The Holy Spirit And The Land Of The Golden
Rats
The lessons the Philistines learned from the seven months of their handling of the ark of God are lessons for us today in the church as well! God punished the land for their idolatry, impudence, arrogance and outright mishandling of His holy ark. We as His chosen people cannot expect anything less if we handle the ark in a similar manner. The bottom line is we either do it the Holy Ghost way or it’s the rats!
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: 1 Samuel 6:2-4 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, what shall we do to the ark of the Lord? Tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place. And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
In our last journal we told of a very sad story in Israel’s history as the nation lost the ark and the presence of God from her midst. What happened next to the Philistines who captured the ark of God holds many lessons and warnings for us today in the modern church. God severely punished the land of the Philistines for their insolence and arrogant handling of His sacred chest. The ark of God was so precious. It was more than just a box. It was “where God dwelt.” Because God’s chosen people had carelessly let the ark slip away the beneficiary of this were the Philistines – or at least they thought.
The 5th and 6th chapters of 1 Samuel tell a riveting, if not somewhat amusing, story at times at several events that took place in the ark’s journey from Shiloh where it was captured to the lands of the Philistines. It would eventually wind back up in the hands of God’s people in Kirjath-jearim as we see in 1 Samuel 7:1. Before that time the Lord got His message across to not only Israel – but to the heathen – that His power was not to be taken lightly or handled with folly.
1 Samuel 7:1
And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and brought up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.
This journal, told in story form, I hope will encourage us all to be vigilant in not only keeping the ark of God among us (His presence) but I hope will be a warning to us all on what happens to any people – be it a nation or a denomination - when we disrespect His presence like the Philistines did.
Ebenezer
1 Samuel 5:1-7 - 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.
When the Philistines captured the ark, it was conducted to Ashdod where it was placed in the house of Dagon by the side of their heathen idol. Dagon means “grain,” but more appropriately derived its name from dagh, or literally fish. The next day however, the Philistines find their idol laying prostrate before the ark of the Lord. It was restored to its place to only again lay on the ground before the ark, this time with the head and both hands severed from the body and lying upon the miphtan (the word is commonly interpreted to mean "threshold"; according to Winckler, it means "pedestal"); the body alone remained intact.
The Hebrew says: "Dagon alone remained." The first lesson we learn from this first encounter of the ark with the Philistines is that the idols of this world are NO MATCH for the anointing of the Holy Ghost!
Matthew Henry says it very eloquently:
"See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavor to set them up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have them more entirely destroyed."
Listen to me friend. The anointing of the Holy Ghost can set you free today. We have said it many times and we’ll say it again. The Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the finished work of CHRIST. He is at work bringing the freedom and fulfillment of the CROSS-into our hearts and lives.
Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Any time we seek to work outside that parameter we take on DEATH. There are not two, three, four, five, six, eight, ten or twelve answers to man’s problems – there is only ONE answer and that is an encounter with a holy God through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the HOLY GHOST. The ark represents the anointing that destroys the yoke! It doesn’t just “break” it, like so many preach, neighbor, it destroys!
Isaiah 10:27
And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
In this modern-high-tech age of the so-called “cutting edge” church there is still only one answer for the deliverance of man’s ills – the HOLY GHOST! Paul tells us in Romans that the law of the SPIRIT OF LIFE has set us free from the law of death! Oh, Glory to God.
Romans 8:1-4
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:14-17
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Romans 8:19-26
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. [20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, [21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. [22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. [23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. [24] For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? [25] But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. [26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
In these passages in Romans we see that the Holy Ghost is very active in the life of the believer! He is called the Spirit of LIFE and the Spirit of ADOPTION. He bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. He is the intercessor on earth for the believer just as Christ is the intercessor for us in heaven at the right hand of God. The Godhead is actively “working all things out for our good” while we journey through this veil called life. The Holy Spirit HELPS us with our infirmities because we don’t know how we ought to pray at times. He literally takes on the burden of intercession for us when we have reached a point we in our flesh cannot even pray. To be quite frank that is the only time the Holy Spirit can really do what He needs to do in us – when our flesh has stopped trying to do HIS work!
