1 SAMUEL 7: 1-13
COMMITMENT, CONFESSION AND CHALLENGE
[Zechariah 12:12-14]
It was time for revival once again. The state of both religious and national life had slipped to a new low. Yes, there had been at least five different reprieves during the wretched days of Judges. During those days when there was no king in Israel "everyone did what was right in his [or her] own eyes" (Jud. 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25). But there is no recorded evidence of change on the part of the people. Accordingly the spiritual tide had been running out for decades even centuries when God graciously raised up Samuel. [Walter Kaiser, Jr. Revives Us Again. Broadman & Holman Publ. Nashville, TN. 1999. p. 61.]
Samuel grew up in the home of the high priest Eli, who had failed both as a leader of the nation and as a father. Eli’s sons (Hophni and Phineas) perverted the offerings to the Lord and committed brazen immorality. Their father did nothing to restrain them (1 Sam. 2-3). When sin becomes normal in leaders of the household of faith the barometer of wickedness trumpets an alarm to those with enough spiritual discernment to hear it.
These were days when "the Word of the Lord was rare" (1 Sam. 3:1). For as wickedness gets greater hold of lives, religion consisted less and less of the faithful proclamation of the Word of God and the repentance of sin. Not even the continuous oppression by the Philistines had driven Israel to her senses. Not even the loss of the nation’s most sacred treasure, the Ark of the Covenant, had aroused concern. Thus even after the Philistines’ sent the Ark on its way out of their territory, it remained unnoticed in Israel’s religious life for twenty years.
But during these twenty years of lament, God was preparing His people as He was raising up His prophet. The mourning and misery Israel was experiencing was creating a new receptivity to the Word of God proclaimed by the man of God, for God let none of Samuel’s words fail (3:19). Thus they were ready to receive the command, "Commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only." This chapter contains three challenges to Israel and to any who desire to have spiritual life revived.
I. Commitment to Serve God Alone, 1-4.
II. Corporate Confession and Prayer, 5-9.
III. Confident Action, 10-13.
In verses 1 & 2 we learn that the ark, which represented the presence of God, is put away like an unwanted trunk in the attic. And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the Ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the Ark of the LORD. (2) From the day that the Ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
"The men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the Ark" from Bethshemesh where God struck over 50,000 dead due to their irreverence. Similar terror had fallen on Ashdod, Gath and Ekron. The honorable men of Kiriath-jearim consecrate Eleazar to care for the Ark. But the nation chose to ignore this seat of national worship and sacrificial atonement, just as it was ignoring God’s will. There was no Yom Kippur or feasts that were instituted around the blood atonement of the Ark. There the Ark came simply to rest. This ignoring lasted for twenty years (2 Sam. 6:3) as the lifeless apathetic nation made no move to enter into worship of the Lord as ordained by God’s Word.
These twenty years of oppression by the Philistines and lament by God’s people brought the prerequisite conditions for revival. Humbling misery had accomplished what bountiful blessing could not. "Lament" (Ezek. 32:18, Mic.2:4) indicates sighing, deep sobbing and even wailing. The image is that of a child that goes weeping after mom and dad to be relieved of its hurt. This lamenting "after the Lord" because of the pain and grief inflicted by the ruthless Philistine conquerors had brought about a brokenness on the part of Israel. There finally came upon those who had for so long sensed no need of God a reorientation in their inner life.
[Something similar occurred with David Brainerd (1718-47) as after he had struggled in his work with the American Indians after many years. John Shearer reported in his book "Old Time Revivals" that the revival began as many revivals begin; with loud weeping and mournful lamentation over the heavy load of guilt and its effects. This is what occurred, in the revival of the Indians in the whole areas of the Susquehanna under David Brainerd. As he commenced proclaiming the message "Herein is love," men fell at his feet in anguish of soul. These were men who could bear the most acute torture without flinching. But God’s arrow had now pierced them; their pain could not be concealed and they cried out in their distress, "Have mercy on me." What impressed Brainerd most deeply was that though these people came to him in a multitude, yet each one was mourning apart from the group. The prophecy of Zechariah [12:12-14] was fulfilled before his eyes. The woods were filled with the sound of a great mourning.]
