Four Lessons Taken From History Past--Ebenezer (1 Samuel 7:12) (2024)

Memorial Day 2024

Four Lessons from History Past

Ebenezer, Thus Far the Lord Has Helped Us[i]

(1 Samuel 7:12)

If you brought your Bibles, whether it be book bound or electronic, I invite you to turn with me to 1 Samuel 7. Our focus will be v12. Its uniqueness should help you to recall it throughout the week. As you are aware, tomorrow is Memorial Day, a time of national remembering and honoring the men and women who have died in the service of this country, both at home and abroad.[ii]

VIDEO: Each Stone

Memorials are steeped in history, designed to cause us to reflect not only the good times and the nightmares, but also why they happened. When I was young, history was of little value to me, but now that I am pushing 80, I find myself becoming more more intrigued with the flow of history past. I am learning that when we forget history past, we do so at our own demise. Jon Bloom says it correctly: The future of the United States depends in large amount on how well we collectively remember and cherish what liberty really is and the terror of tyranny.[iii] In the words of George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”[iv] Let me repeat again George Santayana’s words: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The point is, there is a high cost to forgetting.

As I read my Bible, I am struck by how closely our nation is following the same projectile of Israel in the Old Testament. Just as darkness encircled the nation of Israel in the past, it is now encircling this nation that we call the United States of America. As a nation, like Israel in years gone by, we are losing our moorings. The one lesson we’ve learned from history is that we have not learned any of history’s lessons.

As Followers of Jesus, we should understand more than anyone else the crucial importance of memorials and that of remembering. If you are a Follower of Jesus, you belong to a group known as ‘memorial people’ because the whole of our faith hinges on our ability to remember and reflect on history past.

Make a note of this: those who persevere through the hardships of life are those who remember.[v] That’s what James tells us in chap 5, v11 ^(NASB95) ‘remember’ the endurance of Job and ‘reflect’ on the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.[vi] Remembering God’s past actions of grace fuels our faith. And I submit for our consideration, that the failure to remember will of necessity lead to a failure of our faith.[vii]

Let’s begin with a brief prayer: Father, We bow before You this morning and give thanks to Your name for Your loving devotion and You faithfulness; For You have exalted Your name and Your word above all else.[viii] And so we pray that this Word may be a very lamp to our feet and a light to our path that brings us to believing trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Because tomorrow is the National Day of remembering, it seemed appropriate to me that we should take a moment to do a little remembering. That is why I‘ve asked you turn to the story of Israel’s struggle in 1 Samuel 7, which culminates in v12.

In order for us to wrap our minds around v12, we have to immerse ourselves into its history.[ix] Mixed in this story are four spiritual lessons for us. So to do this, we have to go all the way back to chap 4.

A.Chapter 4

To help us put things into perspective, chap 1-3 are about Samuel’s birth, and his prophetic replacement of Eli, the High Priest. When we come to chap 4 the lead sentence, we're told that the Word of Samuel came to all Israel, telling us that He is now God’s official spokesperson.[x]

The narration then shifts, setting the stage for Samuel’s ministry. Israel was in a very dark place. We get a glimpse of that darkness from the last verse of Judges 21—In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.[xi] So when we come to 1 Samuel Israel is spiritually rotten to the core. Just how spiritually rotten?

Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were sleeping with the women working at the tabernacle;[xii] In vs12-13 of chap 2, ¹²they are described as scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord ¹³or for their responsibilities as priests.[xiii]
In addition Eli and sons were physically way overweight due to improper handling the sacrifices brought by the people[xiv]
Further the people flat out worshiped Baal and Ashtaroth, the god’s of the people around them.[xv]

So when we come to chap 4 God is in the process of cleaning house. The Philistines have gathered for battle against Israel at Ebenezer. They attack Israel, leaving about four thousand Israeli soldiers for dead on the battle field. Because of the slaughter the Israeli elders became somewhat confused by the defeat, and asked the question, “Why has God given us such a beating today by the Philistines?

That brings us to our first lesson: the sad part of this defeat is that the leaders didn’t have the faintest idea that the reason for defeat was due to their own moral and religious failures. They had not learned the A B C of their own national history.

In application there are plenty of Christians, who like these elders, are finding themselves beaten by the world and Satan and his yinyins, puzzling their brains to invent all sorts of reasons for God’s absence, except for the true reason, their own departure from God.

After wrestling with the question, they came up with what they thought was a great idea Let’s go to Shiloh and get the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. We’ll take it with us, attack the Philistines, and because when we have the Ark of the Covenant, we’ll break the power of the Philistines. The Ark had become a charm. They thought dragging the Ark into battle would bring God to their rescue. In so doing this missed, unlike the Philistines, that they were God’s covenant people. They had traded their covenant with the God of Abraham for the gods of the Philistines—Baal and Ashtoreth. As Romans 1 so clearly states it in vs22-23 ^(MSG) ²²They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding relationship with God. ²³They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines hand carved in some one’s shop. And so the people went to Shiloh and brought out the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas came with it[xvi].

When the Ark of the Covenant arrived at camp, a huge victorious roar of victory was sounded. The Philistines shook with fear, saying, ⁷“Their gods have come to their camp! Nothing like this has ever happened before. ⁸Who can save us from the clutches of their supergod? For this is the same god who hit the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues out in the wilderness.[xvii] The strange thing here is, they seemed to remember more of Israel's history than Israel did.

So the Philistines rallied their troops and attacked Israel. This time thirty thousand Israeli soldier were killed in battle, and the Ark of God was taken. It was a very sad day to be remembered:

The Ark of the Covenant was now in the hands of the Philistines,
Eli’s daughter-in-law gave birth to a boy, whom she named Ichabod (v22) meaning “The glory of God has departed from Israel, and then she died[xviii]
Hophni and Phinehas were killed in battle
Eli fell off his bench, broke his neck due to his weight and died
And Shiloh, the initial place of worship and the resting place for the Ark of the Covenant, was totally destroyed.[xix]

B.Chapter 5

Chap 5 opens with the Philistines taking the Ark of God from Ebenezer (the battle field) to the city of Ashdod, and placing it next to their god Dagon. For the Philistines, Dagon was known as the "father of all gods". He was connected with birthing babies, good crop harvest, and the anointing of Kings among other things. From ancient texts it appears that he is believed to be the father of Baal.[xx]

C.1 Samuel 7

When we come to chap 7, 20 years of passed. During this time there was national disorganization and Philistine dominance. Their sinful allegiances brought defeat and despair. But during this dark time Israel began to cry out after the Lord[xxviii] because they began to remember that lost blessings were really life’s precious treasures. With their hunger for God, Samuel now comes back into the narrative.

With the spiritual climate changing, Samuel drills down. V3^(MSG) “If you are truly serious about coming back to God, clean house. Get rid of the foreign gods and fertility goddesses, ground yourselves firmly in God, worship Him and Him alone, and he’ll save you from Philistine oppression.” 4-5^(MSG) And so they did it. They got rid of the gods and goddesses, the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and gave their exclusive attention and service to God. We should note that the Worship of Baal and Ashtoreth involved the worship of nature, lavish possessions and sex. It included hom*osexuality, bestial*ty and child sacrifice.[xxix]

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24^(GW) “No one can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and wealth. Real worship of God is exclusive. The principle here is clear, if we are to have God’s strength infused in us for riding the harshness of life, we must cast away our idols and come to Him with are whole heart. Yielding wholeheartedly to God is the secret of our endurance.

V5, Samuel gathers everybody together at Mizpah and tells them I’ll pray for you.” So ⁶The nation comes to Mizpah, held a day of fasting, and confessed--We have sinned against the Lord. The word Mizpah means ‘watchtower or lookout’. The word appears a number of times, but it’s first mention is in Genesis 31:45-49 following a heated debate between Jacob and his father-in-law Laban. At the end of the debate the two men made a pile of rocks as a testimony of the covenant made between them. Laban names the rock pile, Mizpah, and then says, This heap is a witness of our covenant. Now may the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.[xxx]

Notice at Mizpah the nation of Israel made a public acknowledgement of their sin. But feeling sorry for sin is not enough. It must lead to genuine repentance.[xxxi] 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorry brings death.” True confession breaks the hold of sin on our lives.

