Ichabod: The Glory Has Departed (1 Sam. 4)

Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church

Some think that the first line of verse 1 belongs properly to chapter 3. After all, there is no other reference to Samuel in chapter 4.- -But this is why I preached on 1 Samuel 4-7 in a single sermon last time- If you turn over to chapter 7, verse 3, we hear how the word of Samuel came to all Israel. -And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, -if you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods----And then notice chapter 7, verse 12, -Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer, for he said, 'Till now the LORD has helped us.'---In chapter 4, there are the two battles of Ebenezer - where the LORD fought against Israel - and Samuel is silent. In chapter 7, Samuel will finally speak -many years later- - and a new Ebenezer will be established -many miles away from the Ebenezer of ch 4-.