Jeremiah 7:12

"But go ye now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith Jehovah, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not, therefore will I do unto the house which is called by name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim."

"My place which was in Shiloh ..." (Jeremiah 7:12). God's challenge to the Jews because they were trusting in the physical existence of God's temple in their midst, was blunt and dramatic. Go to Shiloh! My name was once there; but it did not protect Israel in their wickedness; and neither will the current temple protect you. God here prophesied both (1) the destruction of the temple, just like he had destroyed Shiloh, and (2) the carrying away of Judah just as he had already deported the whole seed of Ephraim.

After the conquest of Canaan, the ancient tabernacle was set up at Shiloh, "some eighteen miles north of Jerusalem,"[14] where it remained throughout practically the whole period of the Judges. In the days of Eli and Samuel, when Eli's reprobate sons were actually committing adultery in the temple itself (Yes, there were buildings there also), God permitted the Philistines to ravage and destroy the place and capture the ark of the covenant itself. (See Joshua 18:l; 22:12; Judges 21:19; 1 Samuel 1:9,24; 4:1-11).

The Bible has no description of the destruction of Shiloh; but archaeological discoveries during this century (1929) have concluded that it did indeed take place, "After the Battle of Ebenezer by the Philistines about 1050 B.C."[15] Since, after its destruction, "Shiloh was not rebuilt until about 300 B.C.,"[16] the ruins of the place were surely evident in Jeremiah's day witnessing the destruction that took place about a half millennium earlier.

Albright, Thompson, and Unger all make mention of the excavations that have disclosed the destruction of Shiloh. This destruction of Shiloh, where once God's name was recorded, proved the wretched error of the people in their foolish faith that God was irrevocably committed to the preservation of any place regardless of the moral state of the Chosen People.

"There not only existed the ancient tabernacle at Shiloh, but also substantial buildings as proved by excavations, so it is called `the temple of Jehovah' (1 Samuel 1:9)."[17] Evidently, therefore, the Philistines who destroyed Shiloh did not consider the tabernacle valuable enough to be carried away, for it still existed in the days of David, who, when he contemplated building the temple, said, "I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth in curtains" (2 Samuel 7:2).

The terrible lesson from Shiloh applies to all generations. No church, however careful to observe the outward forms of holy religion, can be acceptable to God unless the moral character of the people corresponds to their holy profession. No mere formal observances of worship and devotion can take the place of true repentance and sincere worship of God.