Shiloh is situated north of Bethel, east of the Bethel-Shechem and south of Lebanon in the hill country of Ephraim. (Judges 21:19) It is about 40 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It has been mentioned in the books of Joshua, Judges, I Samuel, I Kings, Psalms and Jeremiah. The Tabernacle (Mishkan) was in Shiloh for 369 years until the death of Eli, the High Priest. At that time, the Ark of Covenant was taken by Philistines in 1050 BC. (I Samuel 4) Later the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. (Psalms 78:58-60)
Jeremiah boldly proclaimed in the precincts of the Temple in Jerusalem that if God did not spare Shiloh, he will not spare Jerusalem too. “Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord. Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel.” (Jeremiah 7: 11,12)
1) Indifferent to law: The period of Judges, the Law of Moses was forgotten. Each person became law unto himself, as he did what he saw fit or right. (Judges 21:25)
2) Indifferent to the Lord: Many in the Nation did not know the Lord including worthless sons of the High priest Eli. (I Samuel 2: 12)
3) Indifferent to sacrifices: The sons of Eli were notorious for disregarding the sacrifices in the Tabernacle. In fact, they snatched choice pieces of meat as the sacrifices were being performed from the worshippers. (I Samuel 2:12-17)
4) Indifferent to Holiness: God has revealed Himself as Holy. Those who worship the Lord should in the splendour of holiness. Eli’s sons had an adulterous relationship with women who served the Lord in the tabernacle. (I Samuel 2:22)
5) Indifferent leadership: Eli as the High Priest was a total failure. He could not exercise his authority in his home or in the Nation.
Any community, society and nation could be judged.
Do I reverently worship Holy God?