52 – The Loss of the Ark of the Covenant – Part 2

FULL MEETING WITH MIDRASH HERE

NOTE: THE TRANSCRIPT IS NOT EXACTLY LIKE THE RECORDING.

1 Samuel 5:1  Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
1 Samuel 5:2  The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 

I’m not going to get into this demon deity and who he is. It does not matter. We don’t learn to detect the counterfeit by studying the counterfeit. We learn to detect the counterfeit by studying the original. In this case, the original is YHVH and this demon and his image are the counterfeit. He has now prostrated himself before YHVH face down, not willingly, but by being forced to because of the holiness of YHVH! How do we know YHVH forced Dagon to bow to Himself? Watch this!

1 Samuel 5:3  When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
1 Samuel 5:4  When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact. 

Dagon was decapitated by YHVH and his hands were cut off! These were the capital punishments for treason (decapitation) and thievery (hands cut off) in the ANE! Dagon’s decapitation and cut off hands sent a message to the Philistines about the god they worshiped and who was really in control.

How did Dagon commit treason against YHVH? Why was he a thief? He is a demon, one who followed Lucifer in the war against YHVH.

John 10:10  The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. 

Who comes to steal, kill, and destroy?

1 Peter 5:8  Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

The hubris, and huge mistake, of setting YHVH beside Dagon went right over the Philistines’ heads. They had no idea what they were doing. YHVH will not share His glory and they found that out!

1 Samuel 5:5  Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon’s house, step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day. 

1 Samuel 5:6  But Yahweh’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders. 

Those tumors were (Strong’s H6076), ‛ôphel’, meaning a hill or mound. This word is also translated as hemorrhoids. This akin to the boils YHVH put on the Egyptians. And the message from YHVH to the Philistines was that they were a bunch of asses!

1 Samuel 5:7  When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god.” 

The Philistines realized that YHVH has control of them AND their demon deity. Right here is where the Philistines had their chance to recognize YHVH as their own redeemer, but they didn’t. They sent Him away. This is the typical behavior of the flesh. Rather than change, reject YHVH.

1 Samuel 5:8  They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath.” They carried the ark of the God of Israel there. 

There were 5 lords, rulers in Gaza, one for each major city. Not willing to let the Ark go, they simply put it within another of the Philistine cities.

1 Samuel 5:9  It was so, that after they had carried it there, Yahweh’s hand was against the city with a very great destruction; and he struck the men of the city, both small and great so that tumors broke out on them. 

Scripture does not say where in Gath the Ark was taken but, apparently, they did not sit Him next to a Dagon image again. And then, the same tumors the men of Ashdod received began to afflict the men of Gath.

1 Samuel 5:10  So they sent God’s ark to Ekron. As God’s ark came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to us, to kill us and our people.”
1 Samuel 5:11  They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 

Wherever the Ark went in Philistia, the plagues became worse. The deadly destruction was a rodent infestation (1 Samuel 6:4).

Last week, I said YHVH got up and left Israel, His wife (Psalm 78:60). But I want you now to understand that He did not put Israel away from Himself or divorce her. He left in order to give Israel time to think about what they had done. In this situation, YHVH is still defending Israel! YHVH is faithful even when we are not.

Deuteronomy 7:23  But Yahweh your God will deliver them up before you, and will destroy them with a great destruction, until they are destroyed.

The verse literally says: YHVH your God will deliver them before you, and will agitate (Strong’s 1949, ‘hum’) them with great destruction (Strong’s H4103, ‘mehumah’) until they are desolate (Strong’s H8045 desolate or overthrown).

YHVH was still defending His wife, unfaithful as she was!

1 Samuel 5:12  The men who didn’t die [from the deadly rodent infestation] were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
1 Samuel 6:1  Yahweh’s ark was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 

Seven months is significant because YHVH completed His mission which was to punish the Philistines and bring His own people to repentance. The number seven tells us this is a divine plan. Just as this 7 month period brought destruction to Israel and her enemy simultaneously, there will be a many sevens associated with the coming Great Tribulation. The Ark being in Philistine territory is a small parallel to the end times destruction.