Another strong force beyond the oppression was at work in Israel during those same twenty years, the faithful preaching of God’s Word by Samuel. God had promised Samuel that He would "let none of His words fall to the ground’ (1 Sam. 3:19). God wanted His people to return and sent His Word to accomplish it though many had not been hearing due to the deafening effects of sin. Samuel’s faithful ministering of God’s Word was rewarded after long years of faithfulness.
In verse 3 the prophet expressed God’s conditions for delivering them from the Philistines. "Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.’"
The participle "returning" indicates that the people had already started turning to the Lord inwardly during their time of lament. But Samuel says that the earnest evidence of this repentance must be externally demonstrated also. He insists just as God did with Jacob (Gen 35:2), and Moses with Israel (Ex. 32:31) that they "remove the foreign gods from among" them. God will not share worship with any other deity. For a wholehearted fellowship with the Living God must supercede any other loyalties. How easy it is to complain about our difficulties even to God while continuing to refuse to act and do what He requires. We need to check and see if we have done what He has told us to do so that we may receive His promises.
Samuel urged the Israelites to get rid of their foreign gods. Idols today are much more subtle than gods of wood and stone, but they are just as dangerous. Whatever holds first place or dominates our life is our god. Money, success, material goods, pride, or anything else can be an idol if it takes the place of God in our lives. The Lord alone is worthy of our service and worship, and we must let nothing rival Him. If we have "foreign gods," we need to ask God to help us dethrone them, making the true God our first priority and our greatest treasure.
The second emphasis in Samuel’s message from the Lord to Israel and to us is "fix your heart on God." An established or directed heart is the opposite of a wavering, vacillating state of mind. God calls for a deliberate and solid decision to toss other diversions away and focus on Him.
The third and central theme of Samuel’s message was to "serve Him only." It is not enough to cleanse our lives of all our false crutches and idolatrous strongholds brazenly erected in our lives. We must also replace our eternally empty worldly activity with joyful service to the only True and Living God. What a high privilege is offered us that we might serve our wondrous friend and exalted Lord of Glory. Who would refuse such an honor?
The fourth element of Samuel’s words in the last part of verse 3 contain the promise for all who obey the Lord of Glory with a willing heart. "He will deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines." When we turn to God in true repentance, He turns to us (James 4:8, Jer. 29:13) and He removes our terrible enemy that is causing us anguish. This turning is more than external words or ritual though. The response called for is with all your hearts. God holds us responsible for responding to Him with nothing less than the total commitment of our inner beings if we are to experience His deliverance that brings revival.
Verse 4 records that God’s people finally responded to serve Only the LORD. "So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone."
II. CORPORATE CONFESSION AND PRAYER, 5-9.
Revival comes when we not only turn from what we have given supreme loyalty but also in turning to the Lord. Verse 5, "Then Samuel said, ‘Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the LORD for you.’"
The conditions for revival (of verse 3) were now in place. It was time for a national assembly, for when repentance is authentic revival is inevitable. Thus, just as atmospheric conditions signal the coming of the next weather system, so the earnestness, repentance, and removal of idols in Israel signaled the presence of the proper conditions for revival. It was in the hands of God as to when and if that revival would be granted.
Mizpah, which means watch tower or out look, was the place where Israel was called. Four things occur here that had a profound effect on Israel. First, Samuel would intercede for the people at Mizpah. Underscore this important principle. There would be no real, lasting work of God in revival without the genuine work of intercessory prayer by and on behalf of God’s people. Samuel was God’s man whom God had raised up to unify His people in prayer.
Dr. A. T. Pierson once said, "There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer." Let me recount what God has done through concerted, united, sustained prayer.
[J. Edwin Orr. Personal Notes.] Not many people realize that in spite of the awaking that preceded the American Revolution and its successful outcome 20 years later there came a time of MORAL BANKRUPTCY. Drunkenness (like drug use today) became epidemic. Out of a population of five million, 300,000 were confirmed drunkards of which fifteen thousand died each year. Profanity was of the most shocking kind. For the first time in the history of the American settlement, women were afraid to go out at night for fear of assault. Bank robberies were daily occurrences.
