Some Don’t Deserve the Blessings of God
1 Samuel 5: 1 – 5 records the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines. During Eli’s time as judge over Israel, his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, proved to be wicked men, and Eli had failed to restrain them (1 Samuel 2: 12 – 36). God revealed to young Samuel that He would destroy these two men (1 Samuel 3:11 – 14) and in turn, Samuel informed Eli (vss. 15 – 18). Chapter 4 reveals the fulfillment of God’s promise toward Hophni and Phinehas. Now carefully note the way Eli dies. “And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.” It wasn’t the death of his sons, but the capture of the Ark of the Covenant that stunned Eli!
Chapter 5 is the text of our study. The Philistines had taken the ark, and they mockingly placed it into the temple of Dagon, an idol that these heathenistic Philistines esteemed as their “god” (small g!) Setting it at the feet of this idol, those of Ashdod (a city in Palestine) arose in the morning to pay their “worship” to Dagon and found their idol fallen and face-down to the ground. So, they reestablished the setting of their idol, only to find the second morning it was fallen again, but now with its head and both palms of its hands cut off; only its stump was left. Obviously, this was God’s doing, and done because these heathens who had no right to any of God’s cherished possessions!
Further, God’s hand remained heavy on Ashdod (5:6). When these evil ones realized their punishment was from the God of Heaven, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for His hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.” (vs. 7). So, they sent the ark away. Doesn’t it seem strange to you that rather than surrender their obvious false god and serve the God of Heaven, they send away that which is God’s and said plainly, “[It] shall not abide with us.” Yes, just as then, so it is now: with some souls, they simply have no desire for God or godly things!
God’s hand remained against Ashdod and His punishment continued. Because the ark remained in their area, but not their city, they had it sent farther away, this time to Ekron. But Ekron’s people didn’t want God’s possession either, and after consultation with their advisors, sent the ark back to Israel. However, it remained in the Philistine country for seven months. (Chapter 6:1) Consulting again, the heathen determined to send it back, but not empty. They believed some recompense was in order. What they did as “compensation” to God was hideous! They molded five golden images of the emerods God had inflicted upon them (these were hemorrhoidal tumors!) and five golden mice, believing this would give glory to the God of Israel (6:5) They put their contributions in a coffer, set it beside the ark, then sent it back to the Israelites.
While we could examine more of this event, what we wish to note here is the fact that these heathens were punished for several things: 1) their lack of respect for God and His possessions, 2) their refusal to accept the power of God and relinquish their dedication to an idol, 3) their thinking God would approve of something from their idolatry as repentance from their sin. Friends, the world isn’t that much different even today!
There is a lack of respect for God and His possessions in this world. Those who know Him (1 John 2:3) receive insults from the world because we know we belong to Him (1 Corinthians 6:20) and serve Him faithfully (Revelation 7:15). Some refuse to acknowledge His power and then reject their allegiance to their idols. Many reject the gospel as being the power of God (Romans 1:16-17). They continue placing their “spiritual allegiance” to their convictions of this world: convictions that can neither see, hear or reply to the needs of the soul! Some seriously believe God accepts the trinkets of men’s hands as sufficient penance for their sins. This includes money, thinking that should they give enough money to some worthy cause, it eliminates their guilt of sins. Each is as wrong just as the Philistines in their thinking. And though the punishment is not always immediate as it was upon the Philistines, their punishment is coming nonetheless (2 Thessalonians 1: 7 – 9).
The fact is, God’s punishment was administered to these heathens because their attitude and declarations in word and deed against the God of heaven, proved them unworthy of His blessings! When such souls conduct themselves in like ignorance as these, they remain unworthy of God’s blessings! This isn’t my conclusion but is precisely what the apostle Paul declared of souls who blatantly reject the God of Heaven and His power, and earnestly believe their sins can be forgiven and forgotten by a gift of temporal idolatry wrapped in some grandiose packaging! Here is what Paul said of the matter: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” (Acts 16:46)
Isn’t it wonderful to know God cares enough about all of us that He made available His presence, His power, and `His love all through Christ Jesus? And isn’t it wonderful to know we need but to obey Him to receive all the spiritual blessings existing in Christ Jesus? (Ephesians 1:3) Why would anyone desire something else? Why would anyone be as the Philistines, and reject the evidence and love of God? Are YOU worthy of His blessings?