The following story takes up the chapters of 1 Samuel 4 – 6. My reflection today speaks to the Awesome God we serve. The Philistines, after they defeated Israel, thought they had conquered them by capturing the Ark of the Lord. What they did not realize, is how awesome our God is. Below you will find snippets of chapters 1 Samuel 4 and some of 5. I encourage you to read the entire chapters. It is a great story of the power of God behind enemy lines.
In those days the Philistines mustered for war against Israel, and Israel went out to battle against them.
The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle was joined, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 When the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord put us to rout today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here.
When the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid; for they said, “Gods have come into the camp.”
So, the Philistines fought; Israel was defeated, and they fled, everyone to his home.
The ark of God was captured;
When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?”
“Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great slaughter among the troops; your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken, and he died.
The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon (the god of the Philistines) and placed it beside Dagon. But when they rose early on the next morning, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off upon the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. 6 The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and struck them with tumors, both in Ashdod and in its territory. 7 And when the inhabitants of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us; for his hand is heavy on us and on our god Dagon.”
What makes our God awesome?
· He is naturally present
· He is actively present
· He is attentively present
· He is judicially present
· He is bodily present
· He is sacramentally present
· He is sacredly present (Classic Christianity, Oden)
Moses cried, “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in splendor, doing wonders?" Gen 15:11
Psalm 46 "Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with loud songs of joy.
2 For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,
a great king over all the earth."
There is no situation God cannot handle for you. Even when we think He is not aware of our plight, remember is very present. He can go behind enemy lines. Take Him with you into your hospital rooms, into surgery, into job interviews, into the courts, into difficult relationships. We have all three of the Trinity come to us; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
My friends, what an Awesome God we serve.
Enjoy How Great is our God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDgmJFw6F64
My prayer is that these reflections will encourage you to read the bible, to have bible study discussions and lead you into prayer.