REPENTANCE IS THE WAY TO VICTORY The prophet Samuel had been preparing the people for repentance for the last 20 years; and finally he called for a collective repentance from all the heart, for a complete return to God, and for a rejection of every foreign worship. Now after praying and fasting, and as Samuel was offering up a burnt offering on their behalf, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; “But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel” (Samuel 7: 10) The prophet Samuel was presented in this chapter, both as a judge, and a representative of the divine judgment, like Moses (Jeremiah 15: 1), and Joshua (Joshua 24; 1 Samuel 12), yet with a higher level of intercession1. This chapter is considered to be an introduction to the following one, that demonstrates the corruption of the royal system, set for the sake of human appearances. 1- The ark of God in the house of ‘Abinadab’ 1 – 2. 2- The heartily and practical return and work for God 3 – 4. 3- Praying, fasting, and sacrifice offering 5 – 9. 4- The Lord, the Grantor of victory 10 – 14. 5- Samuel judging at several locations 15 – 17. 1- THE ARK OF GOD IN THE HOUSE OF ABINADAB The ark of God invoked terror, not only in the Greater cities of the Philistines, but also in ‘Beth-Shemesh’. As for the inhabitants of ‘Kirjath Jearim,’ they realized that it represented the presence of God; a consuming fire for the apostates and deviants; but a keeper, and a secret of joy and comfort, to those who love him. That is why they came with joy, and brought it with respect into the house of ‘Abinadab,’ where it remained for a hundred years, until it was moved by the prophet David (2 Samuel 6: 1 - 4). The word ‘Abinadab’ means (The father of generosity or nobility) 2; as though it is not possible to enjoy the divine presence, unless the inner soul carries a kind of generosity in giving. St. John Chrysostom says: [There is nothing better in making us closer to God and to His likeness3]. And St. Isaac, the Syrian says: [Give to the poor; then come to offer your prayers with dareness; namely, speak with God, as a son speaks to his father; as there is nothing to draw the heart closer to God like mercy4]. The ark was put in a house on the hill, namely on a height; and Eleazar, son of Abinadab, whose name means “God supports5” was consecrated to guard it. Most probably he was a Levite and not a priest. The ark was in Kerijath Jearim, while the tabernacle was in Nob, with no ark; what implied that worship there, has been incomplete, a proclamation of the state of spiritual slothfulness and abasement, to which the people have reached. The prophet Samuel kept going around among the people, to prepare them for a life of repentance, and for the return to God. 2- A HEARTILY AND PRACTICAL RETURN AND 1 Nelson: A New Catholic Comm. P. 310. 2 Strong's Exh. Concordance…, art. 41. 3 In Ep. Rom. Hom. 19. . 4 الحب والعطاء، 1970 ، ص 27 5 Strong's Exh. Concordance…, art. 499. 2 WORK FOR GOD After the battle of Aphek, in which the two sons of Eli the high priest, and Eli himself died, the prophet Samuel started his calm and constructive work. He made his residence in Ramah, where some young men gathered together around him, to form the nucleus of the first school of prophets. During that period Samuel got married and begot two sons; he called the first “Joel,’ meaning (Jehovah is God), and the second ‘Abijah,’ meaning (The Lord is my Father). At that time, the ark of the covenant returned to Israel, and was put in Kirjath Jearim, while the tabernacle was moved to Nob, where the religious rites were interrupted. As for Samuel, he persisted on his calm and constructive work, on the individual level, and on his care for the youth; beside practicing a life of prayers. Through that persistent effort, hearts were opened with love for the Lord, and accordingly, with brotherly love and the spirit of unity. After 20 years for the ark of the Lord in Kireath Jearim, Samuel found the circumstances convenient to call for a collective repentance, and a return to God, and to reveal the secret behind the failure of the people, as well as the way to triumph. Samuel spoke to the whole house of Israel; namely to the whole congregation, saying: “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines”(1 Samuel 7: 3). The secret of the weakness of man is his wavering between the two ways, and not returning to the Lord with all his heart, holding fast to the appearances of outer worship, while harboring in his depths a hidden god, like the ego, or love of the world, etc. The triumph necessitates from man, to sanctify his heart, to straighten his goal in life, and to cut off, by the cross of the Lord of glory, all what is foreign in his heart; so that the Lord would set in it His joyful heavenly Kingdom. So the children of Israel put away every foreign worship, specially the ‘Baals’ and the ‘Ashtoreth’. The ‘Baal’1 means the (master) or the (lord), namely