The Dedication of the Temple
A Sermon on 1 Samuel 4:19-22
Scripture
19¶ And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on 1 Samuel 4:19-22, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones draws parallels between the state of the church today with the spiritual condition following the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines that is recorded in the Old Testament. As with the tabernacle, the Doctor says, the vital factor in the life of the church is the presence of the glory of the Lord. The greatest danger to the church today could very well be that it is content with nice buildings that are missing God’s glory. But as in the Old Testament, both humanity’s contribution and God’s glory are vital in working together to bring a church to a state of flourishing. How can churches guard against this separation? Lloyd-Jones proposes that it all begins with a church being sensitive to the glory of the Lord, and then asks some haunting questions: is the church aware of the glory of the Lord? Where does it start? The answers to these questions, and the fervor with which the answers are applied, will play a large part in the shape the church takes over the next several decades. Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on why the glory of the Lord is vital for a church to succeed.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by focusing on 1 Samuel 4 which describes the departure of God's glory from Israel. This is contrasted with Exodus 40 which describes God's glory filling the tabernacle.
- The presence of God's glory is what makes a church truly a church. Without it, a church is just another institution or building.
- The history of Israel and the church shows that God's glory departing leads to failure and defeat while its presence leads to triumph and victory.
- The most important thing for any church is to be sensitive to the presence of God's glory. An example is the woman in 1 Samuel 4 who named her son Ichabod, meaning "the glory has departed," showing her sensitivity.
- Many churches today emphasize what man can do through organization and activity but forget the vital element of God's activity and glory.
- Two parts are essential to a church: what man can do and what only God can do. Both are needed. The danger is stopping with only what man can do.
- Examples show that God's glory brings fear, reverence, and awe. The church today often lacks this and instead emphasizes being cheerful, happy and jolly.
- Examples of those sensitive to God's glory include Jacob, Isaiah, Peter, and John. They responded with fear, a sense of unworthiness, and falling down as dead.
- Reasons we often forget about God's glory include never truly knowing it, living in disobedience, thinking we can use God as a "mascot" to bless us when we choose.
- The only solution is realizing we can do nothing without God, keeping His commandments, and pleading with Him to return and manifest His glory.
- When God's glory returns, the forces against the church will vanish and the church will again be victorious.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Glory of God and the Church
What does the story of Ichabod in 1 Samuel 4 teach us about the church?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the story of Ichabod in 1 Samuel 4 teaches us that what makes a church truly a church is the presence of the glory of God. In this passage, Phineas's wife names her son "Ichabod" (meaning "the glory has departed") when she hears that the Ark of God was taken. Lloyd-Jones explains, "The vital factor always in the life of the church is the presence of the glory of God, the glory of the Lord." He contrasts this with Exodus 40, where the glory of the Lord filled the newly constructed tabernacle, showing the contrast between the presence and absence of God's glory.
Why is it dangerous for churches to focus solely on organization and buildings?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns that "our greatest danger is to stop with the mechanical erection of the tabernacle." He notes that churches can have "a marvelous building... but without the presence of the glory and the power of God, it's nothing but another building. And it rarely is not a church." In the sermon, he observes that "the church has never been so highly organized, and speaking generally, never have you had so many organizations and institutions, never has there been so much activity, and yet the church has counted less and less in the life of this country." The danger is becoming satisfied with the external elements while missing the essential presence of God.
How can we recognize when the glory of God is present in a church?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the presence of God's glory produces a profound sense of awe and reverence. He cites several biblical examples: Jacob's response at Bethel ("how dreadful is this place"), Isaiah's vision in the temple ("woe is me, for I am undone"), and Peter's reaction to Jesus' miracle ("depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man"). Lloyd-Jones explains that "when God is present, people are filled with awe, with reverence, with godly fear. Invariably." He also mentions that in historical revivals, "when the glory comes...the first effect, people fall to the ground" as they experience a "humbling, a breaking, a sense of awe."
What was the mistake of the Israelites in using the Ark of the Covenant?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the Israelites made a serious mistake by treating the Ark of the Covenant as a mascot or talisman. After losing a battle to the Philistines, they thought, "We made the mistake of going up without the ark. If only we have the ark, then we are bound to succeed." Lloyd-Jones describes this as viewing the ark as "a kind of mascot... a kind of magic wand, some kind of talisman." He explains this fundamental error: "God taught them this terrible lesson that he's not confined to any ark, to any box. He can't be used as a mascot... God is a person. He's a living God."
What should we do when we sense the glory of God has departed from our churches?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines several steps when we sense God's glory has departed:
- "Start by realizing that without God we can do nothing"
- "Keep his commandments, which means that we read his book and believe it and put it into operation"
- "Plead with him to return" - quoting from William Cowper's hymn: "Return, O holy dove. Return, sweet messenger of rest."
- Be prepared for the awe and fear that comes with God's presence
Lloyd-Jones concludes by urging his listeners to not be content with just having a building: "Thank God you've got the building. But in the name of God, don't stop here...giving yourselves no rest nor peace until he has come."
Itinerant Preaching
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.