Sad times had descended upon Israel. There was a priest there called Eli who was a man careless in the things of the Lord. He had no control over his two sons, who acted in a depraved way. Israel had never walked with God in a proper way but sometimes followed the Lord, limping while doing so. Any glory that was in the land had faded, and godlessness took over.
God’s blessing on Israel had been, and always will be, in the land. They are His earthly people. Because the people had turned to idolatry and godlessness, God allowed their enemies to overcome them, and on this occasion, in one battle, 30 thousand Israelites were killed along with Eli’s two sons. Upon receiving the news, fat Eli fell, broke his neck, and died.
At that time, the wife of his son, Phinehas, was pregnant, and she had an early delivery. A boy was born, and he was named ICHABOD. Here are those relevant verses:
1 Samuel 4:20-22 “and about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son,’ but she did not answer or pay attention. SHE CALLED THE BOY ICHABOD, SAYING, “THE GLORY HAS 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 HAS DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL, for the ark of God was taken.”
This name Ichabod means “No glory” or “Where is the glory?” and it means the glory has departed. How would you like to go through life with a name like that? As mentioned earlier, Israel has never walked in righteousness with her God satisfactorily, but one day that will happen when Israel is saved, and the Lord comes to dwell with His people in the Millennium. He comes in glory, and Israel will be glorious in the glory of the Lord.
Romans 11:25-27 Brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES HAS COME IN, and thus ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion. HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.’ “And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
The word ICABOD can only be applied when there has been glory that was lost. That glory may be blessing and godliness. One feature of Western democracies today is a definite and deliberate dumbing down of our identities, so that they become unknown and the distinctiveness is lost. Under globalism and encroaching communism, this is happening.
I suppose most in the United States know something about the early years of their beginning, that it was founded on religious freedom and an acknowledgement of God. “In God we trust” is a motto written on its currency. BUT how the great have fallen. In these days that motto should become “In materialism we trust.” Perhaps the currency could bear the name “Ichabod.”
I am a war baby (born during WW2), so I can remember the happenings of the 1950-1980s well. Compare that with today, and we all hang our heads in shame. Christians are persecuted and shunned, and more legislation comes out against them. In the United States, what would the Founding Fathers think of the USA today? I would say they’d be horrified. Former glory has dissipated.
In that time frame mentioned above, I saw the gospel go out after the deprivations of WW2 and how there was a turning to God, and people lived a rational and normalized life, unlike the chaos of today. We run on materialism and godlessness on the whole, and in Britain and Australia, especially the latter, paganism and socialism/communism rule. As far as society is concerned (I am not speaking just now of the “church”), the glory it had has departed into fragmentation and wickedness where everyone does what he thinks is right IN HIS OWN EYES. Paste the name ICHABOD across society, for that is what it is.
It is easy to get carried away with the evil that surrounds us. I mean the political state under socialism and Marxism; the promotion and advocacy of homosexuality; the advance of murdering abortion; the intense greed and impersonal attitude great companies (especially technology) have over people’s lives. We will leave all that for another time.
Let us turn to the profession of Christianity, and what do we find? It is like walking along a pebbly seaside and gathering pebbles of differing shapes and colors. That is what the Christian profession is. You range from those who are faithful, right through the spectrum to those who are absolutely evil. Again, it is all too easy to become depressed over what we have gathered in our baskets and let that disappointment affect us. That is not the way it is meant to be.
When Jesus taught the disciples about His Second Coming and the end of the age (NOT THE RAPTURE), He spoke of the Jewish Tribulation saints and said this: Matthew 24:33 “Even so you too, WHEN YOU SEE ALL THESE THINGS, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” It will be a terrible time for those believers in that day, but they are being told to look to the Lord who is at the door ready to open it with His Coming. Do not become distracted by events or the decline in godliness.
The same principle applies to the coming of the Lord in the Rapture. When we see that decline in godly recognition and acknowledgement, and the events in Israel, then look up! Our salvation is near. With that in mind, Paul wrote – Romans 13:11-12 “This do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for now SALVATION IS NEARER TO US THAN WHEN WE BELIEVED. THE NIGHT IS ALMOST GONE and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.”
We must not wait until we think the end is close to take action. It’s imperative that we are doing it always. Paul could state that even in his time the night was almost gone and the day was about to break. Of course it is closer now than ever because Israel, God’s timepiece, is now set in its place. Let us put aside those deeds that belong to darkness and wickedness and run the race before us with resolve, and in gratitude.
