Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Samuel 5-6

Highlight Verse:

“That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse had to make me think, “How did he know?”

I’m sure the author wasn’t a Philistine so he must have heard a rumor of the superstitions of those who worshipped Dagon.

He knew better.

That empty idol had no power.

But he might not have realized that the ark had no power either.

The power was not in the ark but in the God that it represented.

He brought the plagues on the towns that hosted the ark for two reasons:
• To make the Philistines realize that their idols were powerless and
• To bring the ark back to Israel keep the Israelites from backsliding further.

God may have used the ark to encourage His people, but God is not found in any object no matter how beautiful.

The ark carried reminders of God’s Commandments and His faithfulness, but God is found in the hearts of His people.

Have you ever been tempted to put your faith in things that you can see and touch rather than the God who touches hearts?
What keeps your faith strong in those times that nothing you see or touch seems to point to God?