Subscription Lists

Word from Scotland

    by Sandy Shaw

When Deep Darkness Falls - Shine Jesus Shine
Date Posted: October 28, 2024

I Samuel Chapters 4,5 can challenge our early views and understanding of our faithful God. Israel and the Philistines underestimated and misunderstood God and His ways. The Philistines thought they had defeated Israel. It looked like it! Did they think the God of Israel was finished? Did they think He was a fraud?

There was no intrinsic power in the Ark – it was a useless box without the presence of God. It was a symbol to bring people and attract people to God and to remind people of what Almighty God had done in the past. It might also be likened to wearing a cross.

God is His own witness when His people fail. God will not let His cause fail or fall to the ground. The instrument of mercy and reassurance became an instrument of judgement.

What a victory the Philistines had – but then it all went wrong.

The Ark was placed beside Dagon in the Philistines place of prayer. The mercy seat was under the roof of an idol. The cherubim now spread their wings out under the roof of a false god.

Dagon had a house. God had a tabernacle – a tent.

In the middle of the night God begins to work – it is awesome.

The same house cannot hold both. Dagon fell before God – smashed his face – a sign of beauty – destroyed his head – the sign of wisdom – and broke his hands – the sign of power. Poor Dagon – how humiliating – there was nothing he could do – and of course do nothing for his people the Philistines. Dagon was a Canaanite god.

They had to pick Dagon up – and set him up. Can you imagine the Philistines going into that temple in the morning and finding Dagon on the ground before the Ark of the God of Israel? God made it clear that Dagon was nothing. The God behind the Ark was a threatening towering power.

Do not dare interfere with the things which belong to ME!

In Psalm 2 – we read of God laughing – that does not mean He is amused – but He holds certain people in derision. We can know something of exhibiting a grim humour when we shake our head.

Release the Word of God and God can work in ways we never thought of. Here is the presence of God being seen and experienced in hostile territory.

Think of the martyrdom of Stephen – surely that would be the end of the Christians. No – the Word of God grew and multiplied – as Saul was touched and challenged and later transformed.

We read of tumours and boils and painful growths appear. There is reference to a plague of rats – it is well known that rats can carry the bubonic plague which can cause growths in the lymph nodes in armpit and groin which can lead on to death.

The Ark had not lost its power. They send the Ark to Gath where similar things happened – and then on to Ekron. They panned it off to another centre – which was not very fraternal. They tried to pass God on – and the reaction was – anywhere but with us!

We get that today – you can speak on any topic apart from God and Jesus and the Bible.

Verses 10,11 – O no – please don’t bring that in here! Send it back to Israel before it kills us all.

God brings plagues and death until it is finally returned to Israel.

Dagon – fish – or fishtail – or mermaid – half man and half fish – a unifying of life giving power through water – a fish god – a fertility god.

This went on for months – we read about it in Chapter 6 . These pagans realised this – if they have sinned against God a guilt offering is necessary. Sin gets you into trouble with God and God knows about it.

The Philistines knew about the power of Almighty God before the people of Almighty God recognised it.

1Chronicles 10 verse 10 – the death of Saul and the connection with Dagon.

Judges 16 verses 21to 30 . Samson pulled it down. Man can rebuild humanism and secularism and falsehoods.

The Word of God is not to be tampered with, nor treated lightly.

It is like a mighty tanker being changed from full speed ahead to full steam astern.

It takes time – four or five miles. It could take years to turn around a nation.

Mark 5 verse 14 – when they saw an example of the rescuing healing releasing power of God they told Jesus to go – they sent Jesus away. We meet people who would rather send God away, than change their way of life, and their philosophy, and their morals.

“Loving merciful Father – there are lessons here we wish we did not have to learn – but learn we must because we meet this type of attitude and behaviour today. Protect us through the power of the Holy Spirit – watch over us loving Jesus and Holy Spirit, continue to intercede for us. You see the dangers around us. You see the darkness. Shine Jesus Shine! We look to you – help us. Amen.”

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Dependent

Read Article »
Biography Information:

Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!

Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.

Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.

Got Something to Share?
LiveAsIf.org is always looking for new writers. Whether it is a daily devotional or a weekly article, if you desire to encourage others to know Him better, then signup to become a contributor.