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1 Samuel
Chapter Five
1 Samuel 5
Chapter Contents
Dagon is broken before the ark. (1-5) The Philistine
smitten. (6-12)
Commentary on 1 Samuel 5:1-5
(Read 1 Samuel 5:1-5)
See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of
Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ
error before truth
profaneness before godliness
and corruption before grace in the hearts of the
faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink
even then we
may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ
the true
Ark of the covenant
really enters the heart of fallen man
which is indeed
Satan's temple
all idols will fall
every endeavour to set them up again will
be vain
sin will be forsaken
and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will
claim and possess the throne. But pride
self-love
and worldly lusts
though
dethroned and crucified
still remain within us
like the stump of Dagon. Let
us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more
entirely destroyed.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 5:6-12
(Read 1 Samuel 5:6-12)
The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he
not only convinced them of their folly
but severely chastised their insolence.
Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy
they
desired to get clear of his ark. Carnal hearts
when they smart under the
judgments of God
would rather
if it were possible
put him far from them
than enter into covenant or communion with him
and seek him for their friend.
But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only increase them. Those that
fight against God will soon have enough of it.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel》
1 Samuel 5
Verse 2
[2] When the Philistines took the ark of God
they brought
it into the house of Dagon
and set it by Dagon.
By Dagon — By way of reproach
as a spoil and trophy set there to
the honour of Dagon
to whom doubtless they ascribed this victory.
Verse 3
[3] And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow
behold
Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD.
And they took Dagon
and set him in his place again.
They — The priests of Dagon.
Set him — Supposing his fall was casual.
Verse 4
[4] And when they arose early on the morrow morning
behold
Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and
the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the
threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
Cut off — The head is the seat of wisdom; the hands the
instruments of action: both are cut off to shew that he had neither wisdom nor
strength to defend himself or his worshippers. Thus the priests by concealing
Dagon's shame before
make it more evident and infamous.
The stump — Heb. only dagon
that is
that
part of it from which it was called Dagon
namely the fishy part
for Dag in
Hebrew signifies a fish.
It — Upon the threshold; there the trunk abode in the place
where it fell
but the head and hands were slung to distant places.
Verse 5
[5] Therefore neither the priests of Dagon
nor any that
come into Dagon's house
tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this
day.
This day — When this history was written
which if written by
Samuel towards the end of his life
was a sufficient ground for this
expression.
Verse 6
[6] But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod
and he destroyed them
and smote them with emerods
even Ashdod and the coasts
thereof.
Emerods — The piles.
Verse 8
[8] They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the
Philistines unto them
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 about
unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
To Gath — Supposing that this plague was confined to Ashdod for
some particular reasons
or that it came upon them by chance
or for putting it
into Dagon's temple
which they resolved they would not do.
Verse 9
[9] And it was so
that
after they had carried it about
the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he
smote the men of the city
both small and great
and they had emerods in their
secret parts.
Hidden parts — In the inwards of their hinder
parts: which is the worst kind of emerods
as all physicians acknowledge
both
because its pains are far more sharp than the other; and because the malady is
more out of the reach of remedies.
Verse 11
[11] So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the
Philistines
and said
Send away the ark of the God of Israel
and let it go
again to his own place
that it slay us not
and our people: for there was a
deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy
there.
The city — In every city
where the ark of God came.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1 Samuel》
05 Chapter 5
Verses 1-12
Verses 1-5
And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from
Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
The hypocritical smitten before the real
The word Philistine signifies strangers or emigrants; their
descent is obscure
but good reasons are assigned for considering them of
Semitic extraction. Ashdod was one of the five Philistine Satrapies being an inland
town
34 miles north of Gaza
now called Eshud. “And the Philistines took the
ark of God
and brought it into the house of Dagon” (1 Samuel 5:2). They knew the power
of Israel’s God; did they by this conduct hope to effect a compromise
or were
they offering this holy spoil as a tribute of homage to their national Deity?
I. The
hypocritical smitten before the real. This world is one vast temple
filled
with the unreal and untrue.
1. The Dagon of false religious systems. Superstition has enthroned
its idol
ignorance its contradictions
Buddhism its sanguinary rites
Confucianism its standard of ethics
and the honest heathen his fancies of
terror. There are the impositions of Mahomet
the falsehoods of his history
and the deceptions of his creed.
