Thank you both for your prayer.
And turn back to the passage that we read together in 1 Samuel chapter 7.
And we'll read it verse 3.
And Samuel said to the house of Israel,
If ye are returning to the Lord with all your heart,
put away the foreign gods and the ashtoreth from among you,
and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only.
And he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the ashtoreth,
and they served the Lord only.
In a sense, I want to carry on just the time that we have,
just carry on from where we left off on Sunday night.
And we were in chapter 5 and 6 there.
And previously, we had seen that the nation of Israel had gone to war
on their own terms,
for their own desires to be free from the Philistines.
And then we found out that they lost the Ark,
as they brought the Ark of God into battle,
by their own reasonings.
And they lost it, the Philistines over Canaan.
The Ark ended up in the land of the Philistines.
And we saw how God revealed himself to both his own people
and to the Philistines.
And we thought of God and his characteristics using the fourth catechism.
God was that spirit, infinite, eternal, unchangeable.
And in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
And you could spend as much time as you want thinking about God
and trying to understand him.
And we kind of get enriched as we do that.
We are encouraged by the awesomeness of who God is.
And in a sense, we can't understand truly who he is.
He is incomprehensible.
I want to look now at the passage that we have
where the people come back to God.
And catechism five fits in well with our thoughts as well,
which is, are there more gods than one?
And the answer is, there is but one only,
the living and true God.
I'm not sure how far this method will carry on through Samuel,
but I thought it just fits so well.
That's what Samuel is saying to the people.
Remember, come back to the Lord.
God.
Worship the Lord only.
And it's a fundamental teaching.
And you might sit there and be thinking,
well, this is all something that we believe.
Of course we do as Christians.
We believe that God is one.
God is the only Lord of our lives.
But there is much for us to learn from this,
as much as to remind ourselves of who God is.
And we often need reminders because we often forget the basics.
We often get carried away in our lives,
even if it's in our Christian lives.
And this passage was to Israel,
the Lord's chosen people.
And we are the Lord's people.
And it was said before them to put away all other gods and worship the Lord only,
directing our hearts.
And certainly we as a people must adhere to that as well.
We must agree with that,
to direct our hearts to the Lord and to serve him only.
And he will be a God that will deliver you.
And in the people of Israel,
who had gone their own way,
they had gone into battle,
they had disrespected God's presence of the ark.
There's a change of thought here in the people.
There's a redirection in their understanding of who God is.
As God revealed who he was,
they began to understand,
what have we done?
This God is that power,
wisdom,
holiness.
He is a just God.
He is good.
And he is a true God.
And he has become all the more true to them.
True enough that they would change their minds and change their direction.
So there is a redirection.
And there is a deliverance that we see in the passage.
So we'll just pick up on these points of a redirection and a deliverance that comes to them as they come back to God.
Verse 2 tells us that a long time has passed.
It says in the middle there of verse 2,
20 years have passed.
But there was,
after having this,
all of a sudden,
God had acted
before the Philistines.
He had declared who he was.
And then you've got this
almost silence for 20 years
where nothing happens.
There's no divine interruption from God like we saw
in the last chapter.
But there's a change
that we see that Israel
lamented
after the Lord.
Samuel saw the people
had gained this understanding
of who God was.
He was seeing them lamenting
after the Lord.
And he came to them.
And they were,
you know,
they were a people,
remember they were a people of chapter 6.
He said,
this God is a holy God
who can stand,
who can stand in his presence.
They were beginning to understand.
And Samuel comes to them now
and he's saying,
if you are returning to the Lord
with all your heart,
then put away the foreign gods.
And he's saying,
this redirection,
it requires devotion,
complete devotion.
And God asks for a whole heart.
As he had always done
when he revealed himself
to the people of Israel
in Deuteronomy,
chapter 6,
verse 4,
God says to the people,
hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God,
the Lord is one.
You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul
and with all your might.
You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul
and with all your might.
He is one
that we must devote ourselves to
entirely as one.
This is a,
this is a,
this is called the Shema
in the Jewish tradition.
And this is a prayer
that the Jewish people
will pray daily
to remind themselves
who God is.
The Lord is one.
So it does us
entirely beneficial for us
just to think about more
on who God is
as that one being.
and our love to God.
It should never,
it should never be divided.
And that's our ideal.
We don't want to divide
our love to God,
but we admit that we fail,
we fail to keep
that devotion.
We want,
as the Lord's people,
the people who are chosen
by him,
we want to be near to God.
We want to,
we want to know
as much of God
as we can
by what he has revealed to us.
We want,
we want to feel
the strength of God.
And when our love
and our devotion
and our hearts
are torn
in another direction,
we,
we lose
that
ideal.
And,
and we all do it.
