The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
We have now Dagon and the ark in the same temple, sin and grace in the same heart,  but this state of things cannot long abide.  No man   can serve two masters, and even if he could then two masters would not agree to be so served. The two great principles of sin and grace will not abide in peace with each other, they are as opposite as fire and water. There will be conflict and   a victory, and we know which will conquer, for as surely as ever the grace of God comes into the soul sin receives notice to quit. That night, when the Philistines had finished their exulting ceremonies, they thought they had left Dagon robed in glory, reigning and triumphing over the ark of the Lord. They had scarcely shut the doors and gone before Dagon fell on his face to the ground before the ark. Down he went. He did not lean over, but  he fell,  nor did he drop upon his side, but he was made to do obeisance before the ark, for he fell  on his face,  and   he did not fall part of the way merely, but fell on his face  to the ground before  the ark: a change of positions very significant to his worshipers! The ark was set at the foot of Dagon, and now Dagon   lies before the ark as if he were prostrating himself   in worship before the   great   and mighty God. Even thus grace in the soul is not long before it overthrows sin. What a turning of things upside down grace always makes! The watchword is, “Overturn, overturn, overturn.” The Breaker is come up, and the images of man's invention must be dashed to shivers.
