The Undefeated God

Turn to 1 Samuel 5 ...

MEMORIAL DAY, honoring those who gave their lives in service of country.

Intro

(Q) How many of you present here today have ever heard of Eliud Kipchoge?

For those who haven’t:

from KENYA

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, running 2 miles to school…farming

Has now become the FASTEST MARATHONER on the planet.

Fastest official record: 2 HR 1 MIN. 9 sec… (2022)

ONLY HUMAN to BREAK 2 HR. MARATHON... VIENNA (2019). (UNOFFICIAL time)

4 MIN 30 SEC. MILES....FOR 2 HRS.

PERSPECTIVE: AVG. TREADMILL (10 MPH HIGHEST SETTING…) KIPCHOGE (13.1 MPH)

Even MORE SHOCKING?? = HE ISN’T UNDEFEATED...

April 2023— 6TH PLACE!! in Boston marathon.

RECORD = STILL HIS....

2023 BOSTON 1ST PLACE 4 MIN SLOWER THAN RECORD.

**IMAGINE BEATING the RECORD HOLDER without breaking the record.

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ALL HUMANS eventually FACE DEFEAT somewhere...

SOUTHERN FOOTBALL, EVENTUALLY DEFEATED.…THIS YEAR…BEAT UNDEFEATED TEAM FOR CHAMPIONSHIP!

OUCH! SILVER MEDAL…ONE LOSS ON SEASON…WORST FEELING!

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Recap:

Last week:

ISRAEL = DEFEATED...

GOD of ISRAEL/ Lord of Hosts/ God Almighty....SEEMINGLY DEFEATED...

LOSING 1ST BATTLE…ISRAEL BRINGS ARK INTO BATTLE

ARK = symbolic of GOD’S PRESENCE amongst Israel.

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STORY ENDS:

Israel loses

30,000 men die

Rest flee battle

Hophni & Phinehas (priests) die in battle

Ark is captured!

God’s reputation seems to have gone out the door.....

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** GOD USED TRAGEDY to FULFILL HIS PROMISE of JUDGMENT upon ELI’S HOUSE.

HOPHNI & PHINEHAS DIE SAME DAY, FULFILLING PROPHET’S WORDS.

After hearing, ELI FALLS & DIES.…D.I.L. goes into LABOR & DIES in CHILDBIRTH…baby = ICHABOD “GLORY has DEPARTED from ISRAEL”.

But I want to PROPOSE to you TODAY, that our GOD has NEVER been DEFEATED.

NOT defeated THEN

NOT defeated NOW

WON’T be defeated in FUTURE.

Greatest of all gods…ONLY TRUE & LIVING GOD!!

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TODAY: MANY THINK… GOD = DEFEATED

CHURCH ATTENDANCE & CHRISTIAN PROFESSION in USA… LARGELY DECREASING…

ATHEISTIC VIEWS = COMMONPLACE — DARWIN’S theory of EVOLUTION TAUGHT in SCHOOLS as FACT… in ENGLAND… $$$

2. SEXUAL REVOLUTION LEAVING GOD’S DESIGN

From FREEDOM to HOMOSEXUALITY....to GENDER CONFUSION & PERVERSION...

“WHAT IS A WOMAN?” Can’t be answered by a supreme court nominee… (not biologist, but kids can answer)

3. CULTURALLY ACCEPTED GOD = SELF…HEDONISTIC LIFESTYLE (YOLO)

**Can often feel like defeat looking around...

GOD SEEMINGLY CONQUERED by SECULARISM, NATURALISM, POSTMODERNISM,..... any OTHER “ISMS”

but I want to encourage you today that despite what it looks like, our God is undefeated, and He is the only one in the universe that has and will perfectly maintain that record.

(T) And so if you’d look with me at our text this morning, we’re going to begin in 1 Samuel chapter five verse one today. And the text reads,

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Text:

Setting (v1-2):

1 Samuel 5:1–12 (ESV)

1 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon.

PHILISTINE VICTORY — ARK = SPOIL of WAR.

Take 20 MILES AWAY to ASHDOD (1/5 primary cities)

TEMPLE to DAGON (their god)

Dagon:

We DON’T KNOW a TON.

CHIEF GOD of PHILISTINE (acquired from local people)

Mythology— BAAL’S FATHER

Perhaps god of GRAIN/FERTILITY? Formerly thought to be a fish...

PHILISTINE VICTORY = DAGON’S VICTORY.... DAGON = BETTER than Lord of Hosts....

