Reading for July 3, 2012
Prepare: The Lord will fight our battles.
Read: 1 Samuel 5:1-12
The Philistines took the ark of God from Ebenezer to Ashod and set it beside Dagon, their God, in the house of Dagon. They thought that their victory was sure prrof that their God, Dagon was superior to the God of Israel. But the people of Ashod soon realized their folly when Dagon fell again and again, breaking into pieces before the ark of God. Moreover, the people of Ashod were afflicted with tumours. So they decided to send the ark of God to Gath. The people in Gath also experienced affliction and so they sent it to Ekron.
The captured ark of the covenant proved a curse among the Philistines, wherever it was taken, whether Ashod, or Gath or Ekron. At Ashod, it destrpyed the idol of Dagon and afflicted the people with tumours. At Gath, it brought great destruction and the people were afflicted with tumours. The Lord wanted the Philistines to know that He had been behind all that happened. God would fight for His people. Nobody can stand if God fights for His people.
The ark of God, which symbolized God's presence, was holy and was dangerous to the pagan people, especially when they treated it as one of their idols. The Philistines soon realized that they could not keep the ark of God in any of their territories for fear of death. They decided to send the ark back to the Israelites.
Respond: Lord, when You fight our battles, we should fight Your battles.
Prepare: The Lord will fight our battles.
Read: 1 Samuel 5:1-12
The Philistines took the ark of God from Ebenezer to Ashod and set it beside Dagon, their God, in the house of Dagon. They thought that their victory was sure prrof that their God, Dagon was superior to the God of Israel. But the people of Ashod soon realized their folly when Dagon fell again and again, breaking into pieces before the ark of God. Moreover, the people of Ashod were afflicted with tumours. So they decided to send the ark of God to Gath. The people in Gath also experienced affliction and so they sent it to Ekron.
The captured ark of the covenant proved a curse among the Philistines, wherever it was taken, whether Ashod, or Gath or Ekron. At Ashod, it destrpyed the idol of Dagon and afflicted the people with tumours. At Gath, it brought great destruction and the people were afflicted with tumours. The Lord wanted the Philistines to know that He had been behind all that happened. God would fight for His people. Nobody can stand if God fights for His people.
The ark of God, which symbolized God's presence, was holy and was dangerous to the pagan people, especially when they treated it as one of their idols. The Philistines soon realized that they could not keep the ark of God in any of their territories for fear of death. They decided to send the ark back to the Israelites.
Respond: Lord, when You fight our battles, we should fight Your battles.
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