But confession doesn’t necessarily mean freedom, for the enemy of our souls is watching. The Baal and Ashtoreth worship accentuated their passions which wage war against one’s soul. So Peter warns in 1 Peter 2:11^(ESV) abstain from the passions of the flesh. We need a clear understanding of the evil powers of darkness that wage war against us.

Here’s our third lesson: The surest way to true victory over sin is genuine confession to God. But there is more to genuine confession than saying “I’m sorry”, or acknowledging wrong. Notice the flow of their confession of sin.

First they acknowledge and confessed their sin.[xxxii]
Second they had a day of fasting.
Third, they removed the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from their midst.
Fourth, they made a deliberate choice to serve God.[xxxiii]

To repent simply means to change one’s mind. A change of mind results in a change of attitude, emotion, and action. According to Acts 26:26, repentance means to turn to God, and perform deeds appropriate for the action. Repentance equals tangible action. It means to prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. According to Ephesians 5:8-9, repentance leads to goodness, righteousness and truth .[xxxiv] So Samuel tells them, prove that you are returning to the Lord by removing the foreign gods from your midst. But understand, when genuine confession takes place, soul warfare intensifies.[xxxv] Freedom from sin is not an easy win.

When dealing with sin we need to be clear: There is a war being waged against our souls. Israel illustrates for us the deadliness of weak allegiances with God. Our modern world is enormously preoccupied with the frivolous.
When dealing with sin we tend to be oblivious to the impact of our cultural, blinded to its effects on our souls when dealing with sin.
When dealing with sin we need a clear grasp that we have been called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light.[xxxvi]
When dealing with sin we need clear understand that we belong to God, not to the world and not to America.
When dealing with sin we need to learn to live life from God’s perspective, not from television or fashion catalogues.
When dealing with sin we need to live as foreigners because our citizenship is not here, but in heaven. Therefore we must cultivate the mindset of refugees.[xxxvii]

When we see ourselves as citizens of heaven, and God as our only Sovereign, we’ll stop drifting with the current of the day.[xxxviii] When Israel stopped seeing God as their Sovereign they drifted into the despairing alignment of idolatry and all of its ramifications.[xxxix]

The realignment of hearts at Mizpah to God caught the attention of the Philistines. And ‘hell’s’ furry was unleashed. 7^(GW) they ‘prepared’ to attack Israel. And when the Israelites heard about the Philistine plan they were afraid of them. And rightly so, because in their previous two battles they had lost 34,000 soldiers. And so in desperation they plead with Samuel, v8^(GW) “Don’t turn a deaf ear to us! Don’t stop crying to the Lord our God for us! Ask Him to save us from the Philistines!”

So Samuel offers up a burnt offering to the Lord, and begins to pray fervently for His intervention. While Samuel was praying, the Philistines attacked. That’s when God entered the battle with a very loud thunder, which could be reference to a severe storm, which confused the Philistines. In the resulting confusion Israel moves in and chases them out of their land.

D.1 Samuel 7:12

That brings us to v12 ^(GW) Then Samuel took a rock and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer and said, “Until now the Lord has helped us.” To commemorate God’s intervention with the Philistines, Samuel erects a large stone and names it Ebenezer, for he said ‘Tell now the Lord has helped us.’