2. The Dagon of doctrinal heresy.
3. There is the Dagon of mercantile life. The externalisms of trade
are imposing and attractive
but how unworthy its motive--how frequently are
its gains the result of cunning deception
fraudulent imposition
or
mischievous adulterations
and these criminal extortions are justified by the
severity of competition
or the ungenerous demands and arbitrary fancies of the
purchasing community. Before the ark of Godly principle and honest courtesy
these “tricks of trade” must suffer an ignominious defeat.
4. There are the Dagons of personal religious life. Devotion is
formal; religious work mechanical; they are but pictures of the true. The piety
of others consists in a spasmodic performance of the holy
in feelings of
emotion
fitful and uncertain
incited more by circumstances than by steady
faith.
5. The Dagon of political life. Injustice has formed the basis of
law
the enforcement of which has issued in oppression and misery. How often
have our social interests been blighted by the pandering politics of chuckling
statesmen! Christian truth has been refused its required homage; human sagacity
has been worshipped in its stead. But one day
when the ark shall be brought
into the temple
this state of things will be terminated. Instead
we shall
find monarchs laying their crowns at the feet of Jesus; ruling only in
accordance with the principle of His life
and living in harmony with the
precepts of His Word. Then shall human legislation be the expression of Divine
sentiment
and the senate become a synonym for the sanctuary.
6. It had successive opportunity of recovering its defeat. “And they
took Dagon and set him in his place again.” For how many chapters of history
would this be an appropriate heading? Should it not be written under the record
of Smithfield’s martyrdom? and what more fitting inscription could be found for
the door of the Inquisition Room? But today
upon the floor of Europe’s Temple
we find its shattered wreck. Its defeat was
In this superstitious folly they perpetuated the memory of their
own disgrace! In this picture we have an outline of the world’s future history
when all in antagonism to the Divine nature shall be destroyed beyond the power
of restoration.
II. The unholy
desiring the departure of the seal. “The ark of the God of Israel shall not
abide with us” (1 Samuel 5:7). This is the cry of
all unhallowed life.
1. A Divine Affliction. The sinful is sure to be afflicted by contact
with the true. A diseased eye cannot open itself to the light without pain;
neither can a corrupt nature behold spotless purity
unsullied truth
without
being stricken by its brightness. Simon Peter cried out
“Depart from me; for I
am a sinful man
O Lord
” and in so doing articulated the deepest feeling of
degenerate life. In order to happy association with the ark
man’s receptive
faculties must be touched by the Divine finger; then
with adjusted relations
and restored harmony
the holy will be appreciated
exemption from affliction
will be secured
and its permanent residence desired.
2. A Supreme Council. They sent
therefore
and gathered all the
lords of the Philistines unto them (1 Samuel 5:8). The people are in a
fearful extremity; and
driven almost to desperation by the fierceness of their
sufferings
are ready to execute any scheme likely to ensure relief. But it was
a council without a God.
3. An unavailing decree. “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried
about unto Gath” (1 Samuel 5:8). “How many
when in
sorrow
acting upon their own impulses
extend their affliction to others” (1 Samuel 5:9).
III. The unholy
seeking advice as to the disposition of the real.
1. Inquiry started. “What shall we do to the ark of the Lord?” (1 Samuel 6:2).
2. Anxiety displayed. “Tell us wherewith we shall send it to His
place” (1 Samuel 6:2).
3. A solution suggested. “But in any wise return Him a trespass
offering” (1 Samuel 6:3-9).
IV. The real
inquisitively investigated. “And He smote the men of Bethshemesh
because they looked
into the ark of the Lord” (1 Samuel 6:19).
1. Presumption punished. “He smote of the people fifty thousand and
three score and ten men” (1 Samuel 6:19).
2. Reverence inspired. “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord
God?” (1 Samuel 6:19). In the next chapter
we have the real penitentially sought and joyfully obtained. Lessons:--
The ark in the house of Dagon
I. I observe it is
here suggested that things which are good for some people to have may be quite
the opposite for others.
