Here and Now...and Yet To Come

The Glory/Ark of the Covenant has left. It is now in the hands of the Philistines. In particular, in it is in the temple of Dagon, the Philistine God. The scripture does not say specifically but we can imagine that the Ark was brought in with all of the pomp and circumstance that would be fitting after the winning of a large battle. To the Philistines, this victory proved the superiority of their god, Dagon, over the ‘feeble’ god of the Israelites. They had won. YHWH was in their possession.

We can imagine a similar scene after the death of Christ. It would appear that all that Christ had done or said was all for not. He was now being paraded through the depths of Hades as the loser. He was the lesser god.

After the festivities were over, after everyone had gone to bed and the temple doors were shut for the evening, was it then that YHWH began to go to work. He first made Dagon bow before Him. The next night he completely removed all of Dagon’s power by taking from him his arms and legs. He does all of this seemingly in secret. Why? It is in the silence of the night that YHWH works. Dagon knows he is no match. Dagon knows he will fail.

Just as YHWH shows His strength through the weakness of being captured by the Philistines, so too did Christ show His strength through the weakness of the cross. There is always hope. Joy always comes in the morning and the Glory always returns. Whether that Glory is returned by two lowing cows, or by the boldness of a resurrection, the Glory ALWAYS returns and YHWH will forever be the victor.

Life may not always go as planned. There may be times that God seems non-existent. Have no fear. YHWH has a habit of working in the dark. YHWH has a habit of making all that ‘seems’ more powerful than Him bow in the end. YHWH has a habit of removing all power but His own. YHWH has a habit of victory.

Oh how sweet it is when the Glory returns. We seem to have a better appreciation of Him when He has seemingly left us.

“‘Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.’ I am the Lamb of God. Lay upon Me your sins, your failures, your shortcomings. My sacrifice has atoned for all. I am the mediator between God and Man, the man Christ Jesus.
Do not dwell on upon the past. You make My Sacrifice of no effect.
No! realize that in Me you have all, complete forgiveness, complete companionship, complete healing.”
-Anonymous

Adam