SCRIPTURE: 1 SAMUEL 7
SAMUEL SUBDUES THE PHILISTINES AT MIZPAH (vs. 1-17)
Twenty years had passed and the ark remained at Kirath Jearim. Samuel told the whole house of Israel if they get rid of the foreign gods and serve Him alone, God will deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines. So the people put away Baals and Ashtoreths and served the Lord only.
Samuel assembled all Israelites at Mizpah to fast and confess. When the Philistines knew, they came up to attack them. Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering crying out to the Lord for God to rescue them from the hands of the Philistines.
When the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle, the Lord thundered with a loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into panic. The Israelites rushed out and pursued the Philistines slaughtering them all the way to a point below Beth Car. Then Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us” (v. 12). So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israel territory again.
Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of God was against the Philistines. The towns of Ekron and Gath were restored to Israel. Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the power of the Philistines and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life.
THOUGHTS:
The ark of God remained at the houses of Abinadab in Shiloh for twenty years. God prepared Samuel to defeat the enemy and establish the kingdom. Samuel called on the nation to Mizpeh for prayer meeting, confessions and repentance. He used prayer as the power of his leadership and victory. This shows us the importance and power of prayer in our Christian life.
Samuel was born because of the prayer of Hannah, a godly mother. He was the first prophet and the last of the judges. However, his sons did not follow his godly walk. He was too busy with the affairs of the nations and failed to train them. This reminds us the importance of a godly home. Serving God is good but raising a godly home must not be neglected. Parenthood is an awesome responsibility and nothing is more important than molding and shaping our children’s character in their lives.
Samuel urged the Israelites to get rid of their foreign gods. Today’s idols may not in the form of wood and stone. Anything can be an idol if it takes the place of God in our lives. We must dethrone our “foreign gods” and make the true God our first priority.