When the Philistines knew that the ark had been brought into the
camp of Israel they were afraid
and said
“God is come into the camp.” And no
doubt they imagined that in it they had captured a great prize. But the ark of
God did not do for the Philistines what it had done for the Israelites. On the
contrary
it brought to them only disaster
disease
and destruction. The ark
had been a blessing to the Israelites
it was a curse to the Philistines. Now
is it not the case that what was true of the ark is also true of many things
among us? For example
there is wealth. What a blessing it has been to one
generation
but what a curse sometimes to the next! To the father it has been a
great comfort
to his thriftless
indolent son
ruination of both body and
soul. Not infrequently do we find people regarding money very much in the same
light as the Philistines regarded the ark. With not a few money means
omnipotence! They will sacrifice health
probity--anything
to get money. And
when they have got it: what then? Is it any enjoyment to them? Does it bring
comfort? Does it make them happy? No; not in a single instance
where it has
been come by in an unjust or unhealthy way. God gave the Israelites the ark
at
any rate He put it into their hearts to make it
and it was to them a great
blessing; so if God gives a man wealth
or if He puts him into the way of
making it
his fortune may be a great blessing to him. But if money does not
come in this way
depend upon it we are better without it. And what is true in
relation to wealth is equally true with regard to everything else which we do
not possess
but which we may covet. Are you inclined sometimes to covet
another man’s position
and murmur because your lot is so hard and difficult?
Let me
then
ask if you have reason to think that your lot is from the Lord?
If to this question your only answer is “Yes
” then be assured that hard and
difficult though it may be
for you it is the best
and if you had your wish
were you somehow to slip into the position you covet
you might not find it
“the bed of roses” you expected
and a very short experience in it might make
you long very eagerly for the old life. What is more delightful on a wintry day
than to walk through a greenhouse
where the plants and flowers luxuriate
as
in the warm sunshine of summer? But the greenhouse is suited only for certain
plants. There are plants to whom its atmosphere would be death
that need the
storm as well as the sunshine
cold as well as heat
frost as well as dew
the
wild blest of winter as well as the warm breezes of summer. So if God has not
put you in His greenhouse
nor in some shady
sheltered corner of His great
garden
but in some spot where you stand exposed to every wind that blows
to
the tempest
the biting cold
in a word
to all nature’s ruder elements
do not
fret or be discouraged. God’s purpose is to make you a strong and noble
character
and to do this the stern discipline of your life is doubtless
needed. So be content with what you have
and with where you are
remembering
that if you had your neighbour’s things you might
in their possession
be as
miserable as the Philistines were all the time the ark was in their country.
II. The narrative
before us suggests that God is a jealous God.--The Philistines put the ark of
the Lord in “the house of Dagon
and set it by the side of Dagon.” But when
they arose early on the morrow morning
behold
Dagon was on his face again
before the ark
and his head and both the palms of his hands were cut off
and
lying upon the threshold
and “only the stump of Dagon
” the fish part
“was left
to him.” if there had been a “Dominie Sampson” among those priests
he
certainly would have cried out
Prodigious! And it was prodigious in the truest
sense
for it was a foreshadowing of God’s great law
“Thou shalt have no other
gods before Me.” God’s ark must not be placed side by side with Dagon. Now we
Christians
those of us
thank God
who are living in the light of His
countenance as well as those who “see men only
as trees walking
” have need to
take care
lest we also provoke the jealousy of God. We must never place Him or
His sacred things on the same level
and side by side
with our own things--Our
business
or our family
or any of our earthly belongings. He only is God
and
we must place Him above
infinitely above all else. All along the lines of
human life the tendency has been in the direction of idolatry. The ancient
people of God fell into it
as we know
again and again
and they suffered in
consequence. And though “the form changeth
” the thing
the evil still liveth.