He makes intercessions with GROANINGS that cannot be uttered. No power in hell can stand against this friend. No drug addiction can stand in the face of Holy Ghost intercession. No power of alcohol or pornography can stand in the face of Holy Ghost intercession and travail. No fear or depression can stand in the face of Holy Ghost intercession and travail. No power on earth or in hell can stand against this power. It’s NOT by might, not by POWER, but by MY SPIRIT, saith the LORD! That theme will never ever change. That will always be the foundation of eternity. The Holy Spirit will bring the victory of Christ into our lives if we will but allow Him to do His work!
Zech. 4:6
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
I can almost hear the chorus, “it’s not by might, it’s not by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of host, not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord. This mountain shall be removed. This mountain shall be removed. This mountain shall be removed. By my Spirit saith the Lord.” Hallelujah to the Lamb forever and forever. Praise the risen Lamb, the slain Lamb, who sits before the Father on His right hand interceding for us in heaven while the seven spirits of God before the throne are interceding for us on earth. No power in hell can stand against this. As Dagon lay on that floor with his hands, legs and torso chopped off, that’s what the Holy Ghost can do to the DEVIL! Oh glory I just want to get up right now and take off running thinking about this!
I mean neighbor, the Holy Ghost wants to lop off the arms, the legs, and torso of the demons that are trying and seeking to bring you into the bondage of this world and of hell! And HE CAN DO IT!
1 John 2:20-26
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. [21] I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. [22] Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son. [23] Whosoever denies the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledges the Son hath the Father also. [24] Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. [25] And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. [26] These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Only the STUMP of Dagon was left after this encounter with the power of the ARK of GOD in the midst of a heathen temple with a heathen deity. That is a picture of the sin nature that remains in each one of us even after salvation. We are redeemed but Adam’s nature still lives in us. We must keep submitted to the power of the Holy Ghost. Once we submit ourselves to the flesh or start living under the LAW, then the Dagons of our heart will revive! We plan to write a journal very soon on the nature of sin in the believer but for now I just want to say one thing about it – SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU! The word sin in Romans 6:14 is actually rendered “sin nature.”
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
You don’t have to obey its lusts any longer. Christ has set us free from the power of sin and death and the Holy Ghost now lives inside of us to keep Dagon out of our lives!
The Philistines Put The Ark Away From Them, But Don’t Repent
1 Samuel 5:6-12 - 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. [8] They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither. was very heavy there.
As Matthew Henry puts it concerning the ark, the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he not only convinced them of their folly, but also severely chastised their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark.
The second lesson we learn from this story is an indictment against fallen humanity. Carnal hearts, when they come under the judgments of God, would rather, if it were possible, want to put God far from them, but they always ultimately refuse communion and intimacy with the one who Created them and seeks their salvation through His Son, Yeshua - the Lord Jesus Christ!
I remember the events of September 11, 2001 as if they happened yesterday. We are 18 months past from this traumatic event in America’s history, but despite the horrible things that took place on that fateful Tuesday in New York City and Washington, D.C., America did not repent – even under the hand of God’s judgment. Many decried that 9-11 was not in any way shape or form a sign of God’s displeasure with our country. People who say such things don’t know that much about the nature of God. I’m not lauding myself as an expert of God either so don’t take offense at what I say. Anyone foolish enough to stand up and declare themselves an “expert” on God is about as stupid as going to a gun-fight with a knife.
I know the heart of God hurt for this nation as a father hurts for the son he has to chastise. God’s heart BROKE in two for the loss of life and the carnage. I’m sure His heart was very broken over seeing His ark in the hands of a heathen group of people who could have cared less for what it stood for but because of Israel’s sin – the ark had found itself in Ashdod.
We know that in the great tribulation period that men will HARDEN their hearts under judgment instead of repenting. God bring us to repentance in this hour before it’s too late. Bring us to the place of humility and a brokenness that will yield a contrite spirit You will honor before it’s too late. Friend, obedience is better than sacrifice. Judgment must BEGIN at the house of God! And “if the righteous SCARCELY be saved, what shall the end be for those who do not obey the gospel???????”
