1 Samuel – Week 2 – “ Overcoming Trials”
1 Samuel 7:2-12
2 Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the Lord.
3 Samuel told them, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and only worshiped the Lord.
5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”
6 When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines.”
9 Then Samuel took a young lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him.
10 Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines approached to fight against Israel. The Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.
11 Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.
12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, explaining, “The Lord has helped us to this point.”
PRAY!
Intro:
- Life is full of battles. Some we see coming, And some that catch us by surprise.
- There are trials that test our faith, Temptations that pull us away from God, And struggles that leave us feeling defeated.
- Whether we face personal failures, Spiritual opposition,
- Or external hardships, We all come to moments where we ask,
- “How can I overcome this?”
- The people of Israel in 1 Samuel 7 Found themselves in such a moment.
- For twenty years, They lived under oppression from the Philistines.
- Their enemies had defeated them, Taken the Ark of the Covenant—
- The symbol of God’s presence—And left them broken and longing for deliverance.
- But the real problem wasn’t just the Philistines.
- The real issue was their spiritual condition.
- They had drifted from God, Worshiped false idols,
- And tried to live on their own terms.
- Because of their sin, They were powerless. Yet, in their longing,
- God provided a way back.
- Through the leadership of Samuel, Israel was called to repentance,
- To renewed dependence on God, And ultimately to experience His power in victory over their enemies.
- The same is true for us today.
- Many of us long for God—For His presence, His peace, His power—
- But we wonder why we don’t experience it. Like Israel,
- We often try to handle life’s battles on our own.
- But the way to victory is not through our own strength,
- But through returning to and depending on the Lord.
Before we dive in, let me give you some background and context
- To fully understand this passage,
- We need to review Israel’s history leading up to this moment.
- This past week during our weekly reading
- We would have read that
- In 1 Samuel 4, Israel went into battle against the Philistines
- But they where defeated
- Because they trusted in the Ark of the Covenant rather than in God Himself.
- The Ark was captured,
- And Israel was humiliated.
- They treated God like a lucky charm rather than worshiping Him in obedience.
- The Ark was returned by the Philistines,
- But it was placed in Kiriath-jearim (where our text today takes place) instead of the Tabernacle.
- For twenty years, Israel lived without a real relationship with God.
- The Ark was near, but His presence felt far.
- The people had a longing for God but lacked obedience to Him.
- This is where Samuel steps in
- And calls them to return, depend, and trust in the Lord alone.
- Samuel’s first instruction to Israel was clear:
- If you truly want to experience God’s power and victory,
- You must return to Him with your whole heart.
- Let’s look at how Samuel called Israel to
Return to the Lord (1 Samuel 7:2-4)
1 Samuel 7:2-4
2 Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the Lord.
3 Samuel told them, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and only worshiped the Lord.
- Israel Longed for God’s Presence but Lived Without It (v.2)
- The word “Longed” (nāhāh) means to mourn, lament, wail, or deeply grieve.
- It expresses a deep sorrow or yearning for something that has been lost.
- Israel wasn’t just casually missing God—
- They were in anguish over the absence of His presence.
- Yet here is the truth
- Desiring God’s presence is not the same as being in right relationship with Him.
- The people felt the loss of God’s favor,
- But they still had idols in their lives.
- The people of Israel felt the pain of distance from God,
- But their longing needed to move beyond emotion and into action.
- Many people today miss God’s presence in their lives,
- The reason they don’t experience Him isn’t because God has moved—
- It’s because sin creates distance
Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities are separating you from your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not listen.
- This is a reminder that spiritual longing alone is not enough—
- True restoration and transformation come when we deal with the sin that separates us from God
- How does he tell them to deal with their sin?
- Samuel Calls Them to Repentance (v.3)
1 Samuel 7:3
“Samuel told them, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves to the Lord, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.’”
- The Phrase “returning to the Lord (Hebrew: shub)
- Means more than just regret—
- It requires a decisive turning away from sin.
- Samuel’s message was clear: He tells them four truths
Get rid of (Remove) false gods – vs. 2
- They had been worshiping Baal and Ashtoreth, compromising their devotion to Yahweh.
- Who where these false Gods?
- Baal was a Canaanite storm god
- Baal worship often involved:
- Sacrifices (sometimes even human sacrifices, including children—Jeremiah 19:5).
- Sexual immorality in the form of ritual prostitution, as people believed this would ensure fertile crops and livestock.
- Altars and high places built for his worship, leading Israel to sin by following the practices of their pagan neighbors (Judges 2:11-13).
- Ashtoreth (Astarte/Ishtar) was a fertility goddess associated with love, war, and sex.
- She was often worshiped alongside Baal.
- Temple prostitution, where people engaged in immoral acts as part of religious rituals.
- Idols and poles (“Asherah poles”) set up next to Baal altars.
- Occult practices and divination, seeking prosperity, love, and power through spiritual means.
