The Lord brought me to the word Ichabod yesterday, yet I was not reading the Bible when the word presented itself to me. I spent time thinking about the word and what it represented. I prayed that if the Lord wanted me to share what He revealed to me that the word ICHABOD would present itself to me again -- and most importantly, without me “searching” for it. Within 18 hours, He has done so in a remarkable way. I must share His Truth.
Early in 1 Samuel, we read the story of Hannah. She is
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On February 26, a little over a week ago, I sat listening to a preacher. Toward the end of his message, I remember going to the Lord in prayer and wholeheartedly talking to Him about my concerns for my young boys who are growing up during a very dark and deceptive time. I quite literally thought, "Lord, I pray for my sons in this deceptive world. Lord, I want to labor for you. Will you please remember my boys." When I used the word labor in my prayer, I was referencing a very specific ministry the Lord has given me and confirmed to me these last years and especially the past 14 months. This prayer was not an ultimatum for the Lord. Not at all. Instead, it was just an honest prayer from me, letting Him know that my heart's desire is to labour for Him following the word and path He has given me, so I made my request known that I would like Him to remember my boys and their need for salvation. The Lord knew all that was on my heart during this prayer.
Within a few minutes - maybe even seconds, the pastor began speaking about children. He said that we must leave our children at the altar. And I quote his next words:
“If you labor in God's harvest, God will take care of you and the things that concern you and will perfect the things that concern you.”
The Lord knew and had heard the concerns I have for my children. He had also repeated back the very word I used just seconds to minutes before: LABOR.
This writing on ICHABOD is directly related to that specific ministry and labor for the Lord.
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I want to highlight some areas of 1 Samuel as the Lord has revealed. Brought by Hannah, Samuel lives with Eli and as the Bible says, Samuel “ministered unto the Lord before Eli [the priest]” (3:1). During one of Hannah’s visits to her son Samuel, the Bible tells us that “Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife [Hannah], and said, ‘The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord.’ And they went into their own home. And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord” (2: 21).
This chapter goes on to reveal that the Lord directly sends a messenger to speak to the priest Eli in an area where he was not faithful to honor the Lord. Specifically, Eli’s two sons, who are also described as being priests, were sinning and causing the “Lord’s people to transgress” (2:24):
When the Lord speaks in this portion of the story, He speaks to the priest and appears to be very disappointed with the actions of Eli:
28Thus saith the Lord, ‘Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an e’phod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?29Wherefore kick ye (you, meaning Eli) at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30 Wherefore 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.31 Behold, 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.
In just what I have touched on thus far, we can observe a woman who gives her child to the Lord so that He may serve the Lord and so that the Lord may work through Samuel.
Then, we see a father, Eli, who honored his own sons more than he honored the One he was called to serve: the Lord.
In my prayer the other night, I placed my boys at the altar while I continue on with this ministry the Lord has shown me to follow. There will come times of decision: Will I follow, honor, and obey what the Lord has shown me to do, or will I waiver in this ministry in order to spare upsetting those around me?
I can choose to be obedient to the Lord, as Hannah was. However, I can also choose to dishonor the Lord by not fully obeying Him, as was the case with the priest Eli. There are eternal consequences when we do not fully obey the Lord.
In the next chapter of 1 Samuel, the Lord gives a message to Samuel regarding Eli:
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.13 For 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.15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.17 And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
Even here in verse 17, Eli himself understands that Samuel must speak the truth or possibly face the same punishment. Whether inside the house of God or outside of the house of God, we must not allow ourselves to honor man, son, daughter, parents, or friends more than we honor the Lord.
Sometimes, we may believe that we are trying to spare those who are sinning, so we do not speak the truth on a matter. When the Spirit prompts a person to speak, that person should obey. We are just as guilty if we refuse to follow the leading and the truth of the Spirit.
Both of Eli’s sons die in the same day. The Philistine enemies kill his sons and take the ark of God. When Eli learns that the ark of God has been taken, he, ultimately, dies as well.
