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TO THE GLORY OF GOD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Study No 3
ICHABOD
I. GO BACK TO SHILOH
In the midst of these reproofs and denunciations, Jeremiah said to
the people, "But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I
set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness
of my people Israel...Therefore will I do unto this house, which is
called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave
to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh." (vs. 12,14).
The word is clear! "Go back to Shiloh and see what I did to it
for the wickedness of My people Israel."
It will be remembered that Shiloh was the place where the
Tabernacle of Moses was set up in the land of Canaan under Joshua. It
seems as if it was there all through the period of the days of
Joshua, the generation that outlived him and on through all the period
of the Book of Judges; a period of several hundred years (Joshua 18:1;
Judges 18:31).
It is worthy of note that the Ark is only mentioned once in the
Book of Judges (Judges 20:27). Therefore, let us "go back to Shiloh"
and see what did happen there. The details covered in this chapter
are recorded for us in 1 Samuel 14. The student should familiarize
himself with the historical account therein.
a. The Aaronic Priesthood - Eli and Sons.
At this time of the Divine judgements on Shiloh, the Aaronic
Priesthood was represented in Eli and his two sons, Hophni and
Phinehas. The spiritual condition of the nation is represented also
in the spiritual condition of the Priesthood. It was in the last
number of years closing off the period of anarchy. There was no king
in Israel and everyone did that which was right in his own eyes. The
Judge-Deliverer had come and gone. The nation had passed through
periods of apostasy, servitudes, and deliverances.
1. Eli's name means - "The offering or the lifting up," or
"Going up."
Hophni's name means - "He that covers my fist," or "Fighter."
Phinehas' name means - "A bold countenance," or "Brazen mouth."
The name in Scripture is usually significant of the nature and
character of a person (Hebrews 7:2;1 Samuel 25:25; Matthew
1:21).
2. Eli shows his lack of spiritual insight when, as he sat upon a
seat by a post in the House of the Lord, he reproves Hannah in
her intercessory prayer for a child. He does not discern
between a woman in travail of soul and a woman in a state of
drunkenness. He never realized that the son born of this woman
would be called upon to confirm Divine judgements on his house
(1 Samuel 1:9-28).
3. Eli's sons, though Priests at God's altar, were sons of Belial.
They knew not the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12). Belial means "Lawless,
Wrecklessness, Worthless."
4. Eli's sons were sacrilegious (1 Samuel 2:12-17). This passage
shows that when the people did come to sacrifice to the Lord at
Shiloh, Hophni and Phinehas would take much more than the
Priest's portion of the sacrifice than the law of the offerings
as given in Leviticus 1-7 allowed. The fat on the offerings
was the Lord's portion, to be burned on the altar of God. When
the people asked that the Lord receive His portion, these
Priestly sons would take the offerings by force from the
people.
5. Eli's sons were also immoral (1 Samuel 2:22). As the women who
assembled at the Tabernacle came, these Priestly sons would
become involved with some of them in acts of immorality.
6. Eli failed to properly discipline his sons (1 Samuel 2:23-25,
3:11-14). Although he heard of their immoral acts, he but
mildly reproved them. They should have been out from the
Priesthood. They failed in the qualifications.
b. Declaration of Divine Judgement on Shiloh and Priesthood
In 1 Samuel 2:27-36 the prophecy of Divine judgement on Eli and
his sons is given.
There came a man of God to Eli to pronounce the mind of God. He
reminded Eli of the Lord's choice of the Tribe of Levi to serve Him in
the Priestly office, to offer sacrifice, burn incense, to partake of
the offerings, and to wear the linen ephod before the Lord.
He reproved Eli for his lack of parental control and lack of
discipline over his two sons in their Priestly ministrations. The man
of God continued in the Word of the Lord by telling Eli of a threefold
judgement that would come upon him and his house and Shiloh.
1. Judgement on Eli and his house.
The Priesthood would not continue in Eli's house forever. 1
Samuel 2:30-36.
