Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
1 Samuel Ch.5 / 31 Ch.s
1SA:5
* Dagon is broken before the ark. (1-5) The Philistine smitten.
(6-12)
#1-5 See the ark's triumph over Dagon. Thus the kingdom of Satan
will certainly fall before the kingdom of Christ, error before
truth, profaneness before godliness, and corruption before grace
in the hearts of the faithful. When the interests of religion
seem to be ready to sink, even then we may be confident that the
day of their triumph will come. When Christ, the true Ark of the
covenant, really enters the heart of fallen man, which is indeed
Satan's temple, all idols will fall, every endeavour to set them
up again will be vain, sin will be forsaken, and unrighteous
gain restored; the Lord will claim and possess the throne. But
pride, self-love, and worldly lusts, though dethroned and
crucified, still remain within us, like the stump of Dagon. Let
us watch and pray that they may not prevail. Let us seek to have
them more entirely destroyed.
#6-12 The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines; he
not only convinced them of their folly, but severely chastised
their insolence. Yet they would not renounce Dagon; and instead
of seeking God's mercy, they desired to get clear of his ark.
Carnal hearts, when they smart under the judgments of God, would
rather, if it were possible, put him far from them, than enter
into covenant or communion with him, and seek him for their
friend. But their devices to escape the Divine judgments only
increase them. Those that fight against God will soon have
enough of it.