In the next verses, the word ICHABOD is used. Eli’s daughter-in-law names her son ICHABOD. She delivers him after learning that her husband and father-in-law have died.
1 Samuel 4: 21-22 reads,
“And she named the child I’-cha-bod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said, ‘The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.’”
In Revelation, the Lord speaks very clearly to the church at Ephesus. In the verses to follow, we can observe that this church has shown great servitude to the Lord, yet those in the church have left their first love. Some of the other words in the New Testament that hold the same meaning as -left- are “forsake,” “leave,” and “lay aside.” What new love has captured their attention? We don’t know, but these believers have left their first love, and we see that the Lord, Himself, explains that they are in danger of having their candle stick removed from the Lord’s presence:
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Like the story above in 1 Samuel when the ark of God was removed, here in Revelation, the “glory of God” is nigh or close to departing from them.” Much like the 5 virgins whose fire has gone out, this church is in a perilous position of being cast out of the presence of the Lord through unrepentant disobedience. The word ICHABOD used in 1 Samuel lingers as a warning for this church at Ephesus.
Repent. Repent. A refusal to repent by this church in this circumstance does not mean they were never really devoted to the Lord. The Lord details the church of Ephesus’ areas of devotion in the above Revelation verses. It is not a matter of “they never really believed.” Not repenting now will show, however, that they chose not to abide in Him until the end. Thus, without repentance, they are forever lost. Eternal life no longer abides in them. The glory will depart from them: I’-cha-bod.
Even as I type these final words, the Lord just sent His confirmation in an unmistakable way. Oh, how He hears an honest cry for truth and guidance, and He will hear anyone who cries out to Him with a pure heart that longs for His truth. The Lord wants the body of Christ to be united. Each part/member is used to edify one another in special God-given ways. Yet, the union must be in TRUTH.
A breach has occurred with many believers. There is a gap in the church. There are those who genuinely walk with the Lord for a period of time, but some of those same people fall away because their hearts have been hardened by sin and by the notion that they can never fall away. A false sense of security has crept into many churches, leading believers astray and down a path of unrepentant sin. Repent in the original Greek is the word metanoeo, which means “to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally feel compunction).” Calling on His name while at the same time refusing to listen to His Spirit when He shows us sin in our lives will result in eternal separation from Him.
Following the Lord’s ways in areas of one’s life, yet failing to do so in other areas will result in the same message being delivered. As He calls the church at Ephesus to repent or else, He will likewise say this to any of us who do not fully obey His Spirit’s leading.
God sends His warnings to believers whose love waxes/grows cold - just as we read His warning in Revelation to Ephesus. Believers are called to be faithful to the Lord. Not speaking against sin in churches to the body of believers will result in many spending eternity in the lake of fire. Preaching false security, on any level, misleads the flock and hinders the Holy Spirit’s work in the body of believers. Being fearful of man - friend or foe - is a clever trick of Satan, and he uses it often to silence the truth.
The Lord is calling all people, including believers who have hardened hearts, to see all of their abominations. Those defiling abominations can’t be cleansed until they are admitted. His Light shines on such darkness. Simply saying, “I’m a sinner, saved by grace,” isn’t repentance. It’s a man-made way of granting false permission to continue in sin. As the Lord shined the Light at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, so is the case in these last of the last days before His return. When He was born of a virgin, He brought salvation, and He is still offering it to any who repents and believes. However, when He returns in these last days, He is bringing wrath. We must not forget that portion of the Bible.
Now, I have a choice and will be tested continually. I can choose to share this ministry of encouraging others to continue in the faith until the end, or I can withhold part of it.
I can be Eli and dishonor the Lord by holding back the entire truth on this matter.
Or
Like Hannah, I can be obedient to the Lord above all.
There have been so many times that I have surrendered my will to His, and every single time, He has brought me back to this calling. This message. This ministry.
My desire is to labor for Him.
“If you labor in God's harvest, God will take care of you and the things that concern you and will perfect the things that concern you.”
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