The Lord’s Hand

1 Samuel 5:1-12

Key Verse: 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.

In this passage, we will think about 4 things. 

(1) Demonstration of Sovereign Power of God over idols.(v1-12)

(2) Demonstration of inability of Idol (v3-4)

(3) Demonstration of foolishness of idol worshipers (v5)

(4) Demonstration of righteous Judgment of God upon idol worshipers. (v6-12) 

May God bless us with the Holy Spirit so that we can see the sovereignty of God and surrender to Him and worship Him only. 

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The Ark's travels - 1 Samuel 4:1-7:1(from lftd.org) Eli's sons took the ark from Shiloh to the battlefield on the lower plains at Ebenezer and Aphek. The Philistines captured the ark and took it to Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron. Plagues forced the people to send the ark back to Israel, where it finally was taken by cattle-driven carts to Beth Shemesh and on to the home of Eleazar in Kiriath Jearim.

1. Read verses1-5. What did the Philistine do with the ark of God? (1,2)  What happened to Dagon during the next two days? (3,4)  What did the Philistines do after this event? (5)

1-1) Read verses1-5. 

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. 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. 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. 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.

1-2) What did the Philistine do with the ark of God? (1,2)  

a) Took it to Ashdod: 

Ashdod: one of Main cities of Philistines. 

b) Set it beside Dagon: A fertility god of philistines: 

i) Upper body of a man and lower body of a fish

ii) Worshiped as the source of bountiful harvest

Started BC 2500 in Mesopotamia. 

c) Why did they put the ark of God beside Dagon?

i) They believed that they won the battle because Dagon is stronger than God of Israel. 

ii) They put the ark of God as a trophy of victory in the temple of their god, Dagon. 

1-3) What happened to Dagon during the next two days? (3,4)

a) On The Next (Second) Day (v3) God’s first display of authority and power over Dagon was demonstrated.

Dagon fell on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord.

Falling on one's face was a posture associated with worship. 

God made this statue to worship Him!

b) They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 

This idol could not even stand up by himself. 

Idols need the help of human to survive. 

This shows the powerlessness of idol.

How funny it is that people worship idols hoping for the blessing from them! 

c) Third Day (v4): God’s second display of authority and power over Dagon was demonstrated.

i) Dagon fell on his face. 

ii) His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold. 

This is a common sign of enemies’ death (Judge 7:25, 8:6; 1 Sam 17:54, 31:9)

God made this idol to submit to Him.

1-4) What did the Philistines do after this event? (5)

a) After experiencing the powerlessness of their idol (v3,4)

They should have repented of their idol worship and knelt down before God. 

b) But, they did not give up their idol worship. (v3,4)

They picked the broken Dagon up and put them back in its place to worship it. 

They thought they could help their broken idol to be blessed by it. 

c) Finally, they decided not to step on the threshold. (v5)

After this, they superstitiously thought that threshold is holy. (cf: Zeph. 1:9).

How foolish it is to worship idol!

But the idolworshp was so deep rooted to be removed. 

It reveals the folly of pagans’ idolatry. 

2. Read verses 6-8. What did God bring upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity? (6)  How did they respond to God’s judgment? (7,8) What do their responses reveal about themselves? (Ro 1:20-23)

2-1) Read verses 6-8

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. 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. 

2-2) What did God bring upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity? (6)

a) The hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod.

Hand: Power [of Judgment]  

In contrast to the hands of Dagon being cut off.

God demonstrated His sovereign power over idol and idol worshipers. 

b) Devastation, afflicted with tumors.

Tumor: unknown kind of diseases, (not the tumor in this modern day English)

Possibly plaque transmitted by rodents. (1Sam 6:4,5)

c) Why did God bring the diseases upon them?

God struck their idol; the Philistine did not repent of their sins. 

God struck them with tumors and their places:

So that they have chance to repent of their sins and worship the LORD.

God wants everyone to repent of his/her sins and to be saved. (1Tim 2:4)

2-3) How did they respond to God’s judgment? (7,8)

a) They knew God is punishing them. 

But they did not want to repent of their sins.  

They were stubborn spiritually.  

They just wanted to get rid of the LORD.

b) They asked the rulers.

Rulers told the men of Ashdod to move the ark of God to Gath.

They thought the God of Israel might be happy in other city, Gath. 

Rulers did not know any better either.  

2-4) What do their responses reveal about themselves? (Ro 1:20-23)

Rom 1:21-23. 

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

a) Foolishness of unbelievers

i) They witnessed the power of God. (Rom 1:20)

They experienced the glory of God. 

They were afraid of God. 

ii) But, they did not glorify Him nor gave thanks to him. (Rom 1:21)

They did not submit to Him. 

Rather, they try to get rid of Him; to stay away from Him.

iii) Ultimately, they became foolish idol worshipers. (Rom 1:22-23)

Their way of thinking was extremely perverse.

Their attitude toward Him was rebellious. 

Spiritually speaking, they were foolish.

3. Read verse 9-12. What happened to the cities of Gath and Ekron that the ark of God was moved to? (9,10) What did the people of Ekron suggest regarding the ark of God? (11,12)

What did God reveal through these events? (Isa 45:5-7; Psalm 115:3-8; Isa 44:17–20)

3-1) Read verse 9-12

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. 10 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.

3-2) What happened to the cities of Gath and Ekron that the ark of God was moved to? (9,10)

a) To Gath: Great panic, 

Afflicted with tumors. 

b) To Ekron: Death filled the city with panic, 

Afflicted with tumors: Outcry to heaven.

3-3) What did the people of Ekron suggest regarding the ark of God? (11,12)

a) Let it go back to its own place 

because they were filled with fear of death, 

because they wanted to send the ark of God away. 

b) or it will kill us and our people. 

The Philistines repeatedly acknowledged God of Israel is powerful. 

They acknowledged that God is superior over themselves and their god, Dagon. (7-12). 

But to the end, they did not repent of their idol worship. 

They could not see themselves as idol worshipers. 

3-4) What did God reveal through these events? (Isa 45:5-7; Psalm 115:3-8; Isa 44:17–20)

 HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+45:5&version=NIV" Isaiah 45:5-7
5  I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, 

though you have not acknowledged me,  6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

Psalm 115:4-8 

4  But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; 6 they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; 7 they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

Isa 44:17-20 

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. 19 No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” 

a) God revealed His sovereignty and His Judgment ( HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+45:5&version=NIV" Isaiah 45:5-7)
i) God's sovereignty

He is in absolute control over everything.

He is the LORD and there is no other. 

ii) God’s Judgment upon idol worshipers. 

God punished people who worshiped idols.

b) God revealed Inability of Idol. (Psalm 115:4-8)

Dagon, a god of Philistine, could not even stand up by himself. 

It could not do anything. 

Idols are mute, deaf, blind, powerless, useless, and foolish. (Psalm 115:4-8)

Because it is nothing but handmade toy. 

c) God revealed Foolishness (Stupidity) of idol worshipers. (Isa44:17–20)

Although they experienced the glory of God and the Power of God

They rejected Him and did not submit to Him. 

Rather they kept trying to worship powerless idols and to get rid of God Himself. 

Therefore, they suffered the judgment of God

In Conclusion, 

1) God alone is sovereign. God is in absolute control over everything in the world. 

2) God will judge the world for their wickedness including idol worship. 

3) Idols in the world are powerless, useless; nothing but toys made by our own hands. 

4) Idol worship is not only foolish but also God-provoking. We must not worship idol. We must worship God Almighty. May God open our eyes to see the sovereignty of Him so that we can submit to Him and worship Him only. 

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