We all want
as much of God
when we come
to understand
who he is,
but
we admit that
something else
gets in the way.
We,
we,
we separate ourselves
from God.
We have
our
idols
in a sense
like Israel.
And,
you know,
in my bedroom,
there's a,
it's like a three pane window.
There's one big one
in the middle
and two on the side.
So,
you know,
if I
took the things
in my life
and we can all do it
and I'm speaking
to myself
every time
I look at
the word of God,
you know,
we can have
these idols
and things
that we
place higher
than we should
in our lives.
And I was thinking
it would be like a,
it would be like
a different colored paper
for different things.
You know,
if it was football
or cars
or whatever
it would be,
houses
or,
or carrier
and we can have
all these different
colored papers
that we place
in our lives
and when we put
them on,
it restricts
the light
coming through
the window.
And if our,
if our lives
was the room,
then,
then we are
putting these things
in between
ourselves
and the source
of light,
God.
And,
and maybe what we do
is like,
I was thinking,
I probably cover up
the two side panes
and I leave the main
pane
in the middle
clear.
I let the light
in
and
that is my,
my main
window,
as it were,
in my life.
This is main
central pane.
But I've got all
this stuff
on the side
that
restricts
even greater
light coming in.
And we as
Christians need to
clear our lives
from these idols
or these things
that we elevate
into positions
that they shouldn't
be there.
We all,
we are all tempted
and the devil
will throw paper
at us
and,
and we just
automatically put
them on
because we love
them so much
and we love to
see them
in our lives.
But even then,
when we,
we place these
things before us,
the light
comes through
them.
They're all
from God
in a sense.
Everything we
have is from
God.
And behind
all these
things,
light shines.
But if we
reduce that
light
in,
within us,
we've spoken,
we've
prayed about
ones that
would radiate
the light.
And God
has put in
gifts within
each of us.
And if we
restrict that
light within
ourselves,
we don't,
the light
doesn't flood
into the room
as it should.
It doesn't flood
into our lives.
The word of God
should flood
into our lives
as much as we
can receive
from God.
That's our
ideal,
that we
see as much
of God
and the beauty
of God
as that light
comes upon
us.
And as we
say,
God creates
us and
God gifts
us.
And it's like
as if there
were jewels
in the room
that God
has placed
within our
lives.
And as the
light of God
comes in,
people will
see these
jewels that
will reflect
out the
glory of God
from us.
us.
So we,
in a sense,
need to have
the redirection
that Israel
had.
We need
to come
back to
God and
lament over
the things
that are in
our lives
that we
place on
the side
windows.
Maybe we're
keeping them,
maybe what the
world are doing
is covering
the whole
window and
restricting
their view of
God entirely
and saying
he's not
there.
But we as
Christians,
maybe we
we're
clutching up
the sides
and we're
not allowing
God in as
much as
we should.
We need to
put these
things,
we need to
have redirection,
we need to
remind ourselves
every day,
the Lord,
our God,
the Lord
is one
and one
that is
worthy
of one
entire
devotion
from us.
He is one
that we
must concentrate
on as one
and give
all that
we can
to.
there are
things in
our lives
that we
shouldn't
keep and
we just
need to
put them
away,
things that
are not
good for
us.
We just
need to
put them
away.
Israel
delighted to
have the
ask returned
to them
after 20
years,
but they
still held
on to
the gods.
They were
delighted to
have the
ask returned
to them,
but they
still held
on to
their gods
for 20
years.
Samuel
is saying
to them,
put them
away,
get rid
of these
gods,
clear the
window and
let the
light of
the Lord
your God
enter into
your hearts.
the Lord
is a
jealous God
and he
will not
be worshipped
alongside
any
other.
He is
the one
and only,
he is
living and
he is
true.
And this
redirection
as we see
in the
people,
it comes
with a
confession
of our
error,
confessions
of our
sins as
we see
the people
doing in
verse 6.
We have
sinned against
the Lord.
we have
sinned against
the Lord.
But if we
look at
our lives
and we see
these side
windows
cluttered,
we say
we have
sinned
against the
Lord.
But he
is one
that if
we confess
our sins,
he is
faithful and
just to
forgive us
them and
cleanse us
from all
unrighteousness.
1 John 1
verse 9.
we confess
all of
these things
and bring
them before
and we
lament
over them
and we
confess we
have sinned,
he will
cleanse us,
which is
something we
struggle to
grasp here,
that he
will cleanse
us.
And our
redirection,
we as our
people must
direct
ourselves
to the
Lord
entirely,
to that
light.
so let's
look at
the
deliverance
that the
people have
in this
passage as
well.
People
confess their
sins and
Samuel,
in a sense,
he's like an
intercessor for
them on their
behalf.