1 Peter 4:17
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
The end is eternity without God for the lost. The end for those without God is eternal torment in a place called hell. Hell is real. Hell is more than just a four-letter word used in every other breath as profanity many times by millions of people on planet earth. The phrase “go to h……” has been coined so often and used as if it’s become a national slogan. Neighbor if we all could take about a 3-second glance into the pit – we’d NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER tell anyone to go there. It’s a horrible place. It’s a lonely place. It’s the place of the damned. It’s the place of the sinner without God. It’s the place of the backslider, the whoremonger, the adulterer, the liar, the thief, the murderer, the religious person who has never been born again, the disobedient to the call of God on their lives, the harlots, the homosexuals, the lesbians, the fearful, the abominable.
I remember an old song sung many years ago by the Statesmen quartet –
“Lord, oh Lord, I want to go to heaven. Hell’s an awful, awful place. In thy word the promise is given. I am saved by Amazing Grace. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, for making me whole. Lord, oh Lord, I want to go to heaven; Hell’s an awful place.”
Friend you can’t turn off God. You can’t outrun God the Holy Ghost. No matter how hard you may try to push Him aside you’ll never escape Him:
Psalm 139:3-24 - Thou compasses my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. [4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knows it altogether. [5] Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. [6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. [7] Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? [8] If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. [9] If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea.
The harder we seek to escape the divine judgment placed upon us, that judgment just increases. When God judges us, it’s never vindictive, even to the sinner man. His judgments are to bring us to His mercy and cause us to repent.
Romans 2:2-10
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them, which commit such things. [3] And thinks thou this, O man, that judges them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? [4] Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; [6] Who will render to every man according to his deeds: [7] To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: [8] But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, [9] Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; [10] But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
The Bible tells us that man’s heart will just harden and harden as the end times continue to approach. During the Great Tribulation, the blasphemy of the Antichrist and his kingdom will vibrate with a crescendo that will rivet the entire earth. Men will literally shake their fist in the face of God and blaspheme His name. The seeds of that rebellion were planted long ago by the first sinner – LUCIFER, who we now know as Satan. Never forget that statement. Adam was not the first sinner, for when Lucifer appeared to them in the garden, he had already fallen from his place of position in heaven because of pride and rebellion.
This seed of rebellion will cause the world to keep fighting against God till one day they will truly have enough and will hide in the rocks and the mountains and cry “the day of the Lamb’s wrath is here.”
Rev. 6:14-17
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. [15] And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; [16] And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: [17] For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Rev. 9:20-21
[20] And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: [21] Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
God’s Love For The Heathen
Another lesson we must take from this narrative is one that gets lost in this ordeal really easy if we’re not careful. That fact is that God loved the Philistines just like He loved Israel! He did not will them to be destroyed. They had chose this path themselves. Israel was to be the light of God to their enemies so that those enemies would come to know GOD! Since Adam’s fall, God had established through the ministry of Moses’ tabernacle a way to approach Him by blood. As bad as the situation was with Israel losing the ark, the Lord’s mercy was being extended to the Philistines through this ark. It produced their chance to respect the power and presence of God and to REPENT. God was never willing and has NEVER willed ANY perish and not receive the TRUTH. HE wills that ALL come to repentance.
John 3:16-19 -
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Matt 9:13
13 But go ye and learn what that meanest, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mark 2:17
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 5:32
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Rom 2:4
4 Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
2 Cor 7:9
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2 Pet 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
There is someone reading this right now and the Holy Ghost is dealing with you in a serious manner. You have spurned call of God for months, years, days, and neighbor you can’t keep spurning this call. JUDGMENT is coming; ALL will be there, those who’ve rejected, those who’ve refused. Oh sinners hasten, haste to HIS VOICE, and then He will pass, will pass over you!
