14 May ESOCS Devotional
TEXT: 1SAMUEL 5:1-12
MEMORY VERSE
“But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of LORD. His head and hands had been broken off…” 1Samuel 5:4
There is no better way to measure supremacy than with a contest between the powers in question. In 1Samuel 4, we read that the Philistines, in the course of battle with Israel capture the Ark of God. They took it that their god, Dragon, was superior to the God of Israel. For that reason, they harboured the Ark of God in the temple of Dagon. Little did they know that anyone who contends with the power of God would surely learn by experience that God is supreme. In verse 3 of our text, we learn that Dagon bowed before the Ark of God. It is written thus, “Early the next morning the people saw that the statute of Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground in front of the LORD’s Covenant Box….”
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
God does not fail to warn people through signs and wonders, and sometimes through direct words through His message. Those who repent and return to God find mercy. But those who continue to contend with God suffer absolute defeat. No one should ever venture into such path of life. The Philistines did not get the signal. They continued to contend with God and the next signal they got was that of defeat. Verse 4 of our text puts in thus: “Early the following morning, they saw that the statue had again fallen down in front of the Covenant Box. This time its head and both its arms were broken off…”
The worst thing to do when we are dissatisfied with God is try to change tactics or location in order to find a better way to defeat the purpose of God. The people of Ashdod did this and He dealt with them. In verse 6 we read that “The LORD punished the people of Ashdod severely and terrified them…”(See also verses 7-12).
In all matters and circumstances, we must recognize the God of heaven as supreme. No one can successfully contend with God. Thus, when you hear the word of God, you have to do nothing but trust and obey.
CHALLENGES
√ Is there any reason why we should not hearken to the word of God?
PRAYER POINT
√ Lord, I submit to your supreme authority, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
FURTHER READING
√ 1Samuel 6:1-12; Revelation 5:9-14; 6:1-8