The situation
that they
have,
they've
gathered at
Mishpana,
it's turned
on its
head when
Israel are
faced with
the threat
of the
Philistines.
the
Philistines
reappear in
this passage
again.
And just
as it took
20 years
for Israel
to return
to the
Lord,
it took
20 years
for the
Philistines
to forget
about the
power that
God had
before them
in the
ark.
It's
interesting
what time
can do
to us
as people.
It reads
that they
came against
Israel in
verse 7.
Israel feared
this nation
was gathered
not for
battle,
they were
gathered to
devote themselves
and return
themselves to
the Lord.
They didn't
have any
armory,
they didn't
have any
weapons to
fight the
Philistines as
they came,
but the
Philistines
are probably
and they
understand to
be a
strong nation.
There's
chariots and
irons with
the strength
of iron,
far stronger
than Israel.
So they
had a right
to fear
that they're
trapped,
they're
gathered
together and
this threat
is coming
upon them.
In every
sense of
the word,
they've
lost.
There's a
prospect that
they are
losing this
and you
can't help
but wonder
what are
they thinking?
They came
before the
Philistines,
before they
defeated them
and they
went back
to the
ark in the
previous passages.
what are
they going
to do?
Where are
they going
to go?
Will they
find confidence
in themselves
again to go
against the
Philistines?
They don't.
Maybe they're
just in a
position where
they're completely
at ends for
themselves.
like we
cannot do
anything.
We are,
we have
lost.
And so
they cry
out to
Samuel,
do not
cease to
cry out
for us.
We can
do nothing
for ourselves.
They've
come to
devote
themselves
to the
Lord and
they're
trusting
that God
will free
them.
The Lord
will be
faithful to
them.
And they
rely upon
him.
some
people may
portray the
Christian life
that, you
know, when
you become
a Christian,
it's easy.
God's on
your side and
you'll have no
problems, you'll
have no
anxieties
whatsoever,
which is
not, which
is not
true.
Many people
as Christians
go through
very difficult
circumstances.
And even
when we
stand for
God, as
this deal
we're doing
here, they
are making
us stand
for God.
We can
be sure
that the
devil will
not be
far away.
We can
be sure
that there
will be a
test awaiting
us.
When we
devote our
lives like
Israel did,
they came
with their
hearts to
devote them
to Israel.
We can
be sure
that there
will be
something to
challenge us
in our
lives.
Maybe you
can think
back when
you became
a Christian.
Things that
were thrown
thrown in
your way,
things that
came before
you, that
made you
question,
well, am
I on the
right path?
Is it going
to be this
difficult all
the way?
And we
can start in
our faith and
we can think
that, well, I
don't have the
strength to do
it.
I can't go
on, I can't
go on in my
faith.
there's no
way I can
do this.
But God
shows himself
to be
faithful as
he did to
the people.
God was
their protector.
They trusted
in God
and God
left them
in awe
at what he
did.
There's no
doubt that
God surprised
them by the
means of his
protection.
Verse 10
tells us that
the Lord
thundered a
mighty sound
and threw
the Philistines
into confusion.
Maybe the
world will
come against
us in a
certain way.
But when the
world go their
own way,
there's a
confusion.
It was
mentioned in
prayer.
Confusion
rules in a
people I
forget about
God.
But when we
remember God,
he will
clearly direct
us.
And he
gave the
people who
trusted in
him a
strength and
ability to
overcome the
challenges that
were set
before him.
He gave
them the
ability and
the strength
to overcome
the challenges
that were set
before them
as a nation.
It seemed
that everything
was against
them and they
were defeated
already.
But God
was faithful
to him.
They asked,
do not cease
to cry out
for us.
And God
is one who
will not
turn out
prayer from
him and
will not
withhold his
grace from
me.
Psalm 66.
And maybe,
well, maybe
they would
have been so
relieved.
God has
been faithful.
God has
been my
protector.
And Samuel
comes and he
puts up this
Ebenezer.
stone, a
reminder to
the people
of what
happened.
Remember the
time the
Philistines came
amongst us
and God
freed us
from the
threat.
But if you
remember,
probably don't
remember,
but if you
go back
to,
I can't find
it, at the
beginning when
they came to
battle against
the Philistines
in chapter
four,
the people
of us
encamped
at Ebenezer.
It says in
chapter four,
verse one,
they encamped
at Ebenezer
when they
went on
their own
strength.
And then
it says
later on
in the
passage that
the Philistines
took the
ark from
Ebenezer.
I can't
find the
verse there.
So this
stone, not
only a
reminder of
what God
had done
for them,
it was a
reminder of
themselves and
what they
had done,
the errors
they had
made.
