1 Samuel 7:1-17 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 7:1-17. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Samuel 7:1-4 (NIV)
1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD.
2 It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.
3 And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
On verses 1-4: Verse 2 says that the Israelites “mourned and sought after the Lord”. But Samuel still had to say to them in verse 3, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then get rid of your foreign gods, and He will deliver you from the Philistines.”
From this we can learn a hugely important lesson: You can try to seek God while still maintaining idols in your life, but there will be no major breakthrough until the day you get rid of those idols. What is an idol? An idol is anything you put in place of God. It could be a secret sin like pride or unforgiveness, or a person or thing that you hold onto more tightly than God. Until that thing ceases to be an idol in your life, there will be no major breakthrough.
There’s a word for getting rid of idols; it’s called repentance. Without repentance, there can be no breakthrough. Earlier in 1 Samuel we saw from both the Israelites and the Philistines that just having the ark of God in their possession didn’t bring them any breakthroughs. In the same way, just because you get into God’s presence, that doesn’t guarantee a breakthrough. You need more than God’s presence; you need repentance.
You can go to a prayer meeting or read your Bible or go to church, but if you’re still hanging onto your idols, there will be very little, if any, breakthrough in your life.
Question: What idols in your life do you need to get rid of in order to experience a breakthrough with God?
1 Samuel 7:5-14 (NIV)
5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you.”
6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel’s behalf, and the LORD answered him.
10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.
11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us.”
13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines.
14 The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to her, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
On verses 5-14: Notice what happened after the Israelites repented: they experienced breakthroughs! Here are 7 breakthroughs that the Israelites experienced after they repented:
1. There was unity among the Israelites for the first time in decades as they assembled in front of Samuel (v5-7).
2. There were answered prayers. Verse 9 says that Samuel offered sacrifices and “cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him” (v9).
3. There was warfare and opposition (v7). Verse 7 says that as the Israelites assembled, worshiped, fasted and prayed, the Philistines came to attack. Don’t be surprised and don’t be discouraged if you experience attacks from the enemy while you repent and seek God’s face. Remember why you are experiencing those attacks. It’s because the enemy feels threatened now that you are encroaching on territory that he has been occupying. Don’t be afraid, because as Jesus says, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
4. There was victory over the enemy. Verses 10-11 tell us that with God’s intervention (v10 – “loud thunder”) and the people’s courage (v11 – “The Israelites rushed out and pursued”) the Israelites routed the Philistines. As a result the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory anymore (v13).
5. There was public acknowledgment of God’s help (v12). Samuel sets up a stone to commemorate the Israelites’ victory over the Philistines. He calls the stone “Ebenezer”, which means “stone of help”. Whenever people saw the stone they were reminded of the work that God had done in them.
6. There was restoration (v14). The towns which the Philistines had previously taken from Israel were restored to Israel.
7. There was peace (v14). Verse 14 says that after the Israelites repented, there was peace with their enemies (v14).
Praise God! These are 7 results of repentance. It goes to show that repentance is one of the most powerful things you can do. So let the Holy Spirit scan your heart. As God reveals to you sins that you still struggle with and idols that you need to destroy, confess them to God, renounce them and take practical steps to get rid of them. Breakthroughs will come after you repent.
1 Samuel 7:15-17 (NIV)
15 Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life.
16 From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.
17 But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the LORD.
On verses 15-17: So much depends on leadership. God used the leadership of Samuel to bring the Israelites to a much better place with Him. Here we see Samuel at the height of his leadership influence. In the same way, may you never take for granted the people God has used in your life to help you get to a much better place with Him. May you too be someone who leads others for the better as well.
Holy Spirit, thank You for teaching me today that without repentance there is no breakthrough. Please scan my heart and identify for me the struggles I need to confess, the sins I need to renounce, and the idols I need to destroy. I believe in faith that breakthroughs will take place in my life when I walk in repentance. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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