Monday, June 21, 2010

843- When the gods fall

June 27, 2010

Sermon #843

When the gods fall

1 Samuel 5:1 - 5 (NKJV) 1Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.  2When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 
3And 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. 
4And 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. 
5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.


 

Introduction:

I have to set up the story:

  • The Philistines defeated the army of Israel.
  • The men of Israel asked the question as to why they were defeated.
  • The men of Israel decided it was because they had left the "Ark of God" behind.
  • They attack with the "Ark of God" but once more are defeated.
  • The Philistines capture the "Ark of God."
  • The Philistines decide to honor the God of Israel by placing Him with Dagon.
  • It is discovered that the statue of Dagon has fallen.
  • They replace Dagon.
  • The next morning Dagon has its head and hands cut off and has fallen before the "Ark of God."


     

    • The Church is the Ark of God – Philistines are still on the attack

  1. Intellectual knowledge has attacked the Church

    Colossians 2:8 - 10 (NKJV) 8Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  9For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 
    10and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.


     

    2 Corinthians 10:4 - 6 (NKJV) 4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 
    5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 
    6and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.


     

    B. Science has attacked the Church

    ILL:
    The Origin of Species
    in 1859 was a direct attack on the Bible.


     

  2. Social and Political form has attacked the Church

    ILL: You cannot make the world perfect by the "Great Society" The Government cannot be God!


 

1 Samuel 6:1 - 12 (NKJV) 1Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 
2And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place."
3So they said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you."
4Then they said, "What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?"
They answered, "Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 


 

5Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your gods, and from your land. 
6Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart? 
7Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. 
8Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. 
9And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance."


 

10Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 
11And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors. 
12Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

Conclusion: You cannot come to God any way you choose

1 Chronicles 13:7 - 10 (NKJV) 7So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 
8Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.
9And when they came to Chidon's threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 
10Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. 


 

John 14:6 (NKJV) 6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
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