|
|
VREC003.mp3|
1 Samuel 7:2-17 Key Verse: 7:12 Thus Far Has the Lord Helped Us “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.’” Last time, we saw how Israelites were defeated by the Philistines for misusing the ark of God. When they use the religion for their benefit, it backfired on them. Their leader Eli dead with his neck was broken and the ark of God was captured by the enemy. It was the day the glory of God departed from Israel. However, God was never defeated even if his people were. God made the statue, god Dagon, fall on its face in before the ark, with his head and hands broken off. It reveals that God is the only true God. In today’s passage we will see how God used Samuel as a spiritual leader to help his people turn back. Samuel taught the direction of how return to God and how restores the broken relationship with God. When rebuild the right heart with God by following Samuel’s direction, Israelites were able to experience a great victory from the Philistine and, at last, come to enjoy true freedom. Part 1. Spiritual Revival at Mizpah (2-14) Look at v.2. “It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiraiath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord.” The ark of God was backed, but the remote place, Kiraiath Jearim. For twenty years, Abininadab’s family had guarded it, not at a tabernacle under an official protection of religious leaders. It had been a period of God’s training for Israelites who misused the ark and had taken him for granted. They realized that how hopeless they were with the absence of God’s leading, helping and loving. When the ark was not easily accessible, they realized how miserable their lives were apart from God. V.2. says “all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord.” They broke down with tears flowing down their cheeks and sought the Lord again. Let us read v.3. together please. “And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” It seemed a good time to back to God again, but there were two things hampering – that is, ‘their idols’ and ‘not committing heart’. Thus, Samuel gave them spiritual direction including a God’s promise. First, rid yourselves of foreign gods. The people of Israel had been bad influenced by the false gods of the Canaanite nations around them, especially Baal and Ashtoreth. Baal was the god of governing agriculture, and people believed him to give fertility of crops. It was the idol of worldly material things – money. Ashtoreth was the goddess of sex, so they worshiped her for fertility of children. It was the figure of sensual pleasure. They gave some comfort in an uncertain world. But God told Moses and the Israelites, “Here, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” God wants whole heart of his people, not a half of. He desires to see the 100 % pure faith. This is reason why our Lord is one; he is all in all. We are created as a spiritual being to have true enjoyment when we serve God with all our heart. So Jonathan Edward says, “The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.” Pastor John Piper defined thus, sin as this; “Sin is trying to quench our unquenchable soul-thirst anywhere but in God. Sin is the suicidal abandonment of Joy.” Serving idols – Baal and Ashtoreth – money and hedonic pleasure – was false sense of comfort, security, and enjoyment. Almighty God, our Lord, knows our needs and he can provide all to the maximum of our satisfaction. God wants his people to have this simple faith and rely on him with all their heart. Second, commit yourselves to the Lord. After challenging to eradicate all their foreign gods, Samuel direct them to instead ground themselves firmly in God, worship him and him alone. Israelites used God for their benefits – give them a victory over the Philistines. We also are likely to use God for some our benefits – give me a job; give me A’s; give me a wife. But we are unlike to take our eyes off our own life agenda. We stick to pray to do our own plan. It is double life – trying to get benefits from God while getting security in world. But without our whole heart is committed into God, our soul always is shaken, not at peace. Samuel challenge us to commit to God and trust him and love him and serve him only like Samuel’s mother Hannah did when she devoted her son to God for all his life. Now Samuel became what a great servant of God – he is the fruit of Hannah’s full commitment. On top of that, God was committed to us first. He showed the great forgiving love and giving eternal life through the passion of Jesus. I accepted this truth personally with repenting heart in 2008 through message on the cross of the Christ, and I was truly happy with no fear to the uncertain world anymore. But, I repent for not having been fully devoted my life to him until this time. From now, I pray for restoring true happiness by being committed into my Lord every day. Third, he will deliver you. The Israelite put their hopes in false gods for deliverance. They were fearful and didn’t trust because God is unseen. But idols are visible and look trustworthy. Such things seemed be with them unchangingly during their lifetime. However they were false hopes. Israelites still were in fear of their enemies, the Philistines. Samuel’s challenge to rid themselves of idols and commit their lives to God came with a promise: “he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” If they did not trust in God, God would not help them. But if they committed to God, God would protect them as a mother guards