1 Samuel 7:3 - Revivals that are

Pleasing to God
And Samuel spoke unto all the house of Israel, saying, If you are
returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of
the foreign gods and the Ashtaroths and commit yourselves to
the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the
hands of the Philistines.

1 Samuel 7:3

Many dark pages are found in the history book of the church. Many times the church can say and in thought did say,
Ichabod, the glory of the Lord has departed from His people.

The setting and history of Israel here is known to all who know their Bible. In the time of battle, and in fear, Israel had taken
the ark with them on the battlefield. It was a move of religious formalism. If only the ark is with us, they thought, then the Lord
will bless us with His presence and victory. But it didn't turn out that way.

The enemy took the ark. They put it next to their idol god, Dagon, in their temple. But that didn't "work out." First, Dagon fell
down, the next morning his head and hands and feet had broken off. So this had to change. But wherever the ark was taken
the people were in, trouble. They were afflicted with boils and mice. They had God, so they thought, in their midst. But the
truth was that God, the God of Israel, was against them. The ark was moved from city to city. But nobody wanted it. What this
all really. means is that they wanted to get rid of God but couldn't. It's just a little picture of hell. Finally with some
superstitious moves, on a cart pulled by two cows, the ark was returned. They were relieved. Israel was so glad.

But had things and conditions really changed now in Israel? Sure, they had the ark with them, but the Philistines obviously
continued to rule over them, subjecting them likely to taxes and other forms of foreign rule. There was still something
seriously lacking. And so it remained for a long time. Is that the way of the church of God?

Is this something new in the history of the church? The truth is that we find it in the records of the history of the church again
and again. Today, living in the age of the great apostasy, it surely is also true. Is this too negative? Too severe? Not if it is the
truth. And it is!

Of course, the church in America and other countries, still have God with them. We still have the blessed gifts of liberty,
freedom of worship, many activities in the church. And last but not least, we still have the Bible, which is still the most popular
book in our land.

But with it all we do the same thing Israel did. While we are religious we serve our idols. Israel kept their idols; that's obvious
from the fact that Samuel warns them so severely to put away their idol gods. We too have our idol gods, with our religion.

In all of the history of Israel there is no sin mentioned more and practiced more than that of idolatry. And there is no man
blamed more than Jeroboam, of whom we read that he made Israel to sin in setting up the idols in Dan and Bethel. Very
noteworthy it is that the way of fearing God for Israel was not to get rid of their idols. No, they kept them with their religion.
They wanted both.

Isn't this always true? The biggest idol we all have is ourselves. And with it goes the dreaded dry rot of lethargy, indifference
and lack of interest. Obvious this is in many areas; in lack of time for family worship, with poorer church attendance at the
second service, with a decline of interest in the study of the Word personally and in society life, and in no time to read
Christian literature. The biggest enemy and danger of the church today is apathy.

Of course, people pray. Well and good. But how do people often pray? For what do they pray when there is illness, an
accident, a threat of war or some calamity? Often people pray only to get rid of the physical distress to have a better life on
earth. Is this wrong? Of course not. But then we are using God purely for ourselves, our physical welfare. That with our
adversities we may also become more spiritually minded, seek the Lord more, and become better Christians one often hears
little of.

The idea of being Pilgrims and strangers in this attractive world is becoming ever more foreign to the pattern of our complex
lives and the very thoughts of our busy minds.
Much of this is brought on by material prosperity. Spurgeon says often that prosperity is the greatest trial of the church.
Solomon, the wisest man on earth of that day, couldn't take it and few people can do so today.

Interesting it is that we read that while the ark was at Kiriath-jearim Israel lamented after the Lord. Wasn't that good?
Apparently not because Samuel warns them in spite of it. This we can understand when we know the meaning of the word
lament. It means here to nag, to beg. It reminds one of a child who continues to follow his mother begging, coaxing, nagging
until he receives what he wants. The Dutch word, "zaniken" describes the thought beautifully. This Israel did. How they
prayed! In our day with the same kind of practice we might have prayer meetings, be exhorted to pray more, also with more
fervency. But the Lord apparently is not satisfied with this kind of praying. He still rebukes for this.

Then young Samuel appears on the scene. And what a leader and godly man he is. What does he tell the people?

Serve the Lord with your hearts! That's where it begins. That's where we must all examine ourselves. That's the source of it
all. Jesus asks later, where is your heart? From it are all the issues of life. In that context Samuel tells the Israelites to put
away their strange gods of Baal and Ashtaroth (Mrs. Baal).

