"He that spareth his rod, hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him straightway."

Pr 13

SERIES I --- THE NATION UNITES --- LESSON 05

YHVH’S JUDGMENT

THE FALL OF DAGON

From 1 Samuel 5

After the Philistines captured the Ark of YHVH, they took it from the Hebrew camp at Ebenezer to Ashdod, one of their five chief cities. When they arrived in Ashdod, they took the Ark into the house of their god Dagon and set it by his statue. But early the next morning, when the people of Ashdod went to see their new prize, they found their own god Dagon flat on his face before the Ark of YHVH, where he had been thrown mysteriously to the ground. Of course the people worked hard and finally got Dagon back in his proper place. Early the following morning, they all came back to the house of their YHVH. Imagine their surprise when they found Dagon flat on his face again. But this time his head and his hands were cut off and were lying on the threshold. Only his body was left in one piece. When they saw that, Dagon’s priests and worshipers refused to walk on the threshold of Dagon’s temple from that time on. About that time, a plague of boils broke out in Ashdod and the neighbouring villages. The people realized that YHVH was sending this plague, so they decided to move the Ark of YHVH to some other place. We must get it away from us, they said, or YHVH will destroy us all, along with our god Dagon. Before long, there was a summit meeting of the heads of the five Philistine cities and their territories. The question for discussion was, what shall be done with the Ark of YHVH? A decision was reached to send the Ark to Gath, another of the five Philistine cities. But as soon as the Ark arrived, Adonai began destroying the people of Gath the way He had done in Ashdod. The plague He sent was upon everyone, young and old alike and before long the city was in an uproar. The people of Gath didn’t want the Ark any longer, so they sent it to Ekron, another of the five Philistine cities. But the people of Ekron didn’t want it, either. Get it away from here, they cried out. Are you trying to destroy us, too? The people of Ekron called another summit conference. The heads of the Philistine cities and territories met once more, this time in Ekron. Send the Ark of YHVH back to Israel, the people of Ekron begged their leaders. Put it back where it belongs before it destroys all our people. Already the people of that city were feeling YHVH’s Hand of destruction, for the plague had begun in Ekron. Those who did not die were very sick and the people cried out for help.

COMMENTARY

THE WANDERINGS OF THE ARK

The Philistines captured the Ark and triumphantly brought it into the temple of the god, Dagon. The next morning the Philistine idol was found on its face, fallen before the Ark of YHVH. Soon the people of that region began to suffer terrible tumours. YHVH was acting to judge the Philistines and their gods. For almost forty years. the Ark was moved about in the wilderness with the Israelites. When at last the Israelites arrived in the Promised Land, the Ark was carried around Jericho seven times to assure victory. Sometime after that the Ark was put in the tabernacle at Shiloh, where it remained for three hundred and fifty years. But with the battle of Ebenezer, the Ark began another migration:

1 -- to the battlefield at Ebenezer;
2 -- thence to Ashdod, where it was placed in Dagon’s temple;
3 -- but after disease struck Ashdod, the Ark was sent to Gath, where the plague continued;
4 -- from Gath, the Ark was moved to Ekron, but the plague followed;
5 -- the Philistines returned the Ark to the Israelites at Beth-shemesh;
6 -- but after troubles there, the Israelites sent it to Kirjath-jearim, where it remained until the time of King David, when he took it to Jerusalem.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of yahuah standeth sure, having this seal, yahuah knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of the Messiah depart from iniquity.

http://play.google.com/store/a....pps/details?id=rnkjv

And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.
Joshua 4:9

The active memorials ("Do this as a memorial...") commanded in Torah were given to remind us and future generations of what God has done for us. Physical memorials like the one Joshua set up eventually fall (the stones must have been very large to withstand the spring floods year after year, but they aren't there now), but the same isn't true of active memorials. it isn't possible to "fulfill" an active memorial, such as Passover and Sukkot, so that it is no longer necessary, unless we no longer need to remember God's love and guidance.

The people, the patriarchs, and the priesthood are complementary. None can thrive without the others. The 12 stones in Joshua 4 are the 12 tribes. The people support the priests who hold back the flood while they cross to the Promised Land, and the people, in turn, are carried on the shoulders of their patriarchs.

I was blessed to grow up in a home where my father loved my mother and my mother respected my husband. I'm not quite as gentle or mild as my mom is, but when my temper (or "passion," as I preferred to call it) would rise up within me over something my husband had done, I would think, "How would my mom act?" That was often enough to bring me into line. Some of today's thoughts come from what I witnessed as I grew up. https://archive.aweber.com/awlist6425868/L578w

Good marriage advice...

On this date in history, 02/28/1940: The first televised basketball game, Fordham vs Pittsburgh, is aired. #otd #tdih #techhistory #tvhistory #basketballhistory

Psalm 23:2, “ He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” Is your pastor leading you to lush green pasture where you can feed on the truth found in the Bible or is he forcing you to eat the dry hay of denominational doctrine as you pick it out of the dust?