Why A Mother Named Her Son Ichabod

A.M. Sermon 5-9-04

Why A Mother Named Her Son Ichabod !

1 Samuel 4:1-22

We live in a day of some really weird names.

Many of them sound like a bunch of syllables just thrown together. When Hannah was born, there were twin boys in the nursery at the hospital as well. I kid you not...their names were Contavious, and Contravious ! I also heard about a child that was name Orangejello. I’m sure all of us remember can remember some rather odd names that we’ve run across over the years ! There are some rather strange names in the Bible...at least to us they sound strange. Part of that is due to the fact that many of them were Hebrew names. This morning in our text we have the story of a mother who named her son "Ichabod" Now that sounds quite unusual to us. Yet, she had a reason for naming her son that. It really fit in well with the times...because the name literally means......"no glory" or "inglorious". Why would you name a child Ichabod ? Why would you want him carrying around such a burden all of his life ? Much worse than "a boy named Sue"

I. She Named Him Ichabod Because It Was A Time Of Disobedience.

a. Preaching Was Scarce. 1 Sam 3:1........"And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision."

b. Priests Were Scandalous.

1 Sam 2:12 "Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

I Sam 2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

c. People Were Sinful.

1 Sam 2:23-24 ........"Why do ye such things ? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress.

II. She Named Him Ichabod Because It Was A Time Of Defeat.

a. The Foe

1 Sam 4:1 Though the Philistines were their physical enemy, the real enemy that defeated them was "pride"

b. The Foolishness

1 Sam 4:1-10 There is now a prophet in the land. Yet, the children of Israel behave foolishly by going forth into battle without seeking his guidance or praying. Then, they make another foolish mistake by going to get The Ark of the Covenant thinking that it’s presence alone will bring them victory. They were trusting in the "ark"(v3. ..."when IT cometh IT may save us") and not in the Lord.

c. The Fatalities.

V2. In the first fight, 4,000 were killed by the Philistines, and then after bringing the ark of the covenant with them 30,000 were killed. V.10

III. She Named Him Ichabod Because It Was A Time Of Departure.

a. The departure of her husband, and father-in-law. V.19

b. The departure of the glory of God. V.19

Though married to a god-less man, Phinehas, this woman was deeply grieved by the loss of the ark of God, and with it the glory of God departed. She was more so grieved by the loss of this than by the loss of her husband, and father-in-law. V. 19 The shocking news caused her to go into labor.

c. She departed. V.20

She died during childbirth, and her last words were forever to be a reminder of the high cost of disobedience. What should have been a joyful event(the birth of a son) was turned to sorrow ! She named her son "inglorious, Ichabod".

Closing: Some translate "Ichabod" as "Where is the glory ?" This morning, I ask you that question........"Where is the glory ?" What has happened to the glory of God ? Where’s the glorious presence and power of God in our lives ? Where is the glory in our marriages, in our families ? Where has the glory gone in the church ? Are our lives filled with the presence, and power of the Holy Spirit ? The children of Israel first departed from the Lord, and then the glory of the Lord departed from them. When they should have repented, and returned, they stayed the course of disobedience, and it would cost them dearly !

Do you need to return to the Lord this morning so that you might once again experience his glory ? Would you come ?