Sovereign Grace Church Toronto

And 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. And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” 1 Sam 4:21-22

Kâbôd is the Hebrew word for glory. It means “weightiness” or “heaviness”. It signifies that which is of supreme importance. The exact opposite of “light-weight” and inconsequential. In the final days of Eli the priest, Israel was led by his sons who were sexually immoral (1 Sam 2:22) and treated the offering of the Lord with contempt (1 Sam 2:17, 1 Sam 2:30b). Because of their ungodly leadership, the people of Israel had drifted from God and no longer had the blessing of God to fight their enemies. Their losses in battle were enormous (1 Sam 4:10) and the ark of the covenant was captured. They thought that using the ark would repel the Philistines “magically” in spite of their sin. When Eli’s sons are judged for their wickedness and killed in the battle, the wife of one of the sons gives birth to a son that she calls “Ichabod” which means literally “no glory”

Moses said, “This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.“…And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Lev 9:6, 23

These verses occur in a section (Lev 8-9) detailing the consecration and ordination of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood of Israel. What stands out from these two chapters arethe heavy requirements of sacrifice that had to be offered before God’s glory would appear to either the priests or the people. We find sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace offering, wave offerings, and grain offering prescribed in detail.

Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel….And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exod 24:17; 40:35

No one yawns when encountering glory. It is terrifying to the extreme. Listen to the description of such an encounter written in the book of Hebrews:

My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. Psalm 59:10

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. Psalm 59:16-17

Psalm 59 is a powerful Scripture for those experiencing attack from others. In it, David expresses alarm at the relentless attack of his enemies, along with profound faith in the steadfast love of God toward him. This is so instructive for us. We can become overwhelmed with sin and fail to see the God who is ever above it and unstained by it. Can there be anything better than the promise that “God in his steadfast love will meet me”? The heights of heaven touching the depths of earth. What else can we do but praise him!!

Pastor Tim Kerr

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Psalm 56:8

I am not a detail person. But I’m married to one. She has seemingly hundreds of small details stored in her mind that she can call up whenever they are needed—whether it be phone numbers, special dates, what she fed people the last time they visited, or if the exchange rate on my expense sheet was accurate to the day, etc. I stand in awe of detail people. But there is one detail person that makes everyone pale in comparison. He knows when we sit and when we rise. He has counted the hairs on our head. And he counts every time I toss and turn on my bed when I am distressed. He counts my tears and saves them so as not to forget the pain they express. He records every thing about every part of my life—not expressed here as a threat of judgement—but as a comfort. God cares about what we care about. That is part of what makes him great! He is so great that he can give attention to the smallest details of our life as an expression of his loving care and mercy.

Pastor Tim Kerr

He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. Psalm 55:18

Here is hope. Battles are dangerous things. People get hurt, especially if the odds are stacked in favour of one side. When “many” are attacking one “soul”, we may be sure the one likely to get hurt is not the many but the one. That is inevitable, unless a champion comes to the rescue and fights for the one in the midst of battle. This verse tells us that this is what God, our champion, does for us. But did you notice the “means” of this deliverance? Deliverance from overwhelming odds is done by “redemption”—“He redeems my soul in safety”. A price is paid. Blood is spilt. The deliverer dies, that the soul under attack may live! What love!!

Pastor Tim Kerr

Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. Psalm 50:15

See the sequence? Trouble comes our way. We call out to God in prayer for help. God hears our prayers and delivers us. We are overcome with gratitude, and praise God. The Creator is glorified and the creature is delivered. So what is keeping us from prayer? Why do we worry, when we can pray instead? God is so willing to hear us! But are we willing to pray?!

Pastor Tim Kerr

But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Psalm 49:15

Before God receives us, he ransoms us. There was a great price paid for the welcome mat in heaven. And the same gospel ransom is the basis of our reception of others!

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (Rom 15:7)

Pastor Tim Kerr

You may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.         Psalm 48:14

Entrusting precious things is always done with great care. Whether a runner in a relay at the Olympics, passing the baton, or a wealthy businessman writing his will, we want those carrying on after us to succeed and care,well, for what we have brought to them. This verse gives us hope in this vital transfer. Our part in carrying on will soon be over, but God’s part continues. We carried the precious cargo because of God’s control and care over us. And this God will do the same for the next generation. God is eternal and his guidance lasts forever. So we can stop worrying. It’s not all up to our planning and careful instructions after all.

Pastor Tim Kerr

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:1,7

Notice how God is presented to us in these verses. When we need protection he is “very present” to help. The word “very” emphasizes the intensity of God’s availability. It means “wholly, fully, with completeness”. No distraction in God when we are in trouble. He is the place of safety—He is our “refuge” and “fortress”. In other words, it is not information we need, or even a change in our situation, as much as we need HIM! Closeness and communion with him is the greatest protection against the enemy! (see this in James 4:7-8, Ps 27:4-5)

But there are two other encouragements found here. When threatened, we feel weak & vulnerable. We can lose courage if the battle looks like it will not go well. So God is our strength. It does not say he gives us strength (though that may be implied). Rather it says he IS our strength.

He empowers us from within by the power of the Holy Spirit! (1 Jn 4:4)

Finally, he actually fights for us. He is the “LORD of Hosts” (Lord of the armies of heaven). He not only protects FROM attack, but LEADS to the attack with forces of immense power and strength (Ps 110!)

If this is true, why do we fear?

Pastor Tim Kerr