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of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until they came to Beth-car"
(verses 9-11).
So Samuel offered the lamb as a sacrifice and cried unto the Lord, and we read that
the Lord heard his prayer and answered it, thus Samuel became the mediator between the
Lord and His people. What a wonderful picture again of the one sacrifice that the Lamb
of God made on our behalf, to procure deliverance and salvation and to deliver us from
the power and dominion of sin.
Once more in His mercy the covenant God of Israel responded to the cry of His
earthly people in their extremity. When they sincerely repented of their denial of Him
and turned back from their evil ways, His Arm protected them. The Philistine ranks were
beaten back by the fury of the storm (Josephus mentions an earthquake, Antiquities of the
Jews, Book VI.II.2.). Israel hurl themselves upon the enemy and the rout is complete.
We then read that "Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and
called the name of it Eb-en-ezer, saying, Hitherto the Lord helped us" (I Sam. 7: 12).
"Shen" means "Tooth", and was probably a prominent rock formation such as a crag or
peak. Samuel set up a memorial to commemorate this great victory over the Philistines
by Jehovah. This stone at Mizpeh would revive their remembrance of the mighty power
of their God and cause them to be thankful. On the other hand it would remain a standing
witness against them for their unthankfulness if Israel ever hardened their hearts against
Jehovah again.
Samuel publicly acknowledges that the victory was wrought by the arm of the Lord
alone. Eb-en-ezer means "the stone of help", representing the timely help that was given
as a result of fervent prayer. It must be noted that this prayer was answered only because
the nation as a whole had thrown down the heathen images they had worshipped for so
long. Having given up their idolatrous practices and wholly returned to the Lord in heart
and life, He now turned to them and gave His mighty help in time of trouble.
"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. 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" (7: 13, 14).
This new spirit in Israel remained constant during the lifetime of Samuel. The petty
jealousies between the tribes disappeared and gave place to the desire for unity. The
power of the Philistines decayed, and the strength and prosperity of the people under the
leadership of Samuel increased. The surrounding Canaanite tribes were content to submit
quietly to the former limitations imposed upon them by Joshua, even also the mighty
Amorites. No mention is made, however, of the brilliant statesmanship of Samuel, nor of
his powerful influence for good that he exercised over the nation. Without any doubt
whatsoever he is to be numbered among the very great characters of the O.T., and his
name naturally finds honourable mention among those heroes of faith in Heb. 11:
"And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in
circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. And his