Have you ever read the story of Dagon in I Samuel 5?  If not, then I encourage you to stop reading this post and go read it right now.   In all candor, it will make more sense if you also read chapter 4 before it.  Since I know some of you are either at work or won’t take the time to read either one, let me bring it to a brief thought.  The Israelites looked on the Ark of God almost like a talisman, i.e. “we have it so it will keep God on our side and we will win.”  They went to battle against the Philistines and the Ark was captured, Eli’s sons were killed, and as a result of his grief Eli himself also died by falling over backwards and breaking his neck.  The Bible says, “for he was old and heavy.”  Eli’s daughter-in-law gave birth to a son and in her grief named him Ichabod (that was even before Charles Dickens)  because  “the glory has departed from Israel.”  So ends chapter 4.  The Philistines take the Ark and put it in the temple of Dagon and here is where it gets really interesting.  Dagon was the supreme god in their collection of gods.  He was the one who was above all the other gods.  To him there was no equal.   Verse 3 says, “And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord.”  That has got to be a “Holy Mackerel” moment (or is that a daggone moment?)!  Anyway, they pick him back up and when they return the next morning Dagon has not only fallen over again but his hands and his head were lying next to it.  Reckon they figured it was a lost cause to try it again because they were done.

Do you see any symbolism in this? I don’t know maybe I am making too much of this or reading too much into it but do you think there is something in this that Dagon is found on his face before the Ark of God and then next time his hands and head are broken off and his trunk lies before the Ark?   Maybe I am…but then maybe I am not.  Is this not the way we ought to be coming into the presence of the King?  Is this not what God wants when we enter His throne room?    How could I possibly stand when I am so deeply aware of my unworthiness to be in His presence?  Listen to this song and then I hope you will take a moment to comment on my thoughts.

Any thoughts?  Am I off base?