Repentance and Cleansing
1 Sam 7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
It is believed from other scriptures, that Shiloh had been plundered by the Philistines after they had removed the ark from it's holy place in the tabernacle of God. The men of Kirjathjearim carefully moved the ark, with all honor and respect to the house of Abinadab, which was on a high place, a hill.
Psa 121:1 ... I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
Psa 121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Psa 121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Psa 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psa 121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
Psa 121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
Psa 121:7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
Psa 121:8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
All the people could look to the hill where they gave charge of the ark to his son, Eleazar after sanctifying him to the Lord.
The ceremony of sanctification of a priest is found in Exodus 29, it included washing in water, blood sacrifice of certain perfect male animals, a picture of the coming sacrifice of messiah Jesus for there sins. The blood was applied to the horns of the altar. The animals were offered as burnt offerings. The priest was given special garments, anointed with oil, also other sacred rites. They were treating the ark with respect, allowing only one priest access to the ark. It is assumed the Eleazar was of the Levites.
1 Sam 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
They were in difficult times. Where had Samuel been? Where God had sent him, but the people respected him as priest and prophet. The Philistines had defeated their armies, their place of worship was gone and God had seemed to be distant to the people in their suffering. All these things are necessary, before a people will be humbled and seek their God again. They also had strange gods. We can't worship God and have other gods. In times of trouble, the man of God comes forth. When our nation is in trouble, maybe they will again seek God and come to church. The church better be listening and hearing from God, people need God's word and his deliverance.
1 Sam 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
Repent, return to your LORD with all of your hearts and put away your strange gods. Two conditions to meet before He would deliver them. They had to trust only in the true God of Israel, the creator and Father God. What god's do we serve? Entertainment? Work? pleasure? Self pride? maybe even satan's lies? God will not allow any other gods before him. Our trust must be completely on him and His word. Then we will be delivered from the enemy.
1 Sam 7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
Things do not change. The church today mixes worship of God with false gods. Baal, being a plural name, for the local gods of weather, good crops and financial prosperity. Astoreth, was the goddess of sex and lust. Her name was also in the plural, as there were many demonic gods under this name. Financial prosperity and sex, dominate the minds of people today. These are the gods of our culture that creep into our worship. We must get them out and trust in God only. The children of Israel after twenty years of hardship and discouragment, finally turned to God and put the devil gods away. We must also come to the end of our bad choices and turn to the living God.
1 Sam 7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
This was the place of separation, Jacob from Laban, the father of his two wives. It is a place used for repentance and separation unto the God of Israel.
Gen 31:48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
Gen 31:49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
1 Sam 7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, 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 children of Israel in Mizpeh.
The pouring out of water was as ones own soul being poured out and emptied before God. In the natural, it is as the cleansing of tears following repentance and dedication to the Lord Jesus. They fasted, not eating but seeking the LORD in prayer and repentance. They remembered their sins and were asking forgiveness of God.
Samuel, was the last of the Judges of Israel. He would judge by the Spirit of God.
2 Chr 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Psa 6:6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
Psa 6:7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Psa 6:8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
Psa 6:9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.
Psa 6:10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.
Psa 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Psa 56:9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
Psa 56:10 In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
Psa 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Psa 56:12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
Psa 56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
To be restored into fellowship with God we must repent, turn to him, humble ourselves, and confess our sins.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We can't hide from God, we confess our sins and then satan can't use them to accuse us and to make us upset. We have the Lord Jesus as our sin bearer. He has saved us from our sins. The LORD spoke to Joseph concerning Mary's son, Jesus:
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Jesus has paid the price to cleanse us from our sins. Blood, his blood shed was payment for sins, past present and future. This by repentance and faith in him. As the priest Eleazar was made clean by the sacrifice of animals, so that he could care for the ark of God, we too are made clean by the blood of the Lamb of God. Our bodies we keep watch over as the dwelling place and the presence of God's Holy Spirit.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Jesus, He himself speaks before God's throne forgiving our sins continuously.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
He is our lawyer, our High Priest our Savior loving us and justifying us before God the Father. We cannot justify ourselves, but Jesus is declaring us not guilty before God the Father, the ultimate Supreme Judge.
