our dwelling in Him. This is what Jesus promised to those who keep His word (John 14:23)!

On the ground lay the god Dagon. What “evil” they had done to him! The head of that statute was separated from his body. The cut was so perfect that it surpassed any tool known at the time. The hands and feet were also separated!

In Christ, with love,

R.R. Soares