1 Samuel 5:1-7 KJV
1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

I often wonder why God does a miracle of destruction that humanly was possible to be done, to scare the enemy. The only reason I can come up with that their ignorance was beyond idol worship. If God had squished them with his foot they would of been terrified, but that was he was fixing to do. He gave the tumors/hemeroids(emerods). They could not go back into the temple of Dagon. What happened in the temple? The ark of God that Ashdod stole from Israel was placed beside their god. When this happen by morning it had fallen over, much like a parlor trick. It must not have been to difficult to resurrect Dagon by his people, but by the next morning Dagon had falled again, but this time his head and both his palms of his hands were gone, leaving only a stump. God of the ark of the covenant had knock Dagon over, and God is sending a warning he is going to cripple Asdod. God demonstrated the authority and power he had when Dagon had fallen.

Two inanimated structure, one anointed by God's very presence and one idol, with no power. Most people today would of made a joke of this event and thought little on it, but to glue the arms and head back on Dagon and set him up again. However to Ashdod something was happening spiritually. God did not stop at knocking Dagon down and cutting off his arms and head. He began to send them hemroids(tumors). And they decide that the Ark of Covenant would not remain in their village.

Asdod wanted what Israel had but they did not want their God, They seen the God of israel and though he was equal to Dagon, only discover God had power. People either fear God in revence or are terrified of God because of his power to send a plague upon them. Did anyone fear China because of plague, no, in this day and time, we just get busy looking for the antedote. And in reality even with pills there are many variants of this one plague of our century that the world does their best to keep on top of the problem.

What is my point, when God does something, he makes it clear it is his power and his might that does it. Dagon falling over seem like a parlor trick by someone, but when it happened again, they became fearful and would not enter the house of Dagon, and when the plague struck they knew they had to get rid of Israel's Ark of the Covenant. Why did they not bow to the God of Israel instead, why did they not surrender to God. Fear either cause you to bow or to run. Fear can make you cast something away or pull into you. Scientist all over the world wanted that germ cov to look at, but no one wants the plague to make them sick. It is the firemen of the science world that grab their microscopes and study. It is the world being chased by the enemy the plague of the 21 century. Those that know what to do in a bad situation embrace it, and those that no not what to do often run. It has to do with preparation, strategy and common sense.

Asdod had no strategy concern this strange God, or did the understand the reality of God and how to honor him. They thought they had the power to take the Ark of the Covenant, and found that God had the power to destroy them. No plan of action until it occurs that the only choice they had was to get rid of the Ark of the Covenant. When they did they were healed, but they only learned of the power of God and that they were afraid of it. In other words they return what was Israel back to Israel.

They understood God was not a God they could control or knew how to appease. With that came let ship him to people who knew him. Ever had a kid out of control, call a parent and the child hearing their mother voice calmed down. Strange, no, they know their mother voice and their father's voice. They know the one that takes care of them and loves them. God is not two, but he is a God that will not allow anyone just to use him. His wrath is real. He not equal to another God or will He bow to another god that is not part of the triune Godhead. He knows who he is, but those that were experience God's wrath knew not God nor the holiness of God. God bows to his word.

Many read scripture and can even teach it but know not God. They teach from tools designed by children of God. Yet God has the power to demonstrate who he is, and they either fall to their knees, or run and hide. One year when the manger scene was being errected in a town, a worker toss baby Jesus with no regard of who he represented, and after that he had bad luck. Now most of us would just smile and think nothing more, because the manger is only a depiction of the first Nativity scene. It has no power in one sense, but in the spiritual sense it had power. When we disrepect God, think we can control God or Christ, we need to think again. God might use object as a reminder of who he is or his son is, but it the heart that is in question. Asdod had no revence for God.

Do we have reverence for God or are we just going through the motions of playing church? you can only ask yourself that. God knows your heart, your soul, your inward being and your mind. God created you. New Year is coming, will you decide to honor God in your whole being, will your receive Christ in your heart. Are you prepared to kneel before God or to run and hope he doesn't chase you? God often does something we can not understand. He took and set a fear upon Asdod, but he would teach them that He wished them no harm, when they return the Ark of the Covenant, God did heal them. They learn respect for the Ark of the Covenant.

Often when a thief repays, he is given respect, if a killer could restore life, I think the world would look at them differently. God takes life, but he has the power to restore it. He can destroy, but he also can build. How you view God either has revengeful, or with power to correct and to build up, to remove the problem and make one's pathway smooth? If you said God can correct and build, this outlook will change how you view God if all you seen was God's revenge in scripture. If I could only preach about God's love, that would be my rather, but never to tell you God can revenge and correct you, would make you particially blind to God. He does expects certain things from believers, those that receive him as Savior and those that believe but never receive his salvation. Asdod received salvation when they returned The Ark of God. I just know there were people that feared God outside of Israel based on scripture and there people in our world today with respect for God that never received his greatest gift of salvation. Are you going to share in 2022 about God's greatest gift of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus?

Dear Heavenly Father set the line in the hearts of the world concerning fear and running and fear in revence to your Holy name and salvation through your Son. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Isaiah 44:1-28 KJV
1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
5 One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.