Before we see the events of Revelation 11 let us turn to the way of God among his people and those that surrounded them. By seeing how God worked with the Israelites there is much to see of his character. The things that are seen of him in the past can be helpful to us as we study the future.
Do you remember the story of Eli and Samuel? Samuel was the little boy who was taken to live in the temple with Eli when just a little boy. He grew up there, became strong in the Lord and well known in Israel. In his young days while living on the Temple grounds God came to him and told him that the judgment proclaimed upon the household of Eli would come to pass. The endgame of the household of Eli happened in a battle with the Philistines where Eli’s two sons were killed, the Ark of God was captured, and Eli was so distraught over this that he fell off a place where he had been sitting, broke his neck and died.
Those events are recorded in 1 Samuel 3 and 4.
Have you heard of Dagon?
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. 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. 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. (1 Samuel 5:1-4–ESV)
God judged Israel for their sins and allowed the symbol of his presence to be captured. Of course, God was not captured, but the Philistines pleased with their victory took the symbol of God’s presence into their own temple in Ashdod. It was a great trophy. But see what happened? The Philistine God was face down before the God of Israel, the one, true God. Twice this happened. Not only so, but if you read on in 1 Samuel 5 you will see that the anxiety level in Ashdod reached the level of terror. Not only so, but the people of that region developed tumors. [Read more…] about Revelation 11:1-14–Spiritual warfare past and future