Above: Air Views of Palestine. Air Route Over Cana of Galilee, Nazareth, Plain of Sharon, etc. Ashdod. Home of Dagon. Encroaching Sand Waves in Distance. 1932.
Image Source = Library of Congress
(http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/mpc2010001379/PP/)
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
1 Samuel 4:1-22 (July 21)
1 Samuel 5:1-6:3, 10-16 (July 22)
1 Samuel 6:19-7:17 (July 23)
Psalm 19 (Morning–July 21)
Psalm 136 (Morning–July 22)
Psalm 123 (Morning–July 23)
Psalms 81 and 113 (Evening–July 21)
Psalms 97 and 112 (Evening–July 22)
Psalms 30 and 86 (Evening–July 23)
Acts 16:23-40 (July 21)
Acts 18:1-11, 23-28 (July 22)
Acts 19:1-22 (July 23)
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Some Related Posts:
1 Samuel 4:
http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/week-of-1-epiphany-thursday-year-2/
Acts 16, 18-19:
http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/thirty-eighth-day-of-easter/
http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/forty-first-day-of-easter/
http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/forty-second-day-of-easter/
http://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/forty-fourth-day-of-easter/
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The Ark of the Covenant was a mysterious and fearsome object. It was, in the minds of some Israelites, the presence of God made tangible. So, of course, they reasoned, its presence at a battlefield would guarantee military victory against the Philistine forces. Wrong! Yet God was not defeated. Humiliations befell an idol of Dagon. And, according to the narrative, Bubonic Plague befell many Philistines. Eventually the Philistines returned the Ark, but those who had looked into the sacred object died.
This story, which I have kept unified across The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod’s daily lectionary of 2006′s daily divisions, contains some troubling aspects. Would a loving God give anyone Bubonic Plague? (The internal evidence, down to tumors and rodents, indicates Bubonic Plague.) And the element of death for looking into the Ark indicates a God concept foreign to me, a Christian. God, for me, is approachable; what is more approachable than the Incarnation? Chronology aside, I reject the idea that God had a personality transplant. We are, I propose, dealing with changing human understandings.
Speaking of changing human understandings, I have caused some controversy in college classrooms in Georgia (U.S.A.) when teaching World Civilization I by pointing out that lived Judaism used to be polytheistic. This fact of history should come as no surprise to anyone who has studied the Old Testament (including 1 Samuel 7) and/or biblical archaeology and/or ancient comparative religion. But some people become irrational, defensive, and oblivious to facts relative to religion; this is an unfortunate tendency. I have nothing to fear from a verified fact about ancient theology. Anyhow, Samuel was correct in 1 Samuel 7:3:
If you mean to return to the LORD with all your heart, you must remove the alien gods and the Ashteroth from your midst and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him alone….
–TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures
Paul, Silas, and Timothy served God alone. Along the way they suffered beatings, imprisonments, and a lawsuit. They also founded churches, converted people, and encountered fellow Christians who helped them. The hand of God, which the Philistines could not defeat, also triumphed over the forces opposed to Paul and company.
Being on God’s side does not mean that no hardships will befall one. Eli had to suffer the loss of his sons. And Paul and company had to cope with the aforementioned difficulties, among others. Also, not being on God’s side does not mean that one will face an unbroken series of hardships. But, when one is on God’s side, one will never be alone in those difficulties; the hand of God will never be far away.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 11, 2012 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT GREGORY THAUMATURGUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF NEOCAESAREA; AND SAINT ALEXANDER OF COMANA “THE CHARCOAL BURNER,” ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR AND BISHOP OF COMANA, PONTUS
THE FEAST OF SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI, FOUNDER OF THE POOR CLARES
THE FEAST OF JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, CARDINAL
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Adapted from this post:
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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