ICHABOD IN OUR CHURCHES
In churches there is good and bad. The bad will not be convinced, but the Lord speaks to the good and tells them to leave when they are in a godless church. “Come out from among them.” Although this word is given in Revelation right at the end of the Tribulation, it contains a principle pertinent to all those who claim to follow God. You cannot mix light and dark or pure and wicked. Here is that command:
Revelation 18:4-5 “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, THAT YOU MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN HER SINS and that you may not receive of her plagues, for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities’” In Revelation those that remain when they should have gotten out are swept away with the infection. The Lord would say of those – 2 Timothy 3:5 “(and) holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power. Avoid such men as these.”
There are some mysteries that are profoundly difficult for me. In this regard, I cannot understand how a person purporting to be a Christian can readily accept homosexuality when the word of God cuts through that wicked teaching with a sword. Ministers in an increasing number of churches are embracing homosexual communicants, and ordaining “gay marriage,” but there is nothing gay about it. Pulpits are entertaining homosexual/lesbian ministers.
How can a minister overlook Sodom, and blatantly dismiss (or argue away) this verse? – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? DO NOT BE DECEIVED. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, NOR EFFEMINATE, NOR HOMOSEXUALS, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
I heard one excuser state once that what Paul wrote to the Corinthians only applied at that time to them. So what do you say … that what God declared was sin in the past He now accepts as good? Was murder in the past evil but now good? Transsexuals are effeminate, and it was unacceptable in the past, so why is it good today?
I won’t bother, but I am sure most of you know the Romans 1 verses and the Leviticus ones about homosexuality.
There is a brand new word bandied around in just the past decade, and it is the word “inclusion.” It is the word of the modern enlightenment – we are all supposed to seek inclusivity. Discount sexuality, gender, marriage, WOKEism, multiculturalism, BLM and so much more. Just go with the flow; just embrace it all in a fuzzy, feel-good embrace. Let me stress: that is so contrary to God’s word.
To emphasize the point, I want to reference two churches. Both just happen to be Baptist, but that is just coincidental. I am not picking on the Baptists. Actually, in recent times I have been very saddened about what comes to me about Baptist churches in the United States. Decades ago, the Southern Baptist movement used to be a stronghold for orthodox and conservative teaching and values. Today it has become so shattered. What applies to this church that I am going to highlight applies to all reprobate churches.
CHURCH NUMBER 1
This first church is the Baptist Church at Canberra, the capital city of Australia.
The first alarm bell is that there is a woman over them directing these wicked things in spite of the clear injunction given in this passage – 1 Timothy 2:11-13 “Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness, but I DO NOT ALLOW A WOMAN TO TEACH OR EXERCISE AUTHORITY OVER A MAN, but to remain quiet, for it was Adam who was first created and then Eve.” A woman who has taken authority as a minister to rule over men and women is no better than the “Jezebel” of the Thyatiran church of Revelation chapter two (Revelation 2:18-29). (The Canberra church answers that by saying the Old Testament subjugated women, for, in a man’s eyes, women are as his donkey or ass, but now women are “liberated.”)
To examine a church, one of the best indicators is the statement of faith or its beliefs. This church (in line with others that support “same-sex marriage “) puts out a most wicked statement as justification of its stance. (There is no usual Statement of Beliefs.) They call it Canberra Baptist’s opposition to the Association’s position on marriage (the Association being the Union of Baptist churches).
In talking about the “biblical view,” they say this: 1. Biblical foundations: the statement does not adequately consider the range of biblical material on marriage. In other words, what the Bible has traditionally taught about marriage is insufficient for that church.
Another point made is this: 3. Process integrity: the statement was adopted by the Association with no discussion of biblical texts and interpretation principles. These people are upset that the biblical texts on marriage can’t be altered to include their homosexuality into marriage. They will not accept God’s word as final.
Taken from their church statement (beginning the quote): A striking difference between the New Testament milieu and Australia today is that same-sex marriage is legally recognized. Furthermore, it is understood that sexual identity is not a choice, but a natural disposition. Our task is therefore to study the Bible and understand how what it says about marriage applies in this new context.
One conclusion is that same-sex marriages should display the same love, faithfulness, life-long commitment and concern for the other that the Bible demands of all marriages. The claim that the Bible condemns all sex acts between people of the same sex has been a long-standing mainstream Christian interpretation of the scriptures, which must not be lightly overturned. Nevertheless, we believe that it is flawed reading (of the Bible), and note that there is a large body of scholarship – including from evangelical scholars – supporting a different view.
The Association’s position on marriage sends a clear message to LGBTIQ+ individuals that their full participation in the life of our Baptist movement is not welcome. For young people in our communities, including those who are wrestling with questions of sexuality and identity, this position sends a clear sign that there is no space to explore these questions in the context of Christian fellowship and community. We are deeply aware of the hurt and pain caused by well-intentioned religious communities to LGBTIQ+ people and are committed to creating a community of genuine welcome. – End of that quote
I will not proceed with that (Canberra Baptist’s opposition to the Baptist Association’s position on marriage). Indeed, it is a perverted document trying to justify the feminist view that women can rule over men and that it is natural to adopt the “modern sexuality” in all its forms and behavior. I say “Ichabod! And, again, ICHABOD.