- While people today don’t worship Baal or Ashtoreth physically, idolatry still exists in different forms:
- Baal-like idolatry = Trusting in material wealth, power, and success to provide security.
- Ashtoreth-like idolatry = Prioritizing pleasure, relationships, or cultural approval over obedience to God.
- And God was using Samuel to tell them it was time to get rid of their idol worship
Set Your Hearts on the Lord – vs. 3
- The phrase “Set your hearts” comes from the Hebrew verb kun (כּוּן), meaning to establish, prepare, or make firm.
- This means they were not just to feel sorrowful
- But to intentionally direct and commit their hearts to the Lord with unwavering devotion.
Worship Only Him – vs. 3
- No divided loyalty; true worship demands exclusivity.
Then He Will Rescue You – vs.4
- God’s deliverance followed their repentance,
- Showing that spiritual restoration precedes victory.
- Many people long for God’s presence
- But live without it because they tolerate sin in their lives.
- Are there any “false gods” in your life
- Things that compete for your heart’s devotion?
- True transformation happens when we fully commit our hearts to the Lord, setting them firmly upon Him.
- We will see exactly how to do that in a few moments
- Next, Samuel shows them that
True Dependence on the Lord Brings Deliverance (1 Samuel 7:5-9)
- Longing for God and even committing to Him is only the beginning—
- True victory comes when we actively depend on Him.
- Israel didn’t just remove their idols;
- They humbled themselves in prayer, confessed their sins, and sought God’s help.
- Their willingness to depend on the Lord,
- Rather than their own strength,
- Became the key to their deliverance.
- Starting with verse 5
1 Samuel 7:5
“Samuel said, ‘Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.’”
- The first thing Samuel does after he tells them to repent
- Is he called for a Prayer meeting
- Samuel called the entire nation to come together in prayer.
- This wasn’t an individual response—
- It was a corporate act of dependence on God.
- As played out throughout the scriptures
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
Acts 4:31
31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.
- There is power when God’s people come together in unified prayer.
- If you are in a season of struggle, seek out the body of Christ to pray with and for you.
- Victory over trials isn’t just an individual battle—it requires corporate dependence on God.
- In fact you can join us next Wednesday for First Wednesday Prayer from 7:00-8:00
- There’s one more piece in verse 5 I don’t want you to miss
- Samuel did not just call them to prayer, but he prayed for them himself
- “And I will pray to the Lord on your behalf”
- This was a future picture of Jesus,
- Who is our ultimate intercessor,
- Who continually prays for us
- As we saw last week
Hebrews 7:25
25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
- Just as Israel needed a mediator before God,
- We need Jesus to stand in the gap for us.
- More on this in a moment
- For now, look at verse 6
1 Samuel 7:6
“When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed, ‘We have sinned against the Lord.’ And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.”
- Verse 6 shows us the significance of their confession
- They drew water and poured it out before the Lord
- What Did Pouring Out Water Represent?
- The Bible does not frequently mention this act,
- Making it significant in this context.
- The pouring out of water likely symbolized:
- Complete Surrender & Dependence on God
- Water was a precious resource in Israel,
- Especially in a dry climate.
- Pouring it out showed absolute dependence on God
- Rather than on human strength.
- It signified that they were emptying themselves before the Lord,
- Recognizing that they had nothing apart from Him.
Psalm 62:8 –
“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before him. God is our refuge.”
- It was A Sign of Deep Repentance
- It showed that they were turning away from sin and idols, fully submitting to God’s authority.
- This aligns with
Lamentations 2:19, which says:
“Pour out your heart like water before the Lord’s presence. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children.”
- The imagery of pouring out water has echoes in the New Testament and is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus:
- Jesus poured out His life for us –
Matthew 26:28
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
- Jesus offers living water to those who repent and believe –
John 7:37
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”
- This Act Ties to the other two actions they took
- Fasting & Confession
- Fasting – Denying themselves physically to focus spiritually.
- Confession – Openly acknowledging their sins before God and each other.
- These three elements (pouring water, fasting, and confessing)
- demonstrated true, heartfelt repentance, not just empty words.
- This leads us to verses 7-9
1 Samuel 7:7-9
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines.”
9 Then Samuel took a young lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him.
- Again, reminding us that
- True Dependence on the Lord Brings Deliverance
- The Philistines attacked when Israel was vulnerable.
- They saw the Israelites gathered, unarmed, and engaged in worship.
- Instead of preparing for battle,
- Israel was praying and fasting—completely dependent on God.
- The people turned to Samuel and pleaded,
- “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord for us!”
- In the past, Israel had trusted in the Ark of the Covenant for victory
- Now, instead of trusting in a religious object,
- They relied on God Himself.
- This was a complete shift in their faith—
- Turning from superstition to true trust in the Lord.
- Samuel offered a whole burnt offering
- The lamb was a substitute—pointing forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God
John 1:29
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- The offering symbolized complete surrender to God,
- Seeking atonement for their sin.
- God responded!
- He answered Samuel’s prayer,
- Showing that true deliverance comes from Him alone.
