John Kitto Morning Bible Devotions: July 21

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John Kitto Morning Bible Devotions: July 21

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Ebenezer

1Sa_7:7-14

It is easier to gain a battle than to retain in long subjection the nation by whom the battle has been lost. The Philistines, however potent in the field, seem to have been consciously weak for occupation—their small territory being but ill able to afford the number of warriors, constantly in arms, which were required to maintain permanent garrisons in a country much larger and far more populous than their own. This feeling would make them more jealous and suspicious than a greater power would have been; and they would be led to exercise severer measures of repression and safeguard, by the consciousness of wanting an overwhelming force, immediately available for the putting down of any overt act of revolt that might occur. The strong endures and tolerates much, in the consciousness that his power, whenever he chooses to put it forth, is sufficient to redress all that may have gone wrong. The weak is watchful to prevent or smother all that bears the possibility of danger, in order to prevent a trial of strength, of the issue of which any doubt can be entertained. Of this class were the Philistines, who were under much alarm when they heard of the great assemblage of the tribes at Mizpeh—apprehending that such a gathering, under one so well known as Samuel, boded no good to their dominions, and might be intended to organize the nation’s assertion of its own independence. They therefore, without waiting for precise information, hastened to advance in military force towards the place of assemblage. The Israelites had at the time no such immediate designs as were imputed to them, although they doubtless looked forward to eventual deliverance from the sway of their neighbors. They were greatly distressed when this news came to them, being wholly unprepared for action against the Philistines. Probably the actual impulse of the moment would have led them not to offer battle to their oppressors, but to tender submission to them. But now was the time for Samuel to show himself equal to the exigency imposed upon him, and worthy of the leadership of the people, to which he had been appointed. It is true that he was a man of peace, whose habits and associations were far different from those of persons who, like David, have been “men of war from their youth.” But his heart was full of patriotism and faith; and he shrunk not from encouraging the people to stand up against the approaching host, nor from leading them himself to the battle.

The steps taken by him were, however, peculiar, and deserve attention. First, Samuel “took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the Lord.” By this it is usually understood, that he offered it entire, without taking off the skin, which was the perquisite of the priest, and without dividing the carcass into parts, as usual, and separating the head, the tail, the feet, and the internal fat, Samuel could not be unacquainted with the proper ceremonies, but there was probably no time for their exact observance. Samson’s former case had now become his—the Philistines were upon him. At the first view there appear also other irregularities—equal, seemingly, to such, as before and after, drew down the Divine displeasure. First, Samuel erected an altar for this sacrifice; although nothing is more distinct in the law, than that there were to be no altars or offerings but at the great altar at the place of the tabernacle. Samuel did the same thing on other occasions, as did, at a later period, Elijah on Mount Carmel. It would also appear that Samuel himself, at this as at the other times, offered the sacrifice, although this was a function peculiar to the priesthood, and Samuel was only a Levite. This, also, is parallel to the case of Elijah. That they committed no offence, but rather did what was well-pleasing to God, appears from their sacrifices being most signally accepted. In the case of Elijah. this was shown by the descent of fire from heaven upon the sacrifice, which was consumed thereby; and this made that sacrifice less irregular than that of Samuel, for it was not lawful to offer sacrifice with any fire but that originally kindled from heaven, and which was preserved for the use of the great tabernacle altar. It is clear that Samuel’s sacrifice must have been offered with common fire.

The difficulty is to reconcile the severe judgments denounced and inflicted for irregularities in the ritual service, with not only the complete impunity, but the direct sanction and approval, which attended the irregular actions of Samuel and other prophets with regard to the ritual observances. The point is of importance; for it is the action of the prophets from this time forward upon public affairs which gives to the history of the Jews much of its peculiar character—for which reason we mean to bestow especial attention upon their proceedings, without a clear apprehension of which the history itself can never be well and clearly understood.

It would appear, then, that the prophets, as men divinely authorized and inspired, were regarded as having a right to dispense with the strict requirements of the law on special and extraordinary occasions; and that as prompted by the Spirit, it was lawful for them to do that which would be most criminal in persons not so authorized, and would bring down condign punishment upon them. And this authorized departure, when occasion demanded, from the strict requirements of the law, could not but operate beneficially upon the public mind. The rigid enforcement of every jot and tittle of the law, on ordinary occasions, might eventually, without the presence of a corrective and counteracting influence, have created a sort of idolatry for the mere letter of the law, and of every ritual detail, as in itself a divine thing. But the permitted departures therefrom by the prophets corrected this tendency, by directing attention more to the spiritual essence of those observances—teaching, as Samuel himself expressly declared on one occasion, that “obedience was better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of lambs.” The diligent reader of Scripture is aware that this upholding of the spirit above the mere letter of the ritual service was a peculiar function of the prophets, appearing with more and more distinctness as the time advances, until at last the prophets declare with great plainness of speech, that the mere ritual service in all its parts, and the most sacred solemnities prescribed by the law, were, in the nakedness of their literal truth—apart from the spiritual influences which should be connected with them—not only unacceptable to the Lord, but abomination in his sight. Thus a most important part of the prophetic office was to maintain the spiritual character of the Hebrew worship, and to prevent the degeneracy of the people into such mere ritualism as they had fallen into at the time our Lord appeared. Indeed, it is important to notice, that this character of Judaism, as then existing, followed, and was no doubt in a great degree the effect of, the long discontinuance of the prophetic office. Would not a man like Isaiah, for instance, have lifted up his voice, day and night, against such a state of religion as prevailed in the time of our Savior?

Still, these remarkable departures from the regular course of ritual observance, were only resorted to when that course could not well be followed. It was clear that if, in this case; there was to be any sacrifice to seal the covenant which Israel had taken, it could only be then and there, as soon as it appeared that the Philistines were advancing. Besides, as it appears that Shiloh had been destroyed, it is doubtful whether the tabernacle and the altar, although preserved, had yet been set up elsewhere, or the regular service maintained. So, in the case of Elijah, a more regular sacrifice than that which he offered at Mount Carmel would have been impossible; for there was in fact no authorized altar of the Lord in the kingdom which was the scene of his labors and his mighty deeds. The temple and altar were afar off in the neighboring kingdom of Judah.

Strengthened by these religious acts, the Israelites stood their ground when the Philistines appeared in battle array against them. They had only to stand still; for the Lord had put their enemies into such confusion by a tremendous thunder-storm, that they soon fled in dismay, and were pursued with great slaughter by the triumphant Israelites. The thunder was no doubt attended with lightning, which probably, as Josephus says, flashed in their faces, and struck their weapons out of their hands. He adds, also, that there was an earthquake, which caused great gaps in the earth, into which they fell. At the place where the pursuit ceased, and where it was seen that the Philistines were utterly beaten, and that Israel once more was free, Samuel set up a great stone, and called it Eben-Ezer (the stone of help), saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” Now it is a memorable fact, which gave a touching emphasis to this memorial, that this was the very place where, twenty years before, the Israelites were defeated, and the ark of God was taken. The stone of help thus became a two-fold monument.