What about the churches? The Methodists were losing more members than they were gaining. The Baptists said that they had their most wintry season. The Presbyterians in general assembly deplored the nation’s ungodliness. In a typical Congregation church, the Rev. Samuel Shepherd of Lennox, Massachusetts in sixteen years had not taken one young person into fellowship. The Lutherans were so languishing that they discussed uniting with Episcopalians who were even worse off. The Protestant Episcopal Bishop of New York, Bishop Samuel Provost, quit functioning: he had confirmed no one for so long that he decided he was out of work, so he took up other employment. The Chief Justice of the United States, John Marshall, wrote to the Bishop of Virginia, James Madison, that the Church "was too far gone ever to be redeemed." Voltaire alleged, and Tom Paine echoed, "Christianity will be forgotten in thirty years."
Look at the liberal arts colleges at that time. A poll taken at Harvard had discovered not one believer in the whole of the student body. They took a poll at Princeton, a much more evangelical place: they discovered only two believers in the student body, and only five that did not belong to the filthy speech movement of that day. Students rioted. They held a mock communion at Williams College; and they put on anti-Christian plays at Dartmouth. They burned down the prayer room in Nassau Hall at Princeton [Alexander Leitch, A Princeton Companion, copyright Princeton University Press (1978)]. They forced the resignation of the president of Harvard. They took a Bible out of a local Presbyterian church in New Jersey, and burned it in a public bonfire. Christians were so few on campus in the 1790’s that they met in secret, like a communist cell, and kept their minutes in code so that no one would know.
In case this is thought to be the hysteria of the moment, Kenneth Scott Latourette, the great church historian, wrote: "It seemed as if Christianity was about to be ushered out of the affairs of men." The churches had their backs to the wall, seeming as if they were about to be wiped out. How did the situation change? It came through a concert of prayer.
Finally in September 1857, a praying Christian businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier started a prayer meeting in the upper room of the Dutch Reformed Church Consistory Building, in Manhattan. In response to his advertisement, only six people out of the population of a million showed up. But, the following week, there were fourteen, and then twenty-three, when it was decided to meet everyday for prayer. By late winter, they were filling the Dutch Reformed Church, then the Methodist Church on John Street, then Trinity Episcopal Church on Broadway at Wall Street. In February and March of 1858, every church and public hall in downtown New York was filled. Horace Greeley, the famous editor, sent a reporter with horse and buggy racing around the prayer meetings to see how many men were praying: in one hour, he could get to only twelve meetings, but he counted 6100 men attending. Then a landslide of prayer began, which overflowed to the churches in the evenings. People began to be converted, ten thousand a week in New York City alone. The movement spread throughout New England, the church bells bringing people to prayer at eight in the morning, twelve noon, six in the evening. The revival raced up the Hudson and down the Mohawk, where the Baptist, for example, had so many people to baptize that they went down to the river, cut a big hole in the ice, and baptized them in the cold water: when Baptist do that they really are on fire.
When the revival reached Chicago, a young shoe salesman went to the superintendent of the Plymouth Congregational Church, and asked if he might teach Sunday School. The superintendent said, "I am sorry, young fellow. I have sixteen teachers too many, but I will put you on the waiting list." The young man insisted: "I want to do something just now." "Well, start a class." "How do I start a class?" "Get some boys off the street, but don’t bring them here. Take them out into the country and after a month you will have control of them, so bring them in. They will be your class." He took them to a beach on Lake Michigan and he taught them Bible verses and Bible games; then he took them to the Plymouth Congregational Church. The name of the young man was Dwight Lyman Moody, and that was the beginning of his ministry that lasted forty years.
For instance, Trinity Episcopal Church in Chicago had 121 members in 1857; in 1860, 1400. That was typical of the churches. More than a million people were converted to God in one year out of a population of thirty million (10 million today). Then that same revival jumped the Atlantic, appeared in Ulster, Scotland and Wales, then England, parts of Europe, South Africa and South India, anywhere there was an evangelical cause. It sent mission pioneers to many countries. Effects were felt for forty years. Having begun in a movement of prayer, it was sustained for a generation by a movement of prayer. [J. Edwin Orr. Personal Notes.]
