The spiritual picture of Israel during the time of Samson was so bleak. True enough, the mighty judge did so much to defeat the Philistines, but the immorality of his life brought shame on the nation God had treasured above all nations. There was, perhaps, hope that Eli, the new judge appointed by God, would bring greater spirituality to Israel, but such was far from what actually happened. In many ways it became worse.
The sons of the new judge, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests in charge of offering sacrifices at the tabernacle. God’s first description of them was, “Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:12). Ten verses later, we read that they were committing fornication with women at the entrance to this holy place.
It got even worse. When the Philistine army came against Israel and killed 4,000 Jews, the Ark of the Covenant was brought to the battle site as a “good luck charm” to see if it would help in the battle. It was Eli’s evil sons who brought this ark! The ark was captured; the sons of Eli were killed along with 30,000 in the army of Israel.
When the pregnant wife of Phinehas, one of Eli’s sons, heard of the death of her husband, the death of Eli (that’s another amazing story), the slaughter of 30,000 Israelites and the capture of the ark, she was so grieved that she delivered the child. The name she gave to that child, Ichabod, showed what grieved her most for Ichabod means “the glory has departed.” The enemies of God had taken those precious tablets and had taken the ark—the very place where atonement was made for God’s people. The glory of Israel was not found in her father-in-law or in her husband. It was in the ark!
So, what lesson is there for us in this story? Think about how the glory of God is found in the church. Paul said, “For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, I will be their God and they shall be my people’” (2 Cor. 6:16). We glorify Him when we let our lights shine (Matt. 5:16). He has sanctified the church, cleansed us and presented us as a glorious church (Eph. 5:26-27).
What will remove His presence from us? When sin enters the church and is ignored, we walk in darkness, and He no longer is there for He withdraws His fellowship (1 John 1:3, 6). His glory is in the church, but He cannot remain where ungodliness abounds!
May it never be said of this church—Ichabod! May His glory never depart from us!