**SEEMINGLY REASONABLE BELIEF after great MILITARY VICTORY...

ARK is BROUGHT in as SPOIL,, CELEBRATING great VICTORY from Dagon...

Ark/YAHWEH, BROUGHT to PAY HOMAGE to great Dagon....

(T) And with Dagon seemingly victorious so far, will his streak continue? Look at verse three.

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Inciting Incident (v3):

3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place.

ARK & DAGON under SAME ROOF… begins w/ ODD COINCIDENCE.

MORNING.....DAGON = FACEDOWN, paying HOMAGE to the ARK

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PHILISTINES PROP UP “great and MIGHTY DAGON”

***IRONY!!

SUPPOSEDLY “GREATEST GOD” TIPS OVER…PAYING HOMAGE--YAHWEH

DAGON — FALSE GOD, dead god, a MUTE IDOL…not living...

Imagine WORSHIPPERS: “This is our GREAT and MIGHTY GOD,, Dagon…but HE TIPS OVER SOMETIMES…”

PHILISTINES ACCEPT as COINCIDENCE…GO ABOUT BUSINESS as USUAL....

(Q) And have you EVER MET ANYONE that has MORE FAITH in COINCIDENCE than GOD?

DAGON TIPS OVER.... eh, COINCIDENCE… SET HIM BACK UP...

FIND BALANCE— MATCH SHIRTS,, COINCIDENCE? — BUT GOD = INVOLVED INCREDIBLY.

DON’T MAKE WEIRD…BUT ERR ON GIVING GOD CREDIT!

Eph. 1:11, He WORKS ALL THINGS ACCORDING to the COUNSEL of HIS WILL...

“ALL THINGS” = PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE...

TESTIMONY,, COMING TO FAITH… TONS OF “SEEMING COINCIDENCES??

GOD IS AT WORK AMONGST HIS CREATION.

GOD = THE TRUE & LIVING GOD…NOT A MUTE OR DEAD IDOL!!

(T) But was Dagon’s sudden fall really a coincidence? Possibly it could have been. Let’s see if it happens again. Check out verse 4.

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Rising Tension (v4-5):

4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

MUCH MORE UNUSUAL “COINCIDENCE....

1ST— DAGON TIPS OVER, BOWING before ARK… somewhat plausible?

MOTHER’S DAY— BULLETIN BOARD PICS FELL DOWN…BUMPED SOMETHING W/ TABLE??

At first, PHILISTINES THINKING?

We BROUGHT in ARK

ARK = HEAVY.

PERHAPS we BUMPED DOOR?

DAGON TIPS over...

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Now, FAITH in COINCIDENCE OUT the DOOR!!

DAGON’S HEAD & HANDS CUT OFF… LYING IN DOORWAY!

PHILISTINES— SEE DAGON DECAPITATED & DEFEATED!

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ISRAEL DEFEATED.... DOESN’T MEAN GOD = DEFEATED.

GOD = BEHIND ENEMY LINES..CONQUERING DAGON ON HOME TURF!

IN DAGON’S TEMPLE, HE’S BEATEN!…FALSE & INFERIOR GOD...

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ARK was CAPTURED, BUT GOD WASN’T BOUND!

GOD WAS NO PRISONER of the PHILISTINES...

GOD ALLOWED these THINGS, to FURTHER MANIFEST His GLORY!

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PHILISTINES NOW HAD NEW REVERENCE FOR DOORWAY…WHERE DAGON’S HEAD & HANDS LAY

PHILISTINES SUDDENLY WONDERING— MADE A MISTAKE???

(T) And so now that Dagon has effectively been dealt with, what trouble is God going to stir up next? We’ll see here in verse 6.

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More tension (v6-7):

6 The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.”

PHILISTINES FINALLY ADMIT— WORK of GOD!

** HAND of GOD — SYMBOLIZING POWER = HEAVY AGAINST the PHILISTINES...

DAGON = HEADLESS & HANDLESS… BUT, TRUE & LIVING GOD…HAND AGAINST PHILISTINES

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GOD DEALT W/ DAGON… NOW DEALING W/ DAGON’S PEOPLE.

AFFLICTED w/ TUMORS

SCHOLARS- some form of BUBONIC PLAGUE” (next ch. connection w/ rats, mice)...

GOD = USING PLAGUE in JUDGMENT.

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AFFLICTED so that they WERE TERRIFIED!

All SENSE of VICTORY = GONE!

BELIEF in COINCIDENCE = GONE!

