1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: Let us pray, And when they arose early on the 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: morrow morning, behold Dagon had fallen upon his face to 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: the ground before the ark of the Lord and the 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: head of Dagon, and both the palms of his hands 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: were cut off upon the threshold. Only the stump of 6 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 1: Dagon was left to him. First Samuel five four to 7 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: day is the day, Lord, that my mind and heart 8 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: will change its position as I realize and recognize that 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: you will not be mocked. As I meditate on First 10 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: Samuel five and six, my heart and my mind will 11 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: be put at ease when it appears that Satan has 12 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: his plans for overriding your declared promises and plans for 13 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: my life. Because it is through this text that you 14 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: make yourself known. It is in this text that you 15 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: show your power in making all false gods bow to 16 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: the power of the Great. I am All glory and 17 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: praise goes to you, God, and I thank you that 18 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: in the same way the Philistines returned your ark and 19 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: brought more than what was taken, I too will receive 20 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: double for the trouble that the enemy has brought into 21 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: my life. I decree and declare that nothing will be 22 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: lost in my life, and that whoever tries to raise 23 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: up against the plan of the Lord in my life 24 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: will have no choice but to open the doors that 25 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: have been locked and cut the red tape that's been 26 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: wrapped around my future. Thank you Jesus, that at your name, 27 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: all man made idols of distractions must bow like the 28 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: idols of the Philistines in Jesus name. Amen, Thank you 29 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: for praying with us today. Continue your time with God 30 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: by listening to today's Bible story, brought to you by 31 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: Bible in a Year dot com. 32 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: God's Arc returns to Israel. In our last story, we 33 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 2: witnessed the slaughter of Israel's army at the hand of 34 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: the Philistines. Israel summoned the Ark of the Covenant to 35 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 2: the battlefield, but the Philistines defeated them and took it 36 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 2: back to their camp. All of Israel mourned the loss 37 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: of the Ark, but God would not be trifled with. 38 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 2: In this story, we learn about God's power displayed among 39 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 2: the Philistines. Inspired by the Book of First Samuel. 40 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 3: Hello, this is Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of 41 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous reading, 42 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 3: we heard how Eli's sons died in battle a punishment 43 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 3: for their sins. Again God along with them. Israel lost 44 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 3: thousands of men to the Philistines, but they lost something 45 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 3: even greater as the Ark of the Covenant was taken 46 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 3: by the Philistines. Hope seemed lost for Israel, as God's 47 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 3: presence had departed from them. But in today's reading, we'll 48 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 3: hear about the high price the Philistines would pay for 49 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 3: their theft, and how God's power was going to be 50 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 3: shown to all as his presence was restored to his people. 51 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 3: Let's listen now to today's reading. 52 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: The Philistines drug the Ark of the Covenant back to 53 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 2: the city of Ashtod. Torches illuminated the smug grins on 54 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: their faces as they placed the Ark at the foot 55 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: of their idols. They placed the Ark and the temple 56 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: of Dagon, the Philistines God. The idol was placed before 57 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 2: a bronze statue of Dagon. It loomed over the ark 58 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 2: as if they were making God bow to him. The 59 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: Philistines slept soundly in their beds, not hearing the large 60 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: crash in the night. When they arose the next morning, 61 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 2: they found the statue of Dagon fallen face down before 62 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: the Ark of the Lord. Perplexed, the Philistines put Dagon 63 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 2: back in its place and left. Another night passed, crashing 64 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 2: and shattering echoed through the empty temple. When the priests 65 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 2: awoke to check on the temple, they saw the statue 66 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 2: of Dagon fallen face down before the Ark. Its head 67 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 2: and both its hands were cut off cleanly and lay 68 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 2: spread out before the Ark of the Covenant. The priests 69 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 2: trembled and dared not enter the temple again until the 70 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 2: Ark was released. Yet God was not yet finished. The 71 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 2: Philistines had made a mockery of his name, and they 72 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 2: slaughtered his people. They were right to fear him in 73 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: the beginning, for the God that struck down Pharaoh would 74 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 2: have no problem dealing with the minuscule Philistine army. The 75 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 2: hand of God was heavy against the Philistines, and they 76 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: all became afflicted with p tumors. Their false god, Dagon 77 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,119 Speaker 2: could not save them. Their priests prayed to a piece 78 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 2: of metal to deliver them, but God reigned. Get the 79 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: Ark out of here before we perish, the people of 80 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 2: Ashtad said. So they took the Ark to the city 81 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 2: of Gaith, a terribly evil place filled with giant warriors 82 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 2: that wore steel for armor. Yet the mighty men of 83 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 2: Gaith quaked under the power of God. Their strong arms 84 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 2: and broad backs could not shield them from his anger. 