It is right to make the home as snug and comfortable and pleasant as you can
and to take a pride in doing so. But does the home claim as much attention as
God
and the things of God claim? Nay
does it claim more? Is it true that your
home fills your heart
and that consequently God is shut out of it? Or is it
true that it occupies quite as much of its room as God does? Is it in any sense
and measure an idol? Then listen to me whilst I tell you what will some day
happen. That home will one day fail to delight you. You will see no beauty in
the pictures which adorn its walls. You will be unable to find comfort or rest
in any part of it. Yes--your home
if you make it your idol
will come to
present itself to you in quite as pitiable a light as that in which the
Philistines beheld their god. And what about the children? “I am fond of
children
” said Thomas Binney. “I think them the poetry of the world--the fresh
flowers of our hearts and homes.” It is well spoken. But how many a sad tale
may be told touching the children
for how many of these “fresh flowers” have
drooped and died? Yes
and how many parents have had to confess
as they have
gazed upon the face of a child cold in death
“Alas
alas
I loved him too
well
and the God who gave him
and who has taken him back
too little?” Over
all human affections we must build our temple
and in it
we must have only one
altar
and only one God--the Lord God of Israel--for remember He is a jealous
God. He loves us so much that He can bear no rival.
III. This narrative
suggests that affliction may not lead to repentance and conversion. Apparently
the first effect of God’s judgments upon them was the same as in the case of
Pharaoh
for their priests and diviners charged them
saying
“Wherefore do ye
harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?” Now
people often speak as if affliction had a softening tendency; producing
or at
any rate
leading up to true repentance
and thorough conversion to God. But
this idea has little
if any
good foundation to rest upon. I believe the
tendency on the whole to be the opposite. Where there is no grace--where no
thought or feeling of the grace of God is entertained in the heart--the
tendency of affliction is to sour and harden. There may be exceptions to this
rule
but I believe they are few. And this must be said
that afflictions
by
themselves
never brought any soul into a state of true repentance. It is not
judgment that wins the alien to God
but mercy. David said
“It was good for me
that I hays been afflicted
” but then David was a child
sad a good child of
God. I say all this with a definite
practical object in view
viz.
to stir us
up to increased zeal in our teachings and preachings of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. God’s judgments upon Pharaoh did not lead him to repentance; His
judgments upon the Philistines did not lead them to repentance; but when Peter
and Paul preached the glorious Gospel of the blessed God
the unbelieving
Gentile
as well as the unbelieving Jew
was pricked in his heart
and in how
many instances savingly converted to God? (Adam Scott.)
Dagon’s ups and downs
When the civil power was joined with the spiritual
and the arm of
flesh came in to patronise and to take into connection with itself the arm of
God’s strength
then it was that the ark was borne away in triumph by its foes.
Another lesson may be learned from the incident before us. When the Philistines
had beaten the Israelites in battle
and captured the sacred chest called the
ark
they boasted and gloried as though they had defeated God Himself. This
touched at once the honour of Jehovah
and because He is a jealous God this
boded good for Israel. The fact that God is a jealous God has often a terrible
side to us
for it leads to our chastisement when we grieve Him; this
indeed
led to the defeat of Israel. But it has also a bright side towards us
for His
jealousy flames against His foes even more terribly than against His friends.
Now
then
whenever at any time infidelity or superstition shall so prevail as
to discourage your minds
take you comfort out of this--that in all these God’s
honour is compromised. Have they blasphemed His name? Then He will protect that
name. Where the living God comes into the soul
Dagon
or the idol god of sin
and worldliness
must go down.
I. The coming back
of the ark into Dagon’s temple was an apt simile of the coming of Christ into
the soul. Dagon
according to the best information
warn the fish god of
Philistia; perhaps borrowed from the Sidonians and men of Tyre
whose main
business was upon the sea
and who therefore invented a marina deity. The upper
part of Dagon was a man or woman
and the lower part of the idol was carved
like a fish. We get a very good idea of it from the common notion of the
fictitious
fabulous creature called a mermaid. Dagon was just a merman or
mermaid; only
of course
there was no pretence of his being alive. He was a
carved image. The temple at Ashdod was
perhaps
the cathedral of Dagon
the
chief shrine of his worship; and there he sat erect upon the high altar with
pompous surroundings. The ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts was a small
wooden box overlaid with gold
by no means a very cumbersome or bulky matter
but nevertheless very sacred
because it had a representative character
and
symbolised the covenant of God.
1. We have now Dagon and the ark in the same temple
sin and grace in
the same heart
but this state of things cannot long abide. No man can serve
two masters
and even if he could then two masters would not agree to be so
served. The two great principles of sin and grace will not abide in peace with
each other
they are as opposite as fire and water.