It is the way first of all of knowing God in all His love in our Savior Jesus Christ, in our hearts. It implies that we know the
gracious gift of forgiveness of sins. Such knowledge calls for confession of sins and repentance from them. With those
blessed new hearts it means constant self-examination, self- denial and mortification of the old man. We need many prayers
for the strength of the Spirit, to serve Him only and not our idols. The word is constant vigilance against the Pharisaistic
vacillation between two gods, that "halting between two opinions." It means that we love the Lord much.

Doing this He promised to the Israelites that He would deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines.

May the Lord ever more open our eyes to see all the strange gods we serve today. And may we taste more of His love and
receive more of His Spirit to put them far from us. And with all the good emphasis of spiritual activities, church services, Bible
reading, prayer life and other spiritual exercises may we see that God first of all wants us to keep the first commandment,
from the heart. Lord, so bless us.    

1 Samuel 7
Magandang Balita Biblia

7 Kinuha ng mga taga-Lunsod ng Jearim ang Kaban ng Tipan ni Yahweh at dinala sa bahay ni
Abinadab na nasa isang burol. At si Eleazar na anak ni Abinadab ang inatasan nilang tagapag-ingat
ng Kaban.

Ang Pamamahala ni Samuel sa Israel

2 Pagkalipas ng dalawampung taon mula nang dalhin sa Lunsod ng Jearim ang Kaban, nalungkot
ang buong Israel at humingi ng tulong kay Yahweh.

3 Sinabi sa kanila ni Samuel, “Kung talagang buong pusong nanunumbalik na kayo kay Yahweh,
alisin ninyong lahat ang mga diyus-diyosan at ang imahen ni Astarte. Italaga ninyo kay Yahweh
ang inyong sarili at siya lamang ang inyong paglingkuran. Kapag ginawa ninyo ito, ililigtas niya
kayo sa kapangyarihan ng mga Filisteo.” 4 Kaya, itinapon ng mga Israelita ang kanilang mga
imahen nina Baal at Astarte, at si Yahweh na lamang ang kanilang sinamba.

5 Sinabi pa ni Samuel, “Tipunin ninyo sa Mizpa ang buong Israel at doo'y ipapanalangin ko kayo
kay Yahweh.”

6 Nang matipon sila sa Mizpa, kumuha sila ng tubig at ibinuhos sa harapan ni Yahweh bilang
handog. Maghapon silang nag-ayuno at nanangis ng ganito: “Nagkasala kami kay Yahweh.” Doon
sa Mizpa ay nanungkulan si Samuel bilang hukom sa sambayanang Israel.

7 Nabalitaan ng mga Filisteo ang pagkakatipon ng mga Israelita, kaya't humanda sila upang
digmain ang Israel. Natakot ang mga Israelita nang mabalitaan nilang sasalakayin sila ng mga
Filisteo. 8 Sinabi nila kay Samuel, “Huwag kang titigil sa pagtawag kay Yahweh upang iligtas kami
sa mga Filisteo.” 9 Nagpatay si Samuel ng isang pasusuhing tupa at sinunog niya ito nang buo
bilang handog kay Yahweh. Nanalangin siya na tulungan ang Israel, at dininig naman ni Yahweh
ang kanyang panalangin. 10 Samantalang naghahandog si Samuel, palapit naman nang palapit
ang mga Filisteo. Ngunit ginulo sila ni Yahweh sa pamamagitan ng malalakas na kulog at nagapi
sila ng mga Israelita. 11 Mula sa Mizpa, hinabol ng mga Israelita ang mga Filisteo hanggang sa
Beth-car, at pinapatay nila ang bawat mahuling kalaban.

12 Pagkatapos, naglagay si Samuel ng isang malaking bato sa pagitan ng Mizpa at ng Sen bilang
alaala. Tinawag niya itong Ebenezer na ang ibig sabihi'y, “Tinulungan kami ni Yahweh hanggang
dito.” 13 Natalo nila ang mga Filisteo at hindi na nangahas pang magbalik ang mga ito sa lupaing
sakop ng Israel. 14 Nabawi ng Israel ang mga lunsod at lahat nilang lupain na nasakop ng mga
Filisteo, mula sa Ekron hanggang sa Gat. Nakipagkasundo rin sa mga Israelita ang mga Amoreo.