1 SAMUEL 7

1 ¶ And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified (consecrated) Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

• How deep is the depravity of sin in the human heart? WE are told here that it was twenty years after the ark was brought to Kirjath-jearim, before the Israelites lamented after The Lord.
• The ark had been returned to Israel, but Israel had not returned to the Lord.

3 ¶ And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

• God had raised up Samuel as a prophet and a judge (1 Samuel 4:1). Yet, Samuel is strangely absent from the whole Ark of the Covenant fiasco. 1 Samuel 4:1 was the last place Samuel was mentioned, right before Israel schemed to use the ark as good luck charm in battle.
• Samuel was calling the nation to repentance. Return To the Lord - The first thing in repentance is to take the steps that are necessary to move away from sin and whatever has been replacing the Lord and then move toward God.
• With all your heart, meaning your mind, will and affections. Genuine repentance involves your heart, soul, mind and body.
• The repentance had to be inward (with all your hearts), and it had to be outward (put away the foreign gods). Inward repentance is a secret thing. It is hidden. No one can really “see” the heart of another person. Yet, the validity of genuine repentance will be evident by a change of action and attitudes.
• Serve Him only- Jesus said in Matthew 6:24: No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. Samuel was calling on Israel to turn their backs on these other gods and serve Him only.
• Samuel was calling for absolute & undivided loyalty to the Lord.

4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

• Baal was the god that controlled the weather and crops. Ashtaroth was the goddess of love and sexual pleasure. Today we feel that we are free from the worship of pagan gods because we don’t have any idols of Baal or Ashtaroth in our house.  But the god of sexual pleasure is a Hollywood blockbuster, as is pornography on the Internet. Fallen man still worships the gods of materialism, intellectualism and power.
• The experience of conviction of sin proves nothing. It is our response to that conviction that demonstrates the validity of our repentance. Israel responded by both putting away these false gods bad and turning to The Lord.
• We could only know if Israel did return with all your hearts by seeing if they would really did put away the foreign gods. No one could see their heart, but they could see if they put away the foreign gods.

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

• Having seen a genuine expression of repentance, Samuel now calls the nation together for prayer. Samuel knew the work God in the hearts of His people is incomplete apart from prayer.
• The Bible speaks of Samuel as a mighty man of prayer: Samuel was among those who called upon His name; they called upon the Lord, and He answered them. (Psalm 99:6). See the reference in Jer 15.1. Samuel believed in the power of prayer and intercession for others.
• Keep in mind that the function of a prophet was 2-fold: to declare the will of God & to intercede w/God for the people.
• Are you in a tight place today? – Pray. Prayer is not a measns to escape our problems or the challenges of life, it provides the means to face them in the power of God.
• If you are in a tight place tonight beloved, run to Jesus, not to escape, but to receive the strength to get back to face your problem or fear.

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD (a straightforward claim of guilt and responsibility). And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

• The drawing and pouring out of water was a ceremonial demonstration of their soul’s poured out before the Lord. This was coupled with fasting. It was an expression of sorrow over sin and offending God.
• Note that they admitted that their sin. They did not try to explain it away or make light of it. This was the exact same confession that David makes in Psalm 51. This is the exact same kind of confession that we need to make when we sin.
• Confession of sin for the believer is vital for fellowship with God. See 1 John 1.7-9. Confession of sin deepens fellowship within the body.  Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
• When we openly admit our sin before The Lord, it opens up before us the wealth of God's grace.

7 ¶ And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

• Please note beloved that the very moment that the people of God put away their false gods, and make a serious effort to get their heart right with Him, the enemy of Israel lodges an attack.
• Some of the most ferocious attacks of the devil occur when you and I determine to draw nearer to God, or when we confess our sin and purpose to forsake it and walk in holiness.