- When fear comes,
- Is your first response to panic or to pray?
- The Israelites put all their trust in God’s power,
- And He responded with deliverance.
- Victory comes not when we fight harder,
- But when we depend fully on the Lord.
- Finally, Samuel shows them that
God’s Power Secures the Victory (1 Samuel 7:10-12)
1 Samuel 7:10
“While Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to fight against Israel. The Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.”
- The enemy attacked at the worst possible time
- As we saw already Israel was completely defenseless—
- They were gathered in worship, not in battle formation.
- This is a reminder that our enemy often attacks when we are most vulnerable
1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
- The Lord “thundered loudly” against the Philistines
- The thunder of God was not just a natural storm—
- It was divine intervention.
- Remember
- Baal was believed to be the god of storms and thunder.
- By using thunder to defeat the Philistines,
- God was declaring His supremacy over false gods.
- The enemy was thrown into confusion
- When God fights for you, the enemy’s plans will collapse.
- Israel only had to step forward in obedience—
- God had already won the battle.
- Are you facing an overwhelming battle?
- You don’t have to fight alone—God fights for His people.
- Trust that God’s power is greater than your circumstances.
- Now, look at what happens in verse 11
1 Samuel 7:11
Then the men of Israel went out from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and struck them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.
- The enemy was completely driven away
- The Philistines had dominated Israel for years,
- But after this moment,
- They were never a major threat again
- Verse 13
1 Samuel 7:13
So, the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israel’s territory again. The Lord’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life.
- When God delivers, He does it completely.
- Samuel concludes this great victory by
Raising the Ebenezer: Remembering God’s Faithfulness (v.12)
1 Samuel 7:12
“Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, explaining, ‘The Lord has helped us to this point.’”
- Samuel set up a memorial stone—Ebenezer (“Stone of Help”)
- This was a physical reminder of God’s faithfulness and victory.
- It was placed between Mizpah (where they repented) and Shen (where they pursued the enemy).
- The message was clear:
- God has brought us this far, and He will continue to be with us.
- Why was this important?
- Israel had suffered a humiliating defeat back in 1 Samuel 4, where the Ark was lost.
- That battle site was also called Ebenezer, (1 Samuel 4:1)
- But it had been a place of defeat.
- Now, Samuel redefines the name Ebenezer—
- What was once a place of shame became a place of victory.
- God has the power to redeem even our past failures.
- The Bible repeatedly calls God’s people to remember His faithfulness
- Forgetting can lead to doubt, but remembering builds faith for future battles.
Psalm 77:11:
“I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.”
- Now, as powerful as this story is
- And the truth that can be gleaned through the lessons taught by Samuel
- If we are not careful
- We can turn what we have studied into a checklist of what we need to do to defeat the enemy
- So, what I want to do is end with something Greater.
- What could be greater?
- Jesus!
- Let’s look at him in light of today’s story
- Jesus is the Greater Samuel, and The Greater Ebenezer
- This passage points us to Jesus,
- Who fulfilled all that Samuel foreshadowed.
- Israel needed to return to God;
- Jesus is the One who brings us back to the Father.
John 14:6
“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
- They needed an intercessor, Samuel, to pray for them
- As we read earlier, Jesus intercedes for us
Hebrews 7:25
“Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.”
- They needed deliverance from their enemies;
- Jesus has conquered our greatest enemies—sin, death, and hell.
1 Corinthians 15:57
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
- They raised an Ebenezer stone;
- Jesus is our ultimate Ebenezer, the Rock of our salvation.
Acts 4:11-12
This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
- Because of Jesus, we don’t just celebrate a past victory—we live in present victory and await the final victory when He returns!
- As we close today,
- I want to invite you into a moment of remembrance and response—
- Just as Samuel did for Israel when he set up the Ebenezer stone, declaring, “The Lord has helped us to this point.”
- But today, we don’t just look back at a stone in history.
- We look to Jesus, our true Ebenezer—the Rock of our salvation.
- In 1 Samuel 7, God fought for Israel, delivered them, and gave them a reminder of His faithfulness.
- On the night before Jesus went to the cross
- Jesus gave his disciples a way to remember his sacrifice
Luke 22:19-20
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
In just a moment, I am going to invite you to come and take the communion elements
- In just a moment, we will take communion together
- Communion reminds us that Jesus is our true Ebenezer—
- The One who came to save us,
- The One who helps us still,
- And the One who will return again.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
- Today, I want to invite you to do one last thing with me
- Grab an Ebenezer stone
- As we took the bread and the cup to remember what Christ has done,
- Now, I want you to take a stone as a declaration of trust in what He is doing and will continue to do in your life.
- This stone represents Jesus, our rock
- It is to be a reminder as you face battles
- That you are trusting him to fight for you.
- It represents the faithfulness of Jesus, our true Rock and Deliverer.
- Keep this stone with you—place it somewhere you will see it often.
- Let it be a reminder that the Lord has helped you this far, and He will not fail you now.