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).