Five Foes to Prove your Progress part 4

1. Five Foes to Prove your Progress
part 4
Gaza the Enticer Samson
Gath the Intimidator Goliath
Ekron The Imitator Elijah/Ahaziah/Baal-zebub
Ashdod the Integrator
Judg 3
1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them,
even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach
them war, at the least such as before knew nothingthereof;
3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines…
Ashdod
Meaning: stronghold
Ashdod was thirty-four miles north of Gaza about midway
between Gaza and Joppa, and 3 miles from the Mediterranean. Itwas one of the
chief seats of the worship of Dagon (1 Sam. 5:5).
Ashdod the Integrator
I. The inferior want to integrate with the Superior
The true God can’t coexist with false gods

2. Judg 16:23 Then the lords of the Philistines gatheredthem together for to
offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said,
Our god hath deliveredSamson our enemy into our hand.
1Chr 10:8-10 8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the
Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons
fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his
armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines roundabout, to carry
tidings unto their idols, and to the people.
10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened
his head in the temple of Dagon.
Hab 1:16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto
their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
“Fish-net”
1Sam 5:1-6 1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from
Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house
of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
The name of this idol, Dagon,signifies a fish. In Phoenicia the
image of Derceto; a Female god, she had the half of a woman,
but from the thighs downward a fish's tail. [Mermaid]
3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon
was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they
took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
4 And when they arose earlyon the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was
fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the
head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the
threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's
house, tread on the thresholdof Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

3. 6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he
destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the
coasts thereof.
II. Integration is for mineralization
Isa 30:9-10 9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that
will not hear the law of the LORD:
10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto
us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Ezra 4:1-3 1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heardthat
the children of the captivity buildedthe temple unto the LORD God of
Israel;
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said
unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we
do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon kingof Assur, which
brought us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, andJeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of
Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house
unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of
Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Neh 4:11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we
come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to
cease.
Isa 47:11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know
from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt
not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee
suddenly, which thou shalt not know.

4. Ps 50:22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in
pieces, and there be none to deliver.
Rev 18:9-10 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed
fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and
lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standingafar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas,
that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy
judgment come.
Neh 4:19-20 19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the
rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separatedupon
the wall, one far from another.
20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye
thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
Josh 23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD
your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Zech 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those
nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
 God’smath: ½ = 0
Neh 13:23-24 23 In those days also saw I Jews that had marriedwives of
Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not
speak in the Jews' language, but accordingto the language of each
people.
Ps 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their
works.
Zeph 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a purelanguage, that
they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one
consent.

5. 2Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowshiphath righteousness with unrighteousness?and
what communion hath light with darkness?
1Pet 4:2-4 2 That he no longer shouldlive the rest of his time in the
flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wroughtthe will
of the Gentiles,when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of
wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the
same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
III. Integration leads to amalgamation
Zech 9:6-8 6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the
pride of the Philistines.
7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations
from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our
God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
8 And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of
him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor
shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes.
IV. Integration leads to elimination
Jer 25:20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the landof Uz,
and all the kings of the landof the Philistines, andAshkelon, and Azzah,
and Ekron, and the remnantof Ashdod,
Jer 25:27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and
rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.
Amos 3:9-11 9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in
the landof Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of

6. Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the
oppressed in the midst thereof.
10 For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence
and robbery in their palaces.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even
round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and
thy palaces shall be spoiled.