She Named Him Icabod1 Samuel 4 (NIV)
Can you imagine a mother naming her son Icabod? This name is from the Hebrew.
Literally Ichabod means the glory of the Lord is gone. Why did this lady
think the glory of the Lord was gone?
1. God's people were losing battles.
Because God's people were losing battles. Verse 2 & 10 "... Israel was defeated before the Philistines... (10) Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers."
God's people lost a battle and 4,000 men were killed. Verse 10 "30,000 men were killed." This was unusual for Israel because God had promised and given unique victories in the past..
Joshua 6 - Jericho fell because they followed God's plan of walking around
the city 7 times blowing trumpets and shouting.
Judges 15 - Samson kills 1,000 men with the jaw bone from a donkey.
Judges 7 - God gives victory to Gideon and 300 men.
Israel was accustomed to winning, because she walked with God. His presence was among them. As long as they were obedient, they won victories over the enemy.
2. The People were making decisions without seeking God's guidance.
The People were Making Decisions Without Seeking God's Guidance. In verses one and two we noted the people lost a battle. In verses 3-10 the people decided that they needed to get the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark symbolized the presence of God. The Book of the Law was kept in it and God had spoken audibly to Moses from the Ark. There is no reference: to prayer or seeking the counsel and God's intervention. Sinful men were leading the people. When we are most aware of God's presence we will seek His guidance. We will not make decisions without seeking His counsel. Never make decisions with out seeking God's counsel.
3. The People Were Abusing the Holy Articles of God.
In verse 4, Phinehas, the father of this child named Ichabod, was abusing the Ark. He helped in leading the people to desire the Ark just so they might win a battle. A holy purpose never entered their minds. God is more than a magical genie. We can take the right thing and misuse it! We can use the holy for an unholy purpose.
This mother thought the presence of God was gone. The book of Daniel tells a story of a king who took the holy temple vessels and used them in drunken feast. It wasn't long until he saw the handwriting on the wall. The judgment of God fell on him. A nation or church or individual can abuse the holy articles and things of God without receiving God's judgment.
God's presence will not bless a nation or a people who do these things. God's name is holy! This mother knew the glory of God had departed from Israel.
4. Sinful men were overseeing the work of God.
1 Samuel 2:22-25 (NIV) "Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. {23} So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. {24} No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the Lord's people. {25} If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" His sons, however, did not listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the Lord's will to put them to death."
Eli, the grandfather of this boy named Ichabod, was not as godly as he should have been. He was the High Priest. He did not rebuke the sins of his own sons. His sons were filthy sinners and yet they were allowed to serve in the temple.
What about the leaders the church from the pastor to the elected leaders? Do we have a desire to grow in Christ-likeness? Is our use of time, talent and possession motivated by a desire to be godly and walk in the presence of God?
This mother thought the presence of God was gone.
5. The enemy no longer respected God or His People.
The enemy had heard of what God had accomplished in Egypt and in many other battles. However, Satan and his forces know you can't fight today's battles on yesterday's victories.
The enemy doesn't respect the Children of God unless they walk in correctly before God. A Christian is powerful and protected as he walks in the presence of God.
The enemy knows you call yourself Christian. He also knows who doesn't live up to up to their faith. He doesn't respect for you when you walk afar off.
In Acts 19:13-16, a story is told of some persons desiring to be exorcists. They commanded an evil spirit to leave a person. The demons answsered, "I recognize Jesus and I know about Paul, but who are you?" The evil forces had no respect for these men because they were not godly.
This mother knew the glory of God had departed from Israel. The enemy had taken away one of their most precious and holy articles. Today, we can see a disrespect for God, His name, His house!
Should you name a child Ichabod today?
I know this has been heavy, let me now encourage you!
Children are a blessing from God.
Psalms 127:3 (NIV)
Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.
If they are, indeed, a blessing from God, we should treat them as such. Mothers should not treat them like they are an obligation or a job.
IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO RAISE GODLY AND WHOLESOME KIDS.
God's Word doesn't depend on circumstances
God knew what the circumstances in this day would be and he still told us to raise up good kids.
We are all responsible for our kids! parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, pastors, singles, people with out kids, All of us make impressions on our children. Especially in the church.
They are watching us! They wait for our love and acceptance.
We can as should have hope. We can still have good kids even in these bad times. Hope that comes from doing things God's way and not our own. Hope that the tools we have to work with are enough (single parents, lack of time or money, knowledge etc). With God's help we can be good role models, and raise good, Christian kids. Amen!
This mother named her son Ichabod.
But approximately 1200 years later a mother named her son JESUS. The name Jesus means Savior.
Which child do you want this day in your life, home and church?