Leading The Nation In God’s Ways. Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth (pagan goddesses) from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him only; and He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.” 1Sa 7:3
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MONARCHY
INTRODUCTION
The authorship of these books cannot be determined, but there is abundant evidence that they embody the report of eye-witnesses. Some of the more prominent characters in the scenes described are name as writers in 1Ch_29:29.
The First Book of Samuel records the rise of a new political and spiritual order represented by the kings and the prophets. The establishment of the monarchy, with Saul as the first king, is an epochal event in the development of Israel’s national life.
Of no less importance is the appearance of the “schools of the prophets” under the leadership of Samuel. In these institutions we see the beginning of the movement which made Israel spiritually supreme among the nations.
I. FROM THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL TO THE ANOINTING OF SAUL, I Samuel 1-8
7. The Return of the Ark to Israel, 1Sa_6:1-21; 1Sa_7:1-17
13. Name five steps that a nation must take to be accepted by God.
SAMUEL JUDGES ISRAEL
Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth (pagan goddesses) from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him only; and He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”
So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.
Samuel said, “Gather all Israel together at Mizpah and I will pray to the LORD for you.”
So they gathered at Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
Now when the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the lords (governors) of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the Israelites heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, so that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel and the LORD answered him.
As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines approached for the battle against Israel. Then the LORD thundered with a great voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated and fled before Israel.
And the men of Israel came out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as [the territory] below Beth-car.
Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he named it Ebenezer (stone of help), saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore into Israelite territory. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered the cities’ territory from the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
He used to go annually on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.
Then he would return to Ramah, because his home was there; and there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the LORD.
LEADING THE NATION IN GOD’S WAYS
We are here taught the successive steps that must be taken if revival is to be granted to either Church or individual.
1. Unity. All Israel was gathered. The divisions and jealousies of preceding years were renounced.
2. Confession. The people poured out their hearts before the Lord.
3. The abandonment of false gods. “They put away the Baalim and Ashtaroth and served the Lord only.”
4. Intercessory prayer. The one condition of revival is to get back to prayer. “Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us.”
5. Full surrender, as set forth in Samuel’s burned-offering. Yield thyself to God, and thy Philistine sins, stealing up the valleys, will fall back discomfited, and thou shalt raise thine Ebenezer.
So Israel proved. There was immediate evidence that God had accepted them. Natural phenomena fought on their side. The very spot which had been the scene of defeat became the scene of glorious victory. Compare 1Sa_4:1; 1Sa_7:12. Here is great encouragement for us, for at certain spots in our life-experience we have been defeated; but just in these same spots, when the barriers which have intercepted God’s help are leveled, we shall become more than conquerors.
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