Shiloh, See What I Did to It

Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel (Jeremiah 7:12 NIV).

Shiloh was the first place of worship for the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land of Canaan. There stood the Tabernacle of God and inside it was the Ark of the Covenant. It was therefore considered a sacred place.

But when the children of Israel gradually forsook God the place was disowned by God. The priests of God also by their disobedience gave reason for Shiloh to be deserted.

The most important lesson this teaches us is that we cannot glory in our past triumphs. We are asked to live in continual obedience. We cannot trust in God’s blessing in the past and live as we like in the present.

God is not bound to our past. He is the God of an ever-present. If He finds us trusting in His past blessing in our lives and not interested in obeying Him in the present, definitely He will forsake the blessing in our lives which we so proudly rely on.

In other words, simply because God revealed His presence and power in our place of worship in the past is no guarantee that He will continue to do so in the present. He will not reveal Himself unless His people continue to obey and love and serve Him, continuously.

God is asking us to consider why He forsook Shiloh where He had first made a dwelling for His Name. It was because of the wickedness of the Israelites. Therefore God will not tolerate wickedness in places of worship set apart to honor His Name.

And when He takes His presence away from these places the memories of former glories will be insufficient to meet our present needs. Moreover He will take His presence away and destroy the present place of worship too.

Because temples and churches are nothing but buildings. Therefore trust not in them but in God alone.

More Manna:

Shiloh, See What I Did to It

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