The Lord Strikes The Philistines With Tumors
1 Samuel 5:9-12
And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts. [10] Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people. [11] So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God [12] And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Instead of repenting, the Philistines sought to place the ark of God along side an idol and that my friend is one thing we do not do – mix idolatry with the Holy Ghost! As a result of their insolence and idolatry, God strikes the inhabitants of Ekron where the ark traveled after Ashdod with tumors. The word tumor means `Ophalim’ which literally means rounded eminences or swellings, This plague of tumors would be accompanied also by an invasion of mice (`akhbor) or rats. The Bible uses the word “mice” but in old Palestinian cities the terms were used interchangeably for both rodents.
This brings us to a fourth message in this narrative which is a warning to ALL who read this journal – both saint AND sinner. Sin is a plague and it brings DEATH. Those tumors and the infestation of rats in the lands of the Philistines were a type of the plague that is sweeping not only America, but also the entire world as we write this journal. America has tinkered and blasphemed the presence and power of God so much that RATS and a PLAGUE are overrunning us. It’s a plague that has cost nearly 42 million babies their lives since 1973. The plague of AIDS has cost the USA 457,667 people as of June 2001.
There is an estimated 14 million Americans who currently use illicit drugs as of a recent survey in 1999. Many of those 14 million are dying of drug addiction. Cocaine is killing our youth. Heroin overdoses are at all-time high. Crack and other new drugs are very popular in a culture gone mad. Why are they mad? Why is society dying? We don’t have to be a genius to see it or say it – SIN!
Child neglect, abuse and murder are at century high levels. We’re literally killing ourselves. Suicide rates are tripling each year. People are so depressed and without hope right now that death is an attractive way out. The reason that this is so is because so many refuse to believe that the grave is not the end of the road. There IS a life hereafter and the actions of our lives have consequences for eternity. But when a nation or denomination for that matter messes with and tinkers with the anointing of God and the presence of God they are on dangerous grounds and the rats and tumors FOLLOW!
America is being overrun with rats. No, I’m not talking about a literal invasion of rats, but in spiritual terms we are dying as a result of the infestation and contamination of society because of SIN! When the presence of God leaves a nation, death always follows.
Five Golden Tumors And Give Golden Rats (MICE)
1 Samuel 6:1-9 - And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. [2] And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place. [3] And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. [4] Then said they, what shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. [5] Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. [6] Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
It’s at this point that the Philistines get the message – or at least part of it. They have had enough! I mean they have seen their heathen god dismembered by the power of God. They have seen tumors afflict their people and rats infest their land as the result of the ark’s presence in their land. They begin to discuss seriously about getting God’s ark out of their land! They will eventually get two cows and lay the ark upon a cart. Upon this cart they will build a coffer and place within in a trespass offering to God. Their heathen priests knew that when God is offended it’s a very RIGHT thing to offer up a trespass offering in worship to Him. Just like Jonah’s sea buddies, the heathen RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO OFFER UP WORSHIP TO GOD! That’s why it’s so humorous to hear the atheists of this land talk. You know the Bible pays the ultimate insult to the atheist – it ignores HIM!
Psalm 14:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. he fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
In this coffer, the Philistines place five golden images of their tumors and five golden images of the rats that infested their land inside the coffer. Neighbor it’s gotten BAD when you start making idols out of the things that are killing you! I mean things at the Philistine city hall must have gotten rather boring to say the least or these people just had a lot of time on their hands (!!!!). I have to chuckle a bit at this. I mean friend this is total depravity. But if we give pause we will not throw stones at the Philistines – because we here in America have done the same thing – we have made idols out of the things that are killing us as well in spite of the guise of being a so-called Christian nation.
What the Philistines did was deprave and wicked, but they did it to actually appease God and without much light. Israel was supposed to have been their light and Israel failed to be that light. If the light of Israel had still been burning the Philistines would not have had the ark in the first place! No, the Philistines did this without any knowledge of God other than what they heard about what the Lord did for Israel in bringing them out of Egypt. America does not have that excuse! We are making idols against the light of the gospel and thus our judgment will be even more severe!
