11/01/2024 - COMPLETE DESPAIR

• 
• 
• 
• 

Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” 1 Samuel 5.10

What confusion there was among the Philistines! Nobody cared about the ark they had taken from Israel, because they were sick of seeing what happened to the people because of it. Now they understood that one cannot fool with God. That box made people suffer from hemorrhoids, and almost all the men experienced it. Many even died.

Upon hearing that their army had defeated Israel and taken what they considered to be proof of God’s inefficiency, the Philistines were filled with euphoria and shouted that no one was a match for them. However, they fell silent when they learned of the humiliation suffered by Dagon when the ark of the testimony was left by his side (1 Samuel 5.2-4) and the distress of those who lived where it passed. Faced with this, the people of Ekron despaired at the news of the arrival of that sacred utensil!

We still have a lot to learn from biblical records, which serve as a warning to everyone, especially those who don’t follow the Lord correctly (1 Corinthians 10:11). Among the Israelites, anyone curious enough to look inside the “box” would die. Now, God Himself was showing the Philistines that His ark was sacred, and as long as it remained in their midst, the people would suffer. The inhabitants of Ekron despaired at the princes’ decision to surround their city.

The decision was made, and they sent the ark to Ekron. But the inhabitants of that town were so upset by this that they said, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us to kill us. The reaction of those who don’t know the Lord is different from that of those who love Him! God’s people would simply welcome it with pleasure and joy. We need to teach people, especially those who have never heard of Christ, what He did for them upon His death. This understanding will indeed heal them (Isaiah 53:3,4)!

In our homeland, you can preach the Gospel freely today. But a few centuries ago, and at the beginning of the 20th century, people who had the courage to take to the streets to proclaim the Truth were persecuted. In Rio de Janeiro, 400 years ago, some French missionaries were hanged for proclaiming salvation in Jesus. Their blood was like seed that sprouted in the saved. God is faithful!

In any case, Israel made a big mistake by not telling its neighbors and other peoples about God. The Israelites should have done what we do today, and not kept the blessing to themselves. If we keep quiet and don’t announce that everyone can be saved, protected and blessed in Christ, we will soon be persecuted. Then we will despair for having failed to fulfill Jesus’ Goal (Mark 16:15). Mercy!

Always remember the torment of Ekron. This anguish is similar to that of those who serve evil spirits, having made a pact with the devil. Later on, we’ll see the wise decision to return the ark. As soon as they sent it back, everyone was healed of that evil!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares