Year 2 Day 221

Year 2 Day 221


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 4:12-22 and Jeremiah 7:12-15


Message - Alan Burke 


The Glory of the Lord had departed from his people, what hope was there left for them, for his departure leaves their future in doubt and Eli and Ichabod’s mother knew this! Historical records of the time as well as archaeological evidence suggest that after the battle, Shiloh was destroyed at the hands of the Philistines. In Jeremiah the people were invited to journey to Shiloh to see for themselves what the Lord Had done; “Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel” (Jer 7:12). 


“See what I did to it” says the Lord, all because of their faithlessness, because of Eli, his sons, because of the people themselves, their wickedness. Lord God did not allow his people to continue on unchecked, he dealt with their sin and their rebellion. After all what kind of God would he be if he said “do what ever you like”, what kind of God would he be if he allowed sin to go unchecked! But the Lord is gracious and compassionate, and to those who fear him showing his mercy from generation to generation. 


Shiloh had become a monument to how the Glory of the Lord had departed. It was a monument to the faithlessness of the people of God, it was a monument to how his people and his leaders had turned from the Lord and his word, a monument that served as a reminder for generations to the people. But it was also a monument to God’s grace, for he dealt with the sin of his people and was bringing forth a new leader a faithful priest. 


From this point on, the focus of religious life then moves to Samuel’s home town at Ramah (1:19; 2:11; 7:17). The generations that followed understood the significance of what happened at Shiloh, how the glory of the Lord had departed, once it was central to the worship of the Lord but it then stood as a symbol for how the Lord’s grace and favour are based on the obedience and submission to his will. 


God had dealt with these faithless people, they had showed their contempt and scorn for him, they had all the vestiges of religion but no relationship with him and they were unrepentant. Now God had Gone. But the Lord was in control in each and every part of what took place as redemptive history unfolded. In all that was happening, God was at work and he was brining about a new leader of his people, a leader who would as the Lord had promised to be a faithful priest, who would do according to what is in his heart and mind (2:35), for in judgement there was hope and as we learn in the coming chapter the Lord himself will achieve his purposes. 


God was at work then and God is at work today, he has brought salvation to us through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. In is to the Lord God through Jesus Christ that we must turn to in the midst of this fallen sinful world, that we might we saved and escape the judgement of God that is due to each one of us. This is good news indeed, for all who repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q99 What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; (1 John 5:14) but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord’ s prayer. (Matt. 6:9–13, Luke 11:2–4)
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