The word Ebenezer appears 3 times in our passage: Chap 4, v1; chap 5, v1, and here in v12. Samuel now erects a stone in the area where the Israelites were twice defeated by the Philistines, and now won a resounding victory over the Philistines. So he calls the stone Ebenezer, which in Hebrew means “stone of help,”[xl] and then he says, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

In erecting this stone and calling it Ebenezer was not just a reminder that God had ‘helped’ them in the battle against the Philistines. It was also a benchmark in the ground, acknowledging that this victory was not a result of their strength or brilliant military strategy. It was a reminder that God had spoken with a loud thunder/voice. He had delivered them when they merged repentance and faith together.[xli]

Here’s our fourth lesson: For 20 years the Israelites were demoralized, living in enslavement to the Philistines, and in bondage to the demons of the land. They were entrapped by their fear, a cruel enemy, the demonic world, and an allegiance to their own personal lusts. Proverbs 29:25^(NLT) Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. Victory came, not because of their cunning, but because they acknowledged their sins and trusted in the Lord. The Ebenezer stone stood as a reminder to them and their children that God is their rock of help.[xlii]

In this country we have many stone monuments. Some commemorate individual giants of our nation’s history; some are reminders of people who died in wars. But perhaps the one that captures our values best is the Statue of Liberty in New York. But as important as all these monuments may be, none of them capture the wonder of Israel’s Ebenezer stone. The Ebenezer stone in Samuel’s day stood as a reminder of what God had done for the nation of Israel, emphasizing that their victory was solely of God. On that day when God thundered from heaven, they became the undeserving beneficiaries of His saving work.

The Ebenezer stone was not a monument for abstract concepts such as “liberty” or “justice,” nor was it a memorial to individuals who had contributed much or sacrificed most. The Ebenezer stone was a reminder that merging repentance and faith together brings God into the flow of life. That He was faithful to His covenant; that He had acted on their behalf despite their failings.[xliii]

In a spiritual context, Ebenezer goes beyond being a mere historical reference. It serves as a powerful reminder for us that all of us need some kind of tangible object that helps us to recall to mind and reflect on God’s faithfulness, and His help in our own lives. Just as Samuel set up the stone as a marker of remembrance, we can create our own symbolic “Ebenezer” to commemorate God’s grace and guidance throughout our personal journey.

The story of Samuel setting up the stone of Ebenezer serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of remembering God’s faithfulness. It is a call for us to establish our own “Ebenezer” – tangible reminders of God’s grace and deliverance in our lives. Such an Ebenezer can be as simple as keeping a journal of answered prayers, certificates of accomplishment, or moments of divine intervention. By consciously reflecting on these occasions, our faith is strengthened, and brings a deepening sense of gratitude for God’s faithfulness swells up within; serving as beacons of hope during difficult times and give us the confidence to face the challenges ahead; serving as a reminder that when we are weak He is strong and has the power to do the impossible. For nothing is too difficult for God.

As we live in the tension where in the present the rush of the future presses in on us; and the guilt of past fills a stagnate pool of regrets;[xliv] Let’s let our Ebenezer remind us who our God has shown Himself to be. He is the one whose streams of mercy never cease and will be new again tomorrow.[xlv]

The Bible says that God does not change. The same God who answered Samuel's cry and defeated the Philistines is with us today![xlvi] Just like the Israelites, you can put your trust in the Lord, because He does not fail. God takes care of those who dedicate their lives to h

Let us proclaim with confidence, as the psalmist does in Psalm 118:21, “I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.” May our Ebenezer’s serve as testimonies of God’s goodness and lead others to encounter His love and grace.

Let’s close in prayer: -- Father, today we pause to reflect on the sacrifice made by those who paid the ultimate price on behalf of our nation. We pray that their sacrifices are never forgotten, nor is the pain of their families. We acknowledge that freedom comes at a cost and pray that we pursue after peace. Let us turn to You in our grief and in our remembrance of the fallen. Guide us toward a harmonious existence as we honor those who willing give their lives that we may gather here today freely. On this Memorial Day, may we remember that like the Israelites of old, we can put our trust in you, because You do not fail. May we set up our Ebenezer markers as a reminder that You take care of those who dedicate their lives to him. May we be receptive to Your guidance, and may we never forget the fallen. Amen. …

