Ichabod! Where is God's Glory

1 Sam 2:11-17; 22-25; 35,36;

Intro: What is happening to our land? What are happening to our churches? What is happening to our people? Where is God? What has happened to him? Why is He not supporting us? Why does He allow all this to happen to us?

Sound familiar? We stay as far from God as we can and then wonder why He is not in our midst? We never think of Him, Never talk to Him, never share Him and yet we wonder why we cannot find His presence in our lives and churches?

What condition caused this to happen to them?

Indifferent to sinful living

Personally

As a Church

As a Nation

Refusal to listen to God's correction

Non-need of God

Non-contrite heart

Stubbornness   - 3:13

1 Samuel 3:13(KJV) ¹³For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

Perversion of God's service for their gain or benefit

We see at least three reasons for perversion…

Greed

Lasciviousness (lustfulness and desire)

Power - Many could honestly sing a new song - "Have Mine Own Way! Or “I Did It My Way”"

Overly occupied with secular duties and aspects in life

Self-satisfying ventures

1 Samuel 2:22(KJV) ²²Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Gainful ventures

1 Samuel 2:13-17(KJV) ¹³And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
¹⁴And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
¹⁵Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
¹⁶And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
¹⁷Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

Prideful ventures

1 Samuel 4:1-5(KJV) ¹And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
²And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
³And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
⁴So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
⁵And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

Dependant on externality rituals to satisfy one's conscious toward God

1 Samuel 4:6-8(KJV) ⁶And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
⁷And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
⁸Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

The ark was only a symbol of assurance

The church can become our "ark"

Tradition can be held up as the "Ark of OUR Covenant" - Tell Joke about change:

Did you  hear the one about…How many church members does it take to change a light bulb?????????

"CHANGE!????? WHOI SAID ANYTHING ABOUT CHANGE??????"

IF the building or symbol is all you revere you are in danger of ICHABOD

Ongoing existence without contact with God

Eli no longer (or ever) heard from God    - 2:27

1 Samuel 2:30-31(KJV) ³⁰Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
³¹Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

There was no open vision   - 3:1

1 Samuel 3:1(KJV) ¹And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

If their leader was in the dark then they were in the dark (actions show this)

1 Samuel 2:33(KJV) ³³And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

Are you on autopilot? Or are you talking to the Lord?

What effects did this have on their and our lives?

God raised up a faithful servant  -  2:35

If we trust God He will change people's hearts - Chapters 5 & 6

1 Samuel 7:1-4(KJV) ¹And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
²And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
³And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
⁴Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

If we Trust God He will stay with us - 7:1,2  (TWENTY YEARS)

If we turn to Him, He will Deliver us - 1 Sam. 7:1-4

Ask yourself these questions…

Am I wholly trusting God with my life?

Do I have a clear vision with God? If not why?

Do I fail to commune with Him, or only use Him when in trouble?

Do I allow God to guide me in my life, or do I allow Him to follow me around and do what I want to do or go where I want to go?

Which song are you singing?

"Have Thine Own Way!"                    or                 "Have Mine Own Way!"

Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 032110pm – first used 040200am