There may be no greater expression of love than when someone says, "I’m praying for you." Next time someone invites you to pray with them, do it.
Verse six notes that after the people assembled and Samuel prayed, "they drew water and poured it out before the Lord." The event is unique but its apparent significance was that just as the water poured out on the ground could not be collected again, they poured the commitment of their lives out to God. (Lam 2:19, Ps. 22:14). Surely this act signaled a deep contrition and humiliation for their sin. The water thus may have reflected the tears, grief, and misery that their sins had caused them and for which they now were sorry. The determined to dedicate themselves to God alone.
The next evidence of genuine revival at Mizpah was a self-imposed fast. Their sorrow was more than just words; they backed it up with action. Thus they voluntarily afflicted their bodies to do without food in order to physically join in the spiritual grief of their souls. (There was only one official day of fasting in Scripture, the one commanded for the day of atonement in Lev. 16: 29, 31).
The third evidence of revival in verse six is that they confessed, "We have sinned against the Lord." Because their sin was corporate and public, their repentance and confession had to be corporate or public which proved its genuineness. As with all sin, it is against the Lord. Sin is a falling short of, [a going beyond,] or a straight forward violation of the command and/or Person of the Living Lord. At its root it is opposition to the Holy Will of God. And this is what has blocked the relationship with God and separated all of us from His love and favor.
The fourth feature of the Mizpah revival meeting was that Samuel "judged the children of Israel." Samuel administrated the restitution and reconciliation of the forgiven. Wherever there had been theft, cheating or other acts of injustice, actions of full restoration were decided and undertaken. Revival was moving forward at full throttle.
But the story does not end here. In verse 7 the Philistines conceive the revival gathering as a direct threat. Whenever there are deep stirring of the Sprit of God, in the renewing and reviving of lives the evil one will also be active in attempting to counter all the good work God is doing. His tricks are many and varied but we must be aware that Satan’s attack will come. As the Lord’s Spirit was stirring the hearts of Israel at Mizpah, the devil was rousing a deceptive outlook among the Philistines. They thought the reason for the assembly at Mizpah was to launch a national revolt against their rule over them.
When Israel became aware of this attack they cried to Samuel in verse 8. "Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that He may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines." A revival birth in prayer must be continued by prayer.
How often do spiritual leaders fail our people by failing to pray for them? If there is any thing that is needed for revival it is most directly related to the quality, endurance, and earnestness of our daily petition to God on behalf of those whom we serve as the flock of God. May we not sin against God by failing to pray continually for His sheep. It is just as necessary to pray for the sheep and their hearing of the Word of God as it is to prepare well for the proclamation of that Word.
Samuel, in his priestly function, presented the people to God in two ways: by prayer (v. 8) and in verse 9 by the sacrifice of a young (eight-day-old) lamb (see Lev. 22:27). The point is that prayer without a sacrifice is groundless. But thanks be to God that He has provided the final sacrifice that has opened the way into His presence in prayer for all who have accepted His free gift and sacrifice in Jesus Christ.
It should also be noted that this lamb was given up as a whole burnt offering because the people had resolved to give themselves fully undividedly to the One who had graciously forgiven them and restored them to new life. This offering foreshadows the offering of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself completely and wholly for us.
In such stark simplicity the last clause of verse 9 beautifully adds, "And the LORD answered him." Later Jeremiah would learn the same lesson. "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know" (Jer. 33:3). What a challenge to repent, confess our sins and enter into prayer on behalf of God’s people.When our hearts are loosed from all the junk that binds them and holds them captive, we experience the joy of communion with God.
Why should we who make up the church continue to allow lust to blind our eyes, greed for money and possessions to occupy our pursuits, and selfish ambition to captivate our hearts? Instead, let us confess our sin and be healed. Let us make full and fair restitution for all that we have taken. Let us enter into prayer for God’s work, workers, and people, lest we sin further by failing to pray for one another. Such confession and prayer prepares us for the third challenge this text brings to us.
III. CONFIDENT ACTION, 10-13.
As Samuel was offering up the sacrificial offering to God, God acts on behalf of His people in verses 10-11. "Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel. The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car."