Matthew 12:39-42 - But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: [40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. [41] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. [42] The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
A wicked and evil generation Jesus said seeks after a SIGN. These golden rats and tumors were a SIGN in the minds of a heathen society. And no matter how much we try to deny this fact – AMERICA HAS DONE THE SAME EXACT THING with and through our idols!
I’m sure there is some actual worship of statutes in this country. I do not deny that nor do I doubt it. We have sank into such depravity as a result of our blaspheming God’s anointing and Spirit that anything is possible. But what we HAVE done is certainly made idols out of entertainment figures that do nothing but slam the name of God, the name of righteousness and blatantly blaspheme everything godly and holy in the name of free speech.
In spite of this, these people are held up high to our citizens as “role models.” The sporting industry with all its greed, avarice and violence is also held up as being an industry full of “role models” for our youth. God help us. Sin is killing us friend. Idolatry is killing us. When we’re not worshipping people and glorifying sin through the entertainment and sports’ industries in America, we bow our knee to the ultimate idol of America – the dollar bill! There is a spirit of arrogance about us in this country that thinks that because we have such resources in this land we can never suffer loss or defeat. How arrogant and how deluded that is. I think the events of September 11, 2001 have showed us that we are not as invulnerable as we once thought. Even sadder than all this is the fact the church has bought into the same lie and has begun to think the same thing. We think that because we have goods and riches that we don’t need God anymore.
And no we may not build a golden calf and place it in the middle of our church aisles and demand people to worship it, we HAVE made the ministry nothing more than a good old boys club where we get together and brag how great each other is. We worship the entertainment god too. We just dress it up and call it contemporary Christian music or Christian rock. We change the names but the evil and demonic power in it remains. I’m not slamming so-called Christian television but I can tell you this. God could care less about you being a “star” on one of the major national television networks preacher. He’s MUCH more concerned about the anointing that flows from you as a result of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on our lives and hearts. Our sermons should not be a display of our knowledge, they should be a display of just how much we DON'T know and what HE KNOWS! They should be a display of the fact that man is a sinner and needs a redeemer and that no matter how we dress the flesh up – it’s still FLESH and the Spirit of God cannot anoint FLESH! He only anoints that which is of HIM – SPIRITUAL! We have made our preachers Hollywood stars and turned the gospel into nothing more than a Nashville or Hollywood sideshow on planet Earth. None of that impresses God and it repels those we are so desperately trying to reach – the lost!
In some circles we have teachings that basically elevates man to a place that man has no place being – equal with God. WE ARE NOT “little” gods running around this planet. We have a divine nature but there is only ONE GOD! And man is not it!!!! David declared “WHO IS MAN, that you are even mindful of him oh, Lord? Help me to know my end!!?”
Psalm 39:4-5
4 - Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. [5] Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
We need to teach our preachers that again coming out of seminary that they are just the messenger boy, they are NOT the message!! HE IS THE HEAD, HE IS THE MESSAGE and HE IS THE POWER AND GLORY OF THE HARVEST of the last day’s church! It’s not about us it’s about HIM. It’s about Yeshua. It’s about HIS work on the cross. It’s about HIS Spirit being outpoured on Planet Earth. It’s about HIS intercessory work before the Father. It’s about HIS power to save and HIS power to heal and HIS power to deliver and HIS power to set free from sin and darkness and bondage and HELL! Glory to God!
I watched a major Christian television network the other night with a group of preachers on it that were bragging about each other so much I wasn’t sure whether to get down on my knees and say “praise you brother” or do 20 hail marys and kneel in admiration. It’s revolting and sickening! It’s PRIDE and arrogance and it’s about to be brought down! You see we don’t rebuke pride in the church. Many of us look at these poor heathen Philistines and smirk and say “look at those pitiful souls making idols to golden rats and tumors,” and beat our chest. But neighbor we are TEN THOUSAND TIMES WORSE with some of the utter crap we put forth and out of our churches!!!!
I’m sure Israel mocked the Philistines many time thinking, “hey we’re the chosen of God and you are the wicked.” But as a result of this folly, Israel lost the most important part of her statehood and identity – the PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD!!!! And sometimes God has to allow the heathen world to make sport of us as the Philistines did the ark to get our attention to know that this is not about US – it’s about the KINGDOM OF GOD! It’s about the cross of Christ. It’s about the death, burial and resurrection of the Saviour of the world. It’s about the shedding of blood without which there will be no remission of sin!
