1 Samuel 4, 5, and 6 tell us of the mighty power of God…

Israel went out to war with the Philistines.  Israel lost 4,000 men.  When the soldiers got back into camp they asked the elder’s of Israel, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today against the Philistines?”  They said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant to our camp.” So Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas came with the Ark.  Israel had not followed God’s word and Eli’s two sons did evil things and they had no regard for the Lord.

When the Ark of the Lord came into camp, all Israel raised a great shout, so much the ground shook.  Hearing the uproar the Philistines knew God had come into the Israelite camp.  They said “we are doomed! “ This is the same God, who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues.

But, the slaughter was great, Israel lost 30,000 foot soldiers and they captured the Ark of the Covenant and Eli’s two sons were killed.  The Philistines put the Ark of God into the temple of their god Dagon.  The next morning Dagon had fallen on his face on the ground before the Ark (Imagine That), so they stood him back up and left.  The next morning his hands and his feet had been broken off and Dagon was fallen on his face again to the Ark of God.  The Lord’s hand was heavy on the Philistines and brought devastation and tumors on the people until they returned the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites.

Brothers and Sisters, we see here an example of the Power of Our God.  We find many lessons in these 3 Chapters.   Israel thought they didn’t need God so they went into battle without him and got slaughtered.  We cannot go into this world and fight our everyday battles of temptation, evil, and trials without God and His guidance through the Bible.  When we have God on our side we have to obey him and reach out for Him all the time.  Our last lesson is our God is the only God.  I think it is funny that Dagon, their man-made god, was bowing down to the Ark of God.  We see how powerful our God is.  Read Psalm 104 and you will see another example of the Power of God.  He is great, clothed with honor and majesty.  Our God will never leave us or forsake us.

Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations, Deuteronomy 7:9.