Bible in 90, Day 20: Traders of the Lost Ark

1 Samuel 2-15

*image courtesy of bluegum at www.sxc.hu

The Philistines knew they were in trouble when they heard the commotion (1 Samuel 4-6).  They had just defeated the Israelites, but now there was a shout of triumph in their camp.  Word reached the Philistines that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp of Israel, and they were terrified.  They remembered the stories that had come to them over the miles and years about all the mighty things that the “gods” of Israel had done in Egypt generations ago.  So, they mustered their strength and defeated them again, this time capturing the ark itself!

Then the real trouble started.

It started with something subtle.  They put the ark in their temple to Dagon, and the next day Dagon’s statue had fallen down before the ark.  “Hmm… that’s funny.  Almost looks like Dagon is worshipping Yahweh.  Oh well, let’s set it back up.”  The next day, Dagon had not only fallen down before the ark, but his head and hands had snapped off!  Then, people began noticing tumors on their bodies.  Soon, there was a plague of tumors.  The Philistines play a game of hot potato with the ark through three of the chief cities, and the Lord fights against each one.

Finally, someone gets the brilliant idea to send the ark back home.  Their diviners tell them to send a guilt offering of five golden tumors and five golden rats to represent the five rulers of the Philistines and the two plagues the Lord had sent.  They hoped to trade out the ark and the offering for God’s ending of the plagues.  Then there’s the great scene with the two cows who had just calved and never been yoked (and thus should have immediately returned to their young and had no idea how to work together to pull the cart).  They go straight down the road and all the way to Beth Shemesh in Israel’s territory.

It’s interesting that the fame of the God of Israel had not only spread from Egypt all the way to the land of the Philistines, but that the stories remained for all these years.  People were still talking about the amazing things the Lord had done during the exodus event.  Israel was known for the things their God had done.

What about our lives?  Do people look at us and see the work of God in our lives?  Do people know that our homes are Christian homes?  Are people in our communities still talking about what God did at our church generations ago?  More importantly, are they talking about what God is doing there now?  They should.

We should be living lives that display the mighty works of God.  We should be attempting things so great, only He could possibly get the credit.  We should be living lives so exemplary, people will know it’s the life of Jesus living through us (Galatians 2:20).  So let us live those lives.  Let us do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).