The Glory Has Departed

Note: This is a repost from 11/15/2022
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​As the election process winds down, and comes to a close, the time in prayer over this has brought me confirmation I've felt in my own heart for quite a while. I asked the Lord for some scripture to guide me in my intercession, and what His mind was on this election. I was given this portion from 1Samuel chapter 4-and the Lord asked me to post it. Whatever anyone may feel about it, it's between you and God. I'm doing this for Him, and have no intention in trying to prove what I'm saying is from Him, but it is; and, I will obey Him.
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This scriptures given to me by the Holy Spirit were:
1Sa 4:17  And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 
1Sa 4:18  And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 
1Sa 4:19  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 her. 
1Sa 4:20  And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. 
1Sa 4:21  And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. 
1Sa 4:22  And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
A lot could be said about this text, but the focus is going to be on verses 20 through 22.

A few commentary notes will help give clarity to these verses, and how God connects them with the condition of this nation today.

From John Gill:
"the glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken; so when the word, worship, and ordinances of God are removed from a people, the glory is gone from them; the God of glory is no more seen among them, who is so glorious in his nature, perfections, and works; and Christ, the Lord of life and glory, is no more held forth unto them in the glories of his person, offices, and grace; and the glorious Gospel of Christ is no more preached unto them, so full of glorious doctrines and promises; and the glorious ordinances of it no more administered: and, when this is the case, the glory is departed from a people; and which is owing to their formality, lukewarmness, unfruitfulness, negligent attendance on the worship of God, contempt of the word and ordinances, and an unbecoming walk and conversation."

Commentary from Albert Barnes:
"The lesson of the ruin brought upon Churches by the covetousness and profligacy of their priests, which is here taught us so forcibly, and which has been again and again illustrated in Jews and Christians, is too solemn and important to be overlooked. When the glory of holiness departs from what should be a holy community, the glory of God’s presence has already departed, and the outward tokens of His protection may be expected to depart soon likewise. (Compare Eze_10:18; Eze_11:23; Rev_2:5.) But though particular congregations may fall, our Lord’s promise will never fail his people Mat_28:20."

What does this mean in regards to the U.S., just this:

The glory of God, displayed by His presence in the Ark of the Covenant, had departed from Israel. The Philistines now held it.
Had the glory of God truly departed? Yes. The glory left when Israel stopped repenting and trusting God and started superstitiously trusting in the ark itself. “The glory of God had indeed departed, but not because the ark of God had been captured; the ark had been captured because the glory had already departed.”

Why Has the Glory Departed
A Visual and Scriptural Answer
But-Also the Final Answer-The Return of Christ

Psa 2:1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 
Psa 2:3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 
Psa 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 
Psa 2:5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 

Psa 115:4  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 
Psa 115:5  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 
Psa 115:6  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 
Psa 115:7  They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 
Psa 115:8  They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. 

Jer 2:11  Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. 
Jer 2:12  Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. 
Jer 2:13  For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. 

​Jer 16:20  Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods? 
Jer 16:21  Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD. 

Deu 19:10  That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee. 

These verses describe the sins of this nation today, and the condition we are in. We are a nation full of rebellion, liars, pride, excess, stubborn, full of cursing, unthankful, unholy. This nation has as many gods as any pagan country-perhaps more. We have allowed statues of the Satanic Baphomet to be erected and placed in front of public government buildings, but there's been many crosses that have been forced to be taken down. I've seen people allowed to pray to Satan before government meetings, in courtrooms, but Christians can't in many places. Satan worship has saturated just about every form of media. ​The Ten Commandments are not allowed in schools, Christian books, the Bible are censored, and blocked in many public places-but other religions are allowed freely. Sodomy is now legal everywhere-God calls it an abomination. He hasn't changed his mind, and what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, will happen again, this time world wide. Abortion is still legal in many states, and it will never be completely banned. It's legal here in my state of Vermont-and now will be allowed right up to the day of birth. We are among the worst offenders of killing the unborn. I had an abortion before I was saved, and have been forgiven for it. But, making access to abortion without first using every means of trying to save the child and help women keep them-is inexcusable; it is an abominable sin. 

