Samuel Raises Ebenezer

Read 1 Samuel 4-7
 
1 Samuel 7:5 Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the Lord for you." …6b And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah…10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites…12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us." 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again.
 
WAR is the theme of these chapters. And it is not only conflict between the Philistines and the Israelites. God is also choosing sides. At one point, God favored the Philistines, Israel’s enemies! Israel’s leaders and priests had committed sacrificial and sexual sins against God’s law. Several times in Israel’s history, the LORD used pagan empires as his judgment sword on Israel.
    Then see the change in Judges 7. Samuel, the boy called to be a prophet becomes Israel’s judge. He also powerfully acts as Israel’s priest. Through God’s power display to the Philistines, the ark returns to Israel. Then the LORD uses Samuel, prophet, priest and judge, to turn Israel’s heart to their true God.
    How different for Israel to seek God and see his favor. They urged Samuel to pray for them! In God’s leading, Israel defeated and removed the pagan enemy from the Promised Land. The victory belonged to the children of God because they prayed, worshiped and sacrificed before the LORD. In short, Samuel urged them to call on the true God. Israel listened and acted.
    In victory and praise, Samuel raised a stone he named Ebenezer. It means “stone of help”. This is a testimony to God, who is personally involved in the lives of his chosen people – that was Israel and today is the church. Some years after Samuel, David declared in Psalms 118:6-7 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. What peace and hope we have to know the LORD God helps us!
    In closing, this is why verse 2 in the original words of the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” began with, “Here I raise my Ebenezer, here by thy great help I come.” But many churches have replaced “Ebenezer” with other words “everyone can understand”. This dismays me. Are churches saying, “We don’t teach the Bible here. People might not understand it.” Maybe everyone would understand the powerful message of “Ebenezer” if the preaching and the teaching pointed to God’s majesty to save those who call on his name.
    The church is frightfully like the Israel God judged and held captive. We neglect God and His will in favor of our own will. Israel was held captive by the pagan Philistines until they repented.
    May God raise up Samuel-like leaders to declare victory for Christ. May each church be an Ebenezer to the LORD God Almighty.
   
Seek God, your Help. Declare the victory. Raise an Ebenezer to the LORD.