1 Samuel 6:2  The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with Yahweh’s ark? Show us how we should send it to its place.”
1 Samuel 6:3  They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return a trespass offering to him. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.”
1 Samuel 6:4  Then they said, “What should the trespass offering be which we shall return to him?” They said, “Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 

The Philistines were overthrown by YHVH, alone and all by Himself without the aid of Israel. The Philistines suffered humiliation, disease and death. They would never again be afraid of Israel, but Israel’s God? Oh yeah! That is why David told Goliath he had come to battle in the name of YHVH. The name of YHVH had not disappeared from Philistine memory between this incident and that one with David.

We must take courage from the name of our God, YHVH! His name is not just a name. His name is equivalent with His reputation. Our human names are equivalent with our reputation. But His name is the most powerful name because He created everything. YHVH’s name is His reputation. And His reputation is holy, righteous powerful.

1 Samuel 6:5  Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his hand from you, from your gods, and from your land. 

The tumors, little mounds of gold, and images of mice, were the Philistines signal to YHVH that they understood He was treating them the way He had treated Egypt with plagues and diseases (1 Samuel 6:6). The rodent plague was from Him just like the plague of frogs in Egypt.

The demons need images to facilitate humans worshiping them. Therefore, the Philistines intended their images as an act of worship for submission.

1 Samuel 6:6  Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed? 

The Philistines compared their plagues to those that happened in Egypt 440 years earlier. YHVH’s reputation, His name, lived on in the minds of these uncircumcised Gentile Philistines, and even to this day. It was the Israelites who had a problem remembering! It is still the Israelites who can’t remember the power of His name!

1 Samuel 6:7  “Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
1 Samuel 6:8  and take Yahweh’s ark, and lay it on the cart. Put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go. 

Now, the Philistines will lay out a fleece to YHVH.

1 Samuel 6:9  Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border 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 was a chance that happened to us.”
1 Samuel 6:10  The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.
1 Samuel 6:11  They put Yahweh’s ark on the cart, and the coffer with the golden mice and the images of their tumors.
1 Samuel 6:12  The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh. They went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh. 

YHVH knew how to leave Israel; now He knew how to return to Israel. He fulfilled the fleece of the Philistines by going straight to Beth Shemesh. Those cows heard YHVH’s voice and knew exactly how to proceed and where to go.

This is also a prophecy about YHVH’s return to His Kingdom on earth in the 7^th Millennium. The return of the Ark is one of the earliest prophecies to promise His return in the end times.

You may be wondering if it is the return of Him at the beginning of the Millennium or the end? It is the beginning of the Millennium. Here’s why.

Ancient Israelites counted the start of a time period. In our calendar era, time periods are counted in arears, at the completion of a time period. But in ancient times, babies were 1 year old at birth, not at the end of the first year. The creation year began before YHVH started creating. The Feast year, each year of worshiping YHVH, was counted from the start of the annual Feasts, not from the completion of the Feast cycle at the end of it in the Fall. Thus, the day the Ark was taken was month 1. The day the Ark was returned was month 7 or sometime, anytime, in the 7th month, but likely at the beginning of the 7th month.

The Millenium will be a 1000 year period with its count in the beginning, not with its completion at the end, since YHVH didn’t change how He counted.

1 Samuel 6:13  The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
1 Samuel 6:14  The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone. Then they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh.
1 Samuel 6:15  The Levites took down Yahweh’s ark, and the box that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.
1 Samuel 6:16  When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
1 Samuel 6:17  These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
1 Samuel 6:18  and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, on which they set down Yahweh’s ark. That stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
1 Samuel 6:19  He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into Yahweh’s ark, he struck fifty thousand seventy of the men. Then the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter. 

These were Merari Levites, not Kohath Levites. They were not even supposed to touch the Ark, let alone look inside it. These were needless deaths because of not following the Law of YHVH.  

1 Samuel 6:20  The men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?”
1 Samuel 6:21  They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back Yahweh’s ark. Come down, and bring it up to yourselves.” 

Beth Shemesh, located on the tribe of Judah’s border with Dan, was a Levitical city. It makes sense that the Philistines would choose this city to see if YHVH was really in charge by taking the Ark there. It is, however, surprising that the Levites of the city didn’t know any better than to violate God’s throne! The Levites have been at the forefront of Israel’s rebellions from the beginning.

Kiriath-Jearim, where the people of Beth Shemesh sent the Ark, was in Judah’s territory but closer to the border with Benjamin, and it was a city of Kohathites who were authorized to handle it. The Ark would stay at Kirjath-Jearim, close to Jerusalem, until David took it there which would be the next and final place where YHVH put His name.

1 Samuel 7:1  The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and took Yahweh’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark. 

