C.H. Spurgeon wisely said concerning sceptics who prefer to remain sceptical, "Our business is not to supply men with arguments by informing them of difficulties...Unbelievers only 'glean their blunted shafts, and shoot them at the shield of truth again.' Our object is not to conquer them in logical encounters, but to save their souls." (Spurgeon, C. H. Lectures to my Students. Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan Publishing House, 1989. pg. 270) Today I read a passage in 1 Samuel which illustrates this tendency to hold onto faulty ideas and idols well.
The Philistines had captured the ark of God in battle and placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon. 1 Samuel 5:3 says, "And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again." During the night, the idol Dagon fell before the ark of God. Instead of ditching their god which had eyes but could not see, they propped up the image again. It was a strange thing Dagon had fallen, but the image would surely be secure due to their efforts.
The story then gets better. 1 Samuel 5:4 reads, "And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso was left of it." I wonder if the Philistines were surprised when they found Dagon smashed to bits when they entered the temple in the morning! The KJV says only the stump of Dagon remained intact. What a strange thing, that Dagon would again fall prostrate before the ark of the God of Israel!
1 Samuel 5:5 shows the sad folly of unbelief in God and His mighty power: "Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day." Instead of reverencing the God of Israel before whom their idol fell, they chose to honour the place where their idol fell and rid themselves of the ark of God. Why didn't they reject their idol instead of God? Our natural tendency is to be loyal to a fault, even to faulty ideas not supported in scripture. Our faith in Christ and His Word is a most reasonable one, and though we do not know all things in knowing God we have His great wisdom at our disposal.
Instead of trusting in ideas or things of this world which ultimately will fall and fail, let us choose to place our faith on Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone. Jesus has proved His power over sin and death. Not one who builds on this foundation will not be put to shame! Jesus affirms in Luke 20:18, "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
The Philistines had captured the ark of God in battle and placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon. 1 Samuel 5:3 says, "And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again." During the night, the idol Dagon fell before the ark of God. Instead of ditching their god which had eyes but could not see, they propped up the image again. It was a strange thing Dagon had fallen, but the image would surely be secure due to their efforts.
The story then gets better. 1 Samuel 5:4 reads, "And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso was left of it." I wonder if the Philistines were surprised when they found Dagon smashed to bits when they entered the temple in the morning! The KJV says only the stump of Dagon remained intact. What a strange thing, that Dagon would again fall prostrate before the ark of the God of Israel!
1 Samuel 5:5 shows the sad folly of unbelief in God and His mighty power: "Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day." Instead of reverencing the God of Israel before whom their idol fell, they chose to honour the place where their idol fell and rid themselves of the ark of God. Why didn't they reject their idol instead of God? Our natural tendency is to be loyal to a fault, even to faulty ideas not supported in scripture. Our faith in Christ and His Word is a most reasonable one, and though we do not know all things in knowing God we have His great wisdom at our disposal.
Instead of trusting in ideas or things of this world which ultimately will fall and fail, let us choose to place our faith on Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone. Jesus has proved His power over sin and death. Not one who builds on this foundation will not be put to shame! Jesus affirms in Luke 20:18, "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
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