[i] I try to thoroughly cite all sources in my written sermon notes. But due to the extemporaneous nature of oral communication, delivery may occasionally contain material not fully cited or original with me. In such situations, the church nor I assert ownership to such material. The footnotes contain most of the resources that were used to prepare this sermon. Alexander MaClaren, The Books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and First Book of Samuel (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908) pp 283-291, https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-does-ebenezer-mean-in-the-bible-what-s-an-ebenezer-stone-used-for.html. https://ubf.org/resources/show/17059. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/here-i-raise-my-ebenezer. Ashley Hooker, The Powerful Meaning of ‘Ebenezer’ in the Bible (1 Samuel 7:12) https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/powerful-biblical-meaning-and-importance-of-an-ebenezer.html

[ii] Scott Harris, No Greater Love (John 15:13), https://www.gracebibleny.org/no_greater_love_memorial_day_sermo. Our national observance of Memorial Day dates back to 1868, when General John A. Logan, Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic named May 30^thas a special day to honor the graves of Union soldiers. (The G.A.R. was an organization of Union veterans of the Civil War which existed until the mid 1950’s). General Logan’s order was that the day was “designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion.” Hence, it was also called Decoration Day. The selection of May 30^this attributed to a Virginian of French descent, Cassandra Oliver Moncure, who may have selected this date because it was “The Day of Ashes” in France – the day that Napoleon’s remains were returned to France from St. Helena.There is debate as to the location and date of the first observance of a Memorial Day in the United States. Some claim the custom of honoring war dead began in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. Others claim the custom was originated by some Southern women who placed flowers on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers after the War Between the States. One writer states the first Memorial Day service took place on May 30, 1866, on Belle Isle, a burial ground for Union soldiers in the St. James River, at Richmond, Virginia. The school superintendent and the mayor planned the program of hymns and speeches and had the burial ground decorated with flowers. The Federal Government eventually got into the debate and in 1966 proclaimed that was the birthplace of Memorial Day was Waterloo, New York since on May 5, 1865, the people there had honored soldiers who had died. While the Federal government seems to think it has the power to make final decisions for everyone, the truth is that history is what it is regardless of what government thinks of it or even whether people actually remember it or not. God knows what happened, and according to the book of Revelation He keeps the books on the life of everyone. It is also true that people throughout history have observed days of remembrance for all sorts of reasons including the deaths of those who died in war. My reason in mentioning the history of Memorial Day is that traditions and holidays tend to change over time, and if we are not careful, the reasons for them can be lost all together.The observance of Memorial Day was started in this country in remembrance of those who died in the War between the States. Since that time, those who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our nation in any war have been added, and since 9/11, there has been more mention of those who have died in the line of duty in emergency services such as Fire, Police, Rescue and Medical personnel.

[iii] Americans agree that the future of democracy is on the line in the 2024 election but disagree about who poses the biggest threat | PBS NewsHour. One fear for the decline of democracy is the presence of polarization, growing ethnic or racial antagonism, rising economic inequality, and a concentration of power under a country’s executive officeholder.

[iv] Ibid.

[v] Luke 6:22 (NASB95)22“Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.; 1 Peter 3:14 (NASB95)14But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, ; 1 Peter 4:14 (NASB95)14If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

[vi] 2 Peter 1:12–15 (NASB95)12Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. 13I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

[vii] Cf., Luke 22:19(GW) 19Then Jesus took bread and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He broke the bread, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given up for you. Do this to remember me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24–25(GW) 24and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He broke the bread and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” 25When supper was over, he did the same with the cup. He said, “This cup is the new promisemade with my blood. Every time you drink from it, do it to remember me.”

[viii] Psalm 138:2(GW) 2I will bow toward your holy temple. I will give thanks to your name because of your mercy and truth. You have made your name and your promise greater than everything.

