Shiloh: Biblical Significance and Historical Context

Modern Topics

by Digital Bible   ·   06 Jun 2024

Introduction

Shiloh, an ancient city in central Israel, holds substantial significance both in biblical texts and in archaeological research. Despite the absence of direct New Testament references to Shiloh, we can creatively draw insights from biblical principles and themes to understand its foundational role within Israel’s history and spiritual journey.Shiloh in the Old TestamentThe Establishment of Shiloh

Shiloh’s primary biblical reference originates from the Old Testament as a significant religious center for the Israelites. Following the conquest of Canaan, Shiloh became the home of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant.

Joshua 18:1 (KJV)

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

This verse highlights Shiloh’s role as the central worship site where the Israelites gathered to seek God’s presence and guidance.The Role of the Ark and the Priestly Service

The Ark of the Covenant, considered the earthly throne of God, resided in Shiloh for several centuries. Eli the priest and his sons officiated at the Tabernacle, emphasizing the pivotal role Shiloh played in the religious life of Israel.

1 Samuel 1:3 (KJV)

And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

Shiloh’s Downfall

Shiloh also witnessed Israel’s spiritual failures. The city’s eventual destruction symbolized God’s judgment due to the Israelites’ disobedience and the corruption of Eli’s sons.

1 Samuel 4:10-11 (KJV)

And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, were slain.

This tragic event marked the end of Shiloh’s status as the preeminent religious center for the Israelites, with the Ark never returning there.Shiloh and its Broader Theological ImpactsFaith in Transition and Pilgrimage

Shiloh represents a period of transition and pilgrimage for Israel, embodying the movement toward establishing a more permanent form of worship. The faith journey it symbolizes parallels the themes seen in Hebrews:

Hebrews 11:8 (KJV)

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Similarly, the Israelites’ arrival and worship at Shiloh encapsulate a journey undertaken in faith, seeking a promised inheritance despite uncertainties.Symbol of Divine Presence and Judgment

Shiloh’s service as the site of the Tabernacle and the Ark represented God’s presence among His people, a theme recurring in the New Testament. The fall of Shiloh can also be seen as a precursor to the thematic elements of divine judgment found in Revelation:

Revelation 14:20 (KJV)

And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Just as Shiloh faced divine retribution for the people’s faithlessness, Revelation highlights the ultimate judgment coming upon the world for disobedience and rebellion against God.Shiloh and New Testament AnalogiesThe New Covenant Community

Shiloh’s significance as a gathering place for worship can be correlated with New Testament congregational practices, demonstrating continuity in seeking God’s presence:

Acts 16:13 (KJV)

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

Just as the early Christians gathered for prayer and fellowship in diverse locations, Shiloh was an early formal site where the Israelites convened to encounter God.From Physical to Spiritual Worship

The transition from Shiloh to other centers of worship reflects the broader theological transition from physical to more spiritual forms of worship as emphasized in the New Testament:

John 4:21 (KJV)

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Shiloh, therefore, becomes part of the broader narrative emphasizing evolution in worship practices, moving towards a more spiritual communion with God.Conclusion

Shiloh’s historical and biblical narrative, though primarily rooted in the Old Testament, provides foundational insights relevant to broader biblical themes. From faith and pilgrimage to divine presence and judgment, Shiloh’s legacy continues to resonate, offering valuable lessons for understanding both the continuity and transition within the faith journey of God’s people. Through examining such ancient contexts, we enrich our understanding of biblical principles and their relevance in our continuous spiritual journey.

What is Tartarus?

Answer
In ancient Greek mythology, Tartarus was a horrible pit of torment in the afterlife. It was lower than even Hades, the place of the dead. According to the Greeks, Tartarus was populated by ferocious monsters and the worst of criminals.

The Greek word Tartarus appears only once in the entire New Testament. Second Peter 2:4 says, “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to [Tartarus], putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment.” Most English versions translate tartarus as “hell” or “lowest hell.” The word Tartarus can be defined as “the deepest abyss of Hades.”

Another place in Scripture that mentions sinning angels is Genesis 6:1–4 where “the sons of God” took control of human women and their progeny. According to Jude 1:6, some angels “abandoned their proper dwelling” in the heavens. For this crime, God cast them into Tartarus where they are held “in pits of gloom” (AMP) for a later judgment. It seems that Tartarus was what the demons feared in Luke 8:31.

Peter’s mention of Tartarus is in the context of condemning false teachers. Those who secretly introduce heresy into the church will suffer a fate similar to that of the angels who sinned—they will end up in Tartarus. The Lord does not tolerate those who lead His children astray (Matthew 18:6).

Download: 7 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know

Many Blessings,
The FIRM Team

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22 (KJV)

QUESTION.

How can I overcome pride?

ANSWER.