The business of government, and politics is so dirty, so vile, so corrupt-I compare it to the mafia. That's what it is, and the higher up the ladder you go-the dirtier it is. Voting has become a joke, but there's no humor in it. 

Think about it, if you were God- and saw what your creation was doing, what would this be telling you? If you were rejected this much-what would you do?

The nation is morally bankrupt, as well as financially bankrupt. I don't believe anybody will ever tell the whole truth about how far in debt we are-and I'm sure it's impossible to ever re-pay it. We are in free-fall, and just haven't hit bottom yet.
When we do, there's no telling what will be left of this country.

Tragically, the same could be said of many churches, many ministries, and many individual Christian lives in this country- the glory has departed. There are still pastors and priests, but God is not honored or enthroned in glory among them. There is the form of godliness, without the power (2Ti_3:5). You could write Ichabod across many churches, and many ministries, and many individual Christian lives.
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What is allowed and condoned in many churches and ministries today, is completely opposed to what the Bible teaches. The nation has legalized what God calls a sin. The ten commandments are no longer the standard for morality in the country, the laws are changed to suit the desires of the people, with no concern for morals, or what God says about it. We are reaping what we are sowing.

When the Lord gave me the verses above, He spoke a simple, short, to the point statement to me, "The people of this nation have shown Me in every way, they do not want Me, nor my commandments to guide them. They have achieved their goals, and chosen their gods. The laws they pass, reveals the condition of their souls. They will live with their consequences. I have a remnant; pray for them, and watch over them."

When I heard this, it sent a chill down my spine, and an ache in my heart. I could feel the sadness in His great heart, for those who are rejecting Him. They know not what they do.

​Whatever judgments come, the laws that have passed in the last generation, have been allowed by the apathetic churches, ministries, and moneychangers. They haven't stood for the clear word of God, have watered down the Lord's commandments to the point that in many churches-just about anything goes.
Charles Spurgeon said the day would come when pastors in the pulpits would be clowns entertaining the goats instead of feeding the  sheep. He was a true prophet-that's what we have today, in many pulpits. My heart grieves over them, because they are so completely blind, and apostate-and will not hear anything from anyone who tries to warn them. My heart cringes when I watch them still preaching the prosperity gospel they created, living in every lavish extreme, full of greed, and excuses. They truly are like Eli, and the moneychangers Jesus whipped out of the temple-full of self indulgence.
​They are to be pitied.

Is there any way to change the tides of storms, and what's coming at us? Nothing is impossible-with God. But, that's the problem-how many people in this country want the One True God-The Creator of all that is? How many would turn to Christ, and open their hearts to Him, and let Him in their lives; from what I'm seeing, very few.
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If, as a nation- we came together, got on our knees, repented, threw away our idols, changed our ways, stopped lying, cheating, murdering each other, stealing, and our fornications and adulteries-and meant it from our hearts; we could see His blessings come back to us again. Do I think this is going to happen?....no, I don't.
If I'm proven wrong-I'll have no problem saying so. I'll be watching, and waiting to see what happens.

Posting this was not easy to do. Not because of what people may think, but because I know the responsibility of saying this, and that I believe it has come from God. He is my Savior, and my Judge. One day I will answer for every word spoken, I am very careful, knowing this.

I have no fear of the future, I know I'm in His hands, and whatever happens, I'm ready to face it. I'm longing for heaven and home. But, as I look out over the events in the country, watching people and what they continue to spend their time on-it saddens me. Many are not ready for what's coming, and few believe it. My task is to pray for the Holy Spirit to open as many eyes as possible, until the storms hit, and stand in faith for God's remnant.
God's will be done. And, Come soon, Lord Jesus.
Lorna Couillard