Gods Help

Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. 3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lordonly.

5Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.”6When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader^a of Israel at Mizpah.

7When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.8They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.

10While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^bsaying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7)

Thoughts: The name "Ebenezer" means "stone of help."  Or you could translate it rock of help.  God is our rock- our strong help in time of need.  The people had no secret weapon.  They had been defeated again and again by the more powerful, more equipped Philistines. But the people repented of their sin turning back to the Lord- and then had Samuel continually crying out to Him.  God fought for them with a thunderstorm.  Sometimes our help of last resort is our only help.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust in you and your miracle.