Dagon Must Fall!

DAGON MUST FALL!

1 Sam. 4:2-5:12

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: HOMELAND SECURITY OVERLOAD

1. Homeland Security has gotten especially concerned about terrorism since we pulled our military out of Afghanistan. They’ve tightened security at airports and on planes.

2. Just the other day I heard they arrested a lady on a plane because she was carrying knitting needles. Evidently, they were afraid she was going to knit an Afghan!

B. TEXT & THESIS: 1 Sam. 4:2-18; 5:1-12

4:2 Israel was defeated by the Philistines…. 3 The elders of Israel [said]...“Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” 5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. 6 Hearing the uproar...7 the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. 8 “We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues…9 Be strong, Philistines! Or you will be subject to the Hebrews. Be men, and fight!” 10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and…the slaughter was very great; Israel lost 30,000 foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured...13 [The High Priest] Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God....18 When he [heard about] the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died. 5:1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it…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. 6 The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod… he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors. 7 …They said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they moved the ark of the God of Israel [to Gath]. 9 But…the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, 11 “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 on it… 12 and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

C. THESIS

1. We're going to look this morning at how God is the Living God; He’s not a fabrication of human ingenuity. He is able to uphold his own Name & honor, and doesn’t need our help.

2. Secondly, we’re going to see what happens when God comes into a human life; He turns things upside down and refuses to allow sin to stand unchallenged.

3. This message is entitled, "Dagon Must Fall!"

I. WHY THE ARK WAS TAKEN

A. ISRAEL’S RABBIT FOOT

1. Israel had been defeated by the Philistines. Instead of 1). Seeking God for the reason, 2). Praying, or 3). Checking to see if they had sinned, Israel sent off for their heavenly rabbit's foot or good luck charm -- -- the Ark.

2. The Ark was a small wooden box, covered with gold (4’ x 2’) with two Angel figures on the lid. This "Ark" represented the very presence of God.

3. Good luck charms really don’t help you. Take a rabbit's foot for an example; it sure didn't help the rabbit! Approximately ¼ of all US adults have some kind of good luck charm: a horseshoe, Rabbit’s Foot, lucky penny, four-leaf clover, a cross, knock on wood, cross their fingers, etc.

4. The Hebrews thought they could never be defeated in battle if they had the Ark. But they were trusting in a box instead of God. It was a play to manipulate God.

B. OUR MISPLACED TRUSTS

1. We put our faith in the wrong things.

2. Many trust in: someone else's prayers, their good deeds, their goodness, or their accomplishments. They think these make them more acceptable to God.