“ICHABOD, the glory departs!” 1 Samuel 4:1-22; v1; And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. (Church sum up; John 8:31; If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. v32; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.) 1 Samuel 4:2; And 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. (Church, why go through countless losses, because of and absence; Galatians 5:13; For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.) “ICHABOD, the glory departs!” 1 Samuel 4:3; And 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. (Church, these things happen, let me go to church, let me read my word, let me pray, when; 2 Corinthians 5:6; Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.) 1 Samuel 4:4; So 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. (Church, we know; 1 Samuel 2:12; Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord. In other words; 2 Timothy 3:5; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.) “ICHABOD, the glory departs!” 1 Samuel 4:5; And 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. (Church; 1 Timothy 4:8; For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.) 1 Samuel 4:10; And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten. v11; And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. (Church; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.) “ICHABOD, the glory departs!” 1 Samuel 4:19; And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. v21; And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. (Be careful for nothing, a sure walk in the Lord today is extinct. Because you let persecution get to you. You allow your worldly flesh, to bring slow moral erosion. That erosion takes place in the hearts of individuals who, like Hophni and Phinehas, go through religious motions with hearts estranged from God. When that happens Ichabod! The glory departs. Philippians 4:6; Be careful for nothing. Make sure the glory stays; Psalm 23:4; Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.) “ICHABOD, the glory departs!” Teaching! Overseer/Apostle