First, we leave the gods of the world, repent of our sins and then seek his forgiveness.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Jesus keeps us.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
The devil will come against you again and again, but we trust in the deliverer and we trust in the promises in His written word, the Bible. Study, be humble, repent of sins, ask forgiveness and be led by the Holy Spirit. We are in Jesus who has won the victory.
Philistines
1 Sam 7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
Seeing the children of Israel on their knees with tears, seemed to the Philistines to be a moment of weakness to take advantage of them. They did not know that this was their strength. The LORD is their strength.
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Later, Paul would speak of being weak for Christ's sake; we are never weak when we trust in the Lord.
2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
And yet being new at repentance and faith, the people of Israel were afraid. They turned to someone with stronger faith, they asked Samuel to intercede in prayer for them.
Those who are stronger in faith are to intercede in prayer for the weak. Samuel was as an intercessor, much as Moses was before him.
James 5:16 ... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
1 Sam 7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
They trusted Samuel as an intercessor. They also knew that their God would deliver them. It matters not what faith we have in our own abilities, it is our trust in the living God that brings victory.
1 Sam 7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
There is no animal so innocent as a baby lamb, this was chosen as a sacrifice for the sins of Israel. It is a picture of the innocent and pure sacrifice of Jesus, the lamb of God for our sins. Prayer followed the atoning sacrifice.
John the Baptist, by the Holy Spirit, proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Rev 13:8 ... the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
1 Sam 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
Wow, the thunder of God's displeasure brought confusion to the Philistines. Israel had the power of God going before them. Let no army think they can trust in their own power. Without God, there is no victory.
Remember the words of Rahab the harlot concerning the surrounding nation's fear of the God of Israel?
Josh 2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
Josh 2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
Josh 2:11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
This is the God of Israel.
1 Sam 7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
1 Sam 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
The stone was a monument to the victory. They named it Ebenezer meaning "stone of help." It is interesting to note that when Israel carried the Ark to battle earlier, in Chapter 4, that the place of battle was Ebenezer. God was their help, but they had not offered an atonement, and humbled themselves before God. Instead they dragged the Ark, with God's presence to battle, as a lucky symbol. Religion trusts in things, ikons, statues, sacred adornments, structures, but God wants true repentance and coming to him in complete faith.
Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
Up until this time, the Lord has helped us. We each can look back at our lives and see the help of the lord. Many of us would not be here today, if it were not for the help of the LORD. What he has begun, he will accomplish.
Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Psa 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Prov 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Prov 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
1 Sam 7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
The enemy was subdued and the hand of the LORD was against them all the days of Samuel's life. Samuel was connected to God and had his favor. Each of us as believers in Jesus are connected to God and have his favor. This is a special relationship with the Father. He is our Father and the Father of the nation Israel. He will protect us and protect Israel as a nation. The Father calls the nation of Israel "my son." They were a chosen people.
Exo 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Exo 4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
We are a chosen people through the sacrifice of the lamb of God. Jesus is the "only begotten son" He is the very essence and Spirit being of the Father. We become Spirit beings through faith and trust in the Spirit Son, Jesus. We are connected to the people of Abraham through the covenant promises. Israel was the first born people of God, born of flesh. We are connected to God by being "born-again" in the Spirit of God, through faith. Only those connected to God by faith in his promises shall enter into everlasting life.
1 Sam 7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
They were even in peace with the Amorites. God is wanting to restore his people. Even as he restored that which was taken from Israel.
Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
1 Sam 7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
Samuel was the last Judge. He was a righteous judge, trusting in the Lord. He began his ministry at about 40, he continued as judge and prophet for another 60 years. He died near the age of 100 years old.
1 Sam 7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
He was a circuit judge, tavelling from city to city to settle legal disputes.
1 Sam 7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
The law stated that the altar of sacrifice was to be in the Holy temple. There was no place of sacrifice, yet Samuel wanted to be in obedience to God. He built an altar so he could offer sacrifices to God. The LORD did not stop him from doing this. This was to be where Samuel would hear from God.
I'm glad that we no longer shed blood at an altar. Jesus was the final blood sacrifice. We can ask him in prayer for our requests. Let's remember this verse once again:
2 Chr 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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