[ix] The word Ebenezer appears only three times in the Bible, and all three appear in 1 Samuel chap 4, v1; chap 5, v1; and here in chap 7, v12. 1 Samuel 4:1 (NASB95) 1Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped beside Ebenezer while the Philistines camped in Aphek. 1 Samuel 5:1 (NASB95)1Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 1 Samuel 7:12 (NASB95)12Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

[x] 1 Samuel 3:19–21 ^(MSG) ¹⁹Samuel grew up. God was with him, and Samuel’s prophetic record was flawless. ²⁰Everyone in Israel, from Dan in the north to Beer-sheba in the south, recognized that Samuel was the real thing—a true prophet of God. ²¹God continued to show up at Shiloh, revealed through his word to Samuel at Shiloh. Chap 4:1, Thus the Word of Samuel came to all Israel

[xi] Judges 21:25

[xii] 1 Samuel 2:22 ^(MSG) ²²By this time Eli was very old. He kept getting reports on how his sons were ripping off the people and sleeping with the women who helped out at the sanctuary

[xiii] 1 Samuel 2:12–13 ^(NLT)

[xiv] 1 Samuel 2:29 ^(NLT) ²⁹So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!

[xv] The Baals and Ashtoreths summarizes the range of male and female pagan gods that they were worshiping. 1 Samuel 7:3–4 ^(MSG) ³Then Samuel addressed the house of Israel: “If you are truly serious about coming back to God, clean house. Get rid of the foreign gods and fertility goddesses, ground yourselves firmly in God, worship him and him alone, and he’ll save you from Philistine oppression.” ⁴They did it. They got rid of the gods and goddesses, the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and gave their exclusive attention and service to God. Cf., Judges 2:13 ^(MSG) ¹³as they worshiped god Baal and goddess Astarte!

[xvi] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_samuel/4-1.htm There seems some hint that their action was presumptuous profanation, in the solemn, full title given in1 Samuel 4:4: ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord of Hosts which dwelleth between the cherubim,’-as if contrasting His awful majesty, His universal dominion over the armies of heaven and the embattled powers of the universe, and the dazzling light of that ‘glory,’ which shone in the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle, with the unanointed hands that presumed to press in thither and drag so sacred a thing into the light of common day and the tumult of the camp. Nor is the profanation lessened, but rather increased, by the priestly attendants, Eli’s two sons, themselves amongst the worst men in Israel.

[xvii] Apparently the Philistines knew something about Israel’s history. 1 Samuel 4:6–8 ^(GW) ⁶As the Philistines heard the noise, they asked, “What’s ⸤all⸥ this shouting in the Hebrew camp?” The Philistines found out that the Lord’s ark had come into the camp. ⁷Then they were frightened and said, “A god has come into ⸤their⸥ camp.” They also said, “Oh no! Nothing like this has ever happened before. ⁸We’re in trouble now! Who can save us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the desert. 1 Samuel 6:6 ^(GW) ⁶Why should you be as stubborn as the Egyptians and their Pharaoh were? After he toyed with the Egyptians, didn’t they send the Israelites on their way?

[xviii] 1 Samuel 4:21–22 ^(GW) ²¹She called the boy Ichabod [No Glory], saying, “Israel’s glory is gone,” because the ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and her husband ⸤died⸥. ²²“Israel’s glory is gone because the ark of God has been captured,” she said.

[xix] Jeremiah 7:12^(GW) “ ‘But go to my place that was at Shiloh, where I first made a dwelling place for my name. See what I did to Shiloh because of the evil done by my people Israel. Jeremiah 26:6^(GW) ⁶Then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. I will turn this city into something that will be cursed by all the nations on earth.’ ” Psalm 78:60–62 ^(ESV) ⁶⁰He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind, ⁶¹and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe. ⁶²He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage. .https://www.britannica.com/place/Shiloh-ancient-city-Palestine. theArk of the Covenantwere installed in Shiloh until the Ark was captured by the Philistines (c. 1050BCE) in a battle with the Israelites at Ebenezer (site unknown), and Shiloh was soon thereafter destroyed. Excavations at Khirbat Sayūn, Jordan, during 1920–32 suggest that Shiloh remained a ruin for several centuries.

[xx] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Baal-ancient-deity. Baal designated the universal god of fertility, and in thatcapacityhis title was Prince, Lord of the Earth. He was also called the Lord of Rain and Dew, the two forms of moisture that were indispensable for fertile soil inCanaan. In Ugaritic andHebrew, Baal’sepithetas the storm god was He Who Rides on the Clouds. InPhoenicianhe was called Baal Shamen, Lord of the Heavens.