The Holy Ghost Or Rats!
As a result of the Philistines’ mishandling of the ark (they didn’t really know any better) the land was infested with rats. We DO know better in the church today because we have the light of the word of God at our disposal but if we mishandle the anointing, our fate will be no different – RATS! Rats are vermin that destroy and infect everything around them. Tumors are a sign of infection and plague. The ravages of sin will overrun our people and the rats will destroy our churches! It’s like my dad used to tell me many times growing up– he said “son, you can drink water off a snake’s back, but if a old dirty rat crawls up in that same well– the water will be contaminated. You can’t drink water from a well with rats in it!!!!” GOOOOOOOOD POINT! Thanks dad! You helped me make a powerful point here in this journal:
If we are going to give the world LIVING WATER we cannot have rats in our wells man of God! When we mishandle the anointing that’s exactly what we are doing – we are spewing contaminated water to the masses and it just won’t work ladies and gentlemen. It just won’t work. We must have the pure water of the WORD and the power of the HOLY GHOST flowing in our churches and lives! PREACHERS hear me. That process starts with the PULPIT! You are the under shepherd of the flock of God. You must be refreshed yourself with the living water of the Holy Ghost and then be a vessel through which those waters flow to others! Glory TO GOD!
Seven Months And Two Cows
1 Samuel 6: 7-9 - Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them: [8] And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. [9] And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.
For seven long months the Philistines were punished with rats and tumors for the presence of the ark. I think I’d gotten the message after the first tumor hit me or the first rat appeared that something was wrong! Yet another message we learn from these passages is this: We lengthen out our own miseries by refusing to part with our sins. When we refuse to repent, God’s chastisement will continue for as long as we rebel and harden our heart. To state it another way, the rebellious will find more evil willed by God against him as long as he refuses to repent, but he that repents will find mercy from God even at the eleventh hour and the tide of evil stopped!
It took SEVEN months to drive the ark from the Philistines presence. The question that keeps nagging at me in this entire ordeal is this: WHERE WAS ISRAEL during this entire time? Why did they not inquire during this entire ordeal to try and get the ark back from the Philistines? I can’t help but wander if the shock of losing the ark was just as superficial as the shock was in our country over 9-11-2001.
As one Bible commentator put it, “in times of public calamity we fear for ourselves, for our families, and for our country; but who cares for the ark of God?” Israel was favored with the gospel and the light of the Torah, but it was treated with neglect and contempt. America is in the same boat today. We have been blessed like no other nation on the face of this earth, yet we too have abandoned the foundations of our faith. The Lord established this land for two main purposes – to spread the gospel and to protect Israel at all costs. We are not doing either one too well right now.
Even the calamity of September 11, 2001 has not caused us to mourn corporately as a nation and return to God. What else will it take? What else has to happen for God to get our attention? Just a day or so ago from the writing of this journal, the country received a scare from the news that 35 vials of bubonic plague went missing from a Texas university. In the wrong hands that plague, even though not weapon-ready, could have done tremendous damage. The shock lasted about a half hour then we were back to normal just as we have come back to normal since 9-11-2001.
We must be those who value the house, the word, and the ministry of God above their richest possessions, who dread the loss of these blessings more than death. The world goes with the flow child of God. That’s why you hurt so much and have so many tough choices in this life. The world is swimming downstream, millions guided by their horoscopes, chance and a deep dread that they know one day this life will all end. We as the child of God are swimming UPSTREAM and as a result we get hit with the debris that flows DOWNSTREAM. That’s why you hurt child of God. That’s why you feel the tug like you do. That’s why when the choice between the world and the house, word and ministry of God is placed before us, we have to take a step back. The world screams at us ‘be all you can be,’ ‘get all you can get’ ‘learn all you can learn’ ‘know all you can know.’ While the Lord Jesus screams back at us ‘COME UNTO ME ALL YE THAT LABOR and are heavy laden and I will give you REST.”
