The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 26 September 2024 — Fulfilment Of God’s Word
TOPIC: Fulfilment Of God’s Word
READ: 1 Samuel 4: 11-22 (NKJV)
- Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
- Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
- Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told [it,] all the city cried out.
- When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What [does] the sound of this tumult [mean?”] And the man came quickly and told Eli.
- Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see.
- Then the man said to Eli, “I [am] he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.” And he said, “What happened, my son?”
- So the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured.”
- Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
- Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, [due] to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her.
- And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard [it.]
- 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.
- And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
THE MESSAGE:
In our text, we see a man of Benjamin who ran from the battle and broke the news in Shiloh. His message made the people weep as he informed Eli of the battle’s outcome. When the 98-year old Eli heard about the heavy defeat of Israel, the death of his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and the capture of the ark by the Philistines, he slumped and died.
When the pregnant wife of Phinehas heard of the loss of the ark, the death of her father-in-law and her husband, she went into premature labour and was delivered of a child she called ‘Ichabod’ saying, “The glory is departed from Israel.” God had spoken of His judgment on the house of Eli (1 Sam.3: 11-14) and we see the fulfilment in this passage. The Bible says that heaven and earth shall pass away but the word of God shall be fulfilled (Mark 13: 31).
Has God given you a revelation? It shall come to pass. Has God spoken about the situation in your family, place of work, in your business, career, marriage or education? Hold on to that word from God for it will be fulfilled. Trust and delight yourself in the Lord(Psa.37: 4).
PRAYER: Loving Father, may your word be fulfilled in my life today as I put mytrust in you. Amen.
