Skip to main content

Shiloh- a comparison


The observation:
Jer:7:14
So just as I destroyed Shiloh, I will now destroy this temple that bears my name, this temple that you trust in for help, this place I gave to you and your ancestors. 

The question:
Wait. 
What are you saying? 
This can't be. Shiloh cannot be destroyed. 

The contrast:
Shiloh is the holy city where the Tabernacle is. It is the holy place where you are supposed to reaide among your people (in case you need to be reminded). Your presence is what makes the place and the nation different from others. We are your people separated from other sinful nations. 
Why will you do it? Shiloh is your favorite right? It's people are all yours right? You are a loving God right? Why will you do it? 
But God did destroy Shiloh, ultimately. Because of the entity that was ruling over the entire place - called sin. And the city was in wreck. What happened to the everlasting love of God? Well, He asks, what have you been doing with the attribute, that you have been conveniently forgetting - called holiness? You are talking about love. My love. What is the status of your love? To me? To others? Have you ever sought me with all your heart mind and soul? And now you talk to me about my love? 


Oh! Shiloh is the One who was promised to come in the name of the Lord. Shiloh is future. Shiloh is hope. The promise given to Judah  (and through Him to the entire nation, and through them to the whole world) by Jacob himself. Shiloh is the one whom the people were all waiting for. The Messiah. Gen:49:10.
Oh! Will you pass the judge me on Him? Your chosen one? Will you do that massacre on the one whom you sent? He is your own Son. Blameless. Sinless. He is innocent of any crime. Will you do this Oh! Loving God? What sort of a righteous judge are you? 
He who knew no sim, became sin. Because of my love. I could do this to myself (not to another person called my son) because of my love to you. Weren't you asking about love? This is my answer. This is my love. This is my forgiveness. This is pardon. 
He was led like a lamb to slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. 
Not because He was found guilty. But because He was innocent to the core. But His love to them who crucified was so deep. (That includes me and you). 
He was unjustly condemned. 

One Shiloh will be destroyed because of the pride because of idolatry, because of rebellion. 
The other Shiloh has been destroyed because of love, because of obedience, because of humility. 


The conclusion: 
Shiloh is destroyed because of sin. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rom:1:8

Yesterday, after the India vs Australia ICC WWC semifinal, these words hung in the air after the player of the match Jemimah Rodrigues was given the stage. Your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. Rom:1:8 A church which was not even started by Paul. Paul wouldn't probably have known these people personally.  But he commends their faith. You want to be a silent Christian because you are not a bold Christian. Do your colleagues know that you are a Christian? Not by name. Is there a difference between you and the nominal Christian? Between you and the carnal Christian? Do you freely proclaim that the author and finisher of your faith is Jesus?  Image credit: https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/womens-world-cup-2025-cried-every-single-day-went-through-anxiety-jemimah-rodrigues-opens-up-after-historic-knock-against-australia/?amp=1

No time to rest

Acts 28 As Paul arrives in Rome, where he is expected to be trialled and executed, he doesn't waste time. He calls to the local leaders and discussed with them about the Good News. No time to rest. Lord give me such a passion to take every opportunity to share about you. Give me such love for you. Give me such love for others who are perishing in their own sin. Why is my heart not aching seeing this? Help me to do things tirelessly for you. Make every opportunity to teach the Word, to your children. To people around you. Tell them about the standards of this holy God. Tell them about the endless love of the Father, the impeccable obedience of the Son and never ending presence of the Spirit. The goodness of the Triune God. The uniqueness of this Almighty. An everpresent help in trouble. You cannot sit idly. Lord fill me with your passion, an unending desire to share about you always. Image courtesy: https://medium.com/personal-growth/this-is-what-hard-work-is-and-why-it-...