A reminder
that they
were before
God, a
reminder
that they
had to
acknowledge,
it was a
reminder that
they were
acknowledging
this day,
that they
were putting
all their
gods behind
them.
And they
were going
to trust
in this
God, they
had made
their stakes,
we have
sinned before
you, and
we will be
faithful today
to you.
We will be
faithful to
you, our
Lord and
our God,
you are
one.
This stone
may be a
reminder of
when God
departed from
them, but
they didn't
leave them,
gods that
came back
to them,
God that
was fighting
for them
even when
he was in
a land
where they
couldn't
see it.
God was
long-suffering
with them,
and he was
faithful to
them, and
he came
back as
their
salvation.
And again,
what we
mentioned in
prayer, we
can have many
stones of
remembrance in
our lives.
There are
places that
are good for
us to come
back to and
remember what
God has
done.
And the
stone was
set up for
the people,
as I
reminded and
witnessed before
them, this is
what God has
done for you.
And they
would come
back there
time and
see,
remember the
time that
we made all
our mistakes,
that God
was faithful
to us, and
God delivered
us from a
time that we
thought we
were at loss,
a time that
we had been
overcome, but
he was
faithful.
And in a
sense, Christ,
our great
intercessor, has
set up a
stone of
remembrance for
us in the
Lord's
Supper, that
we come and
confess ourselves
and who we
are.
We examine
ourselves.
We are
thankful for
all that he
has done for
us, and we
praise him,
that he is
the one that
has overcome
death for
us, and he
has been our
protector, and
he is one
that will go
with us.
But notice
also, before
we finish, that
there was
peace in the
land.
When they
came and
devoted
themselves,
you know,
they have
been through
all this
fighting,
with the
ark coming
back, and
God showing
them who
he was, and
then when
they come and
consecrate
themselves, when
they give the
entirety of
their being
to God, he
gives them
peace.
It says in
verse 13,
that the hand
of the Lord
was against
the Philistines
all the days
of Samuel.
There was
peace between
Israel and
the Amorites.
I think I
put that
wrong.
There was
peace in
the land.
There was
peace in
the land.
Desires of
the people,
when they
went to
fight to
be set
free from
the Philistines
in chapter
four, when
they went
to fight,
this is what
they tried to
do on their
own strength,
but they
didn't gain
it.
They forgot
about God,
they didn't
respect God,
they didn't
honour God
the way they
should have
and they
were defeated.
But God
is one that
gave them
what they
desired when
they came
back to
him.
Delight
yourself in
the Lord
and he
will give
you the
desires of
your heart,
Psalm 37.
Peace is
found with
God.
The believer
will have
peace when
he gives
everything that
he has to
God.
and we
look back
over our
lives and
we see,
yes, we've
done many
things wrong,
many sins
in us and
they continue
with us and
we want to
put all these
things away
from us.
We don't
want to have
any idols,
but they
will come
and we
will give
them a
position that
we shouldn't
and we
must come
back and
confess our
failure,
confess our
sins,
realizing the
need of
his son and
the sacrifice
that he
paid for
us,
calling out
to him
that he
would intercede
for us,
that he
would remember
us and
not cease
to pray for
us.
We would
call out to
him because
we are weak
and we are
desperately
in need
of strengthening
to face the
battle that we
have against
this world,
death is
an evil
that will
overcome
me,
but he
is one
that has
delivered
us from
death.
He is not
one that
will fail
you.
He is
our great
intercessor
that stands
there on
our behalf
before God
and he
does not
dismiss our
confession
when we
cry to
him for
our help
and he
is one
that will
set us
free from
our
innings
and it
will be
true
that as we
look back
over our
lives
and even
as we
sit here
tonight we
can say
till now
the Lord
has helped
us and
every day
we can look
back saying
the Lord
has helped
us every
step that
we have
taken.
He has
been faithful
to us.
He has
not dismissed
my pleas
and my cry
for help.
He has
been my
protector.
He has
been my
deliverer
and he
is one
that is
worthy
of trusting.
He is
all
powerful.
He is
all wise.
He is
all holy.
He is
all just.
He is
good and
he is
true and
true to
his people.
There is
none
besides
him.
He is
one.
And maybe
when you
go home
you can
read through
Hannah's
prayer and
you can
see when
Samuel comes
into his
own here
and delivers
the people.
There are
elements of
Hannah's
prayer that
just fit in
with this
passage so
well.
Where he
delivers him
and there is
a thundering
of the
Lord.
Hannah's
got that
focus on
who the
Lord is.
She knows
who the
Lord is.
And God
honoured
his name
through his
people.
God will
vindicate his
name through
his people.
God will
not leave
you or
forsake you.
Amen.
May we
conclude in
praise by
singing in
Psalm 143
of the
Scottish
Church.