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

• They turned their fears into prayers. The last time Israel was in this kind of situation they said, “Let’s get the Ark of the Covenant and take it into battle with us. Then we can’t lose!” Now, they are much wiser before the Lord, and instead of trusting in the ark, they do the right thing and ask Samuel to cry out to the Lord our God for us. Instead of looking to the ark, now they are looking to the Lord.
• Knowing that they are entering into a battle with the Philistines, they request prayer without ceasing from Samuel.
• This reminds me of the book of Esther, where we read her request: Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Es 4:16
• We must continually rely upon God for the strength that we need to walk in victory.

9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

·      A burnt offering was also an offering that signified consecration before God because the entire sacrifice was to be consumed on the altar.

• When we pray in light of God’s atoning sacrifice, we are then ready to cry out to the Lord. When we come to God in prayer, it is always on the basis of what He has done for us through Jesus Christ, instead of what we think we have done for Him.

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them (threw them into confusion); and they were smitten before Israel.

• God not only send thunder, He sent confusion to the Philistines. As I mentioned a moment ago, Baal was thought to be the god that controlled the weather. Here, we see Jehovah demonstrating who really controls the weather by this powerful manifestation of thunder. 
• Again, I want us to note the divine order of the manifestation of God’s power in this instance. Confession and repentance of sin, intercessory prayer and an atoning sacrifice.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

• Ebenezer- This battle was won by the Lord, not by Israel, so he named the stone Ebenezer, which means “stone of help.” A victory marker! This large rock became a “war memorial” in a special sense - a reminder of Jehovah’s power in battle.

• In 1 Samuel 4:1, we read that the nation had suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of the Philistines and because of that, they had surrendered the Ark of the Covenant at the same place. Now, the place could be remembered for something great, instead of something terrible.
• What’s the difference between defeat and victory?  As you look at the record, when they went out twenty years earlier and were defeated, they went out without prayer.  They went out without seeking the guidance of God and without seeking the help of God.  They went out in their own strength and in their own power.  They were thoroughly defeated.  Now, they go out relying upon God. 
• Beloved, now that we are in Christ, those places of defeat and sorrow from our past can be turned into places of victory and praise. The Name of The Lord is a very present help in times of trouble beloved. Refuse to accept defeats or things that have happened to you in the past dictate how you will live in the present.
• Joni Eareckson Tada said, “My wheelchair is my Ebenezer. I’ve raised it up as a memorial to commemorate God’s grace in my life.”

13 ¶ So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

·      People throughout the ages have discovered that God is willing and able to restore what the consequences of sin have done.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

• Every year, Samuel worked hard to go all about Israel to help settle disputes and to promote righteousness.

17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

·      Ramah: just north of Jerusalem, was the home of Samuel. The altar speaks of a place of sacrifice and communion. Samuel loved to live in communion with his Lord. May God give to each one of hearts that are altars of communion with Him.

1 SAMUEL 8

1 ¶ And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made (appointed) his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre (dishonest gain), and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

• Turned aside-Turned aside - How many degrees does a plane have to turn aside to be off course & miss its destination? Just 1!
• The doctrine of salvation by grace is not a reason to live carelessly, but cautiously.

4 ¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

• While it is was wise for the elders of Israel to reject Samuel’s sons as leaders, it was wrong for them to say, “Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” We often get into trouble by wanting to be like the world, when we should instead be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2).

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

·      Samuel was deeply troubled by this request but wisely turns to God in prayer rather than immediately voice his dissatisfaction to the people.

·      He didn’t argue with them and pray afterwards, he prayed before he spoke. How many marital arguments would be avoided if we did the same thing/ How many arguments in the body of Christ would be avoided if we did the same thing?

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me (and here is the reason why), that I should not reign over them.

