Moses warns Israel that they will be driven from the land if they do not obey the Lord. For a couple of centuries, Israel has been worshiping idols, and Eli’s sons are guilty of “very great” sins. Yet Israel is not being driven from the land. Instead, the ark, the symbol of the Lord’s presence in Israel, leaves. The Lord Himself takes on the curse of the covenant: He goes into exile in place of His sinful people. And while He is in exile, He defeats Israel’s enemies. This is a picture of the gospel: As Jesus defeated Satan and sin by His humiliation, so Yahweh defeats Dagon and Philistia by
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