HAD to ACKNOWLEDGE, HAND of ALMIGHTY GOD UPON THEM FOR EVIL...

They were HELPLESS to OPPOSE the TRUE & LIVING GOD...

(T) Now that they’re realizing their great mistake in taking the ark, let’s see what they do about it. Verse 8 says,

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Climax (v8-10):

8 So they sent 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 brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there.

9 But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.”

PHILISTINES— 5 CITIES… SUMMONING RULERS, COME UP W/ PLAN

DESPERATE to GET ARK OUT of TOWN! Just needed gone.

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CONCLUSION? TAKE it to GATH.

**SAME THING HAPPENS in GATH…HAND of GOD UPON CITY...

MORE TUMORS… MORE DYING...

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PANIC!! SEND to NEIGHBOR’S DOWN STREET AGAIN!

ASHDOD — WREAKED HAVOC...

GATH — WREAKED HAVOC...

GIFT that KEEPS on GIVING!

ROOT BEER W/ CARPENTERS??

SEND to EKRON!.... PEOPLE of EKRON, DON’T WANT IT!

GOD’S REPUTATION = PRECEDING HIM AGAIN!!

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MORE FEAR of THE LORD AMONGST PHILISTINES THAN GOD’S PEOPLE…ESP PRIESTHOOD!

Think about this.......

PROBLEM w/ GETTING TOO FAMILIAR....

PRIESTS KNEW ALL the STUFF.

ENTRUSTED w/ the OFFERINGS & everything...

“FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT”

(Q) For us, do we ever get here with the Lord?

WORSHIP EVERY SUNDAY

HEARING THINGS, ALREADY KNOW

SONGS, MAY or MAY NOT LIKE..

SAME BIBLE... SAME STORIES....

PRAYER FEELS MUNDANE

SPIRITUAL FERVOR DOWN…

We BECOME TOO “FAMILIAR”

(Q) When this happens, do we forget the God whom we serve?

The ALL-POWERFUL, UNDEFEATED GOD!

The LORD OF HOSTS

The ALMIGHTY, CREATOR GOD...

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DO WE FORGET GREAT PRIVILEGE, COME INTO HIS PRESENCE??

FORGET TO COME W/ REVERENCE & RESPECT…HE DESERVES...

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PHILISTINES TASTE GOD’S ANGER,…PRODUCES FEAR of GOD...

(T) And so they’ve tried three different locations without success, what is left for them to do? Well, verse 11 says,

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Resolution (v11-12):

11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

ANOTHER EMERGENCY MEETING!....Coming up w/ NEW PLAN!

Plans A, B, C, D & the rest weren’t working!

MORE TUMORS…MORE DEATH.. “WHAT DO WE DO???”

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PHILISTINES ess. ADMIT DEFEAT to TRUE LORD of heaven & earth.

***ARK MUST GO HOME!

AGAIN, HAND of the LORD was HEAVY upon PHILISTINES...

DAGON was HANDLESS & HEADLESS...

DAGON’S PEOPLE, HELPLESS

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PHILISTINES STILL GIVE TOO MUCH CREDIT TO ARK, “IT MAY NOT KILL US”

ARK WAS ONLY SYMBOL…NOT GOD...

GOD WASN’T CONTAINED IN BOX!

ISRAEL— ARK will SAVE US...

PHILISTINES — ARK is KILLING US...

**WAS the TRUE & LIVING GOD, THE ARK REPRESENTED!

CREDIT was unfortunately GOING to the THING MEANT to POINT to HIM!

The PHILISTINES ADMIT DEFEAT.

V1-5 YAHWEH’S DEFEAT of DAGON

V6-12 YAHWEH’S DEFEAT of DAGON’S PEOPLE

Hom. Idea:

Despite what it looks like, our God is undefeated, and He is the only one in the universe that has and will perfectly maintain that record.

* NO PHILISTINE or FALSE GOD could STAND AGAINST the LORD of HOSTS...

AT PRESENT:

NO FALSE GOD

NO “ISM”

NO THEORY OR PLAN OF MAN

CAN STAND VICTORIOUS AGAINST THE LORD.

LOOKS BAD?? GOD’S VICTORY STILL SURE!

God seemed to be defeated because of His people…yet He won victory w.o. His people!

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Gospel:

BE ENCOURAGED... GOD = VICTORIOUS .

BACK of BOOK… WE WIN!

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ONE DAY— EVERY KNEE BOW & TONGUE CONFESS....

MANKIND GIVEN TIME of LIFE…RESPOND to GOD.

