Learn From Shiloh

# 69a – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 4:18 “ 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. Sometimes we forget that even though we are in the Book of Samuel, Israel was still being ruled as they were in the period of the judges. Eli was the last judge of Israel before the era of the kings began. Israel, didn't exactly go out in a blaze of glory. In fact the glory had departed with the capture of the ark by the Philistines. The city of Shiloh, which had been the center of worship would no longer have such prominence. It would be a city utterly forsaken by God that would serve as a forever reminder to God's people of what happens when we forsake Him through idolatry. Jer 7:12 "But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. It's important to remember that it wasn't just the wicked priests , (Eli and his sons) who brought this on the people. They brought it on themselves and God speaks of it in great detail in the 78th Psalm beginning at v58: “For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images. 59 When God heard this, He was furious, And greatly abhorred Israel, 60 So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men, 61 And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the enemy's hand.” There is more from this Psalm concerning Shiloh, but we don't have time to get into it today. For today, let us ponder that it was God's grace that established the prominence of Shiloh. It is His grace that has established the prominence of the United States of America. But God will not put up with a people who refuse to stop chasing other gods. Let us learn from Shiloh. Let us return to the Lord our God and serve Him alone.