Thoughts
Samuel 5
The Philistines take the ark of God to Ashdod and set it in the temple of their god Dagon.
- Dagon was half fish half man who was ‘god of the grain and crops’
The next morning, Dagon is found fallen face down before the ark.
They set him back up, but the following morning Dagon is again fallen. This time broken, with his head and hands cut off on the threshold.
“This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of DagonΒ do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.”
The people of Ashdod are struck with great fear and God afflicts them with tumors Β
They recognize the ark cannot stay there and decide to move it to Gath.
The people are afflicted with tumors, causing widespread panic.
The ark is then sent to Ekron, but the people refuse to keep it, saying the ark will kill them too.
Panic continues to spread, and many are struck with disease and death.
Samuel 6
After seven months of plagues, the Philistines consult their priests and diviners about how to return the ark.
They are told to send it back with a guilt offering of five golden tumors and five golden mice, representing the plagues that struck their five cities.
To see if the disaster was truly from Israelβs God, they prepare a new cart, yoke two milk cows (who had never been yoked). The ark and the golden offerings are placed on the cart.
The test: if the cows go straight to Israelite territory, it proves the plagues were from the Lord. If not, it was chance.
The cows head directly toward Beth-shemesh (Israel) without turning aside
- The cows have never been on a cart before and walked the ten miles to the city.
The people of Beth-shemesh are harvesting wheat when they see the ark and rejoice.
They use the wood of the cart for a sacrifice and offer the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.
The Levites set the ark and the offerings on a large stone, and the people worship.
Some men of Beth-shemesh look inside the ark, and God strikes down many of them.
They send messengers to the people of Kiriath-jearim, asking them to come and take the ark
Samuel 7
The men of Kiriath-jearim bring the ark from Beth-shemesh to the house of Abinadab. His son Eleazar is consecrated to guard it.
The ark remains there for twenty years, and during that time Israel mourns and seeks after the Lord.
Samuel tells the people that if they truly want to return to the Lord, they must put away their foreign gods.The people obey.
Samuel gathers them at Mizpah to fast, pray, and confess their sins.
The Philistines march up against Israel while they are gathered at Mizpah. Samuel offers a burnt offering and cries out to the Lord.
The Lord thunders loudly against the Philistines, throwing them into panic, and Israel defeats them.
Samuel sets up a stone of remembrance between Mizpah and Shen, calling it Ebenezer ΧΦΆΧΦΆΧ ΧΦΈΧ’Φ΅ΧΦΆΧ¨ (βEben ha-βEzer). (βstone of helpβ)
The Philistines no longer invade Israel during Samuelβs lifetime.
Samuel serves as judge all his days, traveling on a regular circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpah, and judging at his home in Ramah.
Map of ark journey from https://biblemapper.com/blog/index.php/2023/03/11/the-ark-of-the-covenant-in-the-promised-land/
Questions
Why in the world did they keep the ark for 7 months?
What does a golden tumor look like?
How in the world could they believe after 7 months the plagues were by chance?
Who told the Philistine priests about this ‘test’?
Application
How can we apply the journey of the ark to our lives? We see God’s holiness cannot be competed with. No idol, no god, no mighty country can defeat God. The Philistines tried to control the ark, but instead it brought upon disaster. In the end, Israel showed repentance and finally acknowledged God for who He is. Our idols today might not be fish men, but things like money, success, work, can all take the place of God in our hearts. These idols will eventually fail us, but God never will.
Jo Reads The Bible 
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