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I C H A B O D
It has been said and echoed many times by many men:
"Those who refuse to learn from history
are doomed to repeat it!"
Ichabod's story is a tragic one that holds great meaning for those who claim to know
and believe in the God of creation, the almighty one who formed the universe and made man from the
dust of the earth. God gave us the Old Testament so that we would have a history of man's time here
on this earth. The stories are to teach us the things we need to know so that we live good lives and
learn from the mistakes of our ancestors and they did make plenty of mistakes.
Ichabod's story really begins with the story of Eli. Eli was the high priest and
judge of Israel and along with his two sons Hophni and Phinehas, whom he indulged in their wickedness,
brought about the removal of God's hand from the nation of Israel. The Israelites were, during this
period, being oppressed by the Philistines. The Israelites decided to go to war with the Philistines
believing their cause was just and God would give them the victory.
 Instead of fasting, praying, confessing their sins and repenting they had moved
so far away from their sincere worship of God they had become ignorant of the fact God had removed
His hand from them. They gathered and went up against the Philistines losing 1,000 men. Then lamenting
their loss they turned to crying out against God and even blaming Him for their loss.
Then like all men who have fallen into their sin they in their own wisdom had the
idea that if they brought the "Ark of the Covenant" to the battle they could somehow force God to give
them the victory. They sent to Shiloh for the ark even though they had been commanded not to move it
from the temple. They allowed the ark to become their idol, relying on it instead of God.
 Eli allowed his two wicked sons Hophni and Phinehas to carry the ark to Israel's
camp which brought about disaster as both the sons were killed along with 30,000 of the Israel army
and the loss of the ark to the Philistine army.
When the news of the disaster reached Eli in Shiloh he fell over backward and broke
his neck dying there at the city's gate. This news also caused Phinehas' wife, who was with child,
to go into labor. After she had delivered a boy child, she was asked to name him which she did with
her dying words saying call him Ichabod for the glory of God is departed.
 Israel was a nation that knew the glory of God's presence. Now they had turned from
God to wickedness and idol worship until they had come to the place where the glory of God had departed
from them. The true tragedy was they did not know it.
 It is with a heavy heart that I write this story to you today due to information the
Lord has seen fit to make me aware of. Over the last few months I have learned of a dozen or more churches
just in my State that God has written Ichabod across the entrance. These churches are either dead or dying.
They have forsaken the true and sincere worship of God for worldly pursuits and have brought forth the
relics of past glories in hopes of bringing back the glory of God. Religion, tradition, pride of life,
the wisdom of man have all taken God's place.
 When a person, church, country or organization refuses to confess sin and repent, the
glory of God departs and God removes His hand. This is a scene we see playing out all over our country
with many protestant and evangelical churches turning away from the true worship of God. Many are
corrupting His word to suit themselves or preach only that God is love and leave out that He is also
a holy and righteous God who will judge mankind in the near future, according to His precepts not man's.
What is happening today reminds me of the message of Jesus in Revelation to the
Church of Ephesus when He told them that they had left their first love and commanded them to
remember from whence they had fallen and repent and return to their first love, or He would
remove their candlestick out of it's place. He would remove Himself and the glory of God would depart.
 Jesus spelled out the way back to the glory of His presence to the Ephesians:
A. Remember from whence you have fallen.
B. Repent.
C. Repeat your first works. You were so in love with Him and
the glory of His presence, that you did not consider it work, but the delight and joy of your life.
1 John 1:5-9 KJV 5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and
declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not
the truth:
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
It has been said and echoed many times by many men:
"Those who refuse to learn from
history are doomed to repeat it!"
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
 He has given us the key to His presence but it is up to us to use the key to keep the
glory of His presence in our lives. The scriptures give many more examples and truth that show us how
to live the abundant life Christ has promised but as always it's up to you to decide this day who you will serve.
It is not the fact that we continue to sin. God is not unaware that as long as we
occupy these corruptible bodies and live in this corrupt world we will continue to sin. The problem lies
in the fact that we harden our hearts, refusing to confess and repent of our sin, which removes God's
presence from our lives. Without the glory of God's presence we lose His blessings, His strength, His
peace and the abundant life He has promised.
Jeremiah 29:13 KJV and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search
for me with all your heart.
Philippians 4:6-9 KJV 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of
good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and
the God of peace shall be with you.
Bob Goulding © August 2007
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