Knowledge of Baal’s personality and functions derives chiefly from a number of tablets uncovered from 1929 onward atUgarit(modern Ras Shamra), in northernSyria, and dating to the middle of the 2nd millenniumBCE. The tablets, although closely attached to the worship of Baal at his local temple, probably represent Canaanite belief generally. Fertility wasenvisagedin terms of seven-year cycles. In the mythology of Canaan, Baal, the god of life and fertility, locked in mortal combat withMot, the god of death and sterility. If Baal triumphed, a seven-year cycle of fertility would ensue; but, if he were vanquished by Mot, seven years of drought and famine would ensue.

Ugaritic texts tell of other fertility aspects of Baal, such as his relations withAnath, his consort and sister, and also his siring a divinebullcalf from a heifer. All this was part of his fertility role, which, when fulfilled, meant an abundance of crops and fertility for animals and mankind.

But Baal was not exclusively a fertility god. He was also king of the gods, and, to achieve that position, he was portrayed as seizing thedivine kingshipfromYamm, the sea god.

Themythsalso tell of Baal’s struggle to obtain a palace comparable in grandeur to those of other gods. Baal persuadedAsherahto intercede with her husbandEl, the head of the pantheon, to authorize the construction of a palace. The god of arts and crafts,Kothar, then proceeded to build for Baal the most beautiful of palaces which spread over an area of 10,000 acres. Themythmay refer in part to the construction of Baal’s own temple in the city of Ugarit. Near Baal’s temple was that ofDagon, given in the tablets as Baal’s father.

[xxi] Deuteronomy 32:17(NASB95) 17“They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread.; Psalm 106:37(NASB95) 37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,; 1 Corinthians 10:20(NASB95) 20No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. ; Revelation 9:20(NASB95) 20The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

[xxii] Ephesians 6:12 (NASB95)12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

[xxiii]Daniel 10:12–13^(GW) ¹²He told me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. God has heard everything that you said ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in front of your God so that you could learn to understand things. I have come in response to your prayer. ¹³The commander of the Persian kingdom opposed me for 21 days. But then Michael, one of the chief commanders, came to help me because I was left alone with the kings of Persia. V20^(GW) Now I will return to fight the commander of Persia. When I go, the commander of Greece will come.

[xxiv] Ephesians 6:12-13 (NASB95) 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. keep people from giving serious attention to the Word of God. when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away." 1 Thessalonians 3:5 "For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent that I might know your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor would be in vain."

[xxv] Job 1:16(GW) 16While he was still speaking, another ⸤messenger⸥ came and said, “A fire from God fell from heaven and completely burned your flocks and servants. I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.” vs18–19(GW) 18While he was still speaking, another ⸤messenger⸥ came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother’s home 19when suddenly a great storm swept across the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people, and they died. I’m the only one who has escaped to tell you.

[xxvi] Luke 8:12 (NASB95) 12“Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NASB95) 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 3:14 (NASB95)14But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.

[xxvii]Arnold, Bill T. 2003. 1 & 2 Samuel. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Idolatry was central to the ancient worldview, since the idol was an actual extension of the deity’s essence. Placing Yahweh’s ark beside Dagon’s idol was symbolic of Dagon’s victory. But the loss of Dagon’s hands and head turned the tables. And wherever the ark of Yahweh traveled in Philistia, it worked its power, teaching the ancient Philistines through their own idolatrous worldview that Yahweh was all-powerful, even in their own backyard. 1 Samuel 6:19–21^(GW) ¹⁹God struck down some of the people from Beth Shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the Lord. He struck down 70 people.The people mourned because the Lord struck them with such a great blow. ²⁰The people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to which people will he go when he leaves us?” ²¹They sent messengers to the people living at Kiriath Jearim to say, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord. Come and take it back with you.”

