Sunday Recap for 9/17 Big Picture Question: What does it mean that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess?
Sunday, September 17, 2017, Evident Grace Fellowship looked at 1 Samuel 5.
1 Samuel 5:1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
6 The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.[a] 7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?”
They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
9 But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.[b] 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” 11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it[c] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. 12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
In those verses, we looked at this Big Picture Question:
What does it mean that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess?
And we found these 3 answers:
- All other systems fail.
- The church has a voice.
- God is holy.
All other systems will fail.
1 Samuel 5:1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
The Philistines took the Ark of God captive and placed it in the temple of Dagon, their warrior, fishy, fertility god. Yet, God causes Dagon to fall over, and they prop him back up. Then God breaks off Dagon’s hands and head. God demonstrates that He will not be controlled by anyone or anything. He demonstrates that the religion of Dagon is false.
We must own this truth. Every system in this world will fall before god. No government will continue in heaven. No economy, and no other religion. All things will come under the subjection of God.
The church has a voice
1 Samuel5:6 The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors. 7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?” They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
God inflicts tumors on multiple cities of the Philistines. Each city that gets the ark suffers, and the people ask what they should do. The church must realize that the world is suffering and going to suffer. And when they cry out what to do, the church must provide the vision of repenting and crying out in faith to Jesus.
God is holy
1 Samuel 5:9 But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” 11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it[c] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. 12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
God is holy, and He brings judgement for sin. Again, the church is called by God to proclaim Jesus so that many, many will cry out in faith.
Big Picture Question: What does it mean that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess
Truth: God uses the church’s proclamation of his holiness to bring every knee and tongue into submission.
Application: Live knowing that God is actively working to proclaim His holiness in your life to the world.
Action: This week, remove one thing from your life that is not in submission to the holiness of God – if it isn’t painful, it doesn’t count. If it isn’t something you love, it doesn’t count.