After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. – 1 Samuel 5:1

Today's Scripture Reading (May 15, 2025): 1 Samuel 5

The Battle between the Philistines and Israel was fought around a place called "Ebenezer." Maybe, for most of us, when we hear the word "Ebenezer," it is not a place we think of; it is a person or, more precisely, a fictional Christmas character. I sometimes wonder where Charles Dickens got his inspiration for his protagonist's name. "Ebenezer" means "stone of help," and I have wondered if Dickens's choice of a name was possibly a foreshadowing of who his "The Christmas Carol" character would become by the end of the story. However, I don't know if this is true.

Another story argues that Dickens was in the middle of imagining his story when the writer ran across the grave of a man named Ebenezer Scroggie. Scroggie had been a grain merchant, and his grave summarized that occupation as a "Meal Man." According to the tale, Dickens misread the epitaph and thought it said that Ebenezer was a "Mean Man." However, there is no evidence that this story is true; if the gravestone had existed, it would have long since been lost, and there is no evidence anywhere Ebenezer Scroggie ever existed. 

The author of Samuel says that the Ark was taken from Ebenezer, the site of the battle where the Ark was captured, to Ashdod. The reason for the choice of Ashdod was that this is where the Temple of Dagon stood. We must understand that the Philistine intended to honor the Ark by placing it in Dagon's Temple. A second temple was built to honor Dagon in the city of Gaza, but Samson had destroyed that Temple.

Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, "Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands."… Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "Sovereign LORD, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the Temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the Temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived (Judges 16:23, 28-30).

Since the Temple in Gaza had been destroyed, the place to take the Ark was to Ashdod, and the Temple that still stood there. But once again, the God of Samson was about to prove that he was more potent than even Dagon, the god of the Philistines. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 6