the proprietor of someone or something. It is not a proper name, but a title used for worship, under several and numerous forms and ways. Of these were wooden, stone, or metal statues, on which the image of the sun was carved (Isaiah 27: 9), being the greatest in nature, and the source of life. While the ‘Ashetoreth’ - the plural of ‘Ashetor’- and which was considered to be a spouse or a wife to the ‘Baal,’ was worshipped by the Philistines through statutes on which images of the moon or of Venus were carved; and worshipped as well by several nations, under numerous images and names. Ashetoreth was considered to be one of three goddesses of fertility; its worship rites embraced defilements and a spirit of looseness; certain priestesses were dedicated to practice harlotry in its temples. The Jews often fell to the worship of the Baal and Ashetoreth; and set statues on heights, under every green tree, and sometimes even in the temple of God itself. It happened in certain times that girls and married women practiced harlotry for the sake of these gods; and mothers offered their children as human sacrifices, by placing the child over the brass statue, red through intense heat, amid the high noise of drums intended to make it difficult to hear the screams of the tortured child!!! That is what man does, when deviated from God, the source of his life, sanctity, and fulfillment! 1 McKenzie: Dict. Of the Bible, p. 72. 3 3- PRAYING, FASTING, AND SACRIFICE OFFERING Repentance, together with what is attached to it, of change of the inner heart, and worship, is a personal thing that touches the life of a believer, and his hidden relationship with God. meanwhile, it is, a group practice; as said by the prophet Samuel: “Gather all Israel to Mizpah” (1 Samuel 7: 5); and by the apostle Paul: “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12: 26); and by the evangelist Luke: “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15: 10); as his repentance would support many on earth, and would motivate them to repent with him; while, with every fall and concealed looseness, we do wrong the whole congregation. The heartily repentance also came to carry apparent actions: a- Putting away all the foreign gods (1 Samuel 7; 4). b- A collective gathering in Mizpah to worship with one spirit (1 Samuel 7: 4). c- The prophet Samuel prayed to God on their behalf (1 Samuel 7: 5). d- Drawing water and pouring it out before the Lord (1 Samuel 7: 6). e- A collective fasting (1 Samuel 7: 6). f- A confession of sins to God before the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 7: 6). g- A need for a burnt offering to recon ciliate with God (1 Samuel 7: 9). The prophet Samuel requested the people to gather together in ‘Mizpah,’ which means (Watching tower) 1 - a city in Benjamin (Joshua 18: 26), thought to be ‘Tel-El-Nasbeh,’ excavated by Bade in the years 1926 - 1935, 8 miles north of Jerusalem, while some still believe it to be the homeland village of ‘Prophet Samuel,’ located 2935 feet above the sea level on the highest summits near Jerusalem, and 5 miles north-west of Jerusalem. In it ‘Saul’ was chosen a king (1 Samuel 10: 17 - 21); it was fortified by king ‘Asa’ (1 kings 15: 22); and in it ‘Gedaliah’ was killed (2 kings 25: 23, 25; Jeremiah 40: 6 - 15); and the people gathered together in the days of Judah the Mecabian (1 Mk. 3: 46). The prophet Samuel made prominent, the role of God in the life of His people; As they gathered together for repentance, they needed the hidden hand of God to work in them; so he says: “I will pray to the Lord for you” (1 Samuel 7: 5). Here, the role of the prophet Samuel, as a spiritual Shepherd, is likewise prominent; knowing that he would not be able to lead the people of God without praying; In other words, his leading role is based mainly on praying, in order that God Himself would be the hidden Leader, and the Guide, who works in His people to the benefit of His Kingdom, without deviation. That is why St. John Chrysostom says about the priest: [Whoever, through necessity, is called to be an ambassador, not on behalf of a single city, but of the whole world, would supplicate to God to forgive the sins of all, not only the living, but also those who departed... The priest, because he is entrusted over the whole world, and has become a father to all people, should, in his private and public prayers, raise supplications for lifting up wars and troubles everywhere, for peace and calmness for everyone, and for the healing of every sick2]. “So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord” (1 Samuel 7: 6). What is this water which they drew and poured out before the Lord? Some believe it to be a reference to pouring out of the hearts in repentance before the Lord; 1 Strong's Exh. Concordance…, art. 4709. 2 On Priesthood 6: 4. 