‏ 1 Samuel 5

* Dagon is broken before the ark. (1-5) The Philistine smitten.

(6-12)

1-5 See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan

will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before

truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace

in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion

seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the

day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the

covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed

Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them

up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous

gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But

pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and

crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let

us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have

them more entirely destroyed. 6-12 The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he

not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised

their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead

of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark.

Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would

rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter

into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their

friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only

increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have

enough of it.