Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-13

sinned against the Lord" The pouring out
of water, the fasting, and the verbal con-
fession were all one and the same thing.
The first typiied their drawing out from
the depths of their souls the thing that
had caused their sins and pouring it out
before God an evidence that they were
emptying themselves of it before God The
fast was another way of putting away from
them the thing that had been pleasing them.
The confession was the outward and YER
bal expression of it.
This was the necessary thing to do, but
it was the very time that their enemies at
tackled them. The Philistines may have
thought the gathering for another purpose,
or they may have been afraid themselves
tackled them, and Israel was afraid. Don't
blame Israel, you would have been afraid,
too, if you had been in their sandals. But
they. knew what to do this time. They
didn't make the same mistake twice. They
asked Samuel to pray without ceasing for
them and to claim the promises that God
would deliver them since they had turned to
Him with all their hearts.
And as an evidence of this Samuel offered
up as a whole burnt offering sucking
lamb. Have you ever noticed especially a
sucking lamb? No better symbol of weak
ness, and helplessness, and wholeheartedness
could have been chosen. God heard such a
prayer, and even while the sacrifice was
being made (nOtice the ''as' of verse 10)
the Lord fought for them, and discounted
the Philistines and smote them before
Israel-using thunder and lightning as His
means. The victory was complete, for it
was the Lords. Israel followed as He led,
and the Ph1llstines were driven out of the
land oil Israel, never to return! The cities
which they had takeA were restored to
Israel, and not only was there peace be-
tween Israel and the Philistines, but be-
tween Israel and the Amorites also.
Midway between Mizpah where the at.
tack was made, and Shen, where the victory
was completed, Samuel set up a stone which
he called Ebenezer, "the stone of help ~
saying, Hitherto hath Jehovah helped Jus. -
1t was a memorial to the fact that the vic
tory had been won by God and given them as
gift. 1t was continued reminder tc
them of His grace and a stimulant to praise
| and thanksgiving. Then all their cities
which the Philistines had taken from them
were restored, and peace reigned every.
where.
Reunion
One of the most interesting touches is
| then given; it is almost hidden, SO little is
said of it. Samuel judged Israel all the
rest of his life, going from place to place
| as a circuit rider circuit judge. But his
headquarters were at Ramah, his boyhood
| homei He was still a young man when the
victory over the Philistines was accom-
| plished, and it is more than probable tina
his mother was still living. How wonder
| fully delightful it must have been to hel
| then to have him come back to the ole
| home to live! To have him the comfor
| of her declining years! To have the pleas
| ure and the natural pride, too, at having
appreciate that he was the leading man Of
| his people! All it was delightful to Han
| nah. She had given him to the Lord before
| he was born; when he was five years ole
| she had lent him for the temple service
| but now. in her declining years, God gives
! him back to her as His representative anC
| as the leading man Of Israel! Good meas
ure pressed down and running over! Does
| investing with God pay?
| Have you been defeated? Have you beer
| in bondage to your arch enemy? Has the
| devil been cheating you out of the joy and
> power and peace that belong to you as q
child Of God? Has he possession Of some
of your cities? Have you been finding
| him a hard taskmastcr like the Israelites
found the Philistines? Have you allowed
yourself to fall into his easy ways anc
away from Gods strait and narrow way
until you have well-nigh lost sight of the
| God of your fathers?
Then if you will return unto Him twill
all of your heart He will deliver vol
out Of the hand of your enemies. The
steps are very simple, they are very plain
but they are very exacting. Repentance
involves not only lamenting over your con
dition, but return to the Lord Returning
to God involves putting away all other gods
and pouring out your soul in confession
emptying yourself of every known sin.
1t is just at this point that your enem!
will attack you most severely. He doesn
want to lose you; at the very moment O.
absolute remuneration of self and sin, yol
may expect a violent attack from him
You may tremble, but cast yourself wholly
on God in all your weakness las Samue
offered up the sucking lamb, and God viii
discomfit and drive him away completely
even if it takes a thunderstorm to do it
The victory will be so somplete that al
the cities he has taken from you will b.
restored. And it will all be without effOr
on your part-just a gift, accomplished
for you by the work of Another and handed
over to you. Your part is receiving wha
He has done for you.
Then raise an Ebenezer: and often lool
back to the cross of Jesus Christ where
the victory was won for you, and say
Hitherto hath the Lord helped me"-ant
"HencefOrth He will help me-