The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-02-23

having prepared a Su1lt O1erlng,
6:4-9, the Philistines started the ark
back towards Shiloh AS a punish
ment for their sacrilege and perhaps
for their boastful pride, God Furnishes
the men of Beth-Shemesh and finally
the ark finds rest in the house Of
Abinadab, 6:10-21, III, 2. For 20
years Israel was under discipline in
bondage, v. 2.
|. "And Samuel spake . say
ing," w. 3-8. 1t is possible that at
times Samuel was a fugitive, but that
he was praying, teaching and preach
ing "the word of Jehovah" we are as
sured. At last Israel was drawn to-
gether," V. R. V. margin. Undoubted-
iy SamuePs pure life and his faithful
Witnessing had as much to do with
this assembling as did the oppression
or the Philistines. Samuel told the
people plainly that in order to be de-
Hvered from the Philistines Israel
must return unto Jehovah with all
your heart" The putting away (iudg-
1ng) of sin and all idols is the first
step of any real, genuine repentance
towards God, Isa 55:7. When Israel
adopted Ashtaroth and the strange
gods" they possibly did so with no
thought of forsaking Jehovah, but
rather with the idea or "enrinching''
their worship. Such liberality, such a
federation of religions is weakening to
the cause of faith, Matt. 624, John
2:15, James, A. Samuel might be
called narrow" but his exhortation to
Israel that they return to the love
and worship of Jehovah, to the obedi-
ence of his laws with whole-souled de-
votion, was the first, and the most es-
sential requisite to their freedom Is
raePs response ". a meant not alone
self-denial, but a revolt against the
Philistines. This meant also the CIV
ing up of amusements and profits which
might accompany such worship. The
word heart includes the will, affec-
tons, motives and powers of soul
Not merely a surface emotion, but a
deep change of heart and character
1t is sad to recall that this was
reformation, not regeneration (ch.
8:8), but such is the history of an
emotional reformation. One day, how
ever, we shall see that one will last
last, Rom. 11:26. Samuel is type of
Christ as a prophet and also as an
intercessor, Heb. 7:25. Gathering the
people at Mizpah ga lookout") he
caused the people to look to God
Such gathering was an evidence of
s.that unity ef the people of God which
must ever precede prevailing prayer
Ps. 1916, Heb 1925 The meeting
began by a prayer by Samuel who
was nearest to God. They than poured
out water upon the ground, a symbol
of their utter helplessness, also of
the pouring out of their hearts before
God, ii Sam. i4:14; Ps. 62S. Israel
also "fasted"-an expression of sor-
row for sin which was so deep that
they could not eat, and sign of the
humiliation of self and an earnest de-
sire to find God, Dan. 9:3, Acts 1872, g.
They made confession of sin, there
was no boasting of virtue, Ps. 51:4
u. "And Samuel offered !.
burnt offering," Wv. 9-12. Twenty
years of bondage bred a spirit of fear
in the hearts OF the Israelites and in
their extremity they turned to Sam
uel to intercede for them. Christians
have a better one as their interces-
sor, / John FL; Heb. 1925; Rom
1874. Israel 10 longer places it's
trust in an outward symbol as when
formerly they sent for the ark, CHI. 4:3
All real prayer is preceded by sacri-
fee, and the only ground we have upon
which to approach a holy God is to
shed blood, Heb. 1919, John 1875. This
is also a type OF entire conservation
The lamb of Samuels sacrifice is a
type of our Christ who entered into
Gods presence for us "by his own
blood" Heb. Oil, II. Having thus
properly approached God, Samuel
cried for Israel, and "the Lord heard
him." John 1879. In the midst of this
the Philistines gave battle (v. 10)
even as Satan often makes his
fiercest assaults upon us in the midst
of our hottest exercises. God "thun-
dered with a great voice. V. IL, marg.,
bringing discontinue and fear to the
enemy, / John 5:14 No voice of Is
rael could have effected such results
but the voice of God in response to
the prayers of a cody man brought
victory, James SIG Both secular and
sacred history record instances where
God used the elements to deliver his
praying people. The storm which de-
stroyed the Spanish armada and
saved England, the unusual winds and
tides which saved Leyden came in con-
nection with the most earnest prayers,
see also III Kings 1885. In this we
see fulfillment of Hannah prophecy,
CHI. 2:10. In our last lesson Israel was
defeated, 4:10, now they pursue the
Philistines as far as Beth-car and
Shen, an unknown place west of MiZ-
peh. Between the latter and Mizpeh,
Samuel erected d memorial pillar and
called it "Ebenezer," the Stone Of
Help, where 20 years previous Is
rael had suffered defeat and the ark
of God was captured. So this stone
was twofold monument of vic
tory, and also of deliverance from
20 years of bondage. Ever and anon
the church has cause to set up it's
Ebenezers for new deliverances Per
secution and corruption have not yet
prevailed against the true church of
God, Matt 1918.