1 Samuel 5:1-6:12.
Although God must judge His people and allow them to reap the folly of their evil ways, He will not allow their enemies to despise His glory and presence among them. Thus when the Philistines boasted over Israel’s defeat, and over the ark of God which they had taken from them, the Lord soon showed them that He will not give His glory to another. That night, when they had set the ark of the true God in the house of Dagon their idolatrous god, He let them know that He was greater than their idol made with men’s hands. When they arose the next morning, Dagon had fallen on his face before the ark. However, the foolish Philistines put Dagon back in his place again, as though this were only by chance. The next night their idol fell on his face again, and this time his head and his hands were broken off.
Nor was this all. God caused the men of the city to have emerods, and they suffered greatly. They decided, therefore, to remove the ark of God to Gath, but there again the people were smitten with a great destruction.
The Philistines of Gath then sent the ark to Ekron, but again the hand of God in judgment was manifested, and many died there. Many, too, were smitten with emerods. God often has to deal with His own, but when unbelievers despise His power it is a serious thing. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31.
At last the Philistines came together and decided to send the ark of God back to the land of Israel, for the hand of God was heavy upon them during the seven months they kept it in their land. They gathered their priests and diviners together therefore and asked them what they should do. They replied that the ark of the Lord should be sent back to the land of Israel, and with it golden emerods and golden mice as a trespass offering, because of their sin in taking it. They recalled how the Egyptians, many years before, had hardened their hearts against God and His people, and how they never had any relief from His judgment until they had let the people go. The priests and diviners suggested that they should make a new cart and put the ark upon it. They should then take two milch kine which were never under a yoke, and harness them to draw the cart, tying their calves in the stall at home. If the animals, without even a driver, took the ark back to the land of Israel, then they would know that the hand of God was upon them. If the animals would not go, but stayed by their young calves, they would know it was only chance that had brought upon them all the trouble of which we have just spoken. They knew that it would be altogether contrary to natural instinct for them to leave their young, and draw the cart.
When they had made the cart, therefore, and tied the cattle to it, the animals, controlled by their Creator’s unseen hand, set out for the land of Israel, lowing as they went. They never turned to one side or the other, but went all the way to Beth-shemesh in the land of Israel. The lords of the Philistines followed the ark, wondering at what they saw. Oh, how wonderful is the power of God which was so manifest here! Even the dumb animals obey the hand of God, but poor blind man refuses to submit. “Who hath hardened himself against Him, and hath prospered?” Job 9:4.
ML 05/09/1954