Who said that the Creator doesn't possess a great sense of humor? Since I started walking with Yeshua, I am surprised every single day by our Lord, especially in the way He teaches me Scriptures.
I don't read the Bible in the rigid and unproductive way I used to. Actually, I read it less, but more efficiently, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Yeshua shows me the portion of Scripture He wants me to read. Yesterday I stumbled across the story of 1 Samuel 5, a story of defeat for Israel, but also of huge humiliation for the Philistines and their idol Dagon. I couldn't help but laugh while thinking of the hemorrhoids of the Philistines...
Breaking the fish-God idol
"Now the Philistines had captured the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, where they positioned it beside Dagon. When the residents of Ashdod got up early the next day, Dagon was lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him back in his place. But when they got up early the following day, Dagon was again lying on the ground before the ark. The head of Dagon and his two hands were sheared off and were lying at the threshold. Only Dagon's body was left intact." 1 Samuel 5:1-5
Who is Dagon? Dagon comes from the Hebrew word dag ( fish). This pagan deity used to be revered by the Philistines.
Hashem shows Israel's enemies His power and breaks their vain idol.
In the same way, we must bear in mind that any idol or behavior of idolatry ( "avoda zara" in Hebrew, foreign cult, will be broken before the true God of Israel). It is high time to for everybody to make the right choice: who will you serve? A wooden man-made idol and man-made pagan traditions and dogmas or Hashem?
Remember: no idolater will be admitted to the Kingdom of Heaven. Make sure that you are serving Hashem with all your heart, your soul and your might (Deuteronomy 6:4). Also, make sure, that you are committed to the true Messiah of Israel, Yeshua, not a man-made greek deity.
Physical punishment
But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon those of Ashdod, and He destroyed them and smote the with hemorrhoids in Ashdod and within all their borders." 1 Samuel 5:6It is a huge dishonor for the God of Israel to reside in the middle of idolaters. It is said that the hand of God was heavy on the Philistines, who were plagued in Ashdod and in Ekron.
Great was the panic among people; the ones who didn't die were plagued with hemorrhoids. In some versions of the Bible, the term hemorrhoids is also translated by "tumors".
One can imagine that the Philistines were in serious trouble and had to give the ark back to the children of Israel.
Yet the restitution of the ark will not solve Israel's problems. Israel is also undergoing Hashem's judgment.
Hashem is rightful in His judgments. Great is our Lord, let us give Him high praise, always.
Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
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