[xxviii] 1 Samuel 7:2 (NASB95)2From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

[xxix]There is a lot of similarities with the more subtle forms of institutionalized idol worship we see today. hom*osexual lifestyles and widespread abortion promote free sex without the material burden of having children. Such an environment makes it very easy to compromise ones views about marriage, divorce, multiple partners, p*rnography, lustful thinking and an unhealthy focus on outward appearance. Meanwhile, materialism is constantly being advanced through the media, style, and technology and a credit card culture.

[xxx]Genesis 31:48–55(NASB95) 48Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, 49and Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. 50“If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.” 51Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me. 52“This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53“The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. 54Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kinsmen to the meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. 55Early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place. See alsohttps://www.gotquestions.org/Mizpah-in-the-Bible.html. Another notable event ‘at’ this Mizpah concerns a man namedJephthahwho was persuaded by his countrymen to lead a war against the Ammonites. Jephthah made an agreement with the Gileadites “before the Lord in Mizpah” (Judges 11:11). The Lord did give Jephthah the victory, but, when he returned to his home in Mizpah, the first to come out the door of his house was his only child, a daughter who was dancing and rejoicing over her father’s triumph (Judges 11:34–35). So Mizpah was the scene of a tragic story that for years was commemorated by young Israelite women in honor of Jephthah’s daughter (verse 40).

[xxxi] Matthew 3:8 (NASB95) “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; Luke 3:8 (NASB95) 8“Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. ; Ephesians 5:8–9 (NASB95) 8for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), Acts 26:20 (NASB95) 20but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. Acts 3:19 (NASB95)19“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

[xxxii] 1 John 1:9 (NASB95)9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

[xxxiii] Deuteronomy 6:13 (NASB95)13“You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. ; Deuteronomy 10:20 (NASB95)20“You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. ; Deuteronomy 13:4 NASB95)4“You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.;

[xxxiv] Cf., Zaccheus in Luke 19:8–9 (NASB95)8Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” 9And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.

[xxxv] Acts 19:18-20 …18Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds. 19Anda numberof those whohad practicedmagic artsbroughttheirbooksand burned themin front ofeveryone.Whenthevalueof the bookswas calculated,the total came tofifty thousanddrachmas.20So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.…

[xxxvi] 1 Peter 2:9(NASB95) 9But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

[xxxvii] Philippians 3:20(NASB95) 20For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Ephesians 2:19(NASB95) 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, ; Philippians 1:27(NASB95) 27Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ; Colossians 3:1(NASB95) 1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ; Hebrews 12:22(NASB95) 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

[xxxviii] Revelation 2:4–5 (NASB95) 4‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.

[xxxix] 1 Peter 1:14–15(NASB95) 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;(NASB95)

[xl] Ebenezer means “stone of help” (eben = stone; ezer = help).

[xli] Arnold, Bill T. 2003. 1 & 2 Samuel. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[xlii] Psalm 18:2 (NASB95)2The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 71:1–3 (NASB95) 1In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed. 2In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; Incline Your ear to me and save me. 3Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. Isaiah 28:16 (NASB95)16Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed. When you think about a rock there are several images that can come to mind. For me when I think of a rock, I think of something hard, tough, and durable. What is fascinating about God being the rock is that he is all those things and yet at the same time in this same rock you find tenderness, mercy, and compassion. I call this the dichotomy of the rock.

[xliii] Arnold, Bill T. 2003. 1 & 2 Samuel. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[xliv] Regrets . . . stagnated pool that sooner or later stinks, and flows no more.

[xlv]Lamentations 3:22–23 (NASB95)22The LORD’S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. And most of all, let us remember that our Lord set up an Ebenezer for us all the endurance of our Lord, who endured the cross, despised the shame, and now sits at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up Hebrews 12:2-3 ^(NLT) https://www.fromhispresence.com/are-you-a-running-stream-or-a-stagnant-pool/ Howard Hendricks quote: “I would rather have my students drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool.” A stagnant pool is a breeding ground for infection and death. It’s the opposite of a running stream in every way.

[xlvi] Hebrews 13:8 (NASB95) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 1:12 (NASB95) 12AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.”