4 according to the words of the prophet David: “You people; Pour out your heart before Him” (Psalm 62: 8); or a sign of admitting weakness, having become like water poured out over the earth, that could not be recollected except by a divine hand. Others believe it to be a confirmation of an oath; as they would not retract from what they pledged in their repentance, in the same way that water poured out on the ground could not be regathered; While still others see in that action, a reference to the great day of atonement (Leviticus 16), when the Spirit of God is poured out over believers, and would dwell in them. As the prophet Samuel prayed for them, they shared his prayer by proclaiming their repentance, through pouring out water, together with fasting and confession; saying: “We have sinned against the Lord” (1 Samuel 7: 6) At that time, the prophet Samuel used to act as a judge between them, not through authority, but after long and continuous prayers, and calm spiritual work followed by a collective repentance and a return to God. He laid down sound spiritual foundations, in order to act as a judge with a comfortable conscience, for an obvious spiritual goal, to the benefit of the Kingdom of God. 4- THE LORD: GRANTOR OF TRIUMPH Together with every constructive spiritual strife, the evil one gets agitated; not for any fault on man’s part, nor that committed by the congregation, but as a sign of the rejection of light by darkness; and the opposition of God’s Kingdom by the devil. The Lords of the Philistines gathered together and went up against Israel (1 Samuel 7: 7). The children of Israel, fearing of a repetition of what happened in Aphek ( 1 Samuel 4), as they were practicing repentance, under a sound spiritual leadership, asked the prophet Samuel not to cease to cry out to the Lord to save them... Samuel offered a burnt offering to the Lord, as a sign of complete surrender of the people’s souls to the hand of the Lord. God responded through natural phenomena - thunder or an earthquakes - and granted triumph and conquest to Israel, who pursued the Philistines and drove them back as far as below Beth Car (meaning: house of sheep), west of Mizpah; thought to be ‘Beth Karem’ or ‘Ein-El-kroum’ nowadays. With every spiritual growth, we encounter a new war that would lead up to our ultimate coronation, as long as we are in God’s hand; according to the words of the apostle Peter: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory, at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1: 6, 7). Triumph had been realized at the same location, where defeat happened before, and where the ark of God had been captured (1 Samuel 4: 1); So Samuel set a great stone, and called it ‘Ebenezer’; namely the (stone of help), to become a testimonial to the work of God in the life of His people who returned to Him. That memorial served to continuously renew the spirit of the people, to keep them from getting deviated from God; Through it, every believer remembered the secret of defeat, as well as of triumph; As at the same location, Israel lost the ark of the covenant, fell into shame and humiliation; they were also granted a conquest and triumph, by the mighty hand of God. Jesus, the Lord of glory says: “If these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19: 40)... Samuel set that stone to revive the life of partnership in whoever looks at it. After having utterly enslaved Israel, the spirit of the Philistines was broken up; they never again entered into the territory of Israel to occupy, though, in isolated 5 occasions, they attacked certain locations, and took some Israelites captives. Their defeat in Mizpah had been the beginning of successive defeats. That conquest probably gave the chance to restore the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and also to restore peace between Israel and the Amorites (1 Samuel 7: 14); to give the chance to people to live, to a certain extent, in an atmosphere of calmness and peace. 5- SAMUEL JUDGING AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS The prophet Samuel is considered to be the real spiritual reformer at that time when the worship of the ‘Baal’ came utterly to an end; in between the time when the royal system started, up to the beginning of the reign of King Solomon.... It is to be noticed that Samuel did not restore the glory of ‘Shiloh,’ nor set a central location of worship, but was judging to the people in various locations, like ‘Bethel,’ ‘Gilgal,’ and ‘Mizpah’. The reason for that was probably because the people wrongly assumed that a central location for worship was the secret of strength, regardless of the inner renewal of the soul. Samuel intended to confirm that the secret of strength is the hidden relationship, in the heart with God, without disregarding the group worship, with the spirit of unity and love. Things remained that way, until king Solomon established the only temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, by a divine command, to gather all together with one spirit around one temple for the Lord.
Welcome