2. Very likely your Dagon is in the shape of self-righteousness. I
shall call it Dagon
for it is nothing better: one of the worst idols in the
whole world is the idol of self. The self-righteous man boasts that he is as
good as other people
if not rather better
although he is not a Christian.
3. Perhaps the man never had much of this vainglorious
self-righteousness
but he served the Dagon of besetting and beloved sin.
4. Now the parallel may be run a little further: This fall of Dagon
very soon began to be perceived.
5. Now
what happened on the night mentioned in the text? Dagon fell
before the ark when it was all quiet and still in the temple. Thought is the
channel of immense benefit to the soul. Shut the temple doors and let all be
still
and then will the Holy Ghost work wonders in the soul.
II. The setting up
of Dagon the second time
and his second fall
very well represent the battle
going on in the soul between sin and grace.
1. Even thus Satan and the flesh come into our souls and try be set
our fallen Dagon up again with soma measure of success. It often happens that
in young converts there comes a period when it looks as if they had altogether
apostatized and gone back to their former ways. It seems as if the work of God
were not real in their souls
and grace was not triumphant. Do you wonder at
it? I have ceased to wonder. The gospel is preached
and the man accepts it
and there is a marvellous difference in him; but when he goes among his old
companions
although he is resolved not to fall into his former sins
they try
him very severely. He is assailed in a thousand ways! I have known a man when
he has been tempted to go into evil company refuse again
and again
and again.
His tempters have laughed at him
and he has borne it all
but at last be has
lost his temper; and as soon as the enemies have seen his passion boiling up
they have cried out
“Ah
there you are! We have got you.” At such a time as
that the poor man is apt to cry
“Alas
I cannot be a believer
or else I
should not have done this.” Now
all this is a violent attempt of Satan and the
flesh to set Dagon up again. Sometimes they do for a time set Dagon up again
and cause great sorrow in the soul. The wandarers have come back
weeping and
sighing
to own that they have dishonoured their profession: and what has been
the result in the long run? Why
they bare had more humility
more tenderness
of heart
more love to Christ
more gratitude
than they had before.
2. Now
notice that although they again set Dagon up
he had to go
down again with a worse fall. The idol’s head was gone
and even so the
reigning power of sin is utterly broken and destroyed
its beauty
its cunning
its glory are all dashed to atoms. This is the result of the grace of God
and
the sure result of it
if it comes into the soul
however long the conflict may
continue
and however desperate the efforts of Satan to regain his empire. O
believer
sin may trouble thee
but it shall not tyrannize over thee. Then
too
the hands of Dagon were broken off
and even thus the active power
the
working power of sin is taken away. Both the palms of the idol’s hands were cut
off upon the threshold
so that he had not a hand left. Neither right-handed
sin nor left-handed sin shall remain in the believer when God’s sanctifying
grace fetches Dagon down.
3. This happened
too
if you notice
very speedily; for we are told
a second time that
when they arose early on the morrow
behold
Dagon was
fallen upon his face.
III. Though the fish
god was thus maimed and broken
yet the stump of Dagon was left to him. The
original Hebrew is
“Only Dagon was left to him
” or “only the fish”: only the
fishy part remained. The head and the upper portions were broken away
there
remained only the fishy tail of Dagon
and that was all: but that was not
broken.
1. Now
this is the business which brings us so much sorrow--that the
stump of Dagon is left to him. There is the old corruption within us
and there
is no use denying it
because denying it will put us off our guard
will make
many of the puzzles of life to be quite unanswerable
and often bring upon us
great confusion of soul. The other law is within us as well as the law of grace.
2. The stump of Dagon is still left; and because it is left
dear
friends
it is a thing to be watched against
for though that stony stump of
Dagon would not grow in the Philistine temple
yet they would make a new image
and exalt it again
and bow before it as before. Alas
the stump of sin within
us is not a slab of stone
but full of vitality
like the tree cut down
of
which Job said
“At the scent of water it will bud.” Leave the sin that is in
you to itself
and let temptation come in the way
and you shall see that which
will blind your eyes with weeping.
IV. That though the
stump of Dagon was not taken out of the Philistine temple we may go beyond the
history and rejoice that it will be taken from our hearts. The day is coming
brother
sister
in which there will be no more inclination in you to sin than
there is in an angel. John Bunyan represents Mercy as laughing in her sleep.
