07/01/2024 - THE LORD’S HAND HAS BECOME HEAVY

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But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 1 Samuel 5.6

There is nothing better than accepting the Lord’s proposals, especially the first one: to believe in His Word in order to be free from misfortune. The Philistines’ mistake in taking the ark to their land could have been a blessing, because they would have seen how strong the Lord’s hand is to help. In the same way, He acted against the Egyptians, who worshipped various gods. In this case, the plagues that Moses put on Egypt were also intended to shame the idols worshipped by those people (Exodus 7-12).

Even after seeing the idol completely humiliated, the Philistines continued to believe in the lying faith that dominated them (Psalm 115.1-8). How many people have chapels at home with images of saints and constantly pray to them for help, but each day things only get worse! We must recognize that the Lord is the only God everywhere!

At first, the divine hand was heavy on the citizens of Ashdod. However, they never stopped trusting that Dagon was their god. Everyone in the country worshipped and served him. Now, man should only serve the one who is truly God, the Lord. He knows everyone who is sincere in heart and seeks to know the Truth that sets one free. In the Scriptures, you will find the Most High. Believe and live!

God works in the same way in countries where faith in Jesus has not yet arrived and in nations where the Gospel is well received. This is what the Bible says: Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:17). Therefore, there will be no way for anyone to justify not having heard of the Lord. If they have done good, they will be accepted on the final Day.

Suddenly, the inhabitants of Ashdod developed hemorrhoids. It was the aggravation of the suffering that would come after they took the ark. Even though they had witnessed that the god they worshipped was a sham, they didn’t try to change. The wise men would soon submit to the God of Israel and go to Canaan to worship the One who had shown Himself to be stronger than Dagon!

Ashdod means fortress. The anakim (giants) of wickedness lived there. Perhaps the food that was common to them caused them to grow abnormally, as was seen in Goliath, the giant of almost three meters that the young David had faced, defeated and killed years before. Poor Philistines, even though they saw that their country was being punished by the only God who didn’t need anyone to ask for His intervention, they didn’t convert.

Both Ashdod and the other cities controlled by Dagon saw their populations suffer vexatiously. So it has been with people who seek the devil rather than the true God to worship Him. The suffering was a warning that they should seek the one who is truly Sovereign over all, the Lord of lords!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares