Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord

1 Samuel 5:1-12

Key Verse 5:4 

“But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.”

These days I am discovering one person who is very close to me to my great surprise and joy. Guess who? My wife. I have lived with Maria for the last 28 years. After living together for 28 years I began to realize who she is. She is very good at self control which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Her temper is even which compensates my hot temper the most. Yet, to my great surprise and joy I began to find one more thing about her. She is very able woman. I did not know it and I did not expect it and I did not think about it. So when I found that she is very able it surprised me. For example, one day I found that carrying my eyeglass case in my pocket of T shirt is very burdensome to others. Furthermore my eyeglass cases were broken almost every 6 months because it is easy for me to drop it from my T shirt pocket when I bend down. If I drop them a few times hinges are damaged and soon I have to buy cases again and again. And I was tired of buying them every six months. So about two months ago I decided to find belt clip for my eyeglass case. For two months I searched all kinds of places. Then I ended up ordering 5 cases which are all same. But when the first one came it was too small for the leg of my eyeglasses. Everything is fine but the legs of my eyeglasses did not go inside of the case. Since they are like 7 or 8 dollars, I did not return them. I was tired of returning them. So I just kept it, all 5 of them. Then several days ago I happened to talk to her about my eyeglasses cases. She looked at it and she said “it fits”. I said, “No”. Then she showed me how it could work. To my great joy they are all working for my eyeglasses. Think about it. If she were not such an able lady she would not be able to figure out and I would just have 5 cases in vain and furthermore I would keep looking for other way. In fact I was thinking about carrying my smart phone in belt clip and carrying my eye glass case in my pocket as an alternative. It is because I found many belt clip for smart phones but it is very rare to find belt clip for eyeglasses. What I am trying to say is I am finding who she is after 28 years of my life and it is a great surprise and joy. 

Yet, we all have one more person who is even closer than our husbands and wives and we may not discover who he is yet fully. Guess who? God within us. Jesus Christ dwelling within us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Many times we are not even aware of his presence in us let alone to acknowledge him and honor him properly. 

Now in today’s passage we see the Philistines who discover who the God of Israel is in a hard way. They though that the God of Israel which was represented by the ark of the God of Israel was powerless compared to their idol Dagon because they won the battle against the Israelites. But to their great surprise and pain and agony the God of Israel was neither weak nor ignoble. He is the true God who should be feared and honored and worshiped in complete surrender. So today we want to discover  who is the Lord through today’s passage.

Now who is the Lord? The Lord is the only true God who should be worshiped in complete surrender. 

Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord (v.1-5)

Look at verses 1 and 2. “[1] After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. [2] Then they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon.” 

Ebenezer was where the Israelites camp was (1Sa 4:1). Ashdod was one of the five main cities of the Philistines. The Philistines brought the ark of the Lord to Ashdod although it was a long distance because in Ashdod there was Dagon’s temple. We know that ‘the ark of the Lord’ represents ‘the presence of the Lord.” 

Exodus 25:22 reads, “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.”

Here ‘the ark of the Testimony” is ‘the ark of God.’ Surely the ark of God represents the presence of the Lord. Yet, the presence of the Lord did not make any difference in the battle with the Philistines. The Israelites were miserably defeated and the Philistines won a great victory. At first the Philistines were really afraid of the power of the God of Israel. They even said in 1 Samuel 4:7-9 “The Philistines were afraid. "A god has come into the camp," they said. "We're in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before. [8] Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. [9] Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!" 

But after the battle they must have laugh at the God of Israel, saying “Well, it must been a just rumor. He is nothing and nobody. Our Dagon is great. Praise Dagon!” And they carried the ark of God into Dagon’s temple and put it beside Dagon as a trophy for their victory. They presented the ark of God as the evidence of the power of their idol Dagon. 

    

 “Dagon” was perhaps borrowed from the Sidonians and the men of Tyre because their main business was upon the sea, and therefore they invented a marine deity. The upper part of Dagon was a man or woman, and the lower part of the idol was carved like a fish. Dagon was like mermaid. Now what happened. 

Now look at verses 3. [3] “When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.”

Why did the people of Ashdod rise early the next day? Probably to have their religious devotion or celebration for their victory. Probably to celebrate their victory by honoring Dagon. Yet, to their great dismay, they found Dagon fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord. Interesting thing is Dagon’s position. Dagon just did not fall by himself. ‘He fell on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord.” His position is the position of complete surrender and worship. The God of Israel delivered the message that he should be feared and honored and worshiped in full surrender.

What could they do? They just had to take Dagon and put him back in his place. They might have thought that maybe there was an earthquake last night. Yet, they could not have any answer for why the Dagon fell on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord and there was no sign of whatsoever about earthquake.

Come to think of it, it is funny that their idol whom they worship did not have power even to stand by itself. It had to be carried by them. They took Dagon and put him back in his place.

Isaiah 44:16-18 “Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm; I see the fire." [17] From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god." [18] They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand.” 

    Of course we do not have such idols anymore. What is idol? Idol is something we covet other than God. God should be the only object of our heart’s desire, and everything and anything that becomes object of our heart desire is idol. That is why ‘covetous desire’ is called idolatry. 

Colossians 3:5 

    “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” 

Now what happened the next day. Verse 4 reads, “[4] But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.”

The same thing happened on the next morning. This time the situation became worse. Not only Dagon was fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord but also Dagon’s head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold. When the Philistines did not recognize the God of Israel as the true God his power was demonstrated even more. The truth that he is the God who should be honored and worshiped in completes surrender was demonstrated once more with greater power. It was a clear miracle because no one could take Dagon’s head and hands and moved them to the threshold. Only his body remained in front of the ark of the Lord. His position was on his face on the ground. It is the position of complete surrender and worship. Surely there was divine intervention and the God of Israel delivered the clear message. The message of worship in full surrender before the ark of the Lord because he instead of Dagon is ‘the Lord.’

Through two times of miracles the Lord clearly revealed who he is. He is the true God who should be worship in complete surrender by Dagon, their idol. The Lord delivered the clear message that he is to be feared. He is more powerful than Dagon. The Philistines thought that their god Dagon was powerful because they believed that they won the battle because of Dagon. But Dagon’s hands were broken off and were lying on the threshold. Dagon’s hands are not the symbol of power but the symbol of powerlessness before the ark of the Lord.

So far the Lord even allowed the Philistines to win battles. So the Philistines thought that the God of Israel was weak and powerless compared to power of their idol Dagon. But now to their great surprise and embarrassment and humiliation they found that the God of Israel was far more powerful than their idol Dagon. Dagon was no match at all. It was a new discovery of the Lord to their great agony and humiliation. 

Now why should the God of Israel be worshiped and everything should be surrendered to him? First of all it is because he is the Creator God. The Lord who dwells in the ark of the Lord is the almighty Creator God. He created everything and everyone, and everything comes from him. So everything and everyone should surrender themselves to the Lord and everything should worship him as the Creator.  Second, the God of Israel should be worship in complete surrender because he is the Redeemer. The Lord redeemed his people from Egypt. Their redemption in Egypt was a shadow of complete redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. So the God of Israel should be worshipped in complete surrender and absolute respect and honor and glory should be given to him because he is he Creator and Redeemer. 

Now since the Philistines saw the clear sign that the God of Israel is the true God who should be worshiped by Dagon in his full surrender they could have repented their idol worship and began to believe the Lord of Israel and began to worship them in their full surrender. Did they do it? No. What did they do?

Verse 5 reads, “[5] That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon's temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.” They just invented a very strange tradition and did not accept the message. It is strange tradition because it is remembrance of the shameful defeat and humiliation of their idol Dagon. 

So far we saw that the Philistines newly discovered that the God of Israel was not powerless or ignoble in their great pain and humiliation. He is the true God who should be worship in full surrender. 

The Lord’s hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron (v.6-12)

Now look at verse 6. “[6] The Lord's hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors.” 

Since the Philistines did not repent and believe the Lord of the Israelites despite clear miraculous signs the Lord continued to reveal who he is through plagues. The Lord punished the people of Ashdod with tumors. He brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors. We do not know what tumors they are. It could be hemorrhoids. More possibly it could be pestilence known as ‘black death’ in the middle age. My reason comes from the fact that the Philistine leaders made shape of rats when they wanted to return the ark of God to Israel. So the tumors must have been related to rats. In Europe between 1347 and 1352, 25 million people died in just under five years which is one third of whole population of Europe. Think about it. One third of whole population died in 5 years. Similarly the Lord’s hand was heavy upon them. The expression, ‘the Lord’s hand was heavy’ implies the power of the Lord because hands refers to the power of God. Dagon’s hands were completely broken off from his body but the hand of the Lord was powerful. It was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and even its vicinity. No one could escape the heavy hand of the Lord. Everyone was under it.

The men of Ashdod realized the tumors did not happen by chance. It is the work of the God of Israel. They recognized it but they would not want to accept it or believe it. This is their problem. So what did they do? 

Look at verses 7 and 8.

“[7] When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god." [8] So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, "What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?"

    They answered, "Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath." So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.” 

So they moved the ark of God to Gath. Gath is another major city among 5 major cities in Philistines. What happened?

   Verse 9 reads, “[9] But after they had moved it, the Lord's hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.”

The Lord’s hand was against that city. He threw the city into a great panic by afflicting the people of the city with an outbreak of tumors. His presence among rebellious people brought more evidence. His presence and the truth that he is the true God who should be worshipped in complete surrender was demonstrated all the more. This time “both young and old” people of the city of Gath were afflicted with an outburst of tumors. What does it mean ‘both young and old’? It means ‘everyone’. There is no mention that the tumors struck everyone in Ashdod. But now in Gath, it says everyone was hit by tumor. 

What did they do when the Lord’s hand was heavy against the city of Gath? Did they repent and accept the God of Israel as true God? No. They decided to move it to another place, Ekron. 

Verses 10-12 reads, “So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, "They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people." [11] So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, "Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people." For death had filled the city with panic; God's hand was very heavy upon it. [12] Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.”

In Ekron his presence brought more disaster because verse 11b reads, “God’s hand was very heavy upon it.” So far for the cities of Ashdod and Gath there is no description of the word ‘very’. But now in Ekron God’s hand was very heavy. Death had filled the city with panic. Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors. So everyone was either dead or afflicted with tumors. Think about it. Their pain and agony was so great that their outcry went up to heaven. It could be the expression of their agony. Yet, at the same time it could be that they cried out to heaven, the true Lord, because of their terrible misery. But the true God whom they cried out to heaven was right in front of their eyes, in the ark of the God of Israel! But they refused to accept it and believe it.

Their response reminds me of Pharaoh’s response at the time of Moses. Pharaoh kept resisting the God of Israel until his son died and finally surrendered to the Lord. Why are people so stubborn and harden hearted? It is because they do not want to surrender their Dagon, their idol. The main idol of men is material abundance and sexual pleasure which we call ‘money’ and ‘sex.’

But the Lord is the true God. Whether they or we acknowledge it that he is the true God who should be worship in full surrender does not change. Everything and everyone and every through which refuses to worship the true God in complete surrender will be demolished. Apostle Paul said 2 Corinthians 10:5  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Indeed the Lord demolish every arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. The demolition of Dagon is just one example. 

The expression “for death had filled the city with panic” reminds me of what Apostle Paul talked about ‘smell of death’ and ‘fragrance of life.’

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 

    “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. [16] To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?” 

The true God became the smell of death to the Philistines because of their stubborn refusal to believe in him. But he is the fragrance of life to those who accept him as he Lord and worship him in full surrender. If the Philistines believed in him instead of Dagon they could enjoy the Lord’s fragrance of life abundantly.

Now where is the Lord, the true God who should be worshiped in complete surrender? Where is the ark of the Lord? The ark of the Lord is within us. The Lord dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. So we are like the temple of God.

1 Cor. 6:18-20 

    “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. [19] Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; [20] you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

    The presence of the true God is within us. Yet, when we sin we do not experience his punishment like the Philistines. Why? It is because Jesus’ blood paid the full price of sin. Does that mean that the true God revealed in today’s passage different from the true God dwelling in us? No, they are the same person. What does it mean? We should honor him and worship him in completes surrender.

Everything including our thoughts should be surrendered to Jesus in complete obedience and worship him alone. He alone should be the object of our heart desire. This is what today’s passage teaches.

We rediscover the true God who dwell in us. He is invisible and he does not shout aloud to reveal who he is because he is the Lord Jesus who is humble. He does not punish us even though our hearts are filled with adulterous and rebellious and proud thoughts and all kinds of idols because Jesus’ blood paid for all of our sins. But does that mean that it is okay for us not to honor him and worship him in full surrender? No. We should we honor him and worship him in complete surrender all the more. Many times we do not even recognize he is within us let alone to pay attention to him and worship him in full surrender.

In conclusion, who is the Lord? He is the true God who should be worship in complete surrender. We may not recognize him or pay attention to him but he is within us and he ought to be honored and worshiped because he is our Creator and Redeemer. 

One word: Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord.

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