Eli, the Priest of the Lord, who oversaw the House of the Lord
when the Ark of the Covenant was there, had two wicked sons.
He let them do whatever they wanted,
and Eli still allowed them serve in the House of the Lord.
His two sons dishonored the Ark of the Covenant and were killed and the messenger told Eli the Ark of God had been taken:
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God,
that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake,
and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy.
And he had judged Israel forty years. 1 Samuel 4:17-18
The Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant. Eli’s sons were killed
and one of his sons’ wife had a baby and called him Ichabod.
She was devastated. She was, in her way, honoring the Lord
and she spoke the truth.
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.
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. And she named the child Ichabod, saying,
The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken,
and because of her father in law and her husband.
And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
1 Samuel 4:19-22
Several offenses against the Lord were given.
Eli allowed his wicked sons to be in charge.
Eli was warned and he did not deal with their sins.
The Ark of the Covenant was taken for granted, as was God.
So, God left.
God wanted to leave,
otherwise the Philistines would not have been able to take the Ark of the Covenant.
He allowed it and if you’ll remember,
that was when it was placed next to Dagon and the next morning,
Dagon was found flat on his face.
This happened the second night:
And when they arose early on 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.
1 Samuel 5:4
The Ark of the Covenant represented God.
The Ark of the Covenant was to be honored and cherished.
That did not happen.
God is not being honored and cherished in some of our churches today and in some Christians’ hearts.
Ichabod is here.