To the consternation of the evil priests, the image of their god was lying face down in the morning in front of the Ark (v. 3). The same happened the next day to the half man, half-fish creation, only this time pieces had broken off. The heathen people doubtlessly saw the desecra tion of their idol as a demonstration of the personal power of Jehovah. They ignored the happenings until the Lord plagued the land with a disease affecting the reproductive or gans (w. 8-9). The Ark of God’s people had to be moved in order to avoid further judgment. They recog nized God’s presence. To each of the five Philistine towns to which it was sent a plague of disease descended. After seven months, the chastened Philistines decided it was time for the important piece of tabernacle furniture to go back to Israel. You see, God authenticates His wonderful name and His divine person by the fact that He is Willing to step in miraculously. In a number of Old Testament in cidents, the people of God were op pressed. No doubt the prime example was their bondage in Egypt. Moses repeatedly greeted Pharaoh with the declaration, “Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, ‘Let my people go that they may serve Me.’ ” Phar aoh continually toughened his mind and refused to recognize the Lord (Ex. 7:22, 8:15, 19, 32). By the time God had sent the eighth plague of the ten, the monarch grudgingly confessed that he had sinned against the Lord. He wanted to do something about it (Ex. 10:15). When the first born in Egypt were killed, not only Pharaoh, but all Egypt, was con vinced that the God of the Israelites, Jehovah, was a terrifying reality. Reluctantly, the people were released. Jehovah again authenticated His purpose when He appeared to a man named Gideon in the distressing years when the Midianites were dom inating the land (Judges 6:11-16). 33
or in removing them out of difficulty completely. There are practiced human skills, such as David with his sling. God sometimes used timed natural phe nomenon as in the case of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail. The earthquake and the guard’s salva tion were the result of the testi monies of these bruised and bloody men. Angels often figured in these miracles as in Peter’s deliverance from prison. We don’t always know the answers to problems, but we know Christ who has the answer in His own hand. Some day we’ll understand and know exactly what God meant (Rom. 8:28). If you’re going through deep waters of adversity and suffering, let me assure you that God knows all about your needs. He’ll undertake in His own way to preserve you in His love (Rom. 8:38, 39). How won derful to have the assurance that our God wants to do exceeding abun dantly above all that we can ask or think! Dr. F. B. Meyer declared, “We don’t need more help than is already within our reach, but we do need grace to see the things that are freely given to us by the Lord!” P art S ix W E CAN BE THANKFUL for the miracles of God, which were authenticated by Jesus Christ. God knows exactly what needs to be done and will bring it to pass in His own time and pleasure. Miracles were credentials of the Lord used to veri fy His mission and ministry. Jeho vah often revealed Himself in Bibli cal times. So convincing were these miracles that only the most hardened against God would doubt the reality of His person. The Ark of the Covenant was the symbol of the presence of the Lord. In I Samuel 5:1 we find it captured by the Philistines and taken to Ash- dod. Here it was placed as a trophy in the temple of Dagon, the fish god.
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