Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
Message: Israel Puts Away Foreign Gods
Time: This book is a biography of Samuel's life and career up to his death. It took place over a period of about 110 years, stretching from the closing days of the judges, when Samuel was born (ca. 1120 BC) through the death of Saul (1011 BC).
What the Lord is Saying: The Ark of the Covenant is back in the right hands, "into the house of Abinadab." Eleazar is "to keep the ark." It was there for twenty years. The people lamented after the Lord. There is sorrow for the way in which the Ark has been handled.
In verse 3, Samuel challenges the house of Israel with an IF..THEN statement of promise. If the people will return to the Lord and abandon the foreign gods then they will be delivered from the hand of the Philistines. And so they followed suit and did this. Samuel prayed for them at Mizpah. The people fasted, crying out their sin against the Lord. Samuel judged the sons of Israel. Samuel was God's representative of these people.
It is interesting because he sounds like the office of the priest that is present today in the Catholic Church. And yet with the Holy Spirit as our guide, do we need this judge today? It seems we don't. The judge then made sure that the people followed correctly, redirecting people when necessary and punishing those that went wayward. He acted on the ways of God and laws of God before a people. This seems like a role that is still needed in some ways to God. People want to honor God, but are not sure and therefore go to people for answers, for help, guidance.
Coming back to the story of Israel. The Philistines heard about this gathering at Mizpah for Israel to get things right with God. The people go to Samuel and say, "Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” Basically, don't give up on us yet.
Samuel sacrifices to the Lord and the Lord responded and confused the Philistines as they came to battle Israel. Samuel signifies this with a stone called Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the Lord has helped us.” Philistines were taken care of and cities were restored to Israel that had been taken. They had been delivered. Samuel had acted on behalf of the people and the people had responded as well in turning their hearts to God, away from the foreign Gods.
"Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life." Samuel judged Israel in many places. In Ramah he built an altar to the Lord.
Summary: Samuel leads the people to restoration from the hand of the Philistines. The people respond by putting away their foreign Gods and Samuel removes the evil, restores the good and God responds and makes a way for victory against the Philistines.
Promise: I need to be a person who repents and turns my life, all of my life, over to God.
Prayer: O God, free from the sin that entangles me. I give air time to it all of the time. Instead turn my heart toward you so that I am removing anything that is serving the world and its ways. Those are my foreign Gods. Thank you Holy Spirit for interceding for me and being my intermediary between God and me. Thank you for working favor in my life. Keep me humble and worshipping you always.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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