Idol of Dagon

In 1 Samuel 4:1-3 we read that Israel has been defeated in an initial battle with the Philistines, suffering the cost of 4,000 lives. The Israelites were stunned at the outcome. How could God allow them such a defeat? Although defeated by the Philistines, instead of seeking and humbling themselves before God, the Israelites concluded, “Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” Yes, the Israelites needed God’s help, but were wrong in the way they sought it. Like an over-sized good luck charm, they believed the presence of the ark would save them and make them win. They looked to the ark, not to the Lord. They were treating the ark like an idol. However, the ark of God is not an idol; the ark of God is not Israel’s God. The ark is a symbol of God’s presence. It plays an important role in Israel’s worship, but it is not their God. Even so, assured of their decision, ark in hand, the Israelites commenced their fight. The Philistines rose to the challenge dreading that it might mean death or defeat for them. Instead, it lead to an even greater defeat for the Israelites. Thirty thousand soldiers were killed, along with Eli’s sons. When Eli, the priest, learns of their death and the ark’s capture, he falls dead as well.1 Sam. 5:1-5 “After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.”

            No doubt, the Philistines were jubilant and confident in the superiority of their god over the God of Israel. They faced the God of Israel in battle and believed their god Dagon delivered them and defeated Israel. Dagon was represented with a half-man, half-fish figure, and was said to be the father of Baal. Now, the ark of the covenant of Israel’s God stood as a trophy in the temple of their god Dagon. Their victory seemed complete. 

            Had the glory of God departed? Not at all. God was more than able to glorify Himself among the Philistines and their pagan gods. When men disgrace the glory of God, we may think the glory has departed. But when men and women will not glorify God, God will glorify Himself. Our God is able to uphold his own name and honor without our help. The next morning, there was Dagon, who had fallen and was lying face down on the ground before the Ark of the Lord. God glorified himself when He made the Dagon statue bow down in worship before Him. The priests of Dagon then stood the statue upright again. The next day the head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left. Imagine the horror of the Philistine priests who entered the temple of Dagon that morning. They not only saw their god bowing down before the Ark, they also saw the image broken. After two days, I imagine it would be hard to make any more excuses for their god, especially in light of the broken head and hands, and a meager stump remaining. 

            After seeing the superiority of Israel’s God, these Philistine priests had a choice. They could turn from their weak, inferior god Dagon and begin to serve the superior God of Israel. However, they did not. These Philistine priests, like men confronted with the truth today, rejected God despite the evidence. How could they believe something so ridiculous? Maybe, just as it is for many of the lost today, it’s because worshipping the Lord instead of Dagon means a huge change in thinking and behavior, a surrender, a transformation. The Philistine priests were unwilling to make any changes. They found it easier to take Dagon and set it in its place again. It is the same today, despite the evidence of a living God, men continue their idol worship because some believe it is easier to pick up the pieces and glue them back together than to submit to the living God who transforms lives. Some try to keep both Dagon in their life and God. They are afraid of surrendering all the way to Christ. Perhaps there’s a cherished sin they don’t want to give up, a love for the world and its pleasures. 

God won’t share you.  One or the other has to go! “For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14-15.)

            “But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. Then the men of Ashdod said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.” Therefore, they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. “(1Sam. 5: 6-8)

The hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod. Yet, they would not listen when God struck down their statue; they just set it up again. When we close our ears to God, He often finds another way to speak to us, and we may not like the second way. The Bible says, “He ravaged them and struck them with tumors.” Instead of submitting to the God of Israel, they decided to get rid of Him, send the ark away. We can do things to push God away, but even the best of our attempts are temporary. We can’t get rid of God. We must all face God and stand before Him one day. The ark of God was sent first to Gath and after that to Ekron. And the hand of the Lord came against both cities and tumors broke out on them. 

            When they sent the ark to Ekron, the people cried out, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” So they sent and gathered together the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” Death had filled the city with panic; the hand of God is very heavy. And the men who did not die were stricken with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven. (1Sam. 5:10-12) 

The people of Gath and Ekron were terrified to see the Ark, but they still wouldn’t submit to the Lord God of Israel. If the Philistines had repented and turned towards the Lord, they could have been saved. Instead, the ark became a curse and a judgment to them. The same is true of the presence of God among men today, which can bring life to some and death to others. 

            As the psalmist said: “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them” (Ps. 135:15-18).Dagon became the Philistines’ shame as he was proved to be inferior to the God of the Israelites. Dagon was a god who needed his worshippers to pick him off the ground when he fell. What kind of a “god” has to be set upright by its subjects and carried off for repairs because it is broken? Yet these priests did not humble themselves and confess that the God of Israel is the only true God. Here we are reminded that no god, no weapon, and no power of darkness will stand in the light of our God. When God enters, He turns things upside down and refuses to allow sin to stand unchallenged. That is true for those who wreak havoc and blatantly sin against God in our nation today. God hears the cries of His faithful people in prayer. “Rise up O God and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives!” (Ps. 68:1 NLV)