She had a dream
she said; and she laughed because of the great favours which
were yet to be bestowed upon her. Well
ii some of you were to dream tonight
that the great thing which I have spoken of had actually happened to you
so
that you were completely free from all tendency to sin
would not you also be
as them that dream and laugh for very joy. Think of it--no more cause lot
watchfulness
no more need of weeping over the day’s sin before you fall asleep
at night; no more sin to confess
no devil to tempt you
no worldly care
no
lusting
no envy
no depression of spirit
no unbelief
nothing of the
kind--will not this be a very large part of the joy of heaven? (C. H.
Spurgeon.)
The fall of Dagon
The text reminds us of four things.
I. The inevitable
doom of wrong. Wrong in markets
in governments
churches
in all institutions
and in all lives must fall.
II. The destined
depravation of sinners. Dagon was the object in which the men of Ashdod centred
the deepest sympathies of their soul--their god. No loss to a man is equal to
the loss of his god
the object he loves most; and every sinner must experience
this loss one day. Whatever he loves and prizes most must go from him.
III. The silent
working of God. (D. Thomas
D. D.)
They took Dagon
and set
him in his place again.--
The repair of broken ideals
Because you have broken your purpose do not allow it to go
unmended. Even the heathen with so base a conception of divinity as Dagon was
when Dagon fell to the ground
lifted him up again and put him in his place.
When
not your idol
but your bright ideal
falls to the ground
though its
head and its feet be broken
lift it up and put in its place again. Because you
have broken faith and fealty to that which you meant to be
and meant to do
it
is no reason why you should not swear again
and again go forward. Let your
ideal stand high and bright and pure
though by it every one of you is
condemned
and cast down
as it were
to the very bottom of condemnation. Save
that. Even though a man forsake his purpose
though he is recreant to his
ideal
though he through months and years goes knowingly wrong
let not his
star set. Do not let your ideal go down. (H. W. Beecher.)
The head of Dagon and both
the palms of his hands were cut off.--
The helplessness of idols
The philosopher Heine
in one of his letters written from Paris
says: “Only with pain could I drag myself to the Louvre
and I was nearly
exhausted when I entered the lofty hall where the blessed goddess of beauty
our dear lady of Mile
stands on her pedestal. At her feet I lay a long time
and I wept so passionately that a stone must have had compassion on me. Therefore
the goddess looked down pityingly upon me
yet at the same time inconsolably as
though she would say: ‘See you not that I have no arms
and that
therefore
I
can give you no help?’”
Verse 8
What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel.
The ark of God
It often happens that when a person has at last obtained that
which he most desired he does not know what to do with it. This may be said of
money after a life of economy and strict attention to business; of repose after
a life of toil; and of many other aims and objects in life. Now in the passage
quoted you find the Philistines in a similar difficulty: they had obtained
possession of that which they considered the greatest prize of warfare. It was
a mighty spoil; it caused no little joy to the Philistines; but his loss was a
terrible and crushing blow to Israel. The ark had changed hands. The
Philistines had now in their custody the Ark of God. It was a sore trouble to
them. That material construction is now long ago broken up and destroyed: the
wood and gold have perished; but the Divine Presence still lives on. The Church
preserves her identity under all adverse circumstances: the Ark remained the
same sacred witness to God’s Truth wherever carried. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16.) It is
wonderful to notice how God’s Spirit forces this fact upon the world. The world
is compelled to recognise the presence of religion
however it may recoil from
the claims of religion. The history of the world ever since the Christian era
commenced is a proof of this: what would become of any record of the first
three centuries which failed to take account of the religious element? The
history of the Roman Empire at that time is
in fact
the history of the
Church. History tells you how Christianity springing up in the Roman provinces
perplexed the authorities; how at last it spread; how outbreaks of persecution
only tended to strengthen and deepen its roots; but yet all proves how the
world had begun to ask this question as to the religion of the day: “What shall
we do with the Ark of God?” Then
again: how much more attentively the action
of the Church is now watched by the public
than used to be the case formerly.