• In and of itself, the desire to have a king was not bad. God knew that one day Israel would have a king. Four hundred years before this, God gave instructions to Israel about their future king (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). A king was in God’s plan for Israel, but this was not God’s timing.
• Hearken unto the voice of the people- God told Samuel to fulfill the people’s request. Sometimes, when we insist on having something apart from the perfect will of God, God will allow us to have it, and then learn the consequences.
• In spite of all of the brokenness and sorrow that we read about in the previous chapter, the reason why the people wanted a king to be just like the nations is because they did not want God to rule over them.
• In the parable of the pounds, Jesus tells us that the response of the nation of Israel towards Him at His first coming was, His citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us (Luke 19.14).
• In the words they have not rejected you, we see that God is comforting Samuel. God would not be saying this to Samuel if Samuel was not taking this rejection personally. It is as if God is saying “Samuel, don’t take it personally. They are not rejecting you, but Me.” It is easy for God’s servants to take such rejection personally when they should not. Jesus warned His disciples, he who rejects you rejects Me (Luke 10:16).
• God made a promise to His Son in Psalm 2, “Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.”   The promise of God to His Son that he will reign over the uttermost parts of the earth.  This promise will be fulfilled when Jesus comes again.  There are all many glorious prophecies of the Bible concerning the conditions that will exist upon the earth during the kingdom age, and each and every one of them will come to pass just as surely as every promise came to pass concerning the first coming of Jesus Christ.   Then, we will have a Theocracy: where God rules over the earth. 

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them (warn them), and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

• The Lord tells Samuel to show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them. If this was the course Israel would choose, God wanted them to see the consequences of their choice. Future events are determined by present decisions.
• Beloved, every decision that we make in life has consequences. Whenever you are deciding on a course of action, pray and seek the counsel of The Lord….seek for biblical examples of the outcome of that decision, good or bad. When men by word or deed say to God, Not thy will, but mine be done, let them prepare for trouble.

10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

• Samuel is a picture of a faithful messenger of God. He is telling them exactly what God wanted them to hear, not what they wanted to hear.

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself (make them serve him), for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground (plow his ground), and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries (persons who prepared perfumes and spices) and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

• Basically, their king would take from them instead of give to them. He would make life harder on them.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

• God gives Israel “their” king: Saul. Later, after “their” king fails, God will give Israel “His” king: David.

20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

• They wanted a king so that they could be like all the nations. God never intended for Israel to be like the other nations. God wanted to make them a special treasure to Me above all people . . . a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). God wanted to make Israel something special, and they wanted to be just like everyone else!
• They wanted a king who would go out and lead them in battle. How absurd! How blind sin is! God had just given them a victory over the Philistines, and here they are requesting a human king.
• I am amazed at the bondage that people are willing to live under just because they don’t want God to rule over them.  Of whom a man is overcome, of the same he or she is held in bondage.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed (repeated) them in the ears of the LORD.

22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

Practical Applications

Wesawthat it was at Ebenezer that The Lord gave to His people a great victory. Ebenezer literally means The Lord has helped me up to this point. During times of doubt & discouragement Israel could look at that rock & remember God’s character & power.

Beloved, the very fact that you are I are here tonight is evidence that The Lord has helped us. And know this saints, The Lord hasn’t begun a good work in me, just to give it up.  Phil 1.6 tells us that“He who has begun a good work in you shall continue to perform it until He brings it to completion.”

In the epistle of Jude, we read at the very end of that powerful little letter the words, Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling. Beloved, you may be facing the proverbial trial of your life…you may feel liker you are at the end of your proverbial rope, but know this, Jesus Christ is your Ebenezer Who is able to keep you from falling. The glorious work that God has begun in our lives, He is going to continue as we yield ourselves unto Him.  As we remain surrendered to Him, He’s going to take us all the way. 

Whenever you are discouraged, look at your Ebenezer, The Lord Jesus Christ.

Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed, as David did in the Psalms, lead me to The Rock, Ebenezer that is higher than I.

God wanted to be Israel’s king, but instead of wanting a theocracy, they wanted to be ruled by a human king. Who is the king of your heart? The Prophet Haggai said that we can answer that question by asking ourselves the question, consider your ways. Consider your choices of entertainment…consider your choices of reading material and music…consider your work and financial ethics…consider your friends….consider your value and worldview…..those choices reveal your king.

God’s desire is to establish His kingdom in every area of your life. But we live in a fallen world with fallen values and very strong and real temptations and competition to the kingship of Jesus. Beloved, for God’s kingdom to be established in our lives, we must fight the good fight of faith and yield ourselves totally to Him as living sacrifices.