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Our Ebenezer - 1 Samuel 7
Our Ebenezer - 1 Samuel 7
God is the everlasting universal God of all. Think about what we have read and are reading. What does it teach concerning God?
He showed his power by bringing about the birth of Samuel from barren Hannah.
He showed His power over Dagon – casting down the idol.
He showed His power in using the Philistines to bring about punishment upon the house of Eli.
He showed His authority and power of the Philistines by inflicting them with tumors.
He showed His power in bringing to pass all that Samuel prophesied.
We have watched hundreds of years of God’s demonstration with Israel as he raised up nation after nation to punish Israel for its unfaithfulness to the covenant.
He showed his power by raising up the various judges to defeat the enemy nations that had subjugated Israel. He saved without regard for the size of armies. Here in 1Samuel, the LORD has now given them the victory of the Philistines.
Samuel then setup a memorial stone and calls it ‘Ebenezer’ (1Sam. 7:12). Robert Bergen explained: “Samuel named the newly erected stone monument “Ebenezer” (Hb. ʾeben hāʿāzer, “The Stone of [the] Help” or “The Help[er] Is a Stone”) because “the Lord helped us.” The name given the memorial undoubtedly is a confession of faith and trust in the Lord. In the Torah the Lord is poetically referred as the “Stone of Israel” (Gen 49:24), an obvious reference to his strength exercised in Israel’s behalf;”*. Samuel then stated the meaning of this stone: “Thus far the LORD has helped us”.
All of Israel could have (and should have) said: “Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by Thy help I’ve come”. (cp 1Sam. 7:13). They were what they were by the grace of God. They were where they were by the grace of God. They had God as their God and King.
Even after being warned of what an earthly, human king would do TO them, they chose to have one. Truly God said: “they have rejected me from being King”.
Jesus is king of king and Lord of Lords. His law is for our good. Yet, men still reject Him as their king. Men chose all manner of people / things to rule their lives: drugs, popularity, prosperity, etc. Men reject Jesus as king thinking He is a tyrant, then chose those things that actually are tyrants in their lives.
The challenge is yet: chose you this day whom you will serve. Who is your rock? Who are you putting your trust in?
Hugh DeLong
