“Ichabod: Where Is The Glory?” (1 Samuel 4:1-22)

Are there areas in your life where you are trusting in religious activity—rather than in God’s Word? What would it look like for your church to lose the presence of God but keep the appearance of faith? In 1 Samuel 4, Israel suffers a devastating defeat—not merely militarily, but spiritually—as the ark of God is captured and His glory departs. Despite having access to the Word of God through the prophet Samuel, the people ignore it and instead place their trust in a sacred object, assuming God's power could be wielded apart from faithful submission. This presumption leads to judgment: the priesthood collapses, the ark is lost, and “Ichabod” is declared—the glory has departed. But the story of Scripture doesn’t end in Ichabod. Through judgment, God prepares the way for restoration. In Christ, the glory returns—not in a box, but in a savior. Emmanuel—God with us—is the name now written over those who receive Him by faith.