SAMUEL LEADS ISRAEL

PROCLAMATION

“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, ‘If ye do return unto The Lord with all your hearts … He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’  Then the children of Israel put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served The Lord only.”  1 Samuel 7:3-4 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of The Lord from Beth Shemesh as requested.  They kept the ark with them for twenty years. (1 Samuel 7:1-2)  Then the Israelites turned back to The Lord.  Samuel told them to put away their foreign gods and serve only The Lord, and He would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines. (1 Samuel 2-4)  The Israelites put away their idols and gathered at Mizpah where they fasted and confessed with Samuel as their leader.  When the Philistines heard that they had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines led an attack against them. (1 Samuel 7:5-7)  Samuel offered a sacrifice unto The Lord and that same day The Lord thundered with a loud thunder and caused the Philistines to panic.  The men of Israel then rushed out and pursued and slaughtered the Philistines. (1 Samuel 7:8-11)  They so subdued the Philistines that the towns of Ekron and Gath which had been captured were restored to Israel. (1 Samuel 7:12-14)  Samuel continued as the leader of Israel all the days of his life. (1 Samuel 7:15-17)

 

APPLICATION

If we as believers, who are called Christians, would humble ourselves, and pray, and seek The Lord God, and turn from our wicked sinful ways, then He would forgive us and heal us and our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  We have heard The Word of God preached to us, but we need to internalize it and become doers of The Word. (James 1:22)  We also need to read and study The Word of God, (2 Timothy 2:15) so that we can grow in the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18) and grow in holiness.  We should not stay babes in Christ and be fed The Word as milk instead of meat. (1 Corinthians 3:2)  We should want to grow spiritually.