her children from any harm. They could get victory over their enemies. They could be free from fear. When we seek the face of God with our might, we can have the assurance of his promised protection and true peace in our lives. How did the people respond to Samuel’s direction? Verse 4 says, “So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.” They went after their leader’s spiritual direction positively. They did not say, “That’s unrealistic, that’s impossible, or that’s stupid.” They took personal responsibility for their broken relationship with God. They did not say just, “Ok, then I repent.” Rather, they got rid of the gods and goddesses, all big statues of Baal and Ashtoreth and little any idols they put in their bedrooms. And they gave their exclusive attention and service to God alone. In v. 5-6 Samuel ordered that the whole nation of Israel be assembled at the town of Mizpha where he would intercede in pray to Lord for them. The people assembled pouring out water before the Lord. This was a kind of sign of pouring out their hearts and tears of repentance. They fasted and confessed saying, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Samuel laid the responsibility for their lives and their nation on them. He realized that they had many problems personally and as a nation. But he knew the heart of God. God does not want us to blame our problems on others, but take responsibility and repent. If there is a problem in my life, I need to repent and confess my sins to God. If there is a problem in our nation, we need to repent for not being a good influence. At Mizpah God worked a great revival when people repented. Part 2. “Thus Far has the Lord Helped Us” (7-17) Israel was happy having a kind of revival celebration. But in v.7-9, the Philistines interrupted this meeting. They thought of Israelite’s gathering as the perfect chance to attack. It is the same way that we repent, the devil tries to attack to strike fear in us and discourage us from committing fully to God. But Israel became brave after truly repentance. He told Samuel. “Do not stop crying out to the Lord for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” They believed what Samuel had promised to them; “he will deliver you.” So, v.9 says Samuel sacrificed to God and “cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.” Praise the Lord, God answered him just as Samuel promised. How did God answer? Look at v.10-11. “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 great panic that they were routed before the Israelites. The men of Isreal rushed out if Mizpha and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.” God was faithful to his people when they repented and put their trust in him. He kept his promise with this people sincerely. The Philistines was defeated for God sent a great thunderstorm over them. When Israelites only use God without repentance, they had been defeated and the ark captured. On the contrary, when turn back toward God with sincere repenting, Israel people experienced a great victory over their enemies as promised. Look at v. 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.’” God worked mightily through Samuel and the Israelites by revival and victory over the Philistines. Samuel wanted to make a lasting memorial to God by setting up a stone memorial in God’s honor. He named the memorial Ebenezer which means “stone of help,” saying to the Israelites, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.” Samuel wanted Israel to always remember God who was faithful to help them in their time of desperation. He did not want them to forget the grace of God. Forgetting comes naturally, but remembering takes effort. In the future, when they faced trouble, Israel could look at the stone and remember God who helped them and give thanks to God and trust him for the present and the future. Look at v. 15-17. “Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the das of life. From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpha, judging Israel in all those places. But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there t the Lord.” Through Samuel’s spiritual influence, God brought peace to Israel. Samuel served as judge over Israel. People can learn what is right and what is wrong according to the law of God thanks to Samuel’s teaching. Samuel taught them the Bible from year to year and from town to town in the nation. He was a circuit preacher, going from place to place to strengthen and encourage God’s people with the word of God. He was a faithful leader and servant of God. He was a faithful leader and servant of God. It is about 8 years I have done 1:1 bible study. For those years, I have learned the words of God gracefully. Many shepherds helped me to meet God personally. Through this, I accept God as my God, the Lord of my life. And God accepts me as his people, and his son. But I confess that I have hidden foreign gods in my heart. That is the many high-status Ph.D schools I want to get admission. Stanford, Cornell or Harvard University etc. I take fake pleasure in imagining that I receive the admission from such schools. I suppose that these schools will offer the security after graduation. However, true happiness and security comes from God who created the world. He is the true source of what men need. I repent this attitude to world, and I pray for getting rid of such fake belief. I pray to serve my God only and I will put my hope on him. May God accept my repentance and fill my empty heart fully. |
| 
|
