Samuel Leads Israel to Victory
1 Samuel 7:3-17 NLT
3 Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.
5 Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)
7 When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. 8 “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel. 9 So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
10 Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. 11 The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.
12 Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”
13 So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines. 14 The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.
15 Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life. 16 Each year he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places. 17 Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.
Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 7:3-17 NLT
Samuel Leads Israel to Victory
Samuel’s first recorded public ministry.
3 Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel,
In the previous lesson the Philistines return the ark to Israel.
After the Ark was at Kiriath Jearim for 20 years Samuel addressed the Israelites.
- The Israelites had been worshipping idols during this 20 year period.
“If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth.
Ashtoreth was the Canaanite God of fertility associated with Baal.
Some commentators believe Ashtoreth and Asherah are the same god.
The worship of Canaanite Gods was an ongoing problem throughout Israel’s history.
Deuteronomy 12:3 NLT (Instructions to the Israelites moving into the Promised Land)
3 Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods!
1 Kings 16:33 NLT
33 Then he (King Ahab) set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.
Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
- Repent and obey.
Good reminders:
Deuteronomy 5:7-9 NLT
7 “You must not have any other god but me.
8 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
Joshua 24:14 NLT
14 “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.
Joshua 22:5 NLT
5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”
- Don’t expect God’s blessing without getting get rid of what is contrary to his will.
4 So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.
Two dominant gods of the Canaanites.
Two of God’s Old Testament rivals.
Psalm 95:3 NLT
3 For the Lord is a great God,
a great King above all gods. (small g)
Baal – 126 times in the NLT
Ashtoreth – 9 times in the NLT
The book of Judges records this cycle occurring seven times.
Apostasy, turning away from God
Oppression, punishment, slavery
Repentance, sorrow
Deliverance, restoration
5 Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah,
Most likely located in the northern section of the land given to the tribe of Benjamin.
A place of assembly for Israel.
and I will pray to the Lord for you.”
- Samuel served as an intercessor, praying on Israel’s behalf to God.
6 So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord.
A sign of repentance.
This type of ceremony is not mentioned elsewhere on the OT.
Not the same, but similar.
2 Samuel 23:16 NLT
16 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord.
They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord.
Fasting and prayer.
True repentance had taken place.
(It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)
Here Samuel is introduced as the Judge of Israel.
Samuel served as the last judge before the first king.
- Samuel is introduced as the Judge of Israel.
7 When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah,
they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching.
8 “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel.
- The Israelites are beginning to realize that “their help comes from the Lord”.
Psalm 121
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
3 He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
5 The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
7 The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
9 So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT fits here:
2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT
14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
10 Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day,
Hannah’s prayer
1 Samuel 2:10 NLT
10 Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”
and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.
Actually, God defeated the Philistines when He threw their army into a state of confusion.
God did a similar thing with the Egyptian army.
Exodus 14:24 NLT
24 But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion.
11 The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.
Beth-car. The location is unknown.
12 Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah.
The location of this stone memorial is unknown. (NLT study Bible)
He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”
- Samuel gave God the credit He deserved for defeating the Philistines.
A symbol of remembrance.
A memorial of the help received from God.
Psalm 103:2 NLT (Used in the previous lesson.)
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
13 So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines.
The Philistines are not out of the picture.
The victory here is described as a decisive turning point, although the Philistines do reappear later.
1 Samuel 10:5 NLT
5 “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.
1 Samuel 13:3 NLT
3 Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!”
- The Lord gave Israel victory over the Philistines, discontinuing their threat during Samuel’s judgeship.
14 The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath (two Philistine cities) that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken.
- The Philistines no longer dominated Israelite territories.
The Philistines resided in the coastal plains.
And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.
The Amorites resided in the hills west of Israel between the Jordan Valley and the coastal plain.
- There was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.
15 Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life.
Some speculation as to Samuels age when he died.
1070-1012 BC 58 years old (Wikipedia)
1080-1017 BC 63 years old (Unger’s)
1130-1020 BC 110 years old (answers.com)
- Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life.
16 Each year (annual trip) he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places. 17 Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too.
And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.
Samuel was a man of prayer.
The story will resume when Samuel is old and Israel is asking for a king.
