1 Samuel 5:6-12 – It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hand of God

Dagon was defeated and the people of Ashdod were petrified. Why were they? Verse 6 tells us that the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of God. So, the people of Ashdod were smitten with tumors. This verse made it clear that the whole land of Ashdod and its territories were ravaged by tumors. This could mean that the whole place was inflicted by a serious plague. They immediately put one and one together and realized that what happened to them was the hand of God. Immediately, they knew that the Ark of the God of Israel could not remain with them in Ashdod. Notice how the Philistines referred to the Ark. In verse 8, they called it the Ark of the God of Israel. It was an inner knowing that the God of Israel is greater. Who wouldn’t since Dagon whom they respected and honored was now without head and hands? Despite the afflictions they had suffered at the hand of God, their pride would not allow them to let go of the Ark. For this was their prize catch. So, the lords of the Philistines, five of them, gathered in consultation. They then decided to send the Ark to Gath. We wonder what the lord of Gath thought of the decision. Anyway, even if he had disagreed, he would be outvoted four to one.

So they brought the Ark to Gath. What then happened at Gath would not surprise anyone. Verse 9 tells us that “After they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.” They suffered the same consequence that happened at Ashdod. In great confusion, the people of Gath had the Ark sent to Ekron without consultation. As soon as the Ark reached Ekron, the terrified people of that city cried, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people.” Fear and terror had overtaken the people.

When they first captured the Ark, they were in rapturous joy. Now they could not wait to send it away. The experiences of the forks at Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron tell us that it is a fearful thing to face the wrath of God. That’s what the New Testament Hebrews 10:31 affirms, that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Remember that vengeance is the Lord’s and He will repay it. Hence, wisdom dictates that we should live for Him, in order to have His peace and not His wrath!