Abinadab was a Levite from the line of Kohath whose son, Eleazar, was probably a firstborn and qualified to care for the Ark properly.

1 Samuel 7:2  From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long; for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.
1 Samuel 7:3  Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 

Some commentators say their repentance came only after 20 years. I believe this is incorrect. This repentance happened at the start of this 20 year period, but the lamentation about the Ark not being in the Tabernacle continued. This 20 year period corresponds with Samuel’s governance of Israel, not his entire life. More on this when we get to verse 13.

1 Samuel 7:4  Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only. 

Notice they served YHVH even without the Ark in its rightful place. Serving YHVH has always been available to Israel with or without a Tabernacle/Temple, furnishings and the Ark in the Holy of Holies. This is because YHVH first wants our hearts and then the rest will follow.

Matthew 6:33  But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. See also Luke 12:31.

1 Samuel 7:5  Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.”
1 Samuel 7:6  They gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. 

This particular Mizpeh was in Benjamin’s territory. There were several places in Israel called ‘Mizpeh’.

Why didn’t Samuel call the Israelites to Nob or Kiriath-Jearim? Because Samuel’s Judgeship circuit was Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpeh. These are the places from where he judged all Israel. However, there were times when Samuel visited other places in Israel  like Bethlehem and Nob and possibly other places not recorded in scripture.

Also, ‘Mizpeh’ means ‘watchtower’ and its geographical location was good for spotting Philistines coming on a raid.

1 Samuel 7:7  When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 

As I just said, Mizpeh may have been selected because Samuel figured the Philistines would come to where all the tribes or their representatives were gathered. Mizpeh, being a mound (pun intended), was easily defended. Indeed, the Philistines did come back for war again.

1 Samuel 7:8  The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”
1 Samuel 7:9  Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him. 

The suckling lamb symbolized Israel’s new innocence after having just performed national repentance. You can’t get any more innocent than a newborn lamb. This was Samuel’s message to YHVH: They are innocent because they have repented.

Hallelujah! That is how He sees us through His Son, too!

1 Samuel 7:10  As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.
1 Samuel 7:11  The men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar. 

YHVH was Israel’s strength that day, and the Philistines were likely surprised by it.

1 Samuel 7:12  Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Yahweh helped us until now.” 

The name, Ebenezer, means “stone of help” (Strong’s H72). Samuel named this new location with the same name as the place where Israel lost the battle and the Ark – Ebenezer. That had been YHVH’s point of departure; where He had put Himself into Philistine hands in order to get away from the Israelites. Now, Samuel named this new place ‘Ebenezer’ because YHVH helped the Israelites at this Ebenezer, whereas He did not help them at the other one. These 2 ‘Ebenezers’ remind us that we get destruction in our battles when we are disobedient and help when we are obedient.

1 Samuel 7:13  So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. Yahweh’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 

Let’s revisit verse 2 which gives us a 20 year time period for Samuel’s governance and the time period in which there were no more incursions into Israel by the Philistines. Scholars say verse 13 has an errancy problem because the Philistines returned a number times in 1 Samuel 9:16, 1 Samuel 10:5, 1 Samuel 13:3, 5 and 19, 1 Samuel 14:21, 1 Samuel 17:1 and 1 Samuel 23:27, all of which happened during Samuel’s lifetime. But there is no error in Samuel’s testimony here if you understand that verse 2 regarding the number of years in which Samuel governed Israel (which is not the entirety of his life (which is where scholars make their mistake)) is connected to verse 13 in which the Philistines stopped coming within Israel’s borders. This is also the reason I believe Israel repented at the start of the 20 year period even though their lamentation over the Ark continued.

The reason the Philistines began to come within Israel’s borders again was because the Israelites rejected YHVH and Samuel’s government after 20 years in favor of a human King, Saul. While Samuel governed, YHVH’s hand was against the Philistines, protecting Israel, but once they got a new King, Saul, YHVH’s hand of protection was withdrawn. The job of a King is to protect his nation. The Israelites, thinking YHVH as a King wasn’t good enough, got a human King that could not protect them. There will be more on this when we study King Saul, God willing.

1 Samuel 7:14  The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 

Prophecy: That which the world has taken away will be restored.

1 Samuel 7:15  Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
1 Samuel 7:16  He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpeh; and he judged Israel in all those places.
1 Samuel 7:17  His return was to Ramah, for his house was there; and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to Yahweh there.