The Philistines (you remember them? They were the annoying group of people who were always picking on the Israelites) went into battle against the Israelites and captured the ark of God. They took it to the temple of their god, Dagon, and set it next to the statue of Dagon. They did it to demonstrate Dagon's superiority over God. But imagine their surprise when they went into the temple the next day and Dagon was on the ground, facedown, before the ark! So, they picked him up and the next day he was on the ground again, only his head and hands had been broken off and were lying at the entrance to the temple.
Now at first reading, I sort of pictured God slapping Dagon upside the head and sending him flying to the floor. But then the verse in Philippians came to mind-
"Because of that obedience, God lifted [Jesus] high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth- even those long dead and buried- will bow down in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11 (MSG)
The ark was the tangible representation of God's presence to the world. Any other gods didn't stand a chance. I'm not biblical scholar but I think that the devil masquerading as Dagon couldn't handle being in the same room as the Lord and fell in submission because...
"... our God is greater than all other gods"!!
(2 Chronicles 2:5b, NIV)
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