Unashamedly

Rom:1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. You are ashamed of something when either that particular thing doesn't have any inherent value or when you don't value it. Something which you consider precious, infact you will project, you will highlight, rather than ashamedly you will try to hide. How do you present the good News of Salvation to others. Or making yourself known to others and a passionate lover of Jesus, depends on how much you give value to Him. It is not that He doesn't have value, but how much you value Him in your life. He considered you as the most valuable prized possession. You are His signet ring. But here we are worse than Judas who betrayed Him for thirty silver coins. We betray Him for acquaintances and applause. Priceless possession is being prized low. Really low. Let people know that you are a serious lover of Jesus. Use all means to proclaim boldly that you have been redeemed,  y the one who is passionately in love with you. Let us no...

What an address! What a title!

Rom:1:7 Beloved of God. Rebel as I am. Enemy of God was I. Given an option, I would do things which God hates. Or else I would find ways. Unloveable as I am, incorrigible as I am. There is nothing good in me. Still He chose to love me. I am the Lord's beloved. He cherishes me. He allures me to Himself. He chose me. My destiny is He. He has kept me in His bosom. What is there in me, that you have found, that you are mindful of me? Your mind is full of me. You are mine and I am yours, He exclaims. Yes nothing can separate me now from the love of God. Oh! Wretched as I am, poor, naked and blind. Still He loves me. Dirty, filthy. The purest of the purest has loved me first. He who knew no sin, became sin for me, the very things He hates, He abhors - He became. Because of His unending, limitless love for me. Why Lord? I cannot comprehend. I cannot fathom. Image credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-silhouette-of-a-father-carrying-his-child-6488427/

Gave them over

Rom:1:24 God gave them over. This is the worst punishment possible. To the consequence of sin. You are free to "indulge" in sin, without His loving restraint and ultimately face the punishment. Man created in the image of God destined to be with Him, left to be eternally separated from Him. When man had the option to believe in God, through the creation around and in his conscience he knew, still He chose to believe against God. He thought it was wise to say there is no God, or He substituted Him with an image. But it was utter foolishness. God allowed, He permitted. He let. But with its consequences. Personally speaking, when the Holy Spirit convicts you, repent and come back to Him. Do not harden your heart. God is merciful to forgive. If not, if we keep persisting in our adamancy, He will let us go (God forbid). No justifying. No excuses. Just absolute repentance seeking forgiveness. That is the key to a renewed relationship with your creator God, who is your F...

To take the road of repentance

Kindness of God leads you to repentance. Rom:2:4 It is God's kindness that leads us to repentance and reinstation with God. Because of the fall, all of mankind is marred and inclined naturally to sin. Even the holiest and the saintliest person is sinful. All have sinned. And man's natural tendency is to follow this fallen path. And it is God's grace to pick us out of this rut and enable us to repentance. That looks an off route which only few take ( though it's the right path to take). It is grace that equips you to do that. It is the Lord's doing. I am grateful to God that He opened my eyes once and for all to the gospel, to Jesus  to repent and turn away from my filthy way. I am grateful to the Holy Spirit; who nudges me; convicts me day by day and pushes me back in track, to the Father in repentance and reinstation. It is not because I am a good boy, that I am sanctified and that I am being sanctified. God has been gracious to me. What about you dear ...

It was also credited

Rom:4:22 Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Till now we were talking about the saving faith of Abram, which is credited to him as righteousness. Now Paul talks about faith in the promise of God. That also was credited to him as righteousness. So faith is progressive and increasing in Abram's case. First the saving faith, and then faith in his daily challenges. Yet faith is not about the promise. But the promise maker. The promise keeper. Because that promise came from the One and only faithful and true God, it is trustworthy. While claiming a promise, you give importance to the promise perse. Not the person who gave it. What Abram believed is that God said something, therefore I am sure it will happen. When you read the Word of God and as you receive a personal promise, see it as God communicating to you. And because it came from God, it is sure to fulfill. But even if He doesn't communicate beforehand, we are sure of Rom:8:28, Jer:29:11 and Is...