1 Samuel 7- Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 1 Sam 7:2-6

2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time – twenty years in all.

Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, ‘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.

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.’ Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.

A. Find Out:

1. What did Israel now start doing? v.2
2. Who now spoke out? v.3a
3. What 2 things did he say they should do? v.3b
4. What did he promise would result? v.3c
5. What did he say he would do? v.5
6. What 3 things did they do? v.6

B. Think:

1. Why do you think Samuel waited until now to speak?
2. What had obviously been the spiritual state of Israel up until now?
3. What indication was there that Samuel had got his timing right?

C. Comment:

       For at least twenty years there appears to have been no sign of spiritual life in Israel, with the nation obviously far from God giving no thought to the ark at Kiriath Jearim, but instead worshipping idols.  Eventually however, arising within the people, there is a gradual realisation of the true state of affairs.  Note that it is only then that Samuel speaks up. He challenges the people to get rid of their idols and serve the Lord whole heartedly.  It is a sign that his timing is right that they respond to him and do this.

     Following up this apparent turning to the Lord, Samuel calls them to a holy convocation, a meeting with God. Again it is an indication of right timing that the people fully respond to him. They pour out water as a sign of pouring out their hearts in repentance, needing to be washed clean from their sins, unconsciously perhaps acknowledging their need of the Holy Spirit to be poured out on a spiritually dry land. They fasted in sincerity and confessed their sin openly. This is truly a sign of a people wanting to meet with their God.

D. Application?

1. Sometimes when there is lack of spiritual life the best thing to do is pray that the Lord will turn the heart(s) and simply wait.
2. Seeking the Lord with true repentance is a sign that hearts are changing. Fasting is a sign of real earnestness before the Lord.

Chapter: 1 Sam 7

Passage: 1 Sam 7:7-17

7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. 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 sacrificed it 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 Kar.

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’

13 So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. 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 Israel, and Israel delivered the neighbouring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel continued as Israel’s leader 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 held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord.

A. Find Out:    

1. What did Israel feel about the attack? v.7
2. What did they ask Samuel to do? v.8
3. What 2 things did he do? v.9
4. How did the Lord respond? v.10
5. How long did the Lord oppose the enemy? v.13
6. As what did Samuel continue to act? v.15-17

B. Think:

1. What were the steps of the defeat of the Philistines?
2. How was peace brought about for years to come?
3. How did Samuel exercise is “judgeship”?

C. Comment:

      Having met together to seek the Lord, Israel found what so many have found in similar situations, that when you do seek the Lord earnestly that enrages the enemy and, to put you off, he stirs his agents up against you. That should simply drive us more on the Lord and that happened here with Israel.

      Israel pleads with Samuel to intercede with the Lord on their behalf and so that is what he does. Samuel is first and foremost a praying man! Then the Lord moves and as the Philistines approach, massive thunder breaks out over them and throws them into panic. Israel then takes advantage of this and moves in to deal with them. In this we see the partnership of God with man. God prepares the way and then man moves in faith.

      From this point on, Israel are in the ascendancy and prevail over the Philistines. Peace rules. Samuel, who is the last of the judges, ruled over Israel, making decisions that brought peace in their lives. That ultimately was the role of a judge, a bringer of wisdom that in turn brought peace. To achieve this, Samuel was also an intercessor, and in that we have a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who came to bring us peace and interceded on our behalf with his very life.

D. Application?

1. When opposition turns up, the answer is to turn to the Lord and He will deliver.
2. Jesus HAS brought me His peace.