Where is the Glory (2) ?

‘Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband’ (1 Samuel 4:21).

The presence of God and the empowerment of His Spirit is the root of man’s dominion. Adam the first man was lifeless until God breathed His Spirit into him. ‘If God departs, the glory goes, and all good goes. Woe unto us if He departs! But though the glory is withdrawn from one sinful nation, city, or village after another, yet it shall never depart altogether, but shines forth in one place when eclipsed in another’ ( Matthew Henry).

In 1 Sam 2:34, apart from the Ark being captured, the two sons of Eli - Hophni and Phinehas died. Eli the priest failed to instruct his sons in righteousness, even after God sent Samuel to warn him about their misconduct in ministry. God is a god of principle who does not go against His Word. ‘Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said, “you have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them. She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.”(1 Samuel 4:21). Any one can imagine what life will be for Phinehas' son. When the glory of God departs, the family is never the same. Satan gets access into it, steals, kills and destroys. Consequently, the entire nation is negatively affected. Remember, families are the building blocks of the society.

God created man in His image and likeness. After Adam and Eve sinned, man lost that glory. ‘All have sinned and come short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23). Now through Christ the lost glory has been restored. It is the glory of God, His manifested presence in a man’s life, (through His indwelling Spirit) that enables a man to have rest or fulfillment in life (Exod 33:14). When the glory of God departs from a man’s life there cannot be any replacement for it. Isn’t it miserable that after Adam and Eve lost the glory of God and realized they were naked the best replacement they found for a covering were some leaves?

Sin is that which robs man of the glory of God and all the blessings of joy, peace, divine authority, divine provision, divine guidance etc. The fact that a particular person or local church cannot experience the glory or manifested presence of God, does not mean that the story is the same everywhere else. When the glory of God departed from Israel, Obed Edom who took the ark into his home experienced the glory of God and its abundant blessings (1 Chron 13:14).

The question to ask yourself today is, ‘where is the Glory of God, has it departed from my life or local church’? Surrender your will to God through His son Jesus Christ who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, and you will have the fulfillment you need in this life and after, as you allow Him to mold you through His word (Heb 1:3). The Keys to experiencing the glory of God are, believing in Christ, repenting of one’s sin, Love and hunger for God and His presence, and walking in obedience to God’s Word.