Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: “And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD.” (1 Samuel 5:4, NKJV)

In the way of a pun, I say that it sounds a little ‘fishy’ to me. Not the Biblical account of Dagon, an idol of the Philistines, but that people would worship an image that had the torso and head of a man and the tail of a fish. The image of a ‘merman,’ something that exists only in fantasy. Not even a mere man, but something worshiped as one having supernatural powers.
Dagon was the idol-god of the Philistines with temples at Beth-dagon in the tribe of Asher (Joshua 19.27), in Gaza (Judges 16.23, which tells how the temple is destroyed by Samson as his last act). The temple in Ashdod is mentioned in 1 Samuel 5.2–7. Dagon was apparently associated first with grain and vegetation, and later had the form of a fish from his navel down, (whence his name, Dagon), and from his navel up, the form of a man. 1.
1 Samuel, chapter 4, describes a great battle between the Hebrews (Israelites) and the Philistines. Even though the Hebrews brought the ark of the LORD from Shiloh, they were defeated; there was a great slaughter. The Philistines captured the ark of God, and the two sons of Eli, judge of Israel, Hophni and Phineas, were killed.
The Philistines brought the ark of God into the house of their idol, Dagon. But when they arose the next morning to check on their trophy of battle, they found the idol, Dagon, fallen on its face before the ark of the LORD. I can imagine the consternation they felt, seeing their idol, bowing down, as it were, before the ark of the LORD.
They set it upright again, but the next morning presented an even more startling sight - Dagon was not only prostrate before the ark, but its head and the palms of it hands were broken off on the threshold that supported the ark.
The men of Ashdod saw the impact the ark had on their idol, and apparently took the ark out of the house of Dagon. Now the city itself suffered great destruction, and The LORD struck the men of the city with a plague of tumors. They next took the ark to another of their cities, Ekron, and the hand of The LORD was heavy there, with great destruction of the city, and the men who did not die were stricken with tumors.
Yes, they finally got rid of the ark, sending it back to The LORD with a trespass offering. That is another story in its own right.
Idols of stone may not be in fashion today, as in the 1st millennium BC, but there are idols a-plenty among us. Wealth, power, privilege, and possessions often come before obedience to God. Like Dagon, they will fall, and The LORD will triumph over all!
October 24, 2010

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagon

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8, NKJV)
You have probably never heard of, nor even imagined, an engine where everything rotates around a stationary crankshaft. That is just not the way engines are built. Check out the engines used in automobiles, lawnmowers, and numerous engines, large and small - even electric motors - and you will see that the crankshaft revolves within a stationary engine block. Yet such a ‘rotary’ engine was used extensively in WWI fighter aircraft. The crankshaft was bolted to the aircraft frame, and the rest of the engine revolved around it. The propeller was attached to the engine body.
The rotary engine had several advantages over conventional engines, which were mounted firmly in supports, with the shaft and propeller spinning. Rotary engines reversed that, with the shaft being held tightly - and the engine spinning! The propeller was mounted to the rotating engine, which stayed cool by having its cylinders whirl within the open air. The design was inherently light weight, as it did not require a flywheel, for the bulk of the engine filled that need. Most systems used no carburetor. Instead, the fuel/air mixture and lubricating oil were injected through the hollow crankshaft.
This was at a time when the availability of petroleum based fuels and lubricants was limited. Actually, they found that the best option for lubrication was castor oil, for it was not diluted by gasoline, as with petroleum based lubricants. Excess oil was ejected with the exhaust gasses, as it was not burned during the ignition process. This was rather messy, as you might imagine, and I have found numerous references to the laxative effects upon the pilots, who were breathing the castor oil fumes. Goggles didn’t just protect the eyes from bugs, but were also necessary because of the oil mist. They wore a neck scarf to wipe the goggles clean.
The large bulk of the spinning engine made controlling the aircraft difficult, leading to the loss of many planes and inexperienced pilots. Further, the speed of the engine was not easily adjusted, as with a carburetor type of engine, making landing difficult. A ”Blip” switch was used to actually turn the engine off and on to lower the speed.
Eventually, aircraft engine technology evolved to the point where the conventional engine became the preference for all applications. The shortcomings of the rotary engine consigned it to history by the 1920’s.
It is unlikely that anyone today would think up a design based upon the rotary engine principle. We tend to think in terms of common and familiar practice. Great inventions and advances in technology come from people who think “outside the box,” whose thoughts are not conventional thoughts, rooted in accepted practice.
That applies to our worldly outlook on life, as well. If we base our thoughts upon the accepted and popular notions of society, we may be missing the Way of the LORD. Isaiah called upon the wicked to forsake the world’s way, and for the unrighteous man his thoughts, and to turn to the LORD. Is not such advice appropriate for us today as well?
There are times when we must break with conventional thoughts and wisdom, and think of a way of life designed to meet the unique needs of God’s heaven-oriented service. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NKJV)

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: “You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:24, NKJV)

Sometimes we need a little help finding our way. Imagine what it would be like to try to find a chosen destination in a location where there are no street names, no building numbers, and no maps to guide you.
The LORD led the people on the Exodus with His own GPS - God’s Positioning Service - as they traveled through the wilderness. A pillar of cloud led the way by day, and a pillar of fire gave them light by night. ( Exodus 13:21)
Navigators - navel and airborne - lacking such heavenly accommodations, long ago developed methods of using compass readings, a chronometer (clock), and sightings of the sun and stars to determine latitude and longitude, thus, their position on the earth’s surface. Surveyors used similar methods on land.
Navigational skills and knowledge require study and practice to develop accuracy. Let’s face it - we don’t want to be at the mercy of someone responsible for guiding us to a chosen port, whether sea or air, who hasn’t mastered navigation.
Naming cities and streets, assigning numbers to highways and building locations, and publishing maps and directories helps even us ordinary travelers, but it is still a chore to navigate in unfamiliar territory. Enter the new navigational technology - the Global Positioning System (GPS).
A GPS system uses signals from orbiting satellites to determine latitude and longitude anywhere on earth - and even above the earth. The latest commercial units are feature-packed marvels that can direct you to a chosen location, show a map of streets and roads, indicate the speed limit and the speed of the vehicle, and calculate the arrival time, among other data. Many have search options for finding rest stops, service stations, restaurants, and more. All in a little package about the size of a deck of playing cards!
Consider that someone had to collect and assemble all of that information. The GPS may pluck the geographic coordinates seemingly “out of the air” from those satellites, but those basic data have to be interfaced with the display screen. From satellite to screen, it seems to me that God is still playing a major role, providing the physics, science, and source of the intellect behind it all.
Another “early” GPS system was in use at the birth of Jesus - the star in the heavens that pointed the way to the manger bed of the Christ Child.
A more important form of God’s Positioning System appeared, manifesting the Divine Presence in the tabernacle, and later, in the temple (2 Chronicles 5:13). As noted by the psalmist, “You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:24)
Jesus, the Christ, has set the example of the ultimate GPS. As is written in Hebrews, 12:1, “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (New King James Version).
The satellite-based GPS unit is a very handy device to guide us while traveling, but we need God’s Positioning Service to guide us to avoid sin and reach the reward of His presence in glory.