Philistines And The Ark
While Samuel kept serving God Eli was getting old. Sons Hophni and Phineas were wicked and growing bold. God warned that He would punish them, but punishment had not come. Now Israel battled the Philistines and the Philistines had won. Israel said let's get the Ark of God. Maybe then we won't die. They did not say we trust in God, but let's give God a try. So Eli's sons came with the ark against the Philistine host. This made the Philistines fear and shake as if they'd seen a ghost. This God delivered Israel from Egypt's mighty hand. There is no God like Israel's God. This isn't what we planned. But that was very long ago. We won last time we fought. The Philistines said we'll win again. Don't fear this ark they brought. The battle raged. Philistia won. They killed both Eli's boys. They took the Ark. All Israel mourned. Eli asked, what is this noise? Your sons are dead. The Ark is gone. The army is a wreck. At 98 old Eli tipped his chair and broke his neck. The Philistines took the Covenant Ark. They thought they'd conquered God. In time instead of celebrate they each nurse their emerod. For now they set the conquered Ark below their god Dagon. Next day he'd fallen on his face before the morning dawn. Some god this Dagon idol that can't stand any more. They set him back but once again God knocked him to the floor. But that's not all, God sent a plague. There was no place to hide. Now the Philistines groaned in pain and many of them died. For seven months Philistia groaned, now desperate in their grief. We have to send this ark away. We must get some relief. Don't send it empty. Send a gift. Pray God will heal our land. Send gifts of gold so Israel's God will lighten up His hand. Don't make the same mistake as Egypt did of old. God drowned them all now make a cart. Return the Ark with gold. The Philistines got two mother cows and took their calves away. We'll see if Israel's mighty God won't let them go astray. And sure enough those mother cows went lowing as they trod, straight to the Levite's field, led by the hand of God. The Philistines saw it and returned unto their homes again. O're Israel they could battle. O're God, they could not win.
 - Click to Play . .
|