seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 7:1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. 2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all.
Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “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.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.
10 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 panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
13 So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14 The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel continued as Israel’s leader all the days of his life. 16 From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. 17 But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord.
Here's the link to the commentary I read.
So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only: The local gods of Baal and Ashtoreth were popular idols among the people of Israel. Baal was attractive because he was thought to be the god of weather, bringing good crops and financial success. Ashtoreth was attractive because she was thought to be the goddess of fertility, thus connected to love and sex.
“Ashtoreth was worshipped over a wide area as the goddess of fertility, love and war, and plaques of naked female figures from the Bronze and Iron Ages in Palestine are numerous. The Baals were the corresponding male deities.” (Baldwin)
“Baal, god of fertility and the storm, was believed to be the son of Dagon, god of grain. Ashtoreth, goddess of love and fertility, vied for supremacy with Asherah, mother-goddess and consort of El... The association of Baal, Asherah, and Ashtoreth with fertility, particularly as expressed in depraved sexual ritual at Canaanite shrines, made them especially abominable in the Lord’s eyes.” (Youngblood)
And Samuel judged the children of Israel: Samuel was the last judge and he was a judge over Israel as were the leaders in the days of the Book of Judges. But his leadership was more spiritual than military.
When the Philistines heard: The Philistines were right to be afraid of a repentant, God-seeking Israel, because with God fighting for them Israel was invincible.
When the Philistines looked at a humble and repentant Israel they probably saw weakness. They may have said, “Look at those weakling Israelites. They are such wimps, crying out before their God like this.” If the Philistines thought this way, they were dead wrong.
The LORD thundered with a loud thunder: God fought from heaven on behalf of Israel and defeated the Philistines. This was a special work of God because the Israelites heard the same thunder, but only the Philistines became so confused... that they were overcome. God not only sent thunder, He also sent confusion to the Philistines and confidence to Israel.
Thank you for reading these posts. I know they are "whole chapter" long. Sometimes it's good that way.Well, it doesn't matter if you and I think it was time for Israel to "get back to God".
Samuel convinced them they were bums without God. Samuel didn't want them worshipping a box [the Arc] or their fake gods from the others around them.
He told them to get rid of the baubles and come back to God.
Check out verse 7. When the Philistines heard that the Israelites were back to worshipping God instead of any little bauble, the Philistines decided to attack.
The commentary says it's because the Philistines figured the Israelites were all comfy in their faith and so they were weak.
The Philistines figured the Israelites were so religious... such goody two shoes... they wouldn't put up a fight.
So, the Philistines decided to attack and wipe out the Israelites....
God intervened! God got loud and proud with Thunder. The Philistines took off running. The Israelites had to chase them down. The Israelites... those goodie two shoes.... ran them down and slaughtered them all the way back home.
Do y'all remember when Pat Robertson [700 Club] prayed away that hurricane? There was a Cat 5 headed right at Virginia Beach, Va. Pat Robertson was running the 700 Club in Virginia Beach at the time. He got on TV and said God would turn the storm. He started praying. I stayed up all night watching that storm get closer and closer. I was so angry at Robertson. I was sure he would fail. I figured his bigheadedness was going to embarrass all of us Christians.
Right before dawn, the hurricane turned away and went harmlessly out to sea.
I was so angry at Robertson. Now I had been up all night and I had to go to work!!!!
God controls nature. He can do whatever He wants.
The Philistines thought "getting right with God" meant weakness.
God taught them otherwise.
"Getting right with God" is not a sign of weakness!
