ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

SIULAI 18, 2023

אי־כבוד lchabod

‘IKAPOTE

1 SAMUEL 4:21-22

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 SAMIUELA 4:21-22

21 Pea ne fakahingoa ‘a e tamasi‘i ko ‘Ikapote (ko Ta‘e-ha-lāngilangi), he‘ene pehē, Kuo mole ‘a e lāngilangi ‘o ‘Isileli: ko ‘ene lau ki he ‘ave ‘o e ‘A‘ake ‘o ‘Elohimi, pea mo hono husepāniti mo ‘ene tamai. 22 Pea ne pehē, Kuo mole ‘a e lāngilangi mei ‘Isileli; he kuo ‘ave ‘a e ‘A‘ake ‘o ‘Elohimi.

Ichabod did not have a playground - safe name. It memorialized the death of his grandfather and father, Israel's black eye from the Philistine fist, and - most significantly-the ark of the covenant taken as spoils of war. Ichabod is actually a two-word name, I-Chabod. The I can mean either "where" or "no," and kavod/chabod means "glory." I-chabod is thus either "Where is the glory?" or "No glory." The kavod of God dwelt between the cherubim atop the ark. With it gone, "the glory has departed [or been exiled] from Israel." The dearest treasure, the most sacred item of God's people, had fallen into the hands of their foe.

At the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah, appearing in glory, spoke of another departure ("exodus" in Greek)-the exile of Jesus himself to death and the grave (Luke 9:31). It was Ichabod all over again, for the enfleshed glory of God, the new ark of the covenant, would fall into the hands of the Philistinish Romans. But there was no cause for fear, for his exile would conclude three days later with an even more glorious repatriation to life.

Lord Jesus Christ, the glory of the Father, all praise to you for restoring us to life in your resurrection.