The Presence with the Philistines

a short story based on 1 Samuel 5:1-9

Sneaking out as an orange hue crawls up the black sky, Hanun nourishes with fresh olives and leftover pork for his trek to Dagon’s temple, the god whose name means to be cut open. After fighting in the war, he believed one thing to be true– the power of Dagon: god of fertility and prosperity, half-man, half-fish, father of Baal. Therefore, Hanun’s custom was to dance around Dagon’s statue every morning, nurse the gods tail, and coat his own ears in fresh blood spewed from his newly sliced wrist, all as acts of allegiance. 

Hanun sees a blind light emitting from the temple, a kind of glory he wouldn’t assume existed unless he saw it with his own two eyes. Skipping forward in eagerness, he shortcuts through the priestly homes to enter the sanctuary, prepared to adore his leader. As he crosses the threshold, he looks up in wonder at the source of light, towards his god– no!– a gold chest, adorned with angel-like creatures. “WHAT IS THIS?” he exclaims to the naked air as his skin begins to bulge, the tumor manifesting quickly. Hastily turning around, searching frantically for Dagon, he notices the meager figure with his head down, facing the chest: Hanun’s all-powerful Autocrat, appearing weaker than a baby calf made from stolen gold. 

As the Ruler of the Daytime rises, more followers wander in to receive a promise for the day. Noticing the faithful Hanun with no blood and a multiplied neck, they quickly pick their idol back up and remind each other of the strong wind the evening before. Yet destruction visits  Dagon’s rented chamber once again the next night. This time, his head and his hands severed, leaving his torso fleeing outside, attempting to escape the embarrassment caused to him by the Almighty. 

. . .

The Almighty’s presence destroys any idol that tries to claim equality. He will destroy the idols of busyness, ministry, and self whenever they try to compete for His Beloved’s affection. His Beloved may try to pick them up again: by accident, from habit, or out of false comfort. After His Beloved gets on her knees, beats her chest, and asks the Almighty to extend mercy on a sinner like her, how faithful He will prove Himself once more. He will decapitate every false god and cause its thin remains to scurry away in humiliation.