GOD has EXTENDED an INVITATION at PRESENT.

EVENTUALLY, INVITATION is GONE, & all will have to bow & confess...

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At PRESENT: OPPORTUNITY to RESPOND to GOOD NEWS…PROFESS Jesus CHRIST = TRUE LORD of heaven & earth.

JESUS LIVED— LIFE WE SHOULD HAVE LIVED.

JESUS DIED— DEATH WE SHOULD HAVE DIED.

WE CAN BE RECONCILED TO GOD!

VINDICATED @ 3RD DAY— RESURRECTION… WORLD’S TRUE LORD!

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While JESUS was BURIED:

SEEMED the FATHER LOST AGAIN

SEEMED the PHILISTINES were VICTORIOUS

SEEMED the GLORY of GOD was GONE...

JESUS = LITERAL ARK, GOD’S PRESENCE “IMMANUEL”

Hebrews 2:14 says that THROUGH HIS DEATH, he DESTROYED the ONE who HAS the POWER of DEATH, the DEVIL...

BEHIND ENEMY LINES, TAKING KEYS of DEATH & HELL

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JESUS’ DEATH WASN’T LOSS…RESULTED in GREATEST VICTORY!

JN. 3:16,, WHOEVER BELIEVES, HAS ETERNAL LIFE...

GOOD NEWS, THOSE WHO BELIEVE…YOU’VE ALREADY BOWED…ALREADY CONFESSED.

THOSE who DON’T BELIEVE: that DAY WILL COME....

NO LONGER an INVITATION, but will be FORCED TO BOW...

Philistines thought they got away w/ rejection of God....they hadn’t...

And so if you don’t know the Lord today, and if you haven’t put your faith in the savior, and acknowledged on this side of eternity that Jesus is Lord, I want to invite you to do that today.

YOU CAN BE SAVED TODAY

FAITH in SAVIOR, his SHED BLOOD & RESURRECTION...

SAVED FROM SIN & CONSEQUENCE OF SIN— ETERNAL DEATH...

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Takeaways:

Learn about God?

THOUGH GOD might SEEM “DEFEATED” at times in the world and like the church has lost the battle, in the end HIS VICTORY IS SURE...

GOD= EXPERT @ WORKING BEHIND the SCENES

GOD’S WORK = ASTONISHING

Philistines didn’t expect God’s victory

Israel didn’t realize God was humiliating their enemies on their own soil!

God = forever & always, victorious.

OUR GOD is the TRUE and LIVING GOD...

NOT an IDOL

GOD ISN’T CONTAINED IN THE ARK..…our churches…our symbols...

HE’S SO MUCH GREATER THAN THINGS WE SEE & ASSOCIATE W/ HIM!!

He is a REAL & LIVING BEING!! He’s alive today & Lives forevermore!

And what can we learn about us this morning?

As CHRISTIANS, we’re ON the WINNING SIDE!!… Should be HOPEFUL PEOPLE!

No matter what it looks like, God = victorious.

No modern Philistine, no “ism” or anything will defeat God.

Remember to have FAITH in GOD OVER COINCIDENCE...

LIVING GOD WORKS in OUR LIVES!

Don’t chalk His activity up to “coincidence” like Philistines did at first.

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App:

As we go about our weeks, two things I want you to consider.

GOD = the ONLY TRUE & LIVING GOD....

Do we let ANY IDOLS TAKE the PLACE of the WORSHIP/ADORATION HE DESERVES??

Dagon = mute & deaf idol…fake...

WE DON’T SERVE LITERAL “IDOLS” BUT CAN STILL HAVE MANY....

Are there FALSE GODS in our own lives that the TRUE GOD needs to TAKE DOWN??

Work above God.

Hobbies above God.

Sin above God.

We were created to live for the glory of the undefeatable God…yet we can often be found living for the glory of other things instead if we aren’t careful....

2. If you’re EVER DISCOURAGED looking @ STATE of the WORLD… REMIND YOURSELF that no matter what it looks like, YOU SERVE THE ONLY UNDEFEATED & UNDEFEATABLE GOD!

** If we are FAITHFUL to LIVE for the GLORY of the TRUE and LIVING GOD ABOVE OTHER IDOLS in this LIFE, and we REMEMBER that HE is UNDEFEATED and He WILL FOREVER REMAIN this way,

THEN AS BELIEVERS we should be PEOPLE of GREAT JOY, HOPE, and PEACE, and as such be LIGHTS in this DARK WORLD...

Close in prayer