And she named the child Ichabod (Where Is the glory), saying the glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband – 1st Samuel 4:21).

The Philistines fought against Israel and thirty thousand footmen died, those who survived fled into their tent and the ark of God was taken. Eli who was a prophet was sitting by the city gate anxiously awaiting news of the battle when he heard that the ark had been taken he fell from off his seat backward and his neck broke. When his daughter-in-law, Phinehas wife heard about her husband and her father-in-law was dead she went into labor. As she was giving birth, she named the child Ichabod meaning “Where Is the glory”.   

The loss of the ark meant the absence of God’s glory in Israel. The name Israel ascribed to the descendants of Jacob as well as the socio-political organization, ideally, the twelve tribes who traced their origins to Jacob’s sons, which in Old Testament times constituted the “people of God”. Because of God’s grace, we have been given the choice of salvation through the unbelief of the Jews (I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousy – Romans 11:11). Salvation is the most common biblical expression used to identify the subjective changes in people’s lives. Salvation comes through faith when received they have received the benefit of Jesus’ death and resurrection which gives deliverance, safety, preservation, healing and soundness.

In Biblical times the Israelites carried the ark of God wherever they were residing as well as when they went into battle. The ark was representing God’s presence; today’s Christian have the privilege of having God’s presence living within them (Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode (home) with him – John 14:23). This divine indwelling is conditional on love, and obedience to Jesus’ Words,; salvation doesn’t give the believer the Holy Spirit if that was the case, Jesus would never have instructed His disciples who received salvation to go to Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit (And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry (stay) ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high – Luke 24:49). The promise of the Father stresses that the Spirit’s coming is not an afterthought, but an integral part of God’s eternal will. Endued conveys the picture of one being clothed with God’s enablement. Waiting is part of the necessary preparation for reception of God’s guidance and sanction. The Holy Spirit is the divine distributor of the good things purchased by the Son and ordained by the Father. Without the gift of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling human vessels, the fruit of the Spirit neither the gifts of the Spirit will be in operation.

Christians are the ark that carries God’s presence when they have accepted and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Why is it that the Spirit-filled Christians aren’t been effective in the world? The answer is many are struggling with hurt, anger, jealousy, envy and many other emotional infirmities. Sadly, but true many spend more time watching television and being on FaceBook rather than spending the same amount of time in reading and studying the Word of God and prayer. When we seek God the way we seek after things in the natural, the glory of God will enter our homes, cars wherever we’re meeting with Him and He crucifies the yearning and desires of the flesh.

Why do you the think when the Spirit of God enters a sanctuary believers as well as unbelievers will begin to bow in His presence? The manifestation of His holiness will affect the flesh and it will bow, tremble, cry, jump and shout, run around the church when the Spirit of God enters. Seldom do we have His manifestation in our churches. The church which is the body of Christ is the ark, carrying the glory, but is partial submitted to the Word of God. In order to see a change in our world’s system, the church that is the ark must be in position, we are soldiers of Jesus Christ. We can’t afford to be entangled with the world and its system and be used by God. According to the Word of God, those who have not received the Spirit of God which is the Holy Spirit doesn’t belong to Jesus Christ (But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirt, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness – Romans 8:9-10). Righteousness and truth manifest through us when the Spirit of God indwells our human body. 

Many are professing to be Christians,  attending church, but living the same lifestyle they were prior to accepting salvation. True salvation brings about a change in the individual’s life that will represent the Son and the Father (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth – Ephesians 5:9). We examine ourselves to see if we’re living in truth and righteousness according to what the Word of God indicates that’s truth and righteousness, not comparing ourselves to others or what we think is righteousness and truth. We have to read and study the Word of God to see if we’re really living according to God’s standards (Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates – 2nd Corinthians 13:5). The Bible is our instructions for life and heaven (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth).