Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-02-26

Having prepared a guilt Offering"
GAO, 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. I'll, 2. For 20
years Israel was under discipline In
bondage, ". 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." ". 2 II. ". margin. Undoubted.
ly Samuels 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.
iivered from the Philistines Israel
must return unto Jehovah with all
your heart" The putting away (judg-
ing) OF sin and all idols is the first
step OF any real. genuine repentance
towards God. lisa. 55:7. When Israel
adopted Ashtaroth and the strange
gods they possibly did SO with no
thoqght Of forsaking Jehovah. but
rather with the idea of '~'enrinching"
their worship. Such I~iberality. such a
federation OF religions is weakening to
the cause Of faith. Matt. 6:24. I 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.
rael's response ". AZ 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.
lions, 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 q
reformation. not a regeneration (ch.
1881. 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 a type OF
Christ as a prophet and also as an
~intercessor. Heb. 7;25. Gathering the
people at Mizpah Ca lookout'D he
caused the people to look to God
Such a gathering was an evidence Of
that unity of the people OF God which
must v 9 precede prevailing prayer
Ps. 1916. Heb. 10: 25. 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 o1
the pouring out of their hearts before
God. II Sam. 14:14; Ps. 1913. Israe
also "~fasted"-an expression of sor
row for sin which was so deep tina
they could not eat, and a sign of the
humiliation Of self and an earnest de
sire to find God. Dan. 9:3, Acts 1852, 8
They made confession Of sin, there
vas no boasting of virtue, Ps. 51:4
~. "And Samuel offered
a burnt Offering w. 9-12. Invent.
years OF bondage bred a spirit of feai
in the hearts OF the Israelites and IL
their extremity they turned to Sam
uel to intercede for them. Christian
have a better one as their interces
sor. l John al; Heb. 1925: Rom
1874. Israel no longer places it,
trust In an outward symbol as whel
formerly they sent for the ark. oh. Ala
All real prayer is preceded by sacrl
fice, and the only ground we have upol
which to approach a holy God is I
shed blood, Heb. 1919, John 14:6. Thi
is also a type OF entire conservation
The lamb OF Samuel's sacrifice Is
type Of our Christ who entered int
Gods presence for us by his owl
blood" Heb. GIL. ~. Having thu
properly approached God, Samue
cried for Israel. and the Lord hear
him. John 1879. In the midst of thi
the Phiiistines gave battle ". 10
even as Satan often makes hi
fiercest assaults upon us in the mids
OF our hoIlest exercises. God thur
dered with a great voice. v. II, marg
bringing discontinue and fear to tn
enemy, I John 5:14. No voice of Il
rael could have effected such result
but the voice OF God in response I
the prayers of a godly man brough
victory. James SIG. Both secular an
sacred history record instances wher
God used the elements to deliver hi
praying people. The storm which d,
stroyed the Spanish armada an
saved England: the unusual winds an
tides which saved Leyden came in COZ
nection with the most earnest prayer
see also III Kings 1895. In this W
see a fulHllment of Hannah's 2rophec.
CHI. $40. In our last lesson Israel wa
defeated. 4:10, now they pursue tn
Philistines as far as Beth-car an
Shen, an unknown place west of Mi
peh. Between the latter and Mizpel
Samuel erected a memorial pillar an
called Il "Ebenezer." the Stone {
Help. where 20 years previous i
rael had suffered defeat and the ar
OF God was captured. So this ston
was a twofold monument OF a vi
tory. and also Of deliverance froi
20 a of bondage. Ever and ano
the church has cause to set up II
Ebenezers for new d~eliverances. Fe
secution and corruption have not "
prevailed against the true church
God, Matt. 1913.
The Heart Of the Lesson. This lie
son Is a great revelation of the powt
and effectiveness Of intercessol
prayer. Moses and Aaron among b
priests, and Samuel among them t..
call upon his NAME" Ps. 1856, seen
TO place Samuel at the head OF
rael's intercessors even as Moses an
Aaron led the prophet priests.
Prayer for others is not only a dut
but a privilege and Joy as well.
Too few Christians are intercedIn
for others. The sincere prayer II
others is inevitably followed up b
service for others, even as Samuel
prayer was followed by his servic
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