2. Judgement on Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas.
The sign to Eli of the judgement would be that his two sons
would come under Divine discipline and would both die in the
same day (1 Samuel 2:34).
3. Judgement on Shiloh and the Tabernacle.
Eli would see an enemy in God's habitation. The marginal
reading says that Eli would see "the affliction of the
Tabernacle." This statement involved the Ark of the Covenant
being taken into captivity by enemy hands (1 Samuel 2:32;
cf.Psalms 78:59-61). He forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh.
The word of this man of God foretold the transference of the
Priesthood of Eli over to another Priest also. God would raise up a
faithful Priest, in contrast to the unfaithfulness of Eli in this
office, and this Priest would perform the will and mind of God. God
would build this Priest a sure house, and he would walk before the
Lord's anointed forever.
As referred to in the judgement on Eli and his house, this
prophecy was fulfilled in 1 Kings 2:26-27,35, where Zadok was put into
the Priestly office while Abiathar was thrust out. Abiathar was of
Eli's line.
c. The Word of the Lord confirmed to Samuel.
In Samuel 3, the Lord confirmed to Eli through Samuel the word of
judgement which He had spoken through the man of God previously. The
Word of the Lord was precious (scarce) in those days, there was no
open vision (vs 1). It attests to the lack of spiritual insight and
Divine communications.
What must have passed through Eli's mind as he realized the Lord
was calling and speaking to Samuel? Though under the same roof, the
Lord was by-passing Eli and his house and the Word of the Lord was
coming to a young man. Judgement was to begin at God's house (1 Peter
4:17).
As Samuel lay before the Lord, the Lord confirmed the word of
judgement concerning the house of Eli. The declaration is solemn
indeed (vs 11-14).
1. The judgement that God would bring on Eli and his house at
Shiloh would make every one's ears tingle (vs 11).
2. Once God began the judgement, He would also finish it (vs 12).
3. God would judge Eli and his house forever because he knew of
his son's vileness and he restrained them not (vs 13).
4. The iniquity of Eli's house was unpardonable. No sacrifice or
offering could cleanse it (1 Samuel 3:14; cf. Hebrews 10:26-
31).
In the morning, Eli asked Samuel what the Lord had spoken to him.
Samuel fearfully told him all the words of the vision. Eli accepted
the confirmation, for it was the same message as that spoken to him
previously by the man of God. In the mouth of two or three witnesses
will every Word of God be established.
d. The Ark of God is Taken.
Read carefully 1 Samuel 4. In this chapter we find the
fulfillment of the prophetic word of judgement on Eli and his house as
well as Shiloh. Here we see that which God did at Shiloh for the
wickedness of His people Israel. One of the most momentous events in
the history of the Nation takes place here.
A brief analysis of the chapter will be sufficient to bring these
things into sharper focus.
1. The Battle at Ebenezer (1 Samuel 4:1-2).
The Philistines came out in battle against Israel. Israel
pitched over against Ebenezer, "The Stone of Departure" or "The
Stone of Help" see 1 Samuel 7:12.
The Philistines were over against Aphek, "Strength", or "A
Stream, Vigour".
In the course of the battle about 4,000 Israelites were slain.
God allowed the defeat to come, as in the days of the Judges,
because of Israel's continued lapse into idolatry, wickedness,
and immorality.
2. The Ark of God brought into the Battle (1 Samuel 4:3-9).
The Israelites questioned why the Lord permitted them to be
defeated in battle. In a spiritually decadent condition, they
suggested that the Ark of the covenant be fetched out of the
Tabernacle of Shiloh and brought into the battle. Their faith
in God had degenerated into superstitious belief in the
material Ark of the Covenant, and not in the God who dwelt upon
it.
The people in an act of presumption and superstition send to
Shiloh to get the Ark. Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were at
Shiloh where the Ark of God was. They also, as proper sons of
Belial, presumed to bring the Ark of God out of the Tabernacle
of Shiloh into the battle. Little did they realize that they
were on the way to their own funeral. Little did they realize
that the Ark once taken out of the Tabernacle at Shiloh would
never return there again.
