The wife of Phinehas: The glory has departed from Israel (Ichabod)

The sons of Eli (Hophni are Phinehas) were scoundrels and they had no regard for the Lord. As children of the High priest of Israel, one would expect them to have good attitudes towards God and humanity. However, these two sons just treated everyone and everything with contempt. Even the Lord’s sacrifices were not spared. 1 Samuel 2: 12-16 details their contemptuous practices. To add to their wickedness against the Lord’s sacrifices, these two men were also sleeping with the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. They were just consumed by sin and pride and would not even listen to their father’s advice. The gravity of their sins and the shame their presence gave to the priesthood was quite unbearable. A man of God came to Eli and confronted him of his sons’ evil attitudes. This was God’s judgement: “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.” (1 Samuel 2:30).

Considering this background,  the wives of Eli’s sons would have been married to scoundrels who had no respect for God and humanity. It would have been difficult to bear the titles of such men as their actions were just despicable to God and men. In the course of time, Israel went to war against the Philistines and in a bid to gain the favour of God, the Israelites took the ark of God to the battlefield. The ark of God represented God’s glory and His presence, and even the enemies were afraid when they heard that the ark had been brought to the battlefield. However,  God wasn’t pleased with His people and He left them in the hands of the enemy. The Israelites were routed and defeated mercilessly. Unfortunately, the ark of God was captured by the Philistines. Although the Philistines later returned the ark on their own account based on the brutalization they received as a result of them taking the ark, the Israelites could not believe what happened to them. It wasn’t just about their losses. It was more about the presence and glory of God that was taken away from them. 

His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labour and gave birth, but was overcome by her labour pains. (1 Samuel 4:19)

Hophni and Phinehas were killed on the battlefield and the messenger who escaped to tell the news of the defeat of Israel didn’t miss details. Eli the priest was ninety-eight years and his vision was failing. He heard the outcry and upon enquiries, got to know that his sons had been killed and the ark of God had been taken away. “When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.” (1 Samuel 4:18). God’s words in 1 Samuel 2: 27-36 were fulfilled. The wife of Phinehas,  the focus of today’s post, was heavily pregnant. Her husband had accompanied the army to fight against the Philistines. She had hoped to see her husband return to hold their new baby but things didn’t turn out that way. The heavily pregnant wife of Phinehas, was near the time of delivery. “When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labour and gave birth, but was overcome by her labour pains. As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention. She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” (1 Samuel 4:19‭-‬22). 

The ark of God might not mean so much to the New Testament believer. However, during those times, the presence of the ark of God signified the glory and the presence of God. Phinehas’ wife knew the consequences of the glory of God departing from Israel. They were on their own. They had no divine direction, protection and guidance. As a baby, Ichabod might not be aware of the weight of his name. Unfortunately for Ichabod his father and grandfather all died and no one changed his name like Benjamin. So, Benjamin, was named Ben-Oni (son of my trouble) by Rachel but Jacob changed it to Benjamin (son of my right hand).

Sometimes, situations may feel like seasons of Ichabod. When nothing seems to work, we could go on and give names of despair to our situations or move in faith and shout to our Ebenezer for help (Ebenezer means stone of help). The Lord is indeed our Helper. 

Thunder, lightning and a thick cloud announced His presence: He is Holy

One of the places on my bucket list is the Middle East. I am still drawing a plan on where to start from. I want to visit those places in Biblical history. Some of the countries are now hostile to the faith and Christianity but I believe that in God’s own time and through our intercession, the Father will reconcile the nations back to Himself. Imagine undertaking a 11-day journey from Egypt to Canaan in 40 years? (Deuteronomy 1:2). The hearts of the people needed to be worked on and a nation was birthed that witnessed the extraordinary miracles of God. Today, we shall consider one of such amazing miracles and how God is revealed through the miraculous. Moses received the command to go and deliver the Israelites on Mount Sinai. Three months after the people left Egypt, they arrived at Mount Sinai. “The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.” (Exodus 19:9)

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. (Exodus 19:16)

It sounds cool right? God in all His radiance was coming down to meet the people and the people consecrated themselves in readiness. God is holy and His presence requires holiness. On the day of the meeting with the Lord, this happened:
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.” (Exodus 19:16‭-‬22)

What? This sounds like a very scary encounter. The presence of God was announced by thunder, lightning and a thick cloud. Imagine the loud trumpet blast, the smoke that covered the mountain and the mountain trembling violently. This does not sound like a place I want to be, but that was the mountains responding to the presence of the Holy God. Mount Sinai could not stand still, and the people trembled before God. The ten commandments were delivered from God to the people. What was the reaction of the people? “When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” (Exodus 20:18‭-‬19)

Imagine if we had to stand before God each day with such a pomp and display of the miraculous? Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the ultimate arrival of the Holy Spirit, God now dwells in the heart of the believer. Yes, your body is the temple of God and God’s Spirit dwells in you and as such we should be Holy (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Remember, God might not be shaking your environment violently just to speak with you but His standard for holiness has not changed. If the mountains couldn’t stand His holy presence, can you stand His presence on that Day?