The Ark Comes To Beth-Shemesh
1 Samuel 6:10-18 - And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: [11] And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. [12] And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh. [13] And they 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.
It takes seven months but the ark finally comes back to the people of God - at least to a degree. It says the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, lifted up their eyes, saw the ark and rejoiced to see it. We are in harvest time and do we ever need the ark to come back home to the church of the living God! Believe me when it returns in fullness there will be rejoicing in the house of God! I don’t know if the cows were anointed who took the ark to Beth-shemesh but I know that something had to be guiding them to this place. Eli’s two sons didn’t respect the ark enough to keep the light burning but the cows did! Oh, glory to God.
We are about to rejoice again church! The ark is coming home, the ark is coming home!! And when it does, devil look out. Demons look out! Sickness look out. Dead religion look out. Drug addiction look out. Pornographic bondage look out. Divorce look out. Darkness look out! The power of Almighty God is going to destroy the yokes of bondage on us! Israel’s darkest seven-month history was a start down the path to Israel’s greatest day in her history – the ultimate return of the ark! It won’t be till many months later when King David brings the ark back to Jerusalem but this was the day the ark began to make its way back home to Israel.
It’s the Holy Ghost or rats neighbor. It’s the Holy Ghost or destruction man of God. It’s the Holy Ghost or hell. He has not come to glorify Himself but come to bring us closer to SALAVATION – CHRIST. He has come set us free and bring the freedom of the cross in our lives!
Galatians 5:1-7 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. [2] Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. [3] For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
The Memorial Of The Philistines And A Great Slaughter At Beth-shemesh
1 Samuel 6:14-18 - And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord. [15] And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein 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 unto the Lord. [16] And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. [17] And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; [18] And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemite.
The Philistines make a memorial to God as a result of the tragedies that befell them for seven months – golden emerods in the coffers – one for each city that suffered: Gaza, Askelon, Gath, Ekron and Ashdod – and golden mice. The coffers belonged to five lords of the Philistine cities. These coffers were important because they were in places where they had “sat the ark of the Lord.”
As the ark comes back to Beth-shemesh the people err again and look into the ark and a great slaughter takes place. To state a resounding theme in this journal – anytime we mishandle the anointing, death always follows!
1 Samuel 6:19-21 - And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. [20] And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us? [21] And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
Some 50,070 men died who looked into the ark of the Lord. The joy at seeing the ark of the Lord returned turned into horror with this “great slaughter. The men of Beth-shemesh cry “who is able to stand before the holy Lord God? And to whom shall he go up from us??” That is a huge question in these last days. If the presence of God don’t rest upon His people and church then who and where will it rest?
The same anointing that destroys yokes is about to be released on earth in the form of God’s wrath and anger. No rosy colored sermons or attempts to paint God as just a God who loves and not a God who both loves AND judges sin will stop that. In actuality when we talk about God’s judgment we’re talking about HIS LOVE. If God didn’t judge sin then He would not be God. Because He loves man, He seeks to remove anything that hinders unbridled love between Him and His creation. Sadly, for those who refuse His love, the only alternative is a “great slaughter.”
Neighbor it’s getting late. Preacher, man of God, this story holds tons of warnings and encouragement for you as the leader of the flock of God. It’s the Holy Ghost or rats friend! It’s the power of God or death. We need to stop fighting this power in our lives and in our churches. There are some of you reading this journal that are not ready to meet the Lord if eternity called at this very moment. Today IS the day of salvation. You are not promised tomorrow friend.
Make Jesus Lord of your life today. Be filled with the Spirit of God. Rejoice over the harvest that is ahead. Find your place in God’s harvest field and help through your intercession and travail bring the ark back home to the people of God! Our eternal souls depend on it. Our children depend on that. Our lives depend on it. America’s future as a nation depends on it. The Body fulfilling it’s end-time destiny depends on it. We must have the power of God in the land. The rats are waiting in the wings to destroy if we fail. God bless. Shalom.