ALL these churches that have departed from the faith like to use KEY WORDS for their position. Here are a few of them from that Canberra church:
“to build a vibrant and open community” – the word “open” means acceptance of all radical positions on sexuality, gender and society issues such as accepting Aboriginal spiritism and Satan worship.
“Explore together what it means to follow Jesus today.” – the word “today” is usually a red light that a position is new to the accepted biblical position. That allows for anything.
“Build an inclusive, caring community.” – the word “inclusive” is always indicative of a position not found in the Bible, such as agreeing with same-sex marriage and accepting all positions.
“We cannot support the narrow definition of marriage that was made mandatory for all NSW/ACT Baptist churches.” – the word “narrow” of course means the Bible’s teaching. It is a rejection of biblical authority. It also means they like to take the broad road that is in line with Matthew 7:13-14.
“to care for creation and those in need and God’s heart for justice” – Do not read the words at face value with these erroneous movements, but read into the words and behind them. “To care for creation” is to adopt the communism of the Green movement and the Environmental movements. These are the anti-development and anti-fossil fuel activism, Climate Change, and so much more. Too many churches these days are going down the road of radical socialism.
Then the word “justice” is not what a conservative Christian understands the word to mean, but the support of radical movements such as the “rights of the Palestinians against Israel,” and the rights of the “radical Aboriginal movement” in Australia to adopt paganism and spiritism as an accepted way of life.
The introduction on Canberra’s Introduction page says, “Led by the Spirit, we will explore together what it means to follow Jesus today, build an inclusive, caring community, and share God’s love and justice in words and actions.” Here they bring all these key words together and talk about being “led by the Spirit.” They might be led by the spirit, but it is not the Spirit of Christ. It is the spirit of antichrist.
The Canberra Baptist is an activist group advocating the so-called “Aboriginal rights,” where authority would be given to override all white Australia (such as in The Voice). That church recognizes the myth of 40,000 years of native settlement and honors the Aboriginal culture, which was cannibalism, worshipping of the Rainbow Serpent, which was Satan, the practice of infanticide, and putting elderly people out to die. All tribes were in great fear of the spirit leader (witchdoctor, kadaji man) in the group, a man demonically possessed who could “point the bone” at someone, and that person would die. Their acceptance of 40,000 years, of course, dismisses all of the Genesis account of creation and of man and sin.
Unlike every church I have researched on the Internet, this one has no statement of faith or “What we believe.” For a church that dismisses every godly teaching in the Bible on marriage, activism, sexuality, gender, and is radical in its society outlook, it is no wonder at all that there is no statement of faith.
My time has run out, but the other church I wanted to cover is the Atlanta Ebenezer Baptist Church in Georgia run by Raphael Warnock, a Democrat Senator. He and that church are as radical and reprobate as the Canberra one.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Let us pin this to the board. The bottom line is this statement: 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is A NEW CREATURE. The old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
A person IN Christ is a new creature or new creation. Not in Christ is to be in an unconverted state. A person in Christ has been reconciled through the new birth that is the deliverance from the old things like homosexuality, abortion, social acceptance of humanism, gender distortion, and so much more. It will not bring Marxism into a church. It will not agree with Satanism or spiritism. It will not promote Palestinian antisemitism and Hamas over God’s people Israel.
One who is born again will not promote the things of the devil. People who belong to such movements/churches are not Christians as much as they like to use “christian words” and nice-sounding words and refer to biblical passages and their inclusivity. God is not mocked in these issues. ICHABOD is the order of the day because THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAS DEPARTED from many churches.
What God said to Judah long ago He would say to the Canberra Church and Churches of the same ilk, and it is this: Malachi 2:2 “’IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.’” When you dismantle the Bible, then the Bible will dismantle you and expose your sin. Repentance is required.
Here is Ezra’s reaction to unfaithfulness in the land, and that coming especially from its leaders (pastors/ministers, we could say as well). They have killed the glory of the Lord. Unfaithfulness has brought Ichabod into the land.
Ezra 9:2-4 “For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that THE HOLY RACE HAS INTERMINGLED with the peoples of the lands. Indeed, THE HANDS OF THE PRINCES AND THE RULERS HAVE BEEN FOREMOST IN THIS UNFAITHFULNESS. When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled. Then EVERYONE WHO TREMBLED AT THE WORDS OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering.”