March 10-11, 2019

Threshold

you would have us acquiesce

to your offense, have us not

step shoes within your doors

lest we cause you pain or

heap our indignity upon

the god you serve

though you may despise my shoes

you need have no fear that these

will careful step over your threshold

yet proclaim The God a man

a prophet, of lower rank,

less certain than your own

tread careless feet upon Him

pour your indignity upon

the God who saves

though you may despise my God

you are right to fear that He

will work His will upon your threshold

Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again. When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon’s house, step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

1 Samuel 5:1-5

This was written after a member of a local Christian ministry to Muslims spoke at our church and suggested that one way we could make a positive impact for the Gospel (or at least not offend them to the point that they would avoid hearing the Gospel) would be to treat the Koran with respect, just as we would our Bible. This seemed to me to be the wrong thing to do. Yes, we should show respect to the individual Muslim, but none at all to their faith; lest we suggest that it is as valid as Christianity, despite it's being of the enemy.