85 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,119 Speaker 2: Tumors broke out in them as well, and the entire 86 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: city wailed in pain. Their cries filled the skies, and 87 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 2: they cast the ark out of their land back to 88 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 2: the Israelites. This has not happened by coincidence. The Philistine 89 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 2: elders said. They winced in pain and guilt, saying God 90 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: struck down Egypt long ago, and now he strikes us 91 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 2: down as well. Pharaoh did not listen, but we must 92 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 2: learn from his hardened heart. So the Philistines sent back 93 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 2: the Ark of the Covenant with a guilt offering. The 94 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 2: gold offerings molded into the shape of the tumors and 95 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 2: mice that plagued their land. The people of Israel rejoiced 96 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 2: when the ark returned. They offered sacrifices to God and 97 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,840 Speaker 2: worshiped him for his great power. The Philistines would soon 98 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,799 Speaker 2: regather and retaliate, but for now they hid in fear 99 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 2: because of God's mighty hand. God's anger against the Philistines 100 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 2: reflected the depth of his righteousness. Though God is patient 101 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 2: and kind, he is by no means safe. His name 102 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 2: is not to be mocked, and he is not to 103 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 2: be placed at the altar of a false god like Dagon. 104 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: The Philistines' tumors were but an image of their inner sickness. 105 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: The Philistines would eventually attack again, and again they would 106 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: witness God's might. 107 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 3: Today's story begins with the Philistines in possession of the 108 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 3: Ark of the Covenant. They believed they could use it 109 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 3: for their profit, their benefit, just as they looked to 110 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 3: other gods. So they took the ark to the shrine 111 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 3: of their god, Dagon and set it next to it. 112 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 3: But God was not about to let his name be 113 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 3: used by those who did not know or fear him, 114 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 3: and he certainly wouldn't be just one among the many 115 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 3: false gods. So when the Philistines woke the next morning, 116 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 3: they found their idol lying face down. They picked him 117 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 3: up and put him back, But the next morning he 118 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 3: had fallen again, this time his head and hands broken off. 119 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 3: But God wasn't through the whole city felt his judgment, 120 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 3: and people for miles around developed tumors. They knew this 121 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 3: wasn't a coincidence. So they sent the Ark to another town, 122 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 3: and the same thing happened, terrifying the people once more 123 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 3: with painful tumors. So the Ark of the Covenant was 124 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 3: sent to a third city, but the people cried out 125 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 3: in fear, we don't want this. In First Samuel five 126 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 3: to eleven we read they sent therefore and gathered together 127 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 3: all the lords of the Philistines, and said, send away 128 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 3: the Ark of the God of Israel, and let it 129 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 3: return to its own place, that it may not kill 130 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 3: us and our people. For there was a deathly panic 131 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 3: throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very 132 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 3: heavy there. You see, God's presence among those who truly 133 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 3: seek him brings peace, but among the wicked, those who 134 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 3: reject him, it brings panic. God's judgment is not something 135 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 3: to be taken lightly, of course, and after seeing what 136 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 3: he had done in two other cities, the Philistines begged 137 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 3: for the Ark to go back to Israel. The Philistines 138 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 3: knew they were guilty, and the arc couldn't simply be 139 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 3: returned as if nothing happened, So they sent it back 140 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 3: with guilt offerings, golden sculptures of tumors and mice, symbols 141 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 3: of God's judgment against them. Unfortunately, they were only sorry 142 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 3: and scared, caed, not contrite, not changed, not repentant. They 143 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 3: just wanted to be done with this punishment. How tragic 144 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 3: it is when people reject God and the opportunity to 145 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 3: repent of their sins and to get right with him. 146 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 3: So the Ark was returned to Israel, and great rejoicing 147 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 3: arose among them. They worshiped God for his mightiness, praising 148 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 3: him for returning the Ark to them. But Israel's struggles 149 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 3: were far from over, hindering their relationship with God, and 150 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 3: we'll hear more about that the next time. Dear God, 151 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 3: we thank you that in our story today we learn 152 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 3: how holy you really are, that you are righteous, and 153 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 3: that you judge the wicked. Help us not only to 154 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 3: regret our sin, but to truly repent of it and 155 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 3: turn from it, and ask you to be our savior 156 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 3: and deliverer in Jesus's name. Amen. Thank you for listening 157 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 3: to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm pastors Jack 158 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 3: Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download thepray dot Com app and 159 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 3: make Bible study and prayer a priority in your life. 160 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 3: If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with someone 161 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 3: you know because it can make a genuine, even eternal 162 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 3: difference in their lives. And if you want more resources 163 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 3: on how you can know the power of God through 164 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 3: Jesus Christ, then visit Jack Graham dot org.