If we are to serve God only, then we cannot not look at our external circumstances with too much alarm. If we do they can cripple and immobilize us spiritually, physically and emotionally. But if we have been reconciled to God through the confession of sin and the application of the blood of the eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ we can walk in calm assurance and hope no matter the attacks of the enemy we may find ourselves fighting.
While the Israelites were in the midst of their revival meeting at Mizpah the Philistines decided to attack them. But things were different now than just a few hours before. Israel had confessed their sin and had dedicated themselves to serve only the Lord God. So God is now released to work all things for good for them. [Kaiser, 71]
The Philistines who were climbing up the mountain to fight did not realize that the battle had already been fought. Samuel and the Israelites had fought the battle on their knees. The smoke of the burnt offering was carrying up to God the confession and contrition of the people stating that they were relying on God’s method of atonement. So it was that the heavens cracked open with lightening bolts from heaven and loud thunder roared and the wind pushed down upon the climbing Philistines.
It is to be imagined that the Philistines now facing great difficulty climbing turned back and that the Israelites rushed down upon them. God rose up on behalf of His people and their enemies were scattered just as God had worked for Joshua in the past (Josh. 10:10). And so He will work again for the deliverance of all who call on His glorious name if they are walking in the light as He is in the light.
In verse 12 they commemorated the victory with a stone of remembrance. "Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’"
We are prone to forget those times when we were in deep trouble and how God wondrously came to our rescue so it is appropriate to have memorials to aid our frail memories and ungrateful hearts. So Samuel set up "a stone and named it Ebenezer," meaning stone of help. God had helped them when they no more deserved it than we deserve His help. The stone was also meant to be an encouragement for the new trials of tomorrow. During tough times we should look to the memorial that we have erected, of how God brought us victory in the past, so that we might gain confidence and strength for the present and hope for the future. There is nothing to fear if we walk by faith, conscious that our sins have been forgiven and that we serve the Lord alone.
The encouraging word that Samuel applied on this occasion was, "Thus far has the LORD helped us." That testimony embraced not only all the victories they had experienced in the past but also the sorrows and defeats as well.
Think of some spiritual victories in your life "thus far." Like the day you met Jesus or specific instances when He guided you; or doors He opened that you thought were impossible; or difficulties He brought you through. Go ahead, establish some landmarks or life-marks by keeping a record of these events. They’re important because whenever your struggling they can remind you of how God’s cared for you. They will bring to mind His past goodness and faithfulness. They’ll reinforce a sense of gratitude for yesterdays blessings and the confidence to face whatever tomorrow brings.
So keep a spiritual journal and record God’s blessings. Write down answers to prayer in your journal. Tell a friend what God has done in your life.
"How patient a teacher our Lord is. Twenty years of waiting (until Israel finally sensed what the Lord knew from the very beginning) had come to fruition. The result was indeed lasting, for no longer did the Philistines come into Israel’s territory as victors. Repeatedly they were repulsed. And this was because of the positive effects of the revival and the prayers of God’s servant Samuel. Notice that verse 13b indicates that the protection from the Philistines continued for as long as Samuel lived. Who could miss the connection between the people’s request that Samuel should never cease to pray for them and the winning ways of Israel?
Thus a nation was reborn and unified in the joyful service of God. Where there had been division, strife, fruitlessness, and guilt laden lives, there now was happy service for the living God." [Kaiser, 72]
CONCLUSION
God came to their rescue when they decided to serve or live for God alone. With a heart fixed unreservedly on Him, vacillation, ambivalence, and double mindedness were cast off. We must choose this day whom we will serve, just as Joshua declared he would (Josh. 24:15). And it is time we also confessed with Israel of old and the hymn writer Robert Robinson:
Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’ve come;
And I hope by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.
Has it not been too long since we last saw the fires of genuine, nationwide revival sweep our land? Have we not sensed a yearning for authenticity and wholehearted service for the Living God? It is time for revival to begin in the House of God. The devil does not fear our prayer thus neither does our society, government, or criminals. We need the fire of God to fall freshly on us once again that the peoples of the earth may see again that our God is the Living God who truly has spoken and continues to act dramatically to honor and glory His own name.
May the Lord of the Church fall upon us and revive His church again and call each of His own to serve Him alone.
