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God Gives the Victory

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(I Samuel 7:12)

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.
He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

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During the time of Priest Eli, the Israelites did not serve only God.
They also served other false gods.
The Israelites went away from God so God did not stay with them.
So the Israelites greatly lost the war with the Philistines.

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At that war, the Philistines also took up the ark of our LORD.
God punished the Philistines for taking the ark of our LORD.
So they returned the ark of our LORD to Israel.

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The Israelites were very afraid of the Philistines.
For that, God raised up Samuel to be the High Priest of Israel.
Samuel was someone who served God very well.

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Samuel became the High Priest and said to all the tribes:"If you really promised to love and follow God, break all the kinds of idols and false gods that are among you. God will save us from the Philistines when we only follow Him."

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After hearing the words of Samuel, the Israelites obeyed.
They broke all the false gods, 'Baal' and 'the Ashtoreths.'
They promised in their hearts to serve the LORD only.

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Seeing that, Samuel told the people.
"All of you Israelites, gather to Mizpah and I will pray to the LORD for you."

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So all of the Israelites gathered at Mizpah.
Then, they brought water and poured the water in front of God.
They fasted and they offered repentance prayers for their sins.

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By chance, the Philistines heard that the Israelites were gathered at Mizpah.
The Philistines decided to attack the Israelites.
They brought an army and went up to Mizpah.

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When the Israelites heard that the Philistines were coming, they suddenly lost their calmness and became very afraid.

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The Israelites saw the Philistines so they went to Samuel and said,
"Please never stop praying for us. Please ask God to save us from the Philistines."

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After listening to the people, Samuel offered a sacrifice to God.
Samuel brought a lamb and offered a whole burnt offering by burning the lamb on the altar. Then, Samuel cried out and prayed to God to save them from the Philistines.

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While Samuel was sincerely praying to God, the Philistines came closer to the Israelites.Just as the Philistines began to attack the Israelites, God thundered down a loud thunder. God confused the Philistines by the loud thunder sound.

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While the Philistines were in a great panic, the Israelites attacked them.
The Philistines were not able to fight so they ran away.
The Israelites received the victory. God gave the victory to them.

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Samuel brought one stone and set it up in the place where the Israelites had drove the Philistines away. Then, Samuel said, "Thus far has the LORD helped us." Samuel confessed that God was the one who gave the victory in the battle to the Israelites.

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The Israelites confessed all of their sins to God. They broke all the false gods and only served God. So God stayed together with them. God listened to their prayers and gave the victory to them.

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Even us, we should also become people of victory like the Israelites.
When God is with us, we can always win. So we should try hard to become faithful people who only rely on and pray to God.