MIXING GODS

In the Book of 1 Samuel 4-5 we read the story of how Israel was defeated by the Philistines because of the iniquity (gross injustice, immorality and wickedness) of Eli and his sons, his house and priesthood. A corrupt priesthood will eventually choose a corrupt religion and a false god.

The Philistines went to war with Israel and defeated them killing 34,000-foot soldiers in two days. They also took The Ark of the Covenant and killed Eli the Priest’s two wicked sons. The mistake they made was to take the Ark and put it into the House of Dagon next to their false idol god Dagon (1 Samuel 5:1-5). “The next morning Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the Ark of the Lord.” (v.3) They set Dagon back up again. The next morning Dagon had fallen again before the Ark of the Lord and his head and both arms were broken off and “only the trunk was left to him.” (v.4)

God was very upset and jealous and “the hand of the Lord was heavy.” (v.6) He ravaged the Philistines with an infestation of rats, destruction, chaos, confusion, tumors and hemorrhoids. (vs. 6-12)

Dagon could not stand… no idol can stand before the Lord. It will eventually topple and those in false religion will be confused, fearful and dealing with hemorrhoids. The wise thing to do is what the Philistines did: Get the Ark of the Lord out of our land and back to the rightful followers. After seven months of trying to get rid of the Ark, the Philistines asked Israel how to return it to them. The priests of Israel told them not to return it empty (6:3). They told them to send and prepare a guilt offering to go with the Ark. “Make the likeness five golden mice and five golden hemorrhoids according to the number of lords of the Philistines and one plague was on all of you…and you shall give glory to the God of Israel.” (6:4-12) We should be very careful not to mix our God with any other. It could get dangerous and embarrassing.

“Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” Jesus