Samuel the Judge

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 17, 1895

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 21, No. 41.

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International Sunday School Lessons

“If any man will do His will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God.”—John 7:17.

Lesson V.—Sunday, November 3, 1895.

Samuel the Judge

Lesson Scripture, 1 Sam. 7:5-15.

5. And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.

6. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

7. And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8. And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

9. And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the Lord; and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him.

10. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

11. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.

12. Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

13. So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14. And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15. And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

Golden Text: “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” Verse 12.

NOTE.—The time of this lesson is twenty years after the events recorded in the last. During this time and for twenty years previous the Philistines had oppressed Israel, although the ark had been returned because of the plagues that accompanied it. Chapters 5 and 6. Its return, however, did not revive the true religion. The sense of their need only came to the people through tribulation, and the present lesson is the occasion of an assemblage to consider the natural condition, because “all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.” 1 Sam. 7:2. Samuel had been judge since the death of Eli, making circuits to several places for the purpose

of administering justice. Chapter 7, verse 16. Chapter 12, containing Samuel’s address to the people on the occasion of the inauguration of Saul as king, should be read as bearing upon his faithful services.

Suggestive Questions

(1) To what place did the people gather? Verse 5. Note 1. (2) What did Samuel announce that he would do? Note 2. (3) What did they do in Mizpeh? Verse 6. Note 3. (4) How did this meeting affect the Philistines? Verse 7. Note 4. (5) How did the news of the enemy’s advance affect the Israelites? Same verse. (6) What appeal was made to Samuel? Note 5. Verse 8. (7) What offering was made? Verse 9. (8) Was the prayer heard? Same verse. (9) How did the Lord fight for the people? Verse 10. (10) What part did Israel take in the battle? Verse 11. Note 6. (11) How was the victory commemorated? Verse 12. See margin. (12) How complete was the defeat? Verses 13, 14. (13) How long did Samuel judge Israel? Verse 15.

Notes

1. MIZPEH means “watch tower.” It was about three and one-half miles northwest of Jerusalem, and was the highest hill in that part of the country. Ramah, the home of Samuel, was only half a mile distant.

2. THE people had repented of their sins and put away “strange gods and Ashtaroth” from their midst (verses 3, 4) as Samuel had exhorted them. The promise was that if they should do this, the Lord would deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines. The promise of deliverance did not induce them to do this, for the same result would have followed at any time during the forty years before, had they turned to the Lord. Heretofore they had believed it easier to be popular with the Philistines and worship their gods than to incur their wrath by serving God. But the lesson finally was learned that sin is a hard taskmaster. So Samuel is praying with and for them that the Lord will accept the repentance.

3. THE drawing and pouring out of water was no doubt symbolical of the nature of the vows they had just made, and of their thorough repentance. “As water spilt upon the ground, which can not be gathered up again,” so was the nature of their vow. It was without reserve, and they thus intended to show that it was to hold for all the future. It also served to depict the pouring out of all sin, or of all they were or all they possessed, before the Lord. They fasted, that their minds might be free to grasp the significance of this renewed relation to God.

4. THE Philistines would naturally regard any such gathering of Israel as a revolt. Their anger is only an illustration of the wrath that always seizes the enemies of God’s people when the latter are actively engaged in the line of duty. It is said of an old English baron that when he saw his enemies at prayer he shouted: “Up and at them. They have begun the battle.” They that will be godly shall suffer persecution, and this we are not to account a strange thing. It is the law of the principles involved. Activity on the part of the faithful will bring activity in the ranks of the enemy.

5. THEY had more faith in Samuel’s prayer to the Lord than in their own, in time of danger. Perhaps at the time they may be excused, for they had exercised little faith in the past, and faith grows by exercise. It is, however, the privilege of each child of God, independent of priest or minister, to seek and receive help direct from the throne of grace.

6. It is a noteworthy fact that the battle field which now witnessed the defeat of the Philistines was the very same field upon which the Israelites were defeated and the ark taken twenty years before. When in the right relation to him, the Lord often brings victory to one in the same place where defeat was experienced before. In fact, until victory is achieved, we are led over the same field of any given sin again and again. But the Lord’s strength is the same at one time as another. The trouble is with our faith and obedience.