In the Image of God

Scripture: The Philistines asked, “What guilt offering should we send to him?” They replied, “Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.       1 Samuel 6:4 NIV

Observation: The Philistines send the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel with a sacrifice.

Application: Because the Philistines had taken possession of the Ark after routing the Israelites they were struck with disease and pestilence.  Their priests told them the specific way to return the Ark. As the Philistines were sending the cart carrying the Ark on its way they were also to send a sacrifice of gold to appease the “god of Israel.”  “Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.” 1 Samuel 6:4b NIV  Five gold tumors and rats “…because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.” It appears that the Philistine priests advised the people to send gold representations of their diseases and of themselves to appease God.  I don’t know about you but if I worshipped a god that considered me like a rat I believe I’d find a new god.  Praise God that I do.  I worship the creator of all. I worship God who made man in his image, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”  Genesis 1:27 NIV

Prayer: Father, thank you for considering me worthy of being made in your image.  It seems to me that people who don’t know you and worship all manner of creation should be able to see the futility of that worship, especially, when viewed in the light of this passage of scripture.  Amen

Doug