A minor league baseball player traveling to visit his family struck up a conversation with an older gentleman seated next to him on the plane. The rookie was pleased when his traveling companion expressed an interest in baseball, so the young ballplayer began bragging about his athletic skills on the field. During the flight, the bush leaguer boasted of his daring stolen bases, the well-connected balls smacked out of the park, and those diving catches that turned a double into an out. As the plane prepared to land, the big-talking minor league rookie learned the polite gentleman who had listened so intently was Hank Aaron, the Hall of Famer whose unequalled major league baseball career spanned twenty-three years. By his own admission, the boastful minor league ballplayer learned a valuable lesson in humility.

Pride is an elevated view of and a preoccupation with self. Pride is a fault we despise in others yet freely excuse and even justify in ourselves. Many theologians believe that pride, not drunkenness, adultery, or murder, is the deadliest of all sins, for it was pride that led to Lucifer’s rebellion (Isaiah 14:14) and the first couple’s attempt at usurping God’s authority in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:5). Many other sins originate from pride.

God’s warning that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18) is illustrated again and again in the pages of Scripture. One particularly notable episode, the story of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, begins with his boasting, continues with his downfall, and ends with his confession. After being duly warned of his prideful nature by the prophet Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar stood on the rooftop of his palace and praised himself, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30, ESV). Immediately, God judged his pride, and for the next seven years, the once grandiose monarch groveled about on all fours in the manner of a wild beast while grazing on the palace lawn. From regal to rags and from banquet table to mouthfuls of fodder, King Nebuchadnezzar completed a seven-year course on the dangers of pride and the virtues of humility.

How, then, does one overcome the grievous sin of pride? First, we must understand that pride, like dangerous narcotics, is addictive and detrimental to our well-being. The more we feed pride, the firmer its grip. Pride is a loathsome garment that is not easily shed, and it’s deceitful: those who think they have already achieved humility are probably mistaken. D. L. Moody used to pray, “Lord, make me humble, but don’t let me know it.”

Once we admit that pride has a foothold in our lives, we confess this sin to our Savior as we would any other sin (1 John 1:9). Once we have confessed the sin of pride, the Holy Spirit can begin correcting our faults and molding us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. We may take cheer, knowing that, once God begins a good work in us, He will see that work to its completion (Philippians 1:6).

Just as the minor league baseball player learned a lesson in humility after boasting to Hank Aaron, we will understand the folly and foolishness of pride by comparing and contrasting ourselves to our Creator. Even the Henry Fords, Thomas Edisons, and Elon Musks of the world could not rightfully say they helped lay the foundation of the earth and mark off its dimensions (see Job 38:4–5). Only God can make that claim. Our greatest accomplishments are as insignificant as anthills in the shadow of God’s unfathomable creation.

To overcome pride, we must remember, as the psalmist did, our condition before Christ’s salvation: “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” (Psalm 40:2). We must understand grace: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect” (1 Corinthians 15:10). We must acknowledge that all we have is a gift from God: “Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

And, to overcome pride, we must praise the Lord. Covered in dew and reeking with seven years’ worth of filth, a humble King Nebuchadnezzar declared, “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’ At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:34–37, ESV).

Pride is to our detriment. Humility is for our greater good. Perhaps a final component of overcoming pride is a sincere, heartfelt desire for humility. When we truly understand the perils of pride, we will flee from it. When we realize the immense blessings of humility, we will long for it.

QUESTION.

How can I be sure I won’t be left behind in the rapture?

ANSWER.

The series of Left Behind novels and movies has prompted a lot of questions from a lot of people: is the rapture for real? (Answer: yes.) Will the rapture be followed by a time of divine judgment on earth? (Answer: yes.) Will I be left behind in the rapture? (Answer: that depends.)

The rapture is what we call the event in which Jesus comes again to take believers out of this world. The Bible calls it a “catching away” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) and describes it as an instantaneous “change” of the body that bypasses death (1 Corinthians 15:51–52). Those raptured “will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Believers in Jesus Christ are taken in the rapture; unbelievers will be left behind when the rapture occurs.

Those left behind in the rapture will face a quickly changing world—and the change will not be for the better. Second Thessalonians 2:11 says that the “power of lawlessness” is currently being held in check by the Holy Spirit. At the rapture, the true church is removed from the earth, and the Holy Spirit’s restraint will be “taken out of the way.” At that moment, the world will have no born-again believers anywhere. All the Christian workers in hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, rescue missions, relief agencies—gone. Every Christian in law enforcement, social work, and health care—gone. And of course many churches will sit empty. In addition to the great void in the service community will be the commencement of God’s judgment on a rebellious world, detailed in Revelation 6—16.

Don’t be left behind. Make sure you are ready for the rapture. Since the rapture is for believers, it is vital that you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (Acts 16:31). Repent of your sin and fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sin. Believe in Him, and you will not perish (John 3:16). The Lord knows who are His, and He will leave none of them behind (John 10:14).

Those who are saved by faith in Christ will not be left behind in the rapture. The saved are like the five wise virgins in Jesus’ parable who are ready for the coming of the bridegroom; they have their lamps trimmed and burning and full of oil—a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 25:1–13). To make sure that you are not left behind, trust Christ. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Do not delay another moment. The matter is urgent. Trust Christ now.