3. The Ark of God Taken by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:10-11)
The battle continued. The Philistines fought. Israel was
smitten and 30,000 footmen fell in the battle. Thus for
several days battle 34,000 Israelites were slain. The worst
was yet to come.
In the course of the battle the Philistines took the Ark of the
Covenant captive. Such a thing had never happened before in
the history of the Nation. Never had enemy hands touched the
Ark of the Covenant. This was the fulfillment of God's word
that the enemy would be in God's habitation (1 Samuel 2:32
Amp.).
Psalm 78:60-61 describes this historical event.
"So that He forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the
tent which He had placed among men; and delivered
His strength into captivity, and His glory into the
enemy's hand" (Judges 18:30-31).
4. The Death of Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 4:11b)
The judgement upon Eli's sons is fulfilled here. As the
Philistines capture the Ark they slay the two Priestly sons of
Eli. This was the sign of judgement on Eli's house.
5. The Death of Eli (1 Samuel 4:12-18)
In the end of the battle, with the Ark of God in captivity to
the Philistines, one of the army men of the Tribe of Benjamin
ran back to Shiloh. His clothes were rent and earth was upon
his head. Eli was sitting by a post at the House of God at
Shiloh. His heart was trembling for the Ark of God. He knew
the violations of God's commandments that his two wreckless
sons were guilty of.
It is significant that it was not over the death of his two
sons, but at the mention of the Ark of God being taken that Eli
died with shock. The physical condition of Eli in his death is
also symbolic of the spiritual condition of Eli and the nation.
Eli was old physically. His eyes were dim that he could not
see. And when he dies, he fell off the seat backward and broke
his neck (vs 15,18). Spiritually speaking, the nation's eyes
were dim and unable to see. Spiritually, the nation had fallen
backward into idolatry and apostasy and was stiffnecked towards
the things of God.
6. Ichabod - The Glory is Departed (1 Samuel 4:19-22)
As if there had not been enough tragedy in Israel, further
tragedy is seen in the passage here. Phinehas' wife is nearing
the time of birth for her child. When she heard of the
terrible news that the Ark of God was taken, that her father-
in-law and her husband were dead, travail seized upon her. The
end result was that a child was born, a baby boy, and she
managed to name him just before she died in this travail.
The tragedies of this chapter are summarized:
1. About 34,000 Israelites have been slain in battle by the
Philistines.
2. The Ark of god has been taken in battle.
3. Hophni and Phinehas have been slain also.
4. Eli has died through shock.
5. Phinehas' wife also has died in travail.
6. A sign-child is born, named Ichabod, "The Glory is
departed".
In the light of all these things and details given in 1 Samuel
1-4, we understand more fully and clearly the prophecy of
Jeremiah to his wicked generation. Their boasting was vain in
the Ark of the Lord and the Temple in the City of Jerusalem.
Read Jeremiah 3:16 with 7:1-16; Psalms 78:54-62.
We repeat the particular references.
"But go ye now unto My place which was in Shiloh, where I set
My name at the first, and see what I did to it for the
wickedness of My people Israel...Therefore will I do to this
House...as I have done to Shiloh" (Jeremiah 7:12,14).
"So that He forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which He
placed among men; and delivered His strength into captivity,
and His glory into the enemy's hands" (Psalms 78:60-61).
II. THE ARK IN CAPTIVITY
The account of the captivity and journeyings of the Ark is given
for us in 1 Samuel 5 and 6. Read these carefully. The details
therein are commented on in this section.
a. the Ark in Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:1-7).
With the capture of the Ark of the Covenant, the Philistines
brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, or "Stronghold." This was a
Philistine city between Gaza and Joppa, assigned to Judah (Joshua
15:47). The city was made famous by the Temple built to the god
"Dagon". The Ark was placed in the House of Dagon, meaning
"Fish". Dagon was the national idol of the Philistines. It was
represented with human hands and face and a fish's body.
In the morning, when the Priests came to the Temple for their
functions, they found that Dagon had fallen on his face before the
Ark of the Lord. The promptly set him up in his place again.
The following morning they found Dagon fallen on his face again,
but this time the head and hands had been cut off. All that was
left was the stump or the "fishy" part of him! (King James
Version, marginal reading).
Not only did Dagon and his temple fall into disguise, God smote
the city of Ashdod with a plague of emerods - Hebrew, aphal,
"swelling". An epidemic of bubonic plague, and that the emerods
were the swollen lymph glands in the groin characteristic of this
dreaded disease. The inclusion of golden "mice" as part of the
propitiatory offering in 6:5 bears out this supposition, since
rats and rodents are infested with the fleas known to be carriers
of the plague. The hand of God fell in judgement on Dagon and the
Ashdodites who worshipped the fish-god. These plagues were part
of the curses of the Law (Deuteronomy 28:27).
b. The Ark in Gath (1 Samuel 5:8,9)
The Ashdodites sent and gathered the lords of the Philistines to
discuss what to do with the Ark. The lords suggested that the Ark
be sent to the city of Gath, meaning "Winepress". This was another
of the five cities of the Philistines. That is, one of their five
principal cities (Joshua 13:3)
The Gathites carried the Ark about and so the Lord's hand fell on
them and the city was smitten with a great destruction. They were
also plagued with emerods as was Ashdod.
None dare touch the Ark of God. Otherwise it meant death, plagues
and destruction.
c. The Ark in Ekron (1 Samuel 5:10-12)
The Philistines now send the Ark to the city of Ekron, which means,
"Migration," or "Barrenness, Torn Away."
The Ekronites had heard of the terrible plagues in the other cities
and they cried out about the Ark being sent to their city. They
called the lords of the cities and asked that the Ark be sent back
to its own place. Deadly destruction was in their city, and men
were smitten with emerods or struck dead. The cry of the Ekronites
went up to heaven.
d. The Ark sent to Bethshemesh (1 Samuel 6:1-12, 13-20)
After months of destruction in the land of the Philistines because
of the presence of the Ark of God, the people called for the
Priests and Diviners and asked them to find out what should be
done.
The religious leaders said that the Ark should be returned to its
own place in Judah. However, as all heathen religious had
sacrificial rites of propitiation to the gods, they also realized
they could not send back the Ark of the God of all the earth
without some appeasement.
It seems evident that they had some measure of knowledge of the
way of the God of Israel, for they suggested that the Philistines
send a Trespass Offering (cf. Leviticus 5) back with the Ark of
God.
They reasoned that, if physical healing came to their people and
land when the Ark was returned, then they would know it was the
True God of Israel who had plagued and judged them. These priests
actually exhorted the people and warned them not to harden their
hearts as did the Egyptians when God had sent plagues on them
because of their refusal to let Israel go.
The Philistines then made a new cart, placed the Ark on it, and
Trespass Offering beside it. The Trespass Offering consisted of 5
Golden emerods, and 5 Golden mice, according to the 5 lords of the
5 Philistine cities (1 Samuel 4:4,5,16,17). These were the types
of plagues they had been smitten with by the Lord. The number 5
is significant of the Atonement, symbolized in the nation of
Israel in the 5 Levitical Offerings (Leviticus 1-7).
These two milch kine, upon which had come no yoke, were then tied
to the new cart. Their calves were taken from them and left at
home. The Philistines watched as the cows took the straight way
to Bethshemesh, neither turning to the right hand or to the left.
The lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of
Bethshemesh.
How wonderful this thing was! The cows left their calves behind,
lowing as they went. It was unnatural for them to do so. Also,
not to turn aside to the right or to the left was contrary to the
nature of the animals. It was supernatural. God overruled the
animal nature causing them to go the straight way to Bethshemesh,
not stumbling as they went. Thus, the Ark left the land of the
Philistines after 7 months captivity and returned to the land of
Judah.
END of STUDY THREE