Whatever it be which relates to religion
there is the same watchfulness from
without. Again and again the world enquires
at moments the most trivial
at
social parties
at merry meetings
just for the sake of saying something
or to
start a subject
“What shall we do with the Ark of God?” And see only how
religion is employed to puff literature. Some periodical or magazine is
started: it will not sell unless there be an element of religion in it. It is only
one other instance of the editor eyeing religion
considering what he can get
out of the religious element which will find him readers: he only says
“What
shall we do with the Ark of God?” And further. Consider the prejudices of the
present day. Mark the obvious success of attempts which at first were regarded
cynically or coldly. The world has been convinced that Church principles cannot
easily be laughed out of court
and that conscientious convictions are worthy
of respect; that blameless lives conduce to the welfare of society. So
gradually the world tempers its opposition; it wishes to moderate religious
enthusiasm; it desires to reduce the Church to its own level; it would like to
enjoy all successes which the Church achieves in fashioning well-ordered
citizens; but at the same time the world would tie down the action of the
Church to the limits of the popular will. “What shall we do to these men? For
that a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all those that
dwell in Jerusalem.” “What shall we do with the Ark of God?” But with regard to
your own relation to holy things; does not this perplexity of the Philistines
find an answer in your own hearts? You have lived many years with the light of
truth burning brightly before you
God has cast your lot in a Christian land
not in a land of idols. God has blessed you with a religious home
with serious
parents. How have you regarded holy things? Have not you sometimes felt them
irksome? as if you did not quite know what to do with religion; as if the
things of God stood in your way; as if they shackled you; as if they dwarfed
the development of your life
and paralysed somewhat the hopes of your career?
And yet you did not like to send the Ark away; you would not give up religion;
you recognised its value too highly; you were afraid to east off God and to
disown Him; yet a secret wish sprang up that you had never known so much of
truth; you almost deemed the heathen happy
because you fancied that he could
have no embarrassing scruples. “What were you to do with the Ark of God!” It so
often came across your path; every now and then disputing the way; telling you
that you must not do this or that. At such moments did not religion seem
unwelcome? somewhat as an intruder? For thus it is that religious scruples do
harass men when they least like it. God’s mercy sends the Angel to bar the way:
and such is God’s love
the Angel moves further and further into narrow places
where there is no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left; narrow
places where the choice more directly confronts the sinner; where he may see
more evidently the blackness of sin in contrast with the pure white light of
holiness. There is nothing more contemptible
or more miserable
than shifting
about between two opinions. The Philistines were never more wretched than when
they were employed in passing on the Ark from one city to another. Shame and
disease marked that period of seven months’ indecision. It was far better when
they sent the Ark back to its rightful owners. At least it was a decided step;
there was no halting between two opinions if you want to insult God
then
use
religion as a tool for your own convenience and not as a principle of life. The
sin of the world has lain chiefly in this prostitution of religion. It has
proved the curse and downfall of nations; the deterioration and ruin of man.
Heathen ignorance is better than Christian indifference; depend upon it
nothing is so prolific of infidelity as indecision. Balaam tampering with the
commands of God; Ahab sending for
but not obeying
Micaiah; Herod hearing John
gladly
but persisting in his adultery; Judas following Jesus
but selling Him
for silver; Demas beginning well
but falling away to self-indulgence; these
are the emissaries which the devil employs to deceive mankind. Rather learn by
God’s grace to regard religion and truth’s claims not as a moral intrusion
but
as affording a principle on which to rule your life. Religion is not a subject
to be handled at our will; it is not just now and then to serve our turn
and
then to be laid aside for some possible future use; but it is a principle to
enter into all our ways. (C. A. Raymond
M. A.)
Verse 12
The cry of the city.
The cry of the city
There is a hum of the city in its ceaseless activity
a shout in
its occasional excitement
a song in its periodic mirth
but a cry in its
constant want
distress
pain. Paul heard it at Athens and his “heart was
stirred”; Jesus at Jerusalem and “He wept.” Do we not hear it in every city
and is not the cry somewhat thus?
I.
I am sensitive and might be touched with truth and love.
II.--I am restless
and so always seeking some unattained good.
III.--I am strong and
might be powerful for God and humanity.
IV.--I am sinful and
must have religion or ruin. Does anyone fail to hear these cries
let him
listen to “The Bitter Cry of Outcast London
” or gaze sadly at “Horrible
London
” or pendent “The Politics of the very Poor.” (Homilist.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》