Foundations 16 Repentance 1 Samuel 4 “Ichabod”

1 Samuel 4:19-22

¹⁹ And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. ²⁰ And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. ²¹ And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. ²² And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

1. Background:

This was a sad time in Israel where God glory or His presence departed from them.  The background story in Chapter three tells us God is angry with the corruption of Eli’s family.  The sinful things they did are recorded in chapter two.  Their sin had affected all of Israel to abhor the offerings given to God, something that has certainly affected the people’s heart towards God and cause them to sin even greater.  So when God’s judgement falls, it does not only fall on Eli and his sons only.

2. What Can we Observe About God?

God desires above all else the heart and soul of His people.

The sins of Israel’s leadership has affected the entire people.  Like yeast in bread, it brought corruption to many.  This corruption manifested itself when the people suffered a military loss, so they fetched the Ark of God as if it were a lucky charm.    This wasn’t the decision of some bad leadership, but apparently the multitude of the people also thought this way of God.

God had once told their ancestors that the greatest importance for them in this relationship was to keep their heart genuine before Him.

And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 

Deuteronomy 10:12

But in our passage, God had been reduced to a box they could pull out of the tabernacle whenever they wanted something.  This is what sinful men do with God and much of religion attempts to reduce God to magic superstition and incantations passed off as prayer.  The result of the battle ended in Israel’s defeat and the Ark of God was taken captive.  Also the judgement the judgement God pronounced on Eli’s sons was executed.

And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

Verses 10-11

The glory of God departed from Eli, his sons, and Israel. Eli’s daughter in law gives birth and names her son “Ichabod” (the glory is gone). How does this apply to our church, to our Gospel ministry, and our personal lives?  

Our churches can become diseased in the heart.  Our leadership needs to keep their hearts right with God.  That’s why the requirements of the pastor all pertain to his personal life over his preaching ability.  The failure of the leadership will cause others to sin and fail.  We needs God’s presence among us, not rituals and useless meetings.  Sometimes it’s necessary to forget the schedule and get on our faces before God.

Like Israel, Christ’ body are God’s people.  The body of Christ have His promises and access to God.   But for some reason that lies in the heart, they are not enjoying His blessings and power.  We never want to be a church where God isn’t working.  There are dead churches everywhere. God does not owe us anything just because we have a sign, a cross on the wall, and a weekly schedule.

If we continue on in the battle without God’s power, we’re doomed.  We will be ineffective and waste our time.

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2 Timothy 3:5

If we let our heart and love for Jesus diminish, we will turn into a powerless religion. Jesus warned churches that God will remove His glory from them like He did the Israelites.  

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Revelation 2:4-5

All these things that happen to churches as a body can happen to us individually.  A father’s lukewarm heart can effect his home and children.  We must becareful to not develop a form of godliness.  Keep your love for God hot.  Don’t let other things compete for time with God.

3. How Does this Passage point to Jesus

The Israelite people were destroyed.  But God did a work changed their hearts.  He fought the battle and the ark came back to them. 

And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

1 Samuel 6:13

Over a period of 20 years, God did a work in their hearts and they repented.

 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.  And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 Samuel 7:2-3

The Philistines came out to battle them again in the same place where the Ark was first taken.

And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 

1 Samuel 7:7

But now their hearts were right with God and God fought for them.

 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car. Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

2 Samuel 7:10-13

Jesus has come to do what God did for them.

 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Luke 19:10

We are command in the way to repent and seek God with our whole heart.  Our way to God is through Jesus Christ. 

 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:  Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Acts 3:19-23

4. Application:

Apply the same principle Samuel told the Israelites:

If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only…

1 Samuel 7:3

Put